Search Results for: crtc

Radio / Television News

Free of the wheel, CTV Newsnet refines look

TORONTO – In April the CRTC said that CTV Newsnet no longer had to abide by the 15 minute headline news wheel it was licensed to show. Today, the channel revealed a new, clean look and announced a revamped late afternoon and prime-time format featuring major increases in its anchor, reporting, and production teams, says the company. (And with the CBC in lockout mode, what better time for CTV to be announcing an expansion of its news while one of its rivals airs BBC news repeats.) Gone is the weather and time vertical and horizontal wrap around the Newsnet… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

www.cartt.ca expands again

HAMILTON, ON – The leading news source for the Canadian cable, radio, television and telecom industry is growing again. While other industry publications cut back, www.cartt.ca is adding to its editorial team. Besides editor and publisher Greg O’Brien, www.cartt.ca now has a total of four other editors now covering the Canadian industry. Glenn Wanamaker will be our Quebec Editor. He is a freelance broadcaster and journalist, with 25 years experience in the broadcast industry, including 15 in Quebec. Based in Quebec City, the bi-lingual Wanamaker will keep his finger on the pulse of the industry in the province where… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Talk show guest lands C-FAX in hot water

OTTAWA – A talk show guest with some pretty paranoid viewpoints has landed Victoria AM station C-FAX in trouble with the CRTC. A listener complained to the Commission last fall over a segment of the Terry Moore show in September 2004 where guest Craig Winn was allowed to speak his mind on Muslims and terrorism. The CRTC issued a decision on the matter on Thursday. “They are fundamentalists following Muhammad’s example. When we are willing to deceive ourselves and call them terrorists or call them insurgents instead of what they are, which is good Muslims, we have no chance… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

ANALYSIS: Broadcasters rightly keeping their eye on telecom review

AT LAST COUNT, THERE WERE 103 submissions to the three-person panel in charge of Industry Canada’s Telecom Policy Review. Boy, do they have some summer/fall reading in front of them. Not counting appendices, Telus’ submission is 266 pages. Bell’s submission is on a CD ROM and is over a thousand. I wish Dr. Gerri Sinclair, Hank Intven, and André Tremblay the best of luck wading through this sea of advice, recommendations – and in some cases, outright silliness. They’re all telecom talents and will come up with something good, we hope. Players have until September 15th to respond to… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

ExpressVu supports and will take minority interest in Spotlight TV

TORONTO – Bell ExpressVu has thrown its support behind Spotlight Television Inc., which is one of the applicants vying for a new pay television license. The DTH company has filed a note of support for Spotlight’s application to the CRTC and has acquired the right to obtain a minority interest in Spotlight. The arrangement shouldn’t be surprising since Kilmer Enterprises (the company backing Spotlight) and Bell Canada Enterprises already hold some broadcast partnerships. For example, Kilmer-owned Insight Sports is a part owner of the NHL Network along with Bell Globemedia division TSN and several Canadian NHL teams. As well,… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Ninety percent of artists support sat rad decision

TORONTO – An on-line survey done by music services provider Indie Pool says that over 90% of independent Canadian artists support satellite radio. Of 568 artists who responded to the satellite radio survey question sent out, 518 answered "Yes" to the question: "Were you in favour of the CRTC licensing satellite radio in Canada?" Indie Pool sent an online survey to a sample group of Canadian independent artists between July 15 and August 5 asking a variety of questions about artist activities and interests. Respondents represented a wide variety of musical genres, each province and territory and ages ranging… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

The TUESDAY INTERVIEW: Jim Forsyth, G.M. CRTV and chairman, CCSA

LIVING IN THE BIG CITIES, it’s easy to forget – or to never think about – what it’s like in smaller, more remote communities. A few months ago, I mentioned to a small operator how a far larger MSO still had some substantial 330 MHz and 450 MHz cable systems remaining to rebuild (with just a little mocking disdain in my voice). His response was a little bit sarcastic, wondering what’s wrong with systems like that, since much of his programming and data was still being delivered over such plant to presumably happy customers. It cleared my head and… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Telcos, cable, call for massive policy change, and butt heads on how

OTTAWA – Monday was deadline day for submissions to Industry Canada’s Telecom Policy Review Panel. Not surprisingly, all stakeholders are calling for massive changes, with each pointing towards different ways to change telecommunications policy in Canada. Featured here are snippets from the Bell Canada, Telus and CCTA submissions. Look for more on this from www.cartt.ca as we wade through the submissions –everything from the large stakeholders in this story to the angry Telus workers complaining that the company is blocking their web access. Bell Canada – change everything, promote ICT and R&D The country’s largest telco says that the… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Commission to look at mobile TV policy

GATINEAU – The CRTC Thursday asked the industry how it should – or if it should – regulate TV on the mobile phone handset. As reported last month by www.cartt.ca, this issue has been emerging from behind the scenes throughout 2005 as both Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and Look Communications announced plans to offer television channels to its mobile customers. When those announcements happened earlier this year, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters sent a letter to the Commission asking it to make a determination as to how TV to the handset should be regulated under the Broadcast Act. “In… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Vista ramps up in B.C. with many station additions

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Vista Broadcast Group, a single-station operation until recently, is ramping up its operations with several purchases, the most recent of which is its agreement to purchase Cariboo Central Interior Radio Inc., which was announced this week. The joint announcement was made by Terry Shepherd – president and managing director of CCIR Inc. and Margot Micallef, chair and CEO of Vista Broadcast Group. Terms of the sale, which is subject to CRTC approval, were not disclosed. Vista Broadcast Group is the owner of CJSU-FM (SUN FM)in Duncan, British Columbia (on Vancouver Island) and recently announced that… Continue Reading