Search Results for: crtc

Radio / Television News

David Keeble leaving CAB

OTTAWA – Senior vice-president policy and regulatory affairs David Keeble has resigned from the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. After leaving his spot as senior director, strategic planning and regulatory affairs at the CBC, Keeble became a consultant and has worked for CHUM, Bell Canada, Canadian Heritage, the CBC and the CRTC. Keeble joined the CAB in the fall of 2004 but has decided to return to consulting, he told Cartt.ca. Today was final day No replacement has been chosen. www.cab-acr.ca Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

BGM scores 99%

TORONTO – Bell Globemedia and CHUM Limited announced yesterday evening that approximately 6.7 million common shares of CHUM, representing more than 99% of the issued and outstanding common shares, have been tendered to the offer BGM made in July to purchase CHUM. In addition, approximately 19.2 million non-voting class B shares of CHUM have been tendered to the Offer, and notices of guaranteed delivery for tenders of approximately 750,000 class B shares have been received, representing in total more than 93% of the issued and outstanding class B shares, says the press release. BGM has now declared the offer to… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

UPDATE: CRTC reaffirms VOIP decision; local forbearance to be examined

OTTAWA – The VOIP decision will stand, with a "but". Today the CRTC re-affirmed its May 2005 decision on voice over Internet protocol. Federal cabinet told the Commission in May of this year to reconsider that decision after all but one of Canada’s ILEC’s filed an appeal. However, because of the sheer speed in which Canada’s incumbent local exchange carriers are losing customers, the Commission did signal it’s prepared to alter course when it deems necessary and will already re-examine its March 2006 decision on local forbearance. Specifically, it "declared that competition in local telephone service is… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

VOIP decision splits commissioners: ILECS are losing market share? “So what.”

OTTAWA – While three Commissioners dissented with the majority in today’s renewed VOIP decision, not all balked for the same reasons. While commissioners Stuart Langford and Barbara Cram agreed with the confirmation of the 2005 VOIP ruling but not the announced review of the local forbearance decision, Andrée Noel simply reaffirmed her opposition to the first VOIP decision. "I agree with the majority that the regulatory regime for local voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services decision is correct and should be reaffirmed," wrote Langford. "I disagree absolutely, however, with the majority’s determination… to reconsider the suitability of one of… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CRTC reaffirms VOIP decision; local forbearance to be examined

OTTAWA – The VOIP decision will stand, with a "but". Today the CRTC re-affirmed its May 2005 decision on voice over Internet protocol. Federal cabinet told the Commission in May of this year to reconsider that decision after all but one of Canada’s ILEC’s filed an appeal. However, the Commission did signal it’s prepared to alter course when it deems necessary. Specifically, it "declared that competition in local telephone service is taking hold more firmly than anticipated," said this morning’s press release. "As a result, the CRTC is taking steps to reassess certain aspects of its… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Fee-for-carriage will remain in TV review, says Commission

OTTAWA – Broadcasters’ requests to be paid for their signal by cable and satellite companies will remain a part of the TV Policy Review, the Commission told Telus this week.  As exclusively reported by Cartt.ca last week, the western telco petitioned the CRTC to drop discussion of fee-for-carriage due to the changing nature of the broadcast industry both globally (WIPO) and at home (BGM’s proposed CHUM purchase). That and the fact the Commission ruled in 1993 that such fees were beyond its scope of influence. Broadcasters look at specialty services and the wholesale fees they collect and would like… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Moses returns with radio purchase; applies for new TV license

OTTAWA – Moses Znaimer has now officially returned to broadcasting. Today the CRTC approved his company’s purchase of classical music radio station CFMX Toronto from Trumar Communications, which is owned by Martin Rosenthal. MZ Media will pay $12 million for the station, it’s digital license and Cobourg repeater. Znaimer, as most will know, is an accomplished Canadian broadcaster best known for his many years shaping the TV brands of CHUM Ltd. He was a co-founder of Citytv after starting his career with CBC. Since the station has never been profitable, said Znaimer’s submission, he asked that the transaction not… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Commission to hear 24 Prairie radio station applications

OTTAWA – For all the concern about MP3s, streaming, wireless listening and other new technologies that are supposed to hammer radio, there sure are a lot of companies and people sure they want to launch new stations. The CRTC announced today it will hear 24 applications for stations in Medicine Hat, AB, and Regina and Saskatoon, SK. Only one of the applications is for a frequency change, the rest (eight in The Hat, six in Regina and nine in Saskatoon) are for brand new stations of various formats and from various companies. As reported by Cartt.ca, the Commission Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

BGM deal done means $1.3 billion for Bell; new board unveiled

TORONTO – After passing the Competition Bureau and CRTC tests, Bell Globemedia announced today that it has completed the closing of its new ownership structure. The CRTC approved the new ownership structure on July 21st and on August 18th the Competition Bureau rubber-stamped it. The decisions clear the way for BGM to implement the changes to its ownership structure announced on December 2nd of last year, including the investment by each of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) and Torstar Corporation, and the increased investment of Woodbridge Corp. All three purchased stakes from Bell Canada Enterprises for a total… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Rogers and HiFi in baby battle

OTTAWA – There’s a regulatory skirmish crawling through the CRTC right now over who gets to program for the diaper and rattle set (think Baby Einstein-type of shows and not as old as Dora the Explorer). While the potential new viewers spend a lot of time asleep or with their fingers up their noses, pondering the mystery of their blankie, the positions drawn by the parties are as old as Canadian TV regulation. One side (usually a cable company) wants a foreign channel in. The other (usually a programmer) wants it kept out so it can launch its own service in… Continue Reading