By Brad Danks
I WAS A YOUNG ENTERTAINMENT lawyer in the late 1990s when the Internet changed the course of my career.
My practice ranged from artists to financiers to producers to many of the U.S. broadcasters and studios doing business in Canada. The industry had been growing quickly but all of a sudden there began a massive consolidation of the media business, with many distributors and broadcasters being acquired by the American studios. The process started around 1996 and ended in 2001 with the ultimate media deal of all time – the AOL/Time Warner merger. During that period, I lost…
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By Christopher Guly
OTTAWA – Faced with an advertising market that has been cut in half in some cases, broadcasters are scrambling to survive the Covid-19 pandemic (to say nothing of the shifting media sands in general) and are seeking stronger lifelines from the federal government.
Earlier this month, during an appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, representatives of the Independent Broadcast Group (IBG) said while the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy has helped keep staff on the payroll, broadcasters need further relief.
On behalf of the IBG, a consortium of 10 independent Canadian television broadcasters, Luc Perreault…
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By Bram Abramson
A RARE CRTC DECISION on the appeal of a “notice to produce”, compelling Hydro-Québec to produce the personal information associated with 10 service addresses, has shed further light on how the Commission will use the information-gathering powers of Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) when dealing with intermediary service providers.
Compliance and Enforcement Decision CRTC 2020-196, issued on June 18 against Hydro-Québec, echoes a similar 2016 decision in the Royal Bank of Canada’s appeal of a third-party notice to produce. The Hydro-Québec decision interprets the CRTC’s CASL information-gathering authority largely in terms of whether the information compelled by…
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By Greg O’Brien
WHILE SOME PRO SPORTS have returned to play, like the English Premier League, the PGA, NASCAR and others, new and growing outbreaks of the Covid-19 virus in the U.S. threatens the return of the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, each currently planning for a July start or re-start.
If marquee North American pro sports don’t come back to TV soon, as planned, there may be permanent effects on the pay-TV bundle and the overall value of the TV rights, says a recent report from Scotiabank’s media and telecom analyst Jeff Fan.
There are between 8 million and 9…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Some of the country’s largest carriers tried to persuade a panel of Federal Court of Appeal judges Thursday that the CRTC – in its reasoning that led to a decision to slash the wholesale internet rate – did not adequately balance the impact of the decision with a 2006 cabinet directive setting out a market-based approach to regulatory decisions.
The 2006 cabinet directive outlines that the CRTC “should rely on market forces to the maximum extent feasible and regulate, where there is still a need to do so, in a manner that interferes with market…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – During one of the CRTC’s most anticipated hearings earlier this year, Telus CEO Darren Entwistle appeared before the Commission reviewing impending changes to the wireless industry and warned mandating new entrants without facilities to ride on the networks of the incumbents would mean many jobs lost, philanthropic spending slashed and reductions in investments.
It was a defining moment during the hearing. Drawing the attention of national media and critics on social media, it encompassed for some the realities of the competitive delicacy of the industry; for others, it was viewed as a baseless threat…
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By Brad Danks
TIME IS RUNNING OUT. Last month I set out the reasons why I agreed with the Yale Report that it’s time to regulate the Internet. However, there is much more to like in that report, such as the recommendations which would bring the digital platforms into the Canadian regulatory system – and why government must take action as soon as possible.
The number of digital platforms entering Canada increase in number and size by the day. They are accelerating the decline of the conventional Canadian broadcasting system that supports our culture and production industry. It’s very likely…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The Federal Court of Appeal has approved a number of intervenors who can appear on appeal of the country’s first court-approved website-blocking order.
The 16 approved parties will be divided into three groups, with each submitting one document laying out the arguments on behalf of their respective group.
TekSavvy filed an appeal in November of a first-of-its-kind decision by the Federal Court to force the large cable companies and Bell to block the websites of GoldTV, a seller of IPTV products that delivered unlicensed content. The novel decision has far-reaching implications that touches on several…
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TORONTO and CALGARY — The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and Teamsters Local 362 in Alberta announced Tuesday they have successfully negotiated a new three-year master agreement.
The new deal, which has been ratified by both organizations, establishes the terms, conditions and rates for crew including drivers, wranglers and caterers engaged in film, TV and digital media production in Alberta. The agreement includes a revised budget tier and wage structure for the first year, and the parties also agreed to a 1% wage increase in the second year of the deal and a 2% increase in the third year. The…
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TORONTO — Corus Entertainment announced Tuesday morning the 2020-21 programming lineup for its specialty channels, which includes 43 new and returning Canadian original series and movies.
(Corus’ Global TV network unveiled its 2020-21 programming slate in a separate announcement.)
For this year, Corus Studios has greenlit seven new series and has 13 series returning across Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada and History. Corus’ kids content producer Nelvana is showcasing three new series and four returning series on YTV and Treehouse.
“While the broader television industry has been hit with unprecedented challenges this year, Corus is in the enviable position of having fall…
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