By John Bugailiskis
AT THIS YEAR’S DIGITAL CES 2021, it should come as no surprise pandemic products could be clicked on everywhere. As reported previously, Covid-19 has been very good for the tech industry. Now we even have MaskFone, a washable, N95 mask with a Bluetooth headset inside, designed to allow you to take calls without that annoying muffled mask sound.
Selling for $50 (it doesn’t appear to be for sale in Canada, yet), its manufacturer, Binatone, calls it the perfect solution for providing crystal-clear calls and audio without ever having to take your mask off. The unit features…
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TORONTO – Audience measurement company Numeris today announced the national expansion of its cross-platform video audience measurement (VAM) solution.
This will build on the launch of VAM in Ontario and Quebec, where the Numeris board of directors recently approved a national build of VAM with a single source panel; one panel capturing consumption of linear and digital content, reporting audience behaviours from all platforms and devices on a duplicated and unduplicated basis.
“Understanding the value of advertiser and agency video investments in media on a cross-platform basis has never been more critical. We strongly support a national VAM solution that will…
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OTTAWA — Canada’s new Innovation, Science and Industry minister, François-Philippe Champagne, apparently got right to work on his new portfolio, judging from a press release issued today by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa announcing the United States and Canada have signed a new general coordination agreement on the use of the radio frequency spectrum by terrestrial radiocommunication stations and earth stations (the GCA).
Signed by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Katherine Brucker, on behalf of the U.S. government, and Minister Champagne, the new GCA updates the “Above 30 Agreement”, which acted as the framework for coordination of cross-border radio frequency spectrum between…
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OTTAWA — With Navdeep Bains set to retire from politics by not running in the next federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a cabinet shuffle this morning that now sees Saint-Maurice—Champlain MP François-Philippe Champagne (above), currently foreign affairs minister, become the minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (which we’ve been stuck on calling ISED, the ministry’s former name. We’ll start calling it ISI after this).
The largely rural riding’s primary community is Shawinigan.
“In his new role, Minister Champagne will rely on his extensive business experience in the fields of energy, engineering, and innovation to assist our economic recovery from…
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Can the Commission regulate the CBC’s digital activities?
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Monday will mark the beginning of the renewal hearing of the CBC/Radio-Canada broadcasting licences, which was originally scheduled to start on May 25, 2020.
The original deadline for interventions (after the CBC received an administrative renewal in August 2019) was February 13, 2020, later moved to February 20, after putting on the public record a report the CRTC had commissioned: Harnessing public broadcasting for Canadians in the digital age: International benchmark study for the CRTC.
Finally, in June 2020, the hearing date was set and announced to be held at…
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By Denis Carmel
GATNIEAU – In a wholesale regime, competitor Quality of Service (QoS) is an important factor to ensure the incumbents provide a consistent level of quality for processes associated with installations and repairs so competitors receive a level of service which enables them to compete effectively and to provide service to their end users efficiently.
With the ability for the Commission to issue administrative penalties, the focus is now on measuring and reporting rather than relying on complaints and imposing rate rebates.
The Commission had determined that the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) Business Process Working Group was the best…
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SES says better business case soars 8,000 kms above earth
By Ahmad Hathout
THE HOT ACRONYM in rural broadband delivery from space is low earth orbit, or LEO, and it has entranced political leaders and industry in Canada for its potential to deliver fibre-like internet speeds and very low latency because of its proximity of up to roughly 1,000 kilometres above the earth’s surface.
But there’s been a cautionary tale to this foundational technology expected to help hook up rural and remote communities in the world’s second largest mass of land: The economics for LEO constellations have made it not for the…
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Those who thought the 13-day CBC licencing hearing would be boring, think again.
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – In an addendum to the Notice of Hearing on the renewal of the CBC’s broadcast licences, issued on December 18, the CRTC voiced its irritation at the Corporation in a rather terse manner.
“The Commission is dissatisfied with the Corporation’s reply. It is important for the Commission to have the necessary information to consider how the Corporation is, through its programming, reflecting the circumstances and aspirations of all members of Canadian society. The Commission intends to question the Corporation on these issues at the…
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TORONTO – A new initiative focused on educating and supporting youth who are exploring careers in the Canadian media industry, called Reel Opportunities, was announced today by partners Bell Media and Reel Canada.
Created to reach youth in underserved communities, “the program aims to foster excitement and awareness about the many opportunities in film and television, with the goal of creating a new generation of diverse media professionals,” says the announcement.
“Reel Opportunities Presented by Reel Canada and Bell Media is set to deliver 150 free interactive networking workshops for 4,000 youth across Canada through schools and other youth-oriented programs beginning…
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Traditional TV cord-cutting has accelerated through the pandemic
By Greg O’Brien
TORONTO – It will surprise no one the 18-35 year-old age group loves to stream their content. Watching via Netflix or YouTube or Prime or Disney+ or Club Illico or Crave or CBC Gem or DAZN or Sportsnet Now or TSN Direct or Tou.tv or CBS All Access or Britbox or RDS Direct or AppleTV+ is old hat to them.
However, according to a Charlton Research online presentation to CTAM Canada members last week, what’s not old hat is trying to manage the massive and growing list of streamers (Heck, two…
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