Canadian communications giant dead at 85
CALGARY – Shaw Communications founder, executive chair and former CEO JR Shaw is being remembered not only as a pioneering cable and telecom builder, but a family man, philanthropist, and a one-of-a-kind gentleman who inspired deep loyalty and unity.
Known throughout the North American communications industry simply as JR, Shaw was a pioneer in Canadian business and a Canadian telecommunications sector visionary. He passed away in his sleep Tuesday at the age of 85.
“My family and I are at a loss for words and are deeply saddened at JR’s passing,” said Brad Shaw, CEO of…
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TORONTO — With many consumers feeling anxious about not only their physical health but also the health of the economy as the world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, marketers and brand managers are faced with developing campaigns during these uncertain times.
Thinktv, the marketing and research association dedicated to the advancement of commercial TV in Canada, has compiled some resources, research and insights from industry experts to help ensure the brand decisions made by marketers today also set them up for success over the long term.
In its latest email newsletter, the organization cautions advertisers to take care during a time…
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TORONTO — Food Network Canada’s original grilling competition series Fire Masters (15×60) is returning for a second season, starting April 16. The channel is currently on free preview nationwide until May 31 as part of the Canadian TV industry’s response to the Covid-19 crisis.
Professional chef Dylan Benoit returns as host and will be joined by a rotating panel of expert judges and notable culinary personalities. Each episode will challenge three chefs to show off their grilling talents and creativity in two culinary challenges, cooking up dishes that will be assessed by the judges. Two chefs will be eliminated, and…
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By Greg O’Brien
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, millions of Canadians are working from home, or sadly just staying home after their job was placed on indefinite hold. Students don’t know when they will go back to class and seniors are being told going for groceries is dangerous because of the deadly Covid-19.
Politicians of all stripe are telling us to stay home – a call which most of us are thankfully heeding – and one which we will need to obey for some weeks to come to try and slow the spread of the virus.
We’ve hunkered down at home with our…
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$1 million coming to Canada
LOS GATOS, Calif. – With virtually all TV and film production around the world stopped, Netflix announced today it has created a US$100 million fund to help now unemployed entertainment industry workers get through the Covid-19 crisis.
“This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times, especially while governments are still figuring out what economic support they will provide. So we’ve created a $100 million fund to help with hardship in the creative community,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a blog post.
“Most of…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Media Producers Association and 10 other producer associations, funding agencies, as well as provincial and municipal agencies will announce Friday morning a new task force to monitor the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the media production industry in Canada.
“We understand every sector of our economy is being affected by the pandemic; the lockdowns, travel restrictions, urgency to self-isolate and maintain social distancing have put our country on pause. This includes the screen-based sector, where productions have been halted, studios emptied, and cast and crews no longer working,” says the statement announcing the new working…
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GATINEAU – In a wholesale TV rates battle between Bragg Communications (Eastlink) and Rogers Media, the CRTC today gave both sides a win with a final offer arbitration decision.
The two companies have not been able to settle on wholesale rates for Sportsnet and Sportsnet One for some time and approached the CRTC for an FOA process in October 2019.
With Sportsnet (which has five regional feeds), the Commission said Thursday it has selected Rogers’ offer, while for Sportsnet One, it chose the Eastlink offer.
Eastlink fought for its offered rates (none of which were made public) by telling the Commission it…
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By Konrad von Finckenstein
THE BROADCAST AND Telecom Legislative Review panel’s lengthy report is divided into institutional recommendations, telecom recommendations, broadcasting recommendations and others.
It made 46 regarding the Broadcasting Act. Apart from the recommendations on the CBC about which I express no comment, some are well thought out and would improve the present system substantially. The extension of the Broadcasting Act to “electronic communications services” on the internet is the area of greatest concern.
The Panel recommended:
… the Telecommunications Act be amended to establish explicit jurisdiction over all persons and entities providing, or offering to provide, electronic…
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OTTAWA — Through a partnership with several of Canada’s telecom providers, the federal government is reaching out to Canadians living or travelling abroad via text messages containing contact information for Global Affairs Canada consular support in response to the global COVID-19 outbreak. A sample of one is pictured below.
Beginning Wednesday, Rogers, Bell, Telus, Videotron, Freedom Mobile, Eastlink and SaskTel will be sending their subscribers currently living or travelling abroad text messages containing consular support information and key contact information.
“I am pleased that Canada’s telecommunications service providers have acted quickly to help Canadians as they take steps to answer the…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – As part of its argument before the Federal Court of Appeal against a decision by the CRTC to slash the wholesale rate internet resellers pay to use incumbents’ networks, Bell Canada said forcing the big telecoms to give back the price difference over three years is effectively a tax that only Parliament can impose.
“The Telecommunications Act does not empower the CRTC to levy taxes,” Bell said in its official argument, filed Thursday. “Therefore, if the Retroactive Payments are a tax, they are unconstitutional” and outside the jurisdiction of the CRTC.
Last summer, in a decision…
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