OTTAWA – Just as the CEP union did earlier this week, NDP Heritage Critic Charlie Angus Wednesday called for new CRTC hearings into media concentration arising from the CTV/CHUM purchase.
"The Canadian public continues to be shortchanged by the CRTC regarding the serious threats posed by mega-media concentration," says Angus’ release today.
“Who’s kidding who here? Are we expected to think that the CRTC will hold up the single largest corporate merger in Canadian media history simply because they are accepting letters from the public?” asked Angus.
He also mentioned that before the merger goes ahead, the CRTC must…
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TORONTO – "Approving the applications will only further the interests of those who do not want the Canadian broadcasting system to remain fair and competitive and open to new and independent Canadian voices and entrants.
"In addition , it is impossible to marry the applicants request for long term, protected status with the idea that the Commission should be supporting and encouraging investment and innovation in the Canadian broadcasting system," says High Fidelity HDTV in its intervention submitted today on the so-called "digital basic" 9(1)(h) hearing.
In anticipation of the digital migration of analog specialty services, the CRTC asked…
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ENTITLED "BDU CONTENT Strategies: Can Cable and Phone Companies Do Their Own Thing?", the session on what TV distributors think of content and its changing place in their business plans was a popular session at the Canadian Film and TV Producers Association annual Prime Time conference in Ottawa two weeks ago.
The elephant not in the room, however? A cable company. But one former cable guy spoke for the industry anyway. Moderated by Peter Lyman, senior partner, Nordicity Group, the panelists included Chris Frank, vice-president, programming and pay-per-view, Bell ExpressVu, Michael Hennessy, vice-president, broadband and video policy, Telus; Tom…
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GATINEAU – In preparation for the migration to digital of all analog TV, the CRTC told existing analog specialty services in February of 2006 that in order to maintain their legacy positions on the cable lineup it was prepared to entertain applications for "digital basic" status.
So, channels such as YTV, The Weather Network and CBC Newsworld submitted such applications, asking they maintain their spots on the dial and their mandated rate structure even when all channels are someday distributed digitally.
What the Commission maybe didn’t expect is that three new channel applicants also submitted requests to be granted digital…
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OTTAWA – While giving Canadians over a month to get their opinions down in writing about the purchase of CHUM Ltd. by CTV would seem to be plenty of time, Canada’s largest media union says it’s nowhere near enough.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union issued a press release today saying: "(G)iving Canadians 35 days to review the largest television deal in Canada’s history is nothing short of a charade at transparency and public accountability."
"The CRTC needs to hold full public hearings on the concentration of media ownership in this country," says Peter Murdoch, vice-president, media for CEP,…
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GATINEAU – After months of waiting (it took CTV until almost Christmas to submit its application to the Commission to purchase CHUM Ltd.) the CRTC will hear the request at a public hearing beginning April 30th.
In July, Bell Globemedia (now CTVglobemedia) announced a $1.4 billion purchase of CHUM Ltd. from the Waters family ($1.7 billion if assumed debt is included). If approved, CTV will take ownership of the Citytv broadcast stations across the country, numerous popular specialty channels like MuchMusic, Space and Star! as well as 33 radio stations.
As for the secondary market A-Channels, CTVgm will sell…
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TORONTO – CTVglobemedia said this afternoon it has been told by the Competition Bureau that the Bureau is fine with the broadcaster’s purchase of CHUM Ltd.
The decision follows a diligent and thorough review of the industry by the Bureau’s Mergers Branch, said the CTV release.
The acquisition of CHUM remains subject to approval by the CRTC. CTVgm’s application for such approval was made public yesterday by the CRTC, which also announced a public hearing to review the application will commence on April 30, 2007, as reported by Cartt.ca.
www.ctvglobemedia.ca
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DARTMOUTH, N.S. – 2006 fourth quarter revenue of $28 million came in 14% higher than 2005, and for the year revenue grew 17% to $93.9 million at radio broadcaster Newfoundland Capital Corporation.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased 12% over 2005 in the quarter and improved 26% for the year reaching $23 million, however, the increase was driven primarily by $8.7 million in net investment gains which were not specified.
Net income is $600,000 higher in the quarter, and $5.9 million higher for the year. Net income for fiscal 2006 was $12 million
The company’s release noted…
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OTTAWA – Canadian Women in Communications held its annual awards gala evening on Tuesday in Ottawa.
The CWC Annual Awards recognizes the accomplishments of four outstanding women in the communications industry and one communications organization that has nurtured the aspirations of its female employees.
The event is attended by over 600 VIPs to publicly recognize the achievements of communications industry role models. The following CWC Annual Award Winners were honoured at this year’s event (pictures are below):
* Karen Radford, executive vice-president and president, Telus Quebec and partner solutions, Telus – CWC Woman of the Year Award Recipient
* CanWest MediaWorks Inc….
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Providing emergency alerts to TV viewers will continue to be a voluntary thing for the industry, the CRTC said today.
In a public notice, the Commission set out its approach for the establishment of emergency alert services in Canada, and in another decision also issued today, the Regulator allowed public authorities to use 911 databases in order to improve the effectiveness of telephony-based emergency public alerts.
"According to the Broadcasting Act, the Canadian broadcasting system should serve the needs of Canadians," said Michel Arpin, vice-chairman, broadcasting, of the CRTC, in a press release. "It is vitally…
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