OTTAWA – It’s not just the creative side of the industry that objects to the purchase of Alliance Atlantis by Goldman Sachs and CanWest Global (and even the directors and producers aren’t totally united on that front).
The Association of Canadian Advertisers, while giving their blessing to the merger of CanWest’s and Alliance Atlantis’ substantial TV properties, also sounded an alarm, saying that even though a bigger, more robust CanWest will be much better positioned to compete with CTVglobemedia, there may now be too many individual specialty services under just two corporate umbrellas.
In its submission to the CRTC…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Ten-digit dialing will come to the 418 area code on in 13 months, the CRTC announced today.
The transition to 10-digit dialing will be gradually implemented beginning on June 21, 2008, and become mandatory by September 12, 2008.
Also, effective September 19, 2008, a new area code will be introduced in the region currently served by area code 418. Customers seeking new numbers in this area code could be given a number starting with area code 581.
"These measures are being taken to prevent the exhaustion of telephone numbers in the area code 418 region. The Canadian…
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TORONTO – Saying that the proposed sale of Alliance Atlantis violates Canadian media foreign ownership rules, the Coalition of Canadian Audio Visual Unions has told the CRTC the deal must be stopped.
CanWest Global Communications and Goldman Sachs agreed in January to acquire specialty broadcaster Alliance Atlantis for $2.3 billion in an unusual deal which will see Goldman provide most of the equity and retain ownership of the CSI TV show franchise while CanWest would get control of the Alliance Atlantis specialty channels. A new company which would contain the CanWest TV assets and those from AA, whose board…
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TORONTO – Corus Entertainment has agreed to sell its Quebec City AM news station, CHRC (Info 800 AM) to a local group which includes former Montreal Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy.
The purchase price was not disclosed and is subject to CRTC approval.
"Corus will continue to serve listeners with our two FM stations, Québec City’s CFOM-FM and Montmagny’s CFEL-FM, which now has increased power and regional reach," said Jacques Papin, vice-president, networks, Corus Québec, in a press release. "CHRC-AM is a natural fit for the proposed new ownership group given their strong affiliation with Québec City’s sports, arts and…
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OTTAWA – The one thing most everyone agrees on is that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be announcing a Cabinet shuffle early next week.
According to multiple reports, all ministers have been told to be in Ottawa this weekend and next week, meaning that the PM may have major changes in mind and not just some minor tweaking (Gordon O’Connor is certainly gone from National Defense, they say). But what will it mean for the two ministers overseeing the cable, radio, television and telecom industries?
Industry Minister Maxime Bernier, by any measure, has been a very successful minister who,…
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DARTMOUTH – Thanks to new stations in Calgary and Charlottetown, radio broadcaster Newfoundland Capital Corporation reported revenue growth of 7% to $26.2 million in the second quarter, ended June 30th and 6% to $45.7 million year-to-date, as compared to the same time frames from 2006.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization were $7.2 million in the quarter and $7.3 million year-to-date. Excluding the effect of last year’s marketable securities gains, $6.7 million in the quarter and $8.7 million year-to-date, consolidated EBITDA improved $2.2 million in the quarter and $1.1 million year to date, says the company’s press…
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PENTICTON/KAMLOOPS – The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group has agreed to buy another British Columbia radio station.
If all is approved, Pattison will acquire country station CIGV-FM (GIANT FM) in Penticton, from Great Valleys Radio Ltd. The purchase price was not disclosed.
“This is a very important acquisition for our Broadcast Group as we have worked closely with the Robinson family over the past few months to reach and sign an agreement to purchase the Great Valleys Radio assets”, said Rick Arnish, president of The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.
“I knew Mr. Ralph Robinson, the founder of Great Valleys Radio,…
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OTTAWA – Michel Morin, has been appointed as a CRTC commissioner, announced Bev Oda, minister of Canadian Heritage.
Morin has spent more than 34 years in broadcasting and has been a journalist, economic news editor, leader of a team of journalists, and, most recently, chief editor of television news for both Radio-Canada and the French language news network RDI.
"His career encompasses a broad range of assignments, including program anchor and research assistant in Ottawa; parliamentary correspondent in Québec City; foreign correspondent in Paris; and journalist, desk editor, and chief editor for the past 14 years in Montréal," reads…
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HAMILTON – The CRTC approved Source Cable’s application for a video on demand license today.
The 18,000-customer cable company serves portions of southern Hamilton. It’s new license is effective from September 1st 2007 through the end of August 2014.
Click here for the full decision.
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GATINEAU – It took a second pass through the CRTC, but Corus Entertainment won approval for Cosmo TV today.
The category two digital channel, a partnership with Cosmopolitan Magazine owner Hearst Corp., will join the popular W in the broadcaster’s women’s division.
As we reported in February, the Commission denied the first attempt by Cosmo TV for a license saying it infringed on the genre protection of other Canadian specialties such as the FashionTelevision Channel and Star!.
This second time around, Cosmo agreed to some programming restrictions so it wouldn’t infringe on the protections of others, such as:
*…
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