BANFF and TORONTO – Watch for coverage of the Banff World Television Festival 2006 in Banff, Alberta and The Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto next week as Cartt.ca provides in-person coverage from both important events.
In Banff, Cartt.ca will plug into the television industry for a look at global content developments. We will attend the lauded after-sessions, follow key announcements and trends; and interview “the personalities” within the industry.
This year’s Banff World Television Festival, June 11-14, 2006 is being held at the Fairmount Banff Springs in Banff, Alberta. It opens with a day-long session led by Kit Readman…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ three-year battle to get the CRTC’s Part II fees abolished cleared a legal hurdle this week.
The Federal Court of Appeal upheld a lower court decision issued last fall that if the fees charged to broadcasters are indeed a tax, then they are unlawful. The matter of whether the fees are a tax will be heard in a trial starting this November. The CAB says the decision will give it “a very good argument” to make during that trial, when it will ask for the Part II licence fee scheme to be abolished….
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Former CCTA president Michael Hennessy started his new life at Telus this week.
As vice-president broadband and video policy he’s the western telco’s "content guy" Hennessy told Cartt.ca. He will be based in Telus’ Ottawa office working under another former Canadian Cable Television Association president, Telus EVP corporate affairs, Janet Yale,
"I just love this broadband and convergence stuff," added Hennessy, who has been working in the telecom space for the since the early 1980s when he was with the CRTC.
Despite the fact Hennessy has "switched teams" – as many will no doubt say – he…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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,…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
