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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MONTREAL – Canada’s English and French-language producers say they are determined to reach a fair deal with television networks as each side prepares to make their case on a new deal for program rights across a variety of platforms and media.
Tomorrow, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFPTA), which represents the majority of English-language independent producers, is slated to sit down with CTV, Canwest Global and Rogers to begin negotiating so-called “terms of trade” negotiations – framework agreements aimed at defining and valuing program rights. These framework agreements would apply to individual negotiations between broadcasters and producers…
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GATINEAU – Having taken control of the Citytv network but not the local news cable channel Citytv Toronto fed in Hogtown, CP24, Rogers Media has asked the CRTC for a category 2 digital specialty license for a new channel serving Canada’s most populous city.
CTVglobemedia kept ownership of CP24 when it bought former owner CHUM and spun off Citytv to Rogers.
“The applicant states that most of its programming will be sourced from its local television – OMNI and Citytv stations – and radio news properties. The programming will consist of a mix of local news, traffic, weather, business,…
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TORONTO – If everyone agrees the deployment of advanced advertising, finely targeted advertising, is a damn good idea that should yield a nice, new burst of revenue, why can’t the industry pull it off?
That was the question I had in my head prior to Tuesday morning’s CTAM Canada panel discussion on the topic held in Toronto at the Velma Rogers Graham Theatre. I’ve heard the players who spoke on this topic at other events and have chatted with most of them in person, too, on this topic.
Invidi Technologies, which led off the morning with a presentation on…
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OTTAWA – The CFTPA has added one of the architects of the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, Gordon Ritchie, to its negotiating team, just prior to beginning talks on program rights deals with the major private over-the-air television networks, as well as CBC.
“Gordon’s wealth of experience and sound judgment will be invaluable to us as we sit down with CTV, Canwest Global, Rogers and CBC to negotiate more equitable trading terms with our broadcaster partners that reflect the realities facing independent Canadian producers,” said Canadian Film and Television Producers Association chair Sandra Cunningham, in a release.
According to the…
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TORONTO – Richard Gray, head of news at the A-Channel network, has been appointed vice-president of Ottawa Radio and A-Channel Ottawa, parent company CTVglobemedia announced this morning.
Gray takes over from Chris Gordon, who was appointed president of CTV’s CHUM Radio division in April. Gray begins his new position on Sept. 1.
In his new role, Gray will continue as head of A-Channel News, while assuming responsibility for A-Channel Ottawa, and CHUM Radio Stations Majic 100 FM, 93.9 BOB FM, CFRA 580 AM and The Team 1200 AM. He leaves his current role as vice-president and general manager of…
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TORONTO – It was one of the key topics under discussion during the CRTC hearing into new policies to govern broadcast distribution undertakings and CTAM Canada is about to hit the topic again for its members.
Advanced advertising, or targeted advertising, advertising within the VOD stream, or on PVRs, or split demographically, whatever you call it, it will all be on the table July 15th in Toronto.
The morning will begin with a presentation from David Downey, president and CEO of Invidi, a leader in the advanced cable advertising whose platform is being deployed by major American MSOs right…
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OTTAWA – A review of broadcasting in new media is utterly unnecessary, says an unprecedented joint submission to the CRTC by Canada’s largest Internet service providers.
Friday was the deadline for submissions on PN 2008-44, which only asked for comments on what the scope of any future proceeding on Canadian broadcasting in new media might be. The Commission wants advice on what questions it might ask when it decides to undertake a review of what new media is doing to broadcasting and what Canadian regulations might have to say about it. At this point, it doesn’t want to…
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MONTREAL – Bell Aliant CEO Stephen Wetmore and Bell Canada chief corporate officer and EVP Lawson Hunter are the next two executives leaving the company.
Long-time Bell executive Wetmore was the first CEO of Bell Aliant, having led the company from its formation in July 2006. "Stephen has made a tremendous contribution to Bell Aliant. As a result of his work, the company has strong foundations for the future," said Michael Sabia, chair of the Bell Aliant boards and outgoing CEO of Bell Canada.
"With Bell Aliant now on the firm footing we had anticipated at its formation, and…
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