GATINEAU – After seeing the broadcast license renewal applications from Canwest Global, CTV, TVA, and Citytv in all their frightening uncertainty (or so we’re told), the CRTC has decided to push the full hearings back another year.
However, it will still tackle the very serious issues facing conventional broadcasters in a hearing on April 27th.
In a public notice released this morning, just weeks after the Commission said it was going to “review the scope” of the proceedings, it was determined there are way too many factors and pressures in play right now to possibly decide on new,…
Continue Reading
TORONTO and OTTAWA – Industry reaction to the CRTC’s decision to issue one year broadcast licences to four private conventional television networks has been swift.
The Candian Media Guild (CMG) warned that the decision “poses an immediate threat to local programming” in Canada, and “should raise fears across the country” over the future of over-the-air television after the digital conversion in August, 2011.
“We know that broadcasters have had an unprecedented number of closed-door meetings with the CRTC," said Lise Lareau, president of CMG, in a statement. “Our concern is that this fast-tracking of the process is going…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) says that for the sake of the local economy, Canadian TV broadcasters must invest in Canada’s film and television industry, not spend “record amounts to buy Hollywood shows”.
The statement follows the release of the CRTC’s annual report earlier this week showing that Canada’s private TV broadcasters spent $775 million on foreign programming in 2008, up 7.4% from 2007, while spending on Canadian dramas "remained relatively stagnant" at $88 million.
“Buying shows like ‘Access Hollywood’ and ‘Entertainment Tonight’ does not help Canada’s economy. Private broadcasters are already spending almost 10 times more on foreign programs…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – While Canadian private broadcasters are increasingly spending big on American programming, their profitability took a huge hit in the 2008 broadcast year, ended August 31st, CRTC numbers show.
When compared with 2007, revenues for private conventional television stations decreased by 1.5% last year while expenses increased by 4%. This resulted in profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) of just $8 million, well off the $112.9 million reported in 2007.
In 2008, private broadcasters generated $2.1 billion in total revenue, with $387.3 million from local advertising remained – about the same level as last year. National advertising sales,…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC decided Wednesday to eliminate restrictions on the broadcast of hits by English-language FM radio stations in English-language markets, but to uphold the restrictions in the bilingual markets of Montréal and Ottawa-Gatineau.
And at least one radio broadcaster is unhappy with the Commission’s decision. Calling the policy “insane, inane and asinine”, Chuck McCoy, executive vice president of programming and marketing for Rogers Radio, said that there is “no logical reason” for the decision.
“If you live in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Winnipeg or Toronto, you can listen to stations that play hits, the music that the consumers…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The recent cutbacks and sharp shift in focus for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters is something that should be re-thought, say its independent broadcast members.
Readers will recall that the group recently cut its size in half and retrenched its focus so that it will be much less involved with the CRTC and spend far more time and resources lobbying government MPs directly instead.
That’s not to say the smaller members don’t recognize some change is required. “I think it’s important to recognize that the CAB leadership had every good intention of being responsible and changing with…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) has launched its first call for proposals for Canadian community-oriented broadcasters and associations.
Applications will be accepted under the categories ‘Radio Talent Development Program’ and the ‘Youth Internship Program’. The goal of both programs is to “develop innovative local interest programming while providing mentorship, education, and/or training for broadcasters”.
The deadline for each program is March 27, 2009. Proposals will be assessed in April through a peer review process, with the final results announced in May.
The programs are part of a financial partnership with Astral Media Radio through a CRTC contribution mechanism worth $1.4…
Continue Reading
A national coalition of self-described “Internet democracy watchdogs” is calling on Canadians to voice their opinion on the issue of network neutrality and Internet traffic management practices to the CRTC, in advance of their February 16 deadline for comments.
SaveOurNet.ca, a coalition of media watchdogs, industry and public interest groups, says the “debate” pits the interests of “monopoly against the larger interests of Canadian innovation, democracy, and a healthy 21st century economy”.
"There needs to be some basic rules in place to protect Canadian citizens and businesses from being unfairly throttled, blocked or squeezed out by a few telecom…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC has issued a call for comments on how Canadian BDUs can best work around the U.S. transition from analog to digital broadcasting of its main television networks, also known as the U.S. 4+1 signals.
U.S. over-the-air (OTA) television networks ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX plus the U.S. Public Broadcasting System (PBS) are scheduled to shut down analog broadcasting later this month. But with the Canadian digital transition date not scheduled until August 31 2011, many BDUs will have to find a short term solution to continue to offer these channels to subscribers who can’t receive the digital version….
Continue Reading
TORONTO – With all TV companies extending their businesses into other media, the need for cross-media audience measurement has never been greater than now, said Mike Bloxham, director of insight and research for Ball State University’s Center for Media Design.
Bloxham was speaking during a plenary session on understanding consumer behaviour at BBM Canada’s Staying Tuned 2009 conference held Tuesday in Toronto.
The current fragmented nature of media has created what Bloxham calls “the curse of the silos”. Audience measurement data has become "siloed", making it difficult for media owners and advertisers to develop effective cross-media strategies or to…
Continue Reading
