I’M NOT THE FIRST HACK to write that CBC Television’s mandate is the reason why it suffers so much in the court of public opinion – and in practice.
It’s mandate, broadly, is to be all things to all Canadians – in both official languages, no less. So, while it airs some hugely popular programming like Hockey Night In Canada and some of the recent mini-series and made-for-TV movies which often attract over a million viewers, it also airs some stuff that so few people watch, like Zed, or the former Opening Night (it once broadcast a live Opera…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Another day, another Quebec talk-show host in trouble.
After André Arthur, Jeff Fillion and Gilles Proulx, all with lengthy CRTC “priors”, the latest to stir the pot of public indignation is Dr. Pierre Mailloux, better known as Doc Mailloux. And once again the CRTC is being asked to investigate.
Last week Mailloux, a psychiatrist by training, went on Radio-Canada’s highly-rated Sunday evening TV talk show “Tout le monde en parle” (“Everybody’s talking about it”) and argued that IQ tests show that black and native peoples are less intelligent than white or Asian populations. He had made similar comments…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – A collection of Canada’s leading cultural organizations emerged from a meeting with the federal culture minister and several of her provincial/territorial counterparts Monday, united in their determination to see a Canadian-originated treaty on cultural protection enshrined in international law.
While free trade deals and WTO wrangling sort out how countries sell each other commercial goods and services, few international statutes define the treatment of cultural products such as TV programs, films, music, books and magazines.
The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) convention on cultural diversity – recognizing every sovereign state’s right to create, support…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – CHUM said right away it probably wouldn’t launch their subscription radio license if the two satellite companies got theirs.
And, now that all appeals have been denied, CHUM Ltd., wants to alter the digital subscription radio license it received from the CRTC to allow more foreign audio channels, among other changes.
CHUM’s license as granted, says the service would transmit 50 channels, all of which would be made in Canada, adhering to the CRTC’s radio Canadian content rules.
However, on Friday, the CRTC made public the applications from SIRIUS Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio to alter their licenses so…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – MTV is coming back to Canada.
CTV Inc. and MTV Networks today announced a new strategic alliance to build and grow the MTV brand in Canada said an announcement by Ivan Fecan, president and CEO of Bell Globemedia and CEO of CTV with Bill Roedy, vice-chairman, MTV Networks and president, MTV Networks International.
The main portion of the deal will see CTV’s talktv, an analog specialty service currently available in 4.4 million Canadian households which has struggled to find a broad base of loyal viewers since its launch in 1999, will be re-born as a Canadian programmed…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Former Astral Television CEO Lisa De Wilde is returning to broadcasting as CEO of TVOntario, the provincial government announced Thursday.
The highly-regarded broadcaster left Astral in 2001 after eight years there and has been out of broadcasting since, and according to sources, was a key federal Liberal Party fundraiser during the last election. Prior to Astral, de Wilde worked at the CRTC as well as for law firm Heenan Blaikie and has been active with the Toronto International Film Festival.
De Wilde replaces Isabel Bassett, who leaves TVO after six years as chair and CEO.
Those two jobs…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Canadian Satellite Radio today appointed former Coors Canada marketer Colin Bettam as senior vice-president of marketing and sales.
In this role, Bettam will be responsible for overseeing all sales and marketing functions of CSR, including retail and automotive distribution channels. He will also lead marketing, promotion and advertising strategy for CSR’s launch and ongoing operations, says the company.
“We are thrilled to have Colin join our launch team for the introduction of satellite radio in Canada” said Stephen Tapp, president and COO of CSR, in a release. “He’s got all the right stuff and a proven, winning…
Continue Reading
ST. JOHN’s and GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. – Persona Communications has come to an agreement to purchase Northern Cablevision, www.cartt.ca has learned.
Terms of the deal or its targeted completion date are not known. However, the CRTC has granted its blessing, www.cartt.ca was told by Persona officials Wednesday.
The company serves approximately 25,000 customers in 26 northern Alberta communities and will substantially boost the size of Persona’s western division.
Established in 1974, Northern Cablevision is a privately held company, owned by president Lorn Becker.
More on this story to come.
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Saying they’ve served their purpose, Bell Canada has ceased offering discounts for customers who choose to take more than one service from the company.
Existing discounted Bell customers will still be able to keep their cheaper rates but no new cut-rate bundles are planned right now. Customers had been able to take advantage of savings in the range of 5% to 15% if they took additional Bell services such as Sympatico, Mobility and ExpressVu, to go with their local phone.
While there was no press release announcing the move, the news came out at last week’s CIBC…
Continue Reading
Dear Editor, Re: “New Pay TV Apps are a Luxury No One Can Afford”, September 22, 2005. I AM RESPONDING ON BEHALF of The Canadian Film Channel (one of the applicants) to a recent article published in www.cartt.ca. I am writing to correct a glaring error that appeared in the September 22nd article. However, I am aware that the error was made by the Credit Suisse First Boston Equity Research (CSFB) in their report and not by www.cartt.ca.
On September 19, 2005, CSFB published a report on the impact of additional pay television channels on the pay television…
Continue Reading
