Search Results for: crtc

Radio / Television News

CBSC raps SRC over controversial ‘Bye Bye’ show

OTTAWA – The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has found that parts of Radio-Canada’s controversial New Year’s Eve special ‘Bye Bye 2008’ violated the public broadcaster’s codes, regulations and conditions of license. Radio-Canada and the CRTC received a flood of complaints from viewers about the satirical variety show, so much so that the CRTC, who usually handles complaints regarding the public broadcaster, asked the CBSC to examine the broadcast due to its “considerable experience with complaints about broadcast content” and “its well-recognized panel process” before making its own decision on the complaints  The CBSC’s Quebec regional panel examined the… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Rogers and other BDUs file complaint against CTV for breach of public trust

TORONTO – Rogers, Bell, Telus, Cogeco, Eastlink and the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) have banded together to file a complaint with the CRTC alleging that CTV has violated the Broadcasting Act by airing a “one-sided and unbalanced coverage” of its own advocacy campaign. As reported by Cartt.ca, CTV has been promoting its ‘Save Local TV’ campaign across its television properties in an apparent attempt to pressure the government and the CRTC for fee-for-carriage.  But incorporating the campaign into their local newscasts violates the Broadcasting Act and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters own Code of Ethics, say the group of BDUs. "While we… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

UPDATE: Rogers and other BDUs file complaint against CTV for breach of public trust

TORONTO – CTV has, predictably, refuted the allegations made by Rogers and other BDUs regarding its ‘Save Local TV’ public advocacy campaign. In a statement sent late on Friday afternoon, the network said it has remained in “full compliance” with both the Broadcasting Act and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Code of Ethics, and called the complaint by the BDUs an “underhanded move by cable and satellite companies” and “an abuse of process designed to suppress freedom of speech and mislead the public”. "The fact that the first we’re hearing about this is through a Rogers’ press release and still… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Commentary: Emptying an in-box full of conventional ideas (TV, that is)

ONE OF THE FORMER rules of thumb when it comes to opinionating was: Never Use “I”. Saying “I think” or “I believe” in a column is redundant and lazy. To paraphrase what more than one editor has said in my presence over the years: “Readers already know it’s what you think, your name’s at the top of the piece. Be more creative in how you write.” So, with apologies to all of my former bosses, I must say: I have a headache. I’ve grown just a little weary of thinking about the so-called crisis in conventional television. And judging… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

CRFC awards funds

OTTAWA – The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) has chosen its first group of funding recipients through its radio talent development program and youth internship program launched earlier this year. The recipients of the radio talent development program are: – CFAD 92.1 FM, Salmo BC: “Salmo Community Radio Local News/Public Affairs Forum” $4,700 – CFUV 101.9 FM, Victoria BC: “Women’s Collective Coordinator – Summer Position” $2,970 – CHLS 100.5 FM, Lillooet BC: “Radio Legends” $9,750 – CHOQ 105.1 FM, Toronto ON: “Dossiers Choq” $7,350 – CIVR 103.5 FM, Yellowknife NT: “Recueillir et diffuser l’information locale, territorial” $10,000 -… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Canwest “encouraged” by CRTC’s preliminary decisions

WINNIPEG – Canwest Global Communications said that the CRTC’s preliminary determinations relating to its 2009 conventional television licence renewal announced last week “represent a significant positive step forward for local television”. The CRTC set an agenda and timetable for discussing issues facing local television stations, including potential solutions that provide on-going revenue support, last Friday. “This decision demonstrates that the CRTC understands the serious issues facing local television in this country and recognizes the need to provide access to the same revenue streams afforded other broadcasters,” said Canwest president and CEO Leonard Asper, in a statement. “We are encouraged that… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Commission issues year-long licenses, dumps 1:1 for now

GATINEAU – Canadian convention broadcasters have had their licenses renewed for a year, won’t face a one-to-one foreign-Canadian programming spend requirement – and will have a LOT of regulatory work to do in the next 12 months, As first reported by Cartt.ca this week, the CRTC announced its preliminary decisions on a few matters from the public hearing to renew the licences of most of Canada’s private conventional television broadcasters. “We are making our initial determinations public to provide a measure of guidance to conventional broadcasters as they prepare for the upcoming broadcast year and embark on program purchases,”… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

ACTRA “optimistic” that CRTC alludes to more spending on Cancon

TORONTO – ACTRA said that its “pleased” and “optimistic” by the CRTC’s announcement that it will consider reinstating programming expenditures for Canadian programming this Fall. But the actors union also expressed disappointment that the broadcasting regulator “passed on the opportunity to put the brakes on private broadcasters’ Hollywood spending sprees” in the short-term. “We’re relieved that the CRTC is putting minimum expenditures for Canadian programming back on the table this Fall,” said national president Richard Hardacre, in a statement. “We’ve been calling on the CRTC to force private broadcasters to invest in Canadian programming since expenditure requirements were… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Court approves sale of Look’s spectrum, mobile license to Inukshuk

TORONTO and MONTREAL – The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved the sale of Look Communications’ spectrum and broadcast licence to Bell Canada and Rogers Communications, through their joint venture Inukshuk Wireless Partnership.  Under the agreement, Inukshuk will pay Look $80 million in cash for its 92 MHz of spectrum, which is equivalent to coverage of approximately 1.8 billion MHz/Pops, and its mobile broadcast license which has been renewed by the CRTC through August 2011. As part of the agreement, Look and Bell Canada have also resolved all outstanding litigation, and Look’s parent company Unique Broadband Systems settled its… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Canadians should be able to watch Olympics in both official languages, says chair

OTTAWA – CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein is pushing CTVglobemedia and the CBC to reach an agreement allowing the CBC to broadcast the 2010 Olympics on its French-language television service. During an address to the Standing Committee on Official Languages in Ottawa on Tuesday, von Finckenstein said that while the CTV/Rogers Olympic broadcast media consortium intends to make French broadcasters TQS, RDS and RIS available free of charge to cable companies offering digital TV in markets with an English-speaking majority, this will still leave some francophones who rely on over-the-air television signals, or who subscribe to analog cable, without… Continue Reading