GATINEAU – While a CRTC hearing into the levels of foreign ownership in new wireless entrant Globalive is set to begin on the 23rd of this month, Rogers Communications this week sent a letter to the Regulator asking for the same treatment of two other newcomers, Public Mobile and Dave Wireless.
“Since the 2008 AWS auction, many questions have arisen regarding the ownership and control of several of the successful bidders,” reads the Rogers letter to CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein. “Many of the auction’s participants included foreign partners in order to raise the necessary capital. These concerns were directed…
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EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME, both because it’s fun and because we want the weekend off… we re-publish the top 25 stories from the last 12 months.
The other reason why we do it now and not in January is that September, just after Labour Day, is the “new year” for broadcasters. The new fall shows are coming out and speaking from a regulatory perspective, too, the 2009 broadcast year ended August 31st and we are into a new year.
After spending hours pouring over our analytics to identify the top stories, I can say it has been a very busy…
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TORONTO – VideoFACT is changing its name to MuchFACT, as CTV’s MuchMusic and MuchMore take on exclusive funding beginning immediately.
The change comes as Astral Media’s MusiquePlus begins flowing music video production expenditure independently through MaxFACT, administered by Les Fonds Harold Greenberg in Montreal.
“Over the past 25 years, VideoFACT has helped advance the careers of Canadian artists everywhere by funding their music videos, EPKs and websites,” said Brad Schwartz, SVP and GM of The Much MTV Group, in the announcement. “We are honoured to have this initiative re-named as MuchFACT accurately representing MuchMusic’s exclusive support to this vital…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Nascent wireless company Globalive is so worried about protecting the identity of its financial backers that this week it has asked the CRTC for what looks like CSIS-level security if and when those financiers do meet the Commission.
In a three-page letter to the Commission, Globalive doesn’t just want their competitive financial information kept confidential, but “requests that the Commission treat as confidential the name and other identifying characteristics of a Canadian financial institution (the Bank), or any other financial institution, which may provide witness to appear at the hearing to discuss Globalive’s financing plans,” reads the letter,…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Nascent wireless company Globalive is so worried about protecting the identity of its financial backers that this week it has asked the CRTC for what looks like CSIS-level security if and when those financiers do meet the Commission.
Others say the request is unprecedented and should be immediately dismissed.
In a three-page letter to the Commission, Globalive doesn’t just want their competitive financial information kept confidential, but “requests that the Commission treat as confidential the name and other identifying characteristics of a Canadian financial institution (the Bank), or any other financial institution, which may provide witness to appear at…
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VICTORIA – On the final day of its temporary reprieve from closure, the employees of CHEK-TV got the answer they were hoping for: Canwest has accepted their offer to buy the station.
Station GM John Pollard confirmed to Cartt.ca that the deal was struck at approximately 2 PM local time on Friday afternoon.
“We’ve bought the station”, Pollard said in a phone interview. “We’ve signed off on all agreements and paid the money. It’s done.”
Pollard declined to name the purchase price, other than saying that it was “nominal”. The deal gives the employees a 20% stake in the station while a…
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OTTAWA – If the transition to digital television is going to work here, Canadian consumers are going to need digital set top boxes – and help paying for them – says prospective satellite company FreeHD Canada.
In its early submission to the CRTC on Broadcasting Notices of Consultation 2009-411 and 411-3, the company (which just asked the CRTC for BDU and SRDU licenses last month, as first reported by Cartt.ca) notes the substantial issues facing the Canadian broadcast industry with less than two years until analog TV is set to be switched off forever.
BNC 2009-411 and 411-3 are of…
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OTTAWA – Over-the-air broadcasters serving markets of less than 1 million people can now apply for a share of approximately $100 million from the new Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF) which came in to effect Tuesday.
Both private broadcasters and CBC/Radio-Canada television stations can access the LPIF, which is funded by cable and satellite companies who must contribute 1.5% of their gross broadcasting-related revenues from the 2008-2009 broadcast year.
The Fund, administrated by McCay, Duff and Company Management Ltd., will be disbursed over the 2009-2010 broadcast year. One-third of the total funding will be divided equally amongst stations in specific Francophone…
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HAMILTON and MONTREAL – Monday marked the start of a new era at the five former E!-branded television stations across the country.
Gone are the remnants of the ill-fated ‘E!’ design and glitzy American entertainment shows left over from the Canwest Global age. In its place in Hamilton, viewers welcomed the return of the station’s historic call letters as its new name -‘CHCH News and Movies’ – flashed up on TV screens before dawn.
New owner Channel Zero (CZ), cut all remaining ties to Canwest over the weekend, and the station’s first news show of the day opened at 5:30 AM…
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MONTREAL – Astral’s French-language music channel MusiquePlus will now allocate its annual contributions in support of music video development and production to MaxFACT.
MusiquePlus’ annual contributions match 3.4% of the previous broadcast fiscal year’s gross revenues. The funds were previously directed to VidéoFACT, but the CRTC approved Astral’s request to direct the contributions to MaxFACT last month.
"This new additional source of financing for MaxFACT, along with a new category for young adults, will help us better respond to the imposing volume of promising and well-thought-out projects that we receive each year and reach a wider audience for our…
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