TORONTO – CTAM Canada has tweaked its mission statement and membership rules to open the door to employees of satellite and IPTV companies operating in the CRTC-regulated television environment.
The organization, which was geared to cable companies, content providers, and others who supply products and services to the cable industry, said that the changes “will provide increased focus to the industry organization's education and research initiatives and result in a more inclusive space in the advancement of industry solutions and best practices”.
It’s new mission statement reads:
CTAM Canada is the television industry association focusing on the advancement of content distribution across…
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GATINEAU – Access Communications Co-operative told the CRTC Wednesday while it’s not opposed to the establishment of a local news fund, it shouldn’t mean cuts to community channel funding.
Speaking at the commission’s local and community TV hearing on Wednesday, Carmela Haines, VP of finance and administration for the cableco co-op which serves Regina and many other small communities in Saskatchewan, noted funding reductions to its community channels “would have a serious impact” to the communities it serves. Besides, Access shouldn’t be providing funds to the vertically integrated (VI) broadcasters.
“A not-for-profit, community-owned co-operative should not be giving a subsidy to…
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GATINEAU – A new fund or reallocated money dedicated to supporting local news, would do little to provide a long-term solution to the financial situation facing local TV, Shaw Communications and Telus told the CRTC on Tuesday.
Telus noted in its opening remarks that any funding for local conventional stations to subsidize their news productions shouldn’t come at the expense of community TV and the diversity it provides to the system. As well, “subsidizing the commercial business models of traditional television stations will not incent the innovation required of these stations to provide sustainable programming opportunities in the long run,”…
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GATINEAU – Many parties to the CRTC’s local and community TV consultation have proposed funding approaches (each with their own acronyms we’re having trouble keep track of) which could financially support these struggling services. Rogers Communications Inc. has now joined them, unveiling its own approach to a local programming fund.
In its appearance before the Commission on Thursday, the media and communications giant argued while it still prefers its original proposal calling for greater flexibility to move local programming funds from larger to smaller markets, it offered up another model that it says is workable and would provide financial benefits…
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CAMROSE, AB – Eastlink has bought independent telco Lynx Network, formerly Cable TV of Camrose. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Lynx Net offers TV, high speed Internet and home phone service in central Alberta to customers in Camrose and Slave Lake.
Lynx Net owner Larry McLaren said that he chose to sell to Eastlink because "the company is run by good people who care.”
“This industry is undergoing a period of rapid change requiring significant amounts of capital investment to leverage growth opportunities”, McLaren said in the news release. “Given Eastlink’s proven track record in Alberta, its financial resources…
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MARKHAM, ON – Capital Networks has opened a new office in Halifax as it assumes the operation of 40 TV programming guide channels and 6 real estate channels from Eastlink.
The company said that it also plans to bring its digital signage solutions and services to the market. The new Atlantic Region team will be led by director of business development Barry K. Scott.
CN Media Services, a division of Capital Networks, will operate MyGuide Programming Guide channels in the following communities:
Nova Scotia: Amherst, Annapolis, Antigonish, Bridgewater, Dartmouth, Halifax, New Glasgow, New Minas, Shelburne, Sydney, Truro, Windsor, and Yarmouth.
Prince Edward Island:…
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Vice, Eastlink, Channel Zero and Bell offer new ideas to the CRTC Monday
GATINEAU – With major and independent broadcasters cutting newsrooms because of high costs and low revenue, there can be little doubt that local news and TV programming is in trouble. This means the industry may need to rethink how local programming is made and funded, the CRTC heard during the first day of an eight-day hearing on local and community TV. (pictured is a screen cap from CPAC.ca of Bell Media chief Mary Ann Turcke.)
Lee Bragg, chief executive at Bragg Communications (Eastlink) made some pointed comments about…
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TORONTO – New Rogers channel Viceland will debut in more than 7.5 million Canadian households when it launches on February 29, the company said Friday.
The millennial-focused linear channel, which replaces Rogers’ Bio specialty channel, will be available through more than 20 TV service providers out of the gate, including Shaw and Shaw Direct, Telus, Videotron, Cogeco Connexion and Eastlink, in addition to Rogers Cable.
Kicking off with a three-month free preview, content includes Gaycation with Ellen Page and friend/co-host Ian Daniel, and original music documentary series Noisey, hosted by Vice correspondent Zach Goldbaum. Viceland will also air original series produced…
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SUMMERSIDE, PEI – Long-time community television producer and personality Wendell Ellis will be laid to rest Saturday after his passing on January 11, 2016. He was 71.
Ellis spent over 30 years at Island Cablevision Studio 10, now Eastlink TV, filming events and personalities across the Island. His most popular shows included Bill's Jamboree, Heritage 92 and Community Showcase.
He also spearheaded a telethon in support of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and was the force behind award-winning programs Rally for the Internationally Disabled and Child Awaress Day before retiring in 2009. His contributions to community television earned him the Diamond Jubilee Medal…
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TORONTO – Bell Media’s television streaming service CraveTV is now officially available to all Canadian Internet users, whether or not they have a paid subscription to a TV service provider.
For $7.99 per month, CraveTV can be streamed via iOS, online, and to TV screens through Apple TV, Chromecast and select Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-Ray players. It's also available through TV service providers including Telus, Eastlink, Sasktel, and Bell TV at a lower (unspecified) price.
New users get one month free when they subscribe, which they may do at CraveTV.ca or by downloading the CraveTV app from the…
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