OTTAWA – The CRTC says that it would be “inappropriate” and “disrespectful” to consider Bell Media’s request to return Canadian ads to its 2019 Super Bowl broadcast – at least at this time.
BCE filed a Part 1 application asking the Commission to temporarily suspend Broadcasting Order 2016-335 until after its February 3, 2019 broadcast of Super Bowl LIII, a move that would allow it to carry out simultaneous substitution of the originating U.S. commercials with Canadian commercials in its biggest show of the year. The broadcaster cited the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade in its argument, which,…
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Claiming racism, harassment, wrongful dismissal and punitive damages
TORONTO – Former CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan has filed a motion against the attorney general of Canada, the CRTC, Minister Mélanie Joly, the Governor-in-Council and various individuals, including former Commission chair Jean-Pierre Blais, for the sum of $8.4 million.
The 65-page statement of claim, filed with the Ontario Superior Court October 31st, retells much of the conflict between Shoan, who was hired as the CRTC’s Ontario Commissioner in June 2013, and various others including Blais, the chairman of the CRTC at the time, and former Heritage Ministers Shelly Glover and Joly.
Shoan was accused…
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TORONTO – The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) is asking the CRTC to take another look at its three year old wholesale wireline services decision, saying that “key corrections” are necessary to truly provide greater competition for high-speed Internet services.
CNOC, which represents 35 independent telecommunications services providers that own or operate wireline and/or wireless networks, filed an application with the Commission on Wednesday that seeks a review and variance of TRP 2015-326 and TD 2016-379 to “address aspects of the Commission’s regulatory framework for wholesale high-speed access services that will inadvertently and substantially lessen and prevent competition in…
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OTTAWA – Last week Will Amos, the Liberal MP for Pontiac, Que. submitted a Private Member’s Bill asking the House of Commons to recognize the importance of reliable and accessible digital infrastructure to the economic development of rural regions and to the health and safety of Canadians.
He also asked the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology be instructed to undertake a comprehensive study on rural wireless infrastructure, focusing particularly on:
the underlying causes of, and prospective solutions to the gaps in wireless infrastructure deployment in rural Canada
the regulatory role of the CRTC
the fiscal and regulatory approaches to incentivize more…
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OTTAWA – A consensus may be emerging which says while we need to change the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Acts, that can be done only as long as those changes don’t involve any playing in my sandbox.
We had this feeling when the Privacy Commissioner appeared and said, essentially: We’re doing fine but please give us more enforcement powers inside the communications business
Then today (Tuesday) when the CRTC appeared in front of the Senate Committee studying change into the two Acts on Tuesday morning, the same thing happened. Senator Rosa Galvez asked “If your situation is the…
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GATINEAU – Back in August, when the CRTC and researcher Ipsos launched a survey on what Canadians think of the sales practices of Canadian telecom companies, much private (and some public) hue and cry arose from the carriers across the country.
The tight timeline for Ipsos to finish the survey and the weak overall structure and wording of the questions could only lead to negative answers, they said. They were right. The results came back substantially negative, but does that mean they have a point? Does the survey’s supposedly skewed queries mean the results should be tossed out?
Consumers and consumer…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given the green light to Stingray Digital Group’s plan to buy Newfoundland Capital Corporation (NCC, or as it’s more commonly referred in the radio business, Newcap), for $506 million.
The deal, first announced in May, includes 101 radio licences (82 FM and 19 AM) across the country, as well as conventional television stations CITL-DT and CKSA-DT Lloydminster, and the rebroadcasting transmitter CKSA-TV-2 Bonnyville, AB.
The Commission said Tuesday that it has determined that the deal is in the public interest, saying that its approval of the proposed transaction “would allow the acquired stations to benefit…
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TORONTO – The CRTC’s Ontario Commissioner Monique Lafontaine will be the keynote luncheon speaker next month at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters' (OAB) annual conference and awards gala, known as Connection '18.
Lafontaine (pictured) was appointed to the role on January 2, 2018 for a five-year term. She has approximately 20 years of experience in communications and entertainment law as a lawyer and media executive, and has worked in television and radio broadcasting, digital media, program licensing, distribution as well as anti-spam and privacy legislation.
Connection '18 will take place on Thursday, November 8 at the Marriott Toronto Airport Hotel.
www.oab.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given its blessing to Cogeco’s plan to buy 10 French-language regional radio stations in Quebec and Ontario from RNC Media.
The new stations are located in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (Planète 104.5 in Alma, Planète 93.5 in Chibougamau, Planète 99.5 in Roberval, Planète 100.3 in Dolbeau-Mistassini, and Radio X 95.7 in Saguenay), in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Capitale Rock 104.3 in Val-d’Or, Capitale Rock 102.1 in La Sarre, and WOW 96.5, in Val-d’Or), in Lachute (Pop 104.9) and in Hawkesbury (Pop 102.1).
The Commission said Thursday that it "considers that the RNC stations integrated into Cogeco could benefit from economies…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is creating a “cooperative relationship” with the European Union’s telecommunications regulatory agency to address current and future regulatory challenges in Canada and Europe.
The Commission said Thursday that is has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Latvia-based Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) that will focus on issues such as broadband development, network neutrality, consumer protection, and pro-competitive regulation.
The two regulators said that they intend to carry out their cooperative activities for a period of two years, which could be extended for a further two years.
“Communications regulatory agencies in Canada and Europe are…
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