TORONTO-BORN BRAD SCHWARTZ’s task looks to be a programmers dream.
To establish a new, analog channel with 4.5 million pre-existing paying customers using one of the world’s best-known media brands among the highly coveted young set: MTV.
The man knows his television. His first job in the industry was as assistant to Saturday Night Live founder and executive producer Lorne Michaels. From there, Schwartz hung around the music and media industries, working his way onto MTV and up the ladder there to director of global marketing in New York, before returning to Toronto as senior vice-president and general manager…
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OTTAWA – With re-comments re-due today on the CRTC’s reconsideration of its 2005 decision on voice over IP telephony regulation, three of the four largest Canadian MSOs came down on the side of the Commission in a joint submission filed this afternoon.
Last month, the Federal Cabinet told the CRTC it had to re-think the decision it made on VOIP telephony and have a decision – again – within 120 days of the May 7th announcement. The cabinet edict was in response to appeals filed by all but one of Canada’s incumbent telephone companies.
Cogeco Cable, Quebecor Media’s…
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OTTAWA – Cable and satellite companies can now advertise their Internet and voice offerings on CNN, A&E, SpikeTV and other American cable channels, the CRTC has ruled.
The American channels make two minutes per hour available for local ad sales – which is a multi-billion-dollar business for U.S. MSOs. However, Canadian cable companies are not allowed, by regulation, to sell the time here.
Seventy-five percent of the time has to be given – at cost – to Canadian broadcasters, while 25% of the time could be used to promote cable’s video offerings – meaning the cablecos could not advertise…
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REGINA – The province of Saskatchewan – owners of provincial telco SaskTel – added its voice to the other incumbent telephone companies demanding the Federal Cabinet tell the CRTC to reconsider its recent decision on local telephony forbearance.
"It is important that all Saskatchewan residents have access to new telecommunications technologies and services, regardless of whether they live in urban or rural areas," said the minister responsible for information technology Andrew Thomson "It is our belief that SaskTel should be able to compete on a level playing field and provide these new technologies and services at prices competitive with…
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MONTREAL – Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame announced this week it will hold the 2006 Telecom Laureate Awards on October 16, 2006 at The Carlu in Toronto.
The inaugural induction ceremony in October 2005 honoured nine important individuals who have contributed to the development of telecommunications in Canada, including Alexander Graham Bell, Reginald Fessenden, Terry Matthews and David Colville. The Laureate selection process is a transparent one, beginning with candidate nominations from the public at large and from professionals in the telecom industry.
Nominations are screened for eligibility by a Nominations Committee, this year chaired by Professor Hudson Janisch,…
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TORONTO – The most influential leaders of the Canadian and international communications industry will gather in Toronto from June 12-14 at The 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit.
The event will present a complete picture of current and expected trends and developments in the market with keynoters such as BCE CEO Michael Sabia, Telus CEO Darren Entwistle, Videotron CEO Robert Depatie, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier and CRTC chair Charles Dalfen, not to mention a large slate of U.S. and international speakers.
The depth and breadth of topics covered and issues debated will appeal to any and all who work in the…
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BANFF – The Banff World Television Festival is widely regarded as one of – if not the – most important content creation events dedicated to the development of business and creative opportunities for those in television programming and new media development.
Every year, television’s top executives and talent unite at Banff for four days of intense networking, content development and discussion of the crucial issues facing the television industry.
And, once again, cartt.ca will be there to cover it. Industry speculation also says that the CRTC time its upcoming review of television policy around the Banff gathering.
To date…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC said Monday that it won’t be moving into the regulation of access to the inside wiring of commercial properties such as hotels and nursing homes.
The potential for such regulation arose from a dispute (what else?) between Bell ExpressVu and Rogers Cable. In February 2005, the DTH company asked for an expedited resolution on its complaint that Rogers was contravening section 10 of the Broadcast Distribution Regulations by not allowing access to its plant inside such buildings.
The Commission instead called for comments on possible regulatory amendments to section 10, which really speaks only to…
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ONE OF THE FIRST EVENTS I attended in this industry was a Christmas-timed "convergence party" at a company called Digital Renaissance in the fall of 1997.
This company and other like-thinking enterprises were about to change television as we know it. The revolution was afoot. I remember a bunch of high-ranking Bell Canada people were there, so we mostly took it seriously. There were many breathless chats about how TV as we knew it was over.
Well, as we all now know, that talk wasn’t technically wrong. It was just waaay too soon.
However, Digital Renaissance weathered the explosion…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has told Shaw Cable it has to change its community channel ad policies.
After coming across a rate card and hearing about Shaw Cable selling ad time during Western Hockey League games shown on its community cable channels, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters complained to the CRTC. This month, the Commission sided with the broadcasters.
In the Broadcast Distribution Regulations , cable companies are not allowed to air traditional ad spots and there are limitations on the types of advertising community channels can air. Mainly, cable must stick to general branding or soft-sell…
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