CALGARY – Shaw Communications has asked the CRTC to add USA Network to the list of eligible satellite services for distribution by Canadian BDUs.
Seen in 90 million homes, the cable channel is the number one basic cable network in the United States, "is a unique service that will significantly increase the entertainment value for Shaw customers, and add exciting new programming to the Canadian broadcasting system," says the press release.
[Ed note: USA Network carries shows like Coach, JAG and Walker Texas Ranger in the mornings, movies in the afternoon and programs such as the Law & Orders,…
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OTTAWA – NDP Heritage critic Charlie Angus read from Cartt.ca today in the House of Commons while calling for hearings into the future of the Canadian Television Fund.
The emergency hearings will happen soon after a motion to launch them passed the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage today.
During Question Period this afternoon, Angus suggested that Heritage Minister Bev Oda was colluding with the cable industry to kill the fund after reading our Analysis piece on the CTF this morning which keyed off an interview with Shaw Communications senior vice-president Ken Stein, who described the meeting to Cartt.ca.
Oda…
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OTTAWA – In a letter to the editor of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper, Telus vice-president, wireless, broadband and content policy, Michael Hennessy, called out Quebecor for what he sees as a double standard.
As a member of the Canadian wireless industry, past president of the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association and an ex-director of the Canadian Television Fund, Hennessy said he was "both shocked and troubled," about decisions made by Shaw and Videotron to withhold their CRTC-mandated contributions to the Canadian Television Fund.
"While it is disturbing that such unilateral action could jeopardize thousands of jobs and scores of projects…
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MONTREAL – Heading into a meeting today with Heritage Minister Bev Oda, Quebecor Media told Cartt.ca that it would double its contributions towards making Canadian content – but not under the current Canadian Television Fund structure.
As reported over the past two weeks, both Quebecor’s Videotron and Shaw Communications have suspended their monthly payments to the fund, each citing similar concerns over how it is run.
For example, the companies strenuously object to the amount of money headed towards productions to air on the CBC (37% of the annual CTF payouts is mandated to go towards productions headed to…
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TORONTO – Characterizing it as an unnecessary middleman, Rogers Communications has told the CRTC it objects to any license being granted to Only Imagine Inc.
The company – which is now just an application before the Commission and a web site – wants to sell the two minutes per hour of local availability ad time supplied to cable and satellite operators by American cable channels like CNN, A&E, Golf Channel and others, into the Canadian marketplace and turn over a large portion of the profits to fund Canadian drama.
The applicants – former broadcasters Drew Craig of the former Craig…
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OTTAWA – That’s the question the entire industry is asking. With no direct experience in the cable, telecom, or TV fields, what does the eminently qualified career public servant have in mind for the CRTC as its new chairman?
At this point, no one really knows.
"He’s a bright guy and is certainly engaged in the dialogue a little bit from what we know about him in communications issues," said Rogers Communications vice-chair Phil Lind. "He could be good."
"Was I surprised it was him? Yes. But once the process got derailed and once Fern (Belisle, the front-runner…
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QUEBECOR’S LUC LAVOIE SUGGESTS that CBC/Radio-Canada unfairly benefits from the Canadian Television Fund. But it is disingenuous to insist that private cable companies, such as Quebecor’s Videotron, foot the bill for the public broadcaster’s benefit.
In fact, the federal government supplies a full 40% of the CTF, or $100 million per year. And that’s approximately the share that funds productions that air on CBC and Radio-Canada. Let’s not forget that the CTF emerged on the heels of massive cuts to the public broadcaster’s government allocation during the 1990s. So the CTF was effectively funded with money taken away…
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MONTREAL – Former Liberal Heritage Minister Liza Frulla has confirmed her great escape from the turbulent world of partisan politics, moving into the more soothing waters of travel television.
Frulla, who lost her seat in the federal election one year ago, has been named president of Canal Évasion, the independently-owned travel and leisure channel in Quebec.
She takes over from Serge Arsenault, the channel’s principal owner through Groupe Serdy. Arsenault will now focus on long-term development, possible acquisitions, and the company’s production wing, Serdy Vidéo.
Frulla expressed delight at the opportunity to get back into a field that she…
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MEDIA VIOLENCE IS AGAIN in the news. A week ago, Professor Peter Jaffe and his coalition gave a press conference on the subject of media violence. It seemed to be for the benefit of the uninitiated.
Did the group of teachers and parents even realize that much of what they sought was, in the case of television, already in place? Or did they have an ulterior objective in ignoring the huge efforts already made by Canada’s private broadcasters?
And last week, M. Bernard Bigras’ Private Member’s Bill C-327 (An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act [reduction of violence in…
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TORONTO – Standard Radio officially took over 101.5 Silk FM in Kelowna, B.C. today.
The $9.2 million acquisition was first reported by Cartt.ca last year and officially approved by the CRTC just before Christmas.
”As our 52nd radio station, CILK FM will join 99.9 Sun FM and Oldies 1150 in Kelowna. This is a terrific opportunity that will allow us to combine our resources to provide better services on and off the air and more programming diversity to our audiences," said Standard CEO Gary Slaight.
Standard is the largest privately owned media company in Canada, with 52 radio stations located…
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