FOR SEVERAL YEARS, CANADA’S TV launch season has followed a logical path, with the odd new bit added here or there to spice up the mix. This year, the industry expected broadcasters to introduce new shows, dangle tasty bits of multi-platform potential, parade the talent, wow the buyers and let the 2006 upfront selling frenzy begin.
Observers could then cue the standard questions: will Global build its list of Top-20 gains at CTV’s expense? Will CBC’s new-look programming represent an alternative or even an addition to hockey as a must-buy? Will specialties and digi-channels continue to grow? And will…
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CHARLOTTETOWN – Newcap Broadcasting launched its newest station Tuesday afternoon.
Called K-Rock 105.5 FM, the company’s application for the new station was approved back in March, along with a couple of others. K-Rock is aimed at 25-44 year old men and plays classic rock.
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OTTAWA – Given the impending TV Policy Review and broadcast technology report the CRTC must pen for the Heritage Minister, the CRTC made official Monday what it had told the CBC months ago – it would get an administrative license renewal until these things are sorted out.
The CBC’s TV licenses were renewed until August 31, 2008.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – Videotron has asked the Commission to add five more third language channels to the list of eligible satellite services.
The Quebecor-owned MSO has asked for:
* Caracol Television International, a 24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week channel from Columbia that broadcasts entirely in Spanish. It is considered a general interest channel, although its programming consists primarily of soap operas, as well as news and public affairs, informal educational, sports and drama programs. None of the programs are subtitled.
* HTV is a 24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week specialty channel. It offers programming focused on Latin American music, including pop, rock, ballads, salsa, merengue, cumbia and the…
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THE TECHNOLOGY IS the easy part. Everything else is maybe just a bit frustrating.
The regulatory landscape for voice over Internet protocol, Vonage Canada’s raison d’etre, may be changing underfoot and the company has had its share of scrapes with incumbent telcos and cable companies. A particularly bitter one with Shaw Communications is still active in the courts and in front of the Commission, as we’ve reported.
Through it all, Vonage’s chief Canadian executive, president Bill Rainey, seems pretty upbeat. The former Group Telecom and Telus executive and manager is convinced he can beat the bundle being…
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OTTAWA – After consulting 36 organizations and other professionals, from Women In Film and Television to the Black Business and Professional Association and the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters submitted its new Equitable Portrayal Code to the CRTC last week.
The code’s intent is that broadcasters shall encourage equitable portrayal of all people on television. "This Code is intended to assist in overcoming unduly negative portrayal and stereotyping in broadcast programming based on matters of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or physical or mental…
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QUEBEC – Oft-sued former Quebec radio show host André Arthur, now an independent federal MP, has lost his bid for a judicial review of the libel judgement against him and his former employers Cogeco Inc and Métromédia.
In a decision released last week, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected his appeal request, meaning Arthur and his former employers, possibly including Cogeco’s directors at the time, will have to pay $370,000 to former Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson and his wife Suzanne Marcil.
Of that amount, Arthur will have to pay $50,000 himself because he repeated the libellous statements shortly after…
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OTTAWA – Bell Canada Enterprises’; $685 million divestiture of control of media company Bell Globemedia has been approved by the CRTC.
BGM is 68.5% controlled by BCE, with the rest owned by Thomson Family company Woodbridge Inc. The proposed new structure, announced in December, will see BCE sell all but 20% of its position in the company to the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (which will hold 20%), Torstar Inc. (20%) and Woodbridge (boosting its holdings to 40%).
However, all involved parties are awaiting a decision by the Competition Bureau as well, so the date of final closing has not…
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GATINEAU – Rogers Cable has asked the CRTC to add two Arabic channels to the list of eligible foreign satellite services that can be carried in Canada on a digital basis.
The cableco wants to be able to carry Al Arabiya, a 24-hour “niche news service” based in the Middle East, carrying news and current affairs programming from the region and the world. It broadcasts primarily in Arabic and offers content from news, documentary, lifestyle and human interest, business, and sports. It also wants to carry MBC Channel (America), which it describes as “a general interest service offering programming…
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VANCOUVER – Canadian production company Shavick Entertainment has purchased gay and lesbian digital specialty service OUTtv, but the release touting the sale has a key fact wrong.
The purchase price was not announced and the deal is subject to CRTC approval. This is the second time the category one digi-net launched in 2001 has been sold. The service has had its problems.
It was originally launched and owned by Score Media and named Pridevision. It aired a variety of gay and lesbian programming as well as many hours of adult content late at night. The adult content scared some…
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