OTTAWA – On Thursday the CRTC told Telus that it can avoid using an SRDU for its Telus TV service and granted the telco some flexibility when it comes to the U.S. 4+1 signals it chooses.
However, the Commission denied the company’s request distribute the same Part 2 Eligible satellite services and Canadian distant signals on the same basis as the incumbent in the market without the need for a further regulatory process. It also said no to Telus’ desire to add the same audio programming services as the incumbent, without the need for a further regulatory process.
Telus…
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TORONTO – A new ownership structure has been announced for Bell Globemedia that would see BCE Inc. give up its position as major shareholder, as the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Torstar join as new shareholders.
BCE would decrease its share to 20% from 68.5%, while The Woodbridge Company, the Toronto-based holding company of the Thomson family, would increase its ownership from 31.5% to 40%. The two new shareholders—Teachers’ and Torstar—would each acquire a 20% stake in the Canadian media giant.
“The continuing support of BCE and Woodbridge and the addition of Teachers’ and Torstar represents a strong vote of…
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OTTAWA – The four major party leaders will take to the airwaves four times during the federal election campaign, Canada’s broadcasters announced Wednesday.
This will no doubt mean the Green Party will once again pursue action at the CRTC level (It complained as loudly as it could during the last election campaign when it was refused inclusion in the debates. As long as it remains seatless in the House of Commons, said the broadcasters during the last campaign, it stays on the outside looking in).
The new debate format will feature an increase in the number of Leaders debates…
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OTTAWA – Late last week the CRTC called for comments on adding five more international third-language services to the list of eligible satellite services. Today, the Commission asked for comments on two more.
The Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association has sponsored six new channels. They are:
Polsat 2: A 24-hour general interest programming service originating from Poland and offered in the Polish language. The service is targeted primarily to Polish-speaking communities outside Poland and provides a wide variety of genres of programming including reality shows, soap operas, crime series, mini-series, talk shows, documentaries, news, sports, and music programs
ET-Global: A…
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OTTAWA – Late Friday, the government adopted amendments to the Telecommunications Act which gives the CRTC the ability to establish a national Do Not Call List, aimed towards reducing the volume of telemarketing calls Canadians receive at home.
The amendments also give the CRTC the power to levy substantial penalties against telemarketers who do not follow the rules, and to contract with a private sector third party to operate and maintain the list.
"By passing these amendments, the government has ensured that Canadians will have an easy and effective way to better protect their privacy and reduce intrusive telemarketing…
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OTTAWA – With an election call to come this morning from the Governor General, Canada’s broadcast, cable and telecom industries get a legislative time out… again… from the feds.
Any hope for copyright reform is dashed, once more. This was the fourth time the industry had lobbied heavily for changes to the Radiocommunications Act to make it tougher on signal thieves and again, the government couldn’t – or wouldn’t – do it. Last time Parliament dissolved, in 2004, the copyright reform bill went before parliament as Bill C-2, the very first one to face lawmakers. Alas, even that didn’t…
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YEARS BACK, IT WAS EASY to pick on VisionTV. Its programs were old, appearing only on the specialty channel in their second or third (or fourth!) window.
Much of its original “Mosaic” programming looked and sounded terrible – and violated the channel’s Canadian content requirements, it turns out, causing CRTC sanctions. Preachers and traditional religion dominated the channel. However, when current president and CEO Bill Roberts (left) came on board in 2000, he set out to drastically alter VisionTV. More original, interesting, programming – about faith and spirituality and not necessarily organized…
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OTTAWA – One might not think that an application to set up a community radio station in Chibougamau, a small community about 475 km northeast of Quebec City, would draw much attention.
But the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has intervened before the CRTC to ask that the application from Radio Matagami be rejected. The CRTC will hold a public hearing in Gatineau Dec. 12th.
The proposed community station would serve both Chibougamau and the smaller town of Chapais 50 km away, a market of about 7,000 people. It would provide community news and play a broad range of music….
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OTTAWA – ACTRA and the United Steelworkers announced this week they will work together to lobby for certain election platforms.
They are challenging ministers, party leaders and MPs of all parties “to bring Canada back to a position of strong cultural and national identity,” says their co-branded press release.
"It’s time for politicians to take a stand and recognize that working people – regardless of what they do for a living – are the backbone of our nation. Let’s see politicians make some key commitments on culture and trade and show us they’re listening," said actor R.H. Thomson.
"Over…
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TORONTO – Next week, new Humber College radio station CKHC 96.9 FM will launch as likely the only all-Canadian station in the country.
The station plans to play nothing but music by Canadian artists.
The Humber campus radio station has been operating at the north campus since 1973. CKHC 90.7 FM currently operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In 2003 the school applied to the CRTC for a ‘developmental campus license’ to operate a new radio station on the FM frequency of 96.9. The college was officially awarded a license as of Sept. 13, 2004.
Beginning…
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