By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Until now the CRTC regime in place to compensate owners of conventional TV signals distributed by cable companies outside of their markets seem to work fairly well.
Terrestrial BDUs offer distant signals for ‘time shifting’ purposes. It allows subscribers to watch popular shows at a different time by watching a station in a different time zone. Since local stations are losing advertising money (advertisers only pay for local viewership) a compensation regime was put in place.
To distribute such signal, the cable company needs consent from and provide compensation to the owners of conventional television stations. Before…
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And, MVNOs won’t help
By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – The CRTC’s last mandate for the wireless industry – low-cost data-only plans which originally stood in lieu of a regulatory regime for mobile virtual network operators – have not been popular with customers, Rogers executives told the CRTC today.
“A substantially bigger package of data without voice and text is not as appealing” as less data with talk and text, David Watt, Rogers’ senior vice-president of regulatory affairs, said Wednesday in front of CRTC commissioners reviewing the wireless industry.
“I think we had thought low-cost data-only appeal to people who use a fair…
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TORONTO — For the first time in its history, SOCAN’s total annual collections exceeded $400 million, with an estimated $405.5 million collected in fiscal year 2019 on behalf of its members. This is an 8% increase over SOCAN’s previous record of $375 million collected in fiscal year 2018.
SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) attributed most of the growth to an increase of approximately $23 million in collections from digital sources, as well as an additional $7 million from reproduction rights collections, following SOCAN’s 2018 acquisition of Montreal-based SODRAC (the Society for Reproduction Rights of…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – A hearing that culminated in an unprecedented federal court order forcing internet service providers to block certain websites was unbalanced and will likely fall by the wayside as more intervenors weigh in at the appeal level, according to emails from a CRTC lawyer.
“What I would like to see is a re-do of the Federal Court motion,” William Abbott said in an email to an address that is redacted in newly unveiled communications obtained through access to information law. Abbott is a former Bell lawyer who took a legal counsel role at the CRTC in…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – We’re going to have to wait a little longer to learn more about the next steps in the legislative process following the publication of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) panel report.
In its first public meeting after the 2019 election, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage invited representatives of the panel to brief the committee members on its report, which is actually called Canada’s Communications Future: Time to Act, issued on January 29th. Many are also calling it the Yale report.
In its appearance at the committee today, the panel’s chair, Janet Yale and panel…
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MONTREAL — Quebecor today publicized the intervention it filed with the CRTC, asking to appear at the public hearing into CBC/Radio-Canada’s licence renewal in May, where it will argue the public broadcaster needs to be given a clear public service mandate.
In a news release issued Monday, Quebecor says it agrees with the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel report that CBC/Radio-Canada should be “animated by a public purpose and not a commercial one.”
Among the questions Quebecor would like raised during the public hearing are the following:
Is it desirable for the public broadcaster to be driven by a…
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TORONTO — The Banff Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media program is reminding interested applicants the deadline to apply is February 28, while also announcing a new partnership with York University’s Schulich School Business.
Through this new partnership, Banff Spark will provide participants with program instruction and a tailored curriculum developed with the unique entrepreneurial and industry expertise of faculty at Schulich’s Arts, Media and Entertainment Program.
“This exciting partnership will bring our participants high-level training that will equip them with the tools and knowledge needed to build sustainable, globally competitive businesses,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, executive director of…
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TORONTO — A $35-million class action lawsuit has been filed against Toronto-based reality TV production company Insight Productions. The suit is seeking damages stemming from alleged employment standards violations.
Insight Productions is best known for producing Canadian versions of shows such as Amazing Race, Big Brother and CBC’s Battle of the Blades.
The lawsuit filed in Ontario Court on Friday by law firm Cavalluzzo LLP claims Insight owes hundreds of workers unpaid overtime, vacation pay and holiday premiums because of contracts that did not comply with Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. The suit was filed on behalf of current and former employees…
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MONTREAL — The ENCQOR 5G testbed initiative Thursday announced it has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with six telecom service providers in Canada — Bell, Cogeco, Ecotel (Ambra Solutions), Rogers, Telus and Vidéotron.
ENCQOR stands for Evolution of Networked Services through a Corridor in Quebec and Ontario for Research and Innovation. The Canada-Quebec-Ontario partnership has a mandate to bring together small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academia to contribute to the advancement of research, innovation and demonstration of applications through a pre-commercial 5G testbed. ENCQOR 5G has five Digital Innovation Hubs, located in both Quebec and Ontario, providing a 5G…
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DALLAS and TORONTO — Players Media Group, a sports-centric new media entertainment company, and Canada’s Anthem Sports & Entertainment, owner of AXS TV, Impact Wrestling and other media properties, announced Thursday the creation of PlayersTV, a new network dedicated to sports lifestyle and culture entertainment.
Among the new network’s partners are professional athletes such as retired NFL player Vernon Davis, and current NBA players Carmelo Anthony, CJ McCollum and Chris Paul. PlayersTV will launch in March 2020 on Samsung TV Plus, says the news release.
Players Media Group is the newest venture of Collin Castellaw and Deron Guidrey, the…
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