CALGARY – On the face of it, Shaw Communications purchase of Pemberton Cable, announced late Wednesday, is small potatoes.
But, if you consider that Pemberton Cable’s owners have a license to build a cable system into mega-popular resort town, Whistler – home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games – then the deal becomes something else altogether.
Pemberton Cable currently operates the cable and Internet systems located in Pemberton, B.C., 30 kms north of Whistler.
"We are truly delighted with the acquisition of Pemberton Cable" said Peter Bissonnette, president of Shaw Communications in a release. "This gem of a cable…
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IF RHETORIC AND HYPERBOLE were gasoline, a single spark would have razed the entire Toronto Congress Centre this week.
The speeches from Bell Canada Enterprises CEO Michael Sabia and Telus CEO Darren Entwistle at this week’s excellent Canadian Telecom Summit – as well as comments from a few others who work under them – suggest that not only are the communications of all Canadians utterly crippled by wacky regulation, but that our CRTC stands in the way of all Canuck creativity, innovation and productivity.
It’s an absurd notion, really. But it’s one much of the nation’s consumer media has…
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BANFF – The Banff World Television Festival is the place to be heard.
Although the pitch sessions, the keynote address and the behind-the-scenes deal making is a major part of the conference, it will not be what we remember most about these past few days in June.
It appears this, the 27th year of the annual conference, is where people went to make substantial announcements.
In a mere few days, we’ve seen the Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women announce the government will ask the CRTC to study the technological changes facing the broadcast industry…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC today approved the addition of HDNet, a U.S. all high definition channel, to the list of eligible satellite services.
Owned by American multi-millionaire (and owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks) Mark Cuban, HDNet is a 1080i format channel offering original series, including music and news programs. HDNet acquires programming from several sources, including Paramount, Warner and Sony. Live HDNet sports productions include NHL games, major league soccer games, horse racing, auto racing, boxing, football and basketball games.
What’s not known is if HDNet has the Canadian rights to all of its programming.
The now-defunct Canadian…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC also approved the addition of NEW SAT, a channel out of Lebanon.
The 24-hour general interest service offers programming in Arabic without English subtitles or secondary audio program. NEW SAT offers a wide range of programming including news, political programs, talk shows, comedy, drama, music and sports.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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TORONTO – Fair and not-too-expensive access to the incumbent telco infrastructure must be maintained, especially in the enterprise market, for real competition to be seen, MTS Allstream CEO Pierre Blouin said in a keynote address to the Canadian Telecom Summit on Tuesday.
"For competition and innovation to thrive in the national business market, Canada needs a regulatory environment that creates a level playing field."
He spoke prior to Industry Minister Maxime Bernier, who told conference attendees that the government was telling the CRTC to let the market decide – and that includes wholesale arrangements.
Last year, MTS Allstream paid…
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BANFF – Speaking in his opening address to the Banff World Television Festival, CRTC chair Charles Dalfen invited stakeholders to comment on the technological environment facing the Canadian broadcasting system.
The CRTC released Public Notice 2006-72 today in response to the announcement, seeking submissions from the public by September 1, 2006. The final report is required by December 14, 2006.
“We expect that the material contained in the parties’ submissions in response to the Order in Council will form part of the basis of their filings in our proceeding on over-the-air television, thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort and resources,”…
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BANFF – Canadian industry execs filling the halls at the Banff World Television Festival told Cartt.ca they welcome CRTC review of conventional television and the request from the Heritage Minister Beverley Oda to study the technological changes facing the broadcast industry.
“We want a little freedom,” says Phil Lind, vice-chairman, Rogers Communications.
“We have been shackled to death with regulation over the years, and we want to break out of that somehow. We’ve got to realize that people just don’t really understand all of these arcane rules and regulations that have been developed in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s,…
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TORONTO – The Canadian Telecom Summit’s "regulatory blockbuster" session is a must-view event every year.
This year was no different as regulatory chiefs from Bell Canada (Mirko Bibic), Rogers Communications (Ken Englehart), Telus (Janet Yale), Shaw Communications (Jean Brazeau), and MTS Allstream (Chris Peirce) traded barbs for over an hour about the competitive state of the industry, and just whom is benefiting most from the current state of regulation. It was funny and terse and interesting. ("Ken Englehart’s has such a learned and scholarly style, you automoatically think what he’s saying must be true, even though it isn’t," said…
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TORONTO – Industry Canada and Heritage Canada will work together when it comes to telecom and media policy, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier said today.
Since many of those working in the telecom and cable side of the industry would like to see a more holistic approach to regulation, rather than maintaining two different silos of telecom and broadcast rules, Cartt.ca asked the Minister if he will be working with Heritage Minister Bev Oda on new combined policy directives for the CRTC, given her own new tasks she has set out for commissioners?
"Yes we are working very closely," said…
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