Others have hope in other proposals
OTTAWA – Independent ISP VMedia and others are expressing concerns about how the language used in a report recommending changes to the country’s communications laws may affect a new government directive that requires the CRTC to view its telecom decisions with a renewed focus on competition and consumer interests.
While big and small telecoms have been trying to complete study of last week’s 235-page report (meaning more than a few have not yet wanted to comment on it and all the big carriers have told us in various ways they’re still digesting it), which includes…
Continue Reading
New tech standard to bring broadcast TV to smartphones (but not in Canada)
By Lynn Greiner
TORONTO – For almost 25 years, the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 1.0 standard has driven the transmission of digital TV around the world, and with the switch to all digital a decade or so ago (in 2011 in Canada, 2009 in the U.S.), it was adopted as the standard for broadcast television transmission here.
However, ATSC (the organization) is now promoting a new version, ATSC 3.0, that is brand new, will bring over-the-air-TV into the future and onto our smartphones, but is incompatible with…
Continue Reading
Follow-up proceedings coming for small ILECs and Northwestel
OTTAWA — The CRTC issued two decisions Tuesday related to the phasing out of the local telephone service subsidy and the Commission’s associated review of the price cap and local forbearance regimes for Canada’s large incumbent local exchange carriers (Bell, Telus and SaskTel).
In 2018, in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-213, the Commission announced it would phase out the local telephone service subsidy over a three-year transition period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, through semi-annual reductions. At the same time, the Commission initiated a proceeding to review certain elements…
Continue Reading
VANCOUVER — Thunderbird Entertainment’s kids and family division, Atomic Cartoons, is expanding again with the opening of its third animation studio, this time in the Los Angeles – and that it already has its first project in production for an unnamed major global broadcaster.
The L.A. studio will be led by Matthew Berkowitz, chief creative officer of Thunderbird and Atomic Cartoons. Co-vice-presidents of Atomic Originals, Aaron Behl and Kristin Cummings, will also hold senior leadership roles at the L.A. studio.
“We are thrilled to expand our L.A. footprint with the opening of an animation studio to house our local showrunners, directors,…
Continue Reading
SYDNEY, Aus. — BAI Communications announced Tuesday it has appointed Igor Leprince (pictured) as the company’s new Group CEO, effective May 1, 2020.
According to the news release, Leprince has more than two decades of experience designing, building and operating wireless communications infrastructure around the world, including more than 10 years at Nokia, where he was president of global services. Currently based in the United Kingdom, his present roles include chair of the West Midlands 5G testbed, chair of AWTG Ltd., senior advisor for Bain & Company, as well as board advisor and investor in multiple technology companies.
“Igor has…
Continue Reading
Panel report targets foreign players, but Murphy urges caution
TORONTO – Doug Murphy said he appreciates the recommendations of the government-appointed panel tasked with reviewing Canada’s communications laws, but the Corus Entertainment president and CEO urged caution about the regulatory pressure it may add to Canadian broadcasters.
“It looks like this report is calling for even more regulation and more regulatory burden,” Murphy said in a phone interview on Friday. “What we cannot have happen here is more regulatory burden on the incumbent actors – that’s not acceptable.”
Murphy, like others, is still sifting through the 235-page report, released Wednesday, which contains…
Continue Reading
By Konrad von Finckenstein
FOR MANY YEARS, THE both the federal government and the CRTC have viewed facilities-based competition (FBC) as the only true means of ensuring Canadians receive high-quality, affordable, mobile wireless services provided over leading-edge wireless networks.
FBC basically means that only companies with their own wired or wireless transmission facilities should be allowed access to aggregated wholesale high-speed access services of large carriers, but attempts by both the CRTC and ISED to foster competition at either the national or regional level in wireless using preferential access to spectrum and wholesale wireless policies have proven unsuccessful.
The Competition Bureau…
Continue Reading
By Christopher Guly
OTTAWA – The Broadcast and Telecom Legislative Review (BTLR) panel report, released last week, has much to say on the creation, production and discoverability of Canadian content amid the realities of an-ever expanding global market where viewers have equally growing choices of accessing content online.
However, the report only referred to “intellectual property” twice in its massive report, and did not address how Canadian creators can better protect that precious commodity while competing internationally. So, it was left to the industry to discuss IP as the “currency of the future” in the final panel on the closing…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Longtime broadcaster Erin Davis (pictured) will be honoured during Canadian Music Week at its annual broadcast industry awards gala at Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
“We are proud to welcome Erin Davis to the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame,” said Canadian Music Week president Neill Dixon in a press release. “Throughout her career, Erin has commanded a loyal fanbase who have followed her from the airwaves, to screen, stage and online. From tragedy to triumph, she has welcomed us into her life and put her heart on her sleeve, which makes her…
Continue Reading
By Etan Vlessing
OTTAWA – As Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and other U.S. streamers compete in Canada alongside local digital rivals Crave and CBC Gem, Bell Media president Randy Lennox and CBC president and CEO Catherine Tait on Thursday offered competing visions on how best to potentially structure TV deals with American streamers promising bigger budgets and global reach, while still protecting and fully exploiting their Canadian-nurtured IP.
During a Prime Time panel entitled “Canadian Broadcasting Beyond 2020,” Lennox and Tait talked of grappling with production financing tools and strategies dramatically morphing in the streaming era as American digital partners…
Continue Reading
