TORONTO – Toyota Canada Inc. will offer a satellite radio option for select Toyota and Lexus vehicles, in support of the decision made last week by the CRTC licensing subscription radio in Canada, the car maker said today.
"Satellite radio represents a great leap forward in mobile audio technology," said Stephen Beatty, managing director of TCI. "Satellite radio is currently available for certain Toyota and Lexus models in the United States. We will respond to the lifestyle needs of our Canadian customers, and ensure that they too are given the option of adding satellite radio functionality to their vehicles."…
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BANFF – Canadian broadcasters should be forced to spend 7% of their gross revenues on “indigenous drama”, says the Coalition of Canadian Audio-Visual Unions.
“Spending on Canadian television drama has plummeted since 1999,” the CCAU said in its report released at last week’s Banff International Television Festival, “with 2004 recording the lowest level in seven years.”
“Drama spending by Canada’s English-language private broadcasters bottomed out at $53.6 million in 2004 from a high of $73 million in 1998 – and that’s despite CTV’s regulated drama spending under its transfer benefits,” said Peter Murdoch, co-chair of the CCAU.
“Something has…
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OSHAWA – Given that XM is already installed in a number of its vehicles, General Motors of Canada said today it welcomes the CRTC’s pay radio decision.
GM Canada will be working with Canadian Satellite Radio (CSR) and its partners to analyze the conditions of license and determine how to move as quickly as possible to address pent-up consumer demand for satellite radio in Canada, said the car company.
"We are eager to move forward to introduce XM radio into our 2006 model year vehicles," said Michael Grimaldi, president of GM of Canada. "Satellite radio is the biggest advancement…
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TORONTO – The subscription radio decision should have said something about signal security, and it didn’t do enough for Cancon, says the Canadian recording industry.
Calling the CRTC decision on subscription radio “short-sighted” the Canadian Recording Industry Association said in a press release, “Canada’s broadcast regulator failed to recognize the opportunity to hold the line on music piracy – threatening emerging online music businesses – and undervalued Canadian musical talent,” in the pay radio decision.
“CRIA’s members invest in excess of $50 million annually in the careers of Canadian artists and in the creation, production and distribution of their music,”…
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OTTAWA – When the CRTC gets around to doing its delayed radio review, the satellite radio decision will be front and centre.
Following the CRTC decision released today authorizing the introduction of two satellite and one terrestrial subscription radio services in Canada, the CAB “strongly urges the CRTC to ensure for local commercial radio a fair regulatory environment in a highly competitive marketplace,” said its press release today.
“Subscription radio will compete for audiences, and consequently will have an impact on conventional radio in Canada,” said Glenn O’Farrell, president and CEO of the CAB. “The licensing of these new…
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OTTAWA – While most (including cartt.ca) concentrated on the satellite radio ruling today, the CRTC also issued a public hearing notice on 18 new category two digital specialty channel applications.
Actually, not all of them are new. Some are re-applications for licenses that were allowed to lapse since they have not yet launched since first being licensed in 2000.
And, with half of the 18 applications for French language services, it appears broadcasters are coming to believe there are now enough digital cable and satellite customers in Quebec to make business sense. When the first of the digi-nets launched…
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BANFF – Mountains, cocktails, double espressos and screenings with senators and stars, sure. But the Banff World Television Festival, as with almost every major international entertainment confab, is all about l’argent. Dollars for deals and creators hopes running as high as the bar bills at the Banff Springs Hotel.
The biggest rightnow payoff for those high hopes is the CTV Documart pitch session where a total of $100,000 worth of program development cheques is handed out to three teams of documentary pitchers. Walking away with the top prize of $50,000 Wednesday morning was Brett Gaylor, a producer at Montreal’s…
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OTTAWA – The future of one of three subscription radio services licensed Thursday by the CRTC is up in the air as the applicant considers whether it’s worth competing against the others when it feels the conditions of licence are unfair.
CHUM, with minority partner Astral, proposed to launch a terrestrial pay radio service in major Canadian cities with 50 homegrown channels. But the commission is requiring the two satellite services, SIRIUS Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. (CSR), to launch with a minimum of eight Canadian channels, with a ratio of at least one Canadian channel to every…
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TORONTO – Like the rest of the industry, more than 20,000 Canadian artists, represented by Indie Pool, are anxiously awaiting Thursday’s CRTC decision on bringing satellite radio to Canada.
Independent artists from across the country have long supported the satellite radio applicants’ bid as an opportunity to champion and promote Canadian artists both at home and abroad,” says the organization in a release.
“We have been waiting for this decision for a very long time," said Gregg Terrence, president of Indie Pool, which represents more than 20,000 independent artists across Canada. "Satellite radio technology has the potential to finally…
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TORONTO – So what’s it like going from one side to another, is what people often want to know from Janet Yale.
She spent four years as president and CEO of the CCTA (Canadian Cable Television Association ) before bolting to Telus in late summer 2003 and is now executive vice-president, corporate affairs. Yale (right) tries not to see her move from one side to another, and draws similarities between cable and telecom.
However, while each are facilities-based providers, cable and telecom are clearly at each others’ throats right…
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