CEO calls CRTC decision restricting those qualifying under MVNO framework “unfortunate”
MONTREAL – Cogeco announced its fourth quarter 2022 financial results last night, showing revenue was up 14% year-over-year, while earlier today, on an investor’s call, its president and CEO Philippe Jetté outlined the company’s next steps towards launching wireless.
Financial results
In terms of its Q4 2022 financial results, Cogeco reported revenue of $746.9 million. The company also reported adjusted EBITDA increased 18.7% to $348.5 million.
Cogeco’s Canadian telecommunications revenue alone increased 1.1% and adjusted EBITDA increased 6.4% year-over-year, “mainly resulting from lower marketing expenses and certain year-end adjustments,” a press…
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Acting president and CEO calls for C-18 to be quickly passed
MONTREAL – TVA Group recorded $130.5 million in revenue for the third quarter of 2022, which represents a year-over-year decrease of $20.2 million.
The Quebecor subsidiary, which reported its Q3 2022 financial results yesterday, reported adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $18.2 million – a $17.3 million unfavourable variance compared to Q3 2021.
The broadcasting segment specifically recorded $104.6 million in revenue in Q3 2022, compared to $111.1 millionin the same quarter the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA in the segment was $14.1 million. This is a $7.6 million unfavourable variance,…
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WINNIPEG – Broadband Communications North (BCN), a Manitoba-based Indigenous network, today announced a pilot project bringing high-speed Internet to the Manto Sipi Cree Nation.
The project is being completed in partnership with wireless, broadband and satellite solutions provider ROCK Networks and OneWeb and is “the first step in connecting 24 First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba in the next five years,” a press release says.
“The network will be powered by OneWeb’s constellation of low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites,” the release explains. “ROCK Networks will integrate the system into BCN’s existing network. Additionally, ROCK Networks will monitor the connection and provide ongoing support…
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MONTREAL, TORONTO and CALGARY – A second mediation attempt between Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications and Quebecor and the Competition Bureau has failed, according to a press release issued by the three companies today.
Rogers and Shaw are currently seeking approvals for their proposed merger. In an attempt to quell concerns about the potential impact of the deal on wireless competition in Canada, the companies agreed to sell Shaw’s Freedom Mobile to Quebecor subsidiary Videotron.
The first attempt at mediation between Rogers, Shaw and the Competition Bureau happened in July.
The second mediation attempt took place earlier today.
“We are disappointed with…
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OTTAWA – Earlier this week, Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, passed second reading stage in the senate and was referred to the senate transport and communications committee (TRCM) for full study.
Yesterday, the committee heard from two panels of witnesses.
Robert Fenton, board chair of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind suggested several improvements that take into account people who are blind or partially sighted.
For example, he pointed out the broadcasting system needs to be more accessible. “Yes, there are set top boxes out there that talk, but they only talk after a sighted person enables them for those…
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By Len St-Aubin
RICHARD STURSBERG’S OP-ED in Monday Oct. 24’s Globe and Mail put forward the British system of defining domestic content as a model for redefining TV CanCon when the CRTC starts regulating global streaming services as broadcasters under Bill C-11. He makes a good point, but vastly understates how contentious this will be in C-11’s brave new world.
Stursberg has previously recommended the British model. He’s right that adopting their approach would address two issues. First is the often unrecognizably ‘Canadian’ outcomes of current CanCon criteria. Second is foreign streamers’ reasonable expectation that they can own the rights…
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OTTAWA — Tandy Yull has joined the Canadian Association of Broadcasters as its vice-president of policy and regulatory affairs, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Yull joins the CAB from the CRTC where she worked for the last 23 years in various positions including senior manager of alternative dispute resolution, senior manager of English and third-language programming, and manager of English-language pay and specialty services.
She previously worked at the CAB as manager of television policy and social issues from 1996-1999.
Prior to that, she was a consultant at Nordicity.
Yull holds a BA in political science and history from McGill University and…
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The following is an abridged version of keynote address delivered to the Canadian ISP Summit last week, by Geoff White, executive director and general counsel, Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC).
TORONTO – Last year, the CNOC keynote address was titled “Independents Unite: How We Are Fighting for a Fairer Today and a Stronger Tomorrow.” Well, it’s tomorrow now, and there’s a lot to reflect upon as we head into the future. So, the title of today’s remarks is “Where do we go from here?”
First, let’s take stock. Since we last met, a couple of major things that should not…
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OTTAWA – Last Friday, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage heard from CRTC chair Ian Scott and the heritage minister, Pablo Rodriguez on Bill C-18, the Online News Act, but representatives from Meta, Facebook’s parent company were still notably absent.
The CRTC chair appeared to reassure the committee the Commission can handle implementing the bill. As with C-11, the Online Streaming Act, one of the questions that has been asked again and again is whether the CRTC will be able to handle its new responsibilities should the bill pass.
While many have doubts about the Commission, Scott told…
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CRTC chair attempts to explain cost awards granted to CMAC
OTTAWA – During a meeting on C-18, the Online News Act, heritage minister Pablo Rodriguez and Ian Scott, chair of the CRTC, were also asked questions about the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) and its senior consultant Laith Marouf being awarded funding by the federal government and the CRTC.
Surprisingly, Rodriguez told the committee he did not know what was going on until the media reported on it – meaning he was not clued in on the matter at any point in the month that passed by between…
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