TORONTO – Rogers Communications share price dipped somewhat today as the company missed analysts expectations, but overall, the wireless, telecom, cable and media company turned in a solid second quarter of 2008, ended June 30, 2008.
Highlights of the second quarter of 2008 (taken right from the RCI press release) include the following:
* Generated continued double-digit growth in quarterly revenue and adjusted operating profit of 11% and 17%, respectively, while net income increased to $301 million (or to $364 million on an adjusted basis), and adjusted operating profit less interest expense and PP&E additions rose 20% to $475…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), based at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, has asked the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to open an investigation into targeted web advertising.
Using certain technologies, including deep packet inspection, Canadian ISPs can identify tendencies of its users in order to better target the web ads sent to their computer screens as they search. The idea is to deliver better, more relevant ads to consumers and deliver better, more relevant customers to advertisers.
The practice, known as behavioral targeting, is used in many jurisdictions, such as…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters annual convention will take place in the nation’s capital again this year from November 2-4 at the Westin Hotel Ottawa.
This year’s theme – The World View – “reflects the increasingly global nature of the issues that are affecting the radio and television industries,” says the association.
In addition to plenary and keynote presentations, this year’s 12 concurrent sessions have been divided into four distinct tracks that focus on the latest “hot button” issues. They are, as quoted from the CAB:
Track 1: Trendspotting – Broadcasting 3.0? Technology and market forecasters share…
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WASHINGTON – While the Sirius-XM merger process officially ended on Friday, the debate continues on whether satellite radio is any closer to becoming mainstream.
After 17 months of deliberation and intense lobbying by broadcasters to halt the merger, the Federal Communications Commission approved the deal in a 3-2 vote after Sirius and XM agreed to pay $19.7 million in fines.
It was Republican commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate’s vote that removed the final hurdle to the merger’s completion. The companies voluntarily agreed to pay a combined $19.7 million in fines to settle FCC rule violations to gain her support. This includes locating towers…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has revoked the licence of embattled University of Manitoba radio station, Flava 107.9 FM, (CJWV-FM), which ceased broadcasting last October.
The licensee, Harmony Broadcasting Corporation, has been in breach of various regulations and conditions of licence since 2005 and has failed to comply with a number of mandatory orders imposed by the commission.
Flava’s previous management had been raked over the coals by the CRTC for failing to comply with its licence. The station had strayed from its prescribed programming format and had failed to establish an education program as required by the CRTC when granting the…
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DARTMOUTH – Newcap and Rogers Broadcasting Limited have agreed to exchange radio stations subject to approval from the CRTC.
Newcap will exchange its CFDR AM broadcast licence in Halifax, Nova Scotia and receive in return Rogers’ CIGM AM licence in Sudbury, Ontario and $5.0 million. Both parties have simultaneously submitted applications for this transfer of assets along with applications requesting conversion of the AM licences to FM.
"If approved by the CRTC, this transaction will improve service to the public with superior FM quality signals in both Halifax and Sudbury. We have owned CFDR for over 20 years, and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC announced today that its revised commercial radio and digital Radio Policies will come into force this September 1 and will force the country’s radio stations to pay millions more to support the development of Canadian talent.
The levies for the support of Canadian talent had been based on the size of the market served by each station, but the new Canadian content development (CCD)system now calculates fees according to revenues.
Stations at the low end, with revenues of $625,000 or less, will pay a flat $500; those who make between $625,000 and $1.25 million will pay…
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OTTAWA – Two years after the arrival of subscription satellite radio in Canada, the private commercial radio industry has shown no apparent ill effect as revenues continued to climb in 2007 according to numbers released by the CRTC today.
Total revenues for Canada’s AM and FM radio stations increased by 6.2% going from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $1.5 billion in 2007. When factoring in $1.16 billion in expenses, Canada’s radio stations enjoyed profits of $300.2 million, an increase of 5.5% or $15.7 million before interest and taxes.
The profit margin of 19. 99% is slightly below last year’s…
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TORONTO – The unions and guilds that represent Canada’s professional performers, directors and screenwriters are lining up in support of The Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) efforts to secure equitable agreements for program rights in negotiations with the major private broadcast networks, as well as the CBC.
"We support the independent producers’ position that equitable terms of trade agreements are needed to secure fairer deals for program rights," said Stephen Waddell, national executive director of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). "Reaching fair terms for granting rights is a struggle with which we…
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A NUMBER OF PEOPLE have mentioned through 2008 that this has been an especially tumultuous year for the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance, and some have questioned its vitality.
Regulatory changes, economic challenges, member company departures thanks to acquisitions, more new technology. Aren’t all of these issues conspiring to damage the CCSA and its membership? In a word: No. In a few more words: These are the very challenges the CCSA has confronted head-on since its origination. 2008 doesn’t present anything new.
Members have always come and gone. Founding member Fundy Cable is long gone, for example. However, when 500,000-plus-customer…
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