GATINEAU – Jilted 9(1)(h) license applicant ICTV has filed a petition to the Governor-in-Council demanding federal Cabinet not only set aside the CRTC decision granting Rogers Media a must-carry TV license for OMNI, but also that CRTC chair Ian Scott and vice-chair broadcasting Caroline Simard, be fired.
It has also filed a motion for leave to appeal the same CRTC decision to the Federal Court of Appeal.
In the petition to the GIC filed late Monday, Independent Community Television Montreal, an independent, not-for-profit community TV operation out of Montreal (which was one of the applicants hoping to…
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TORONTO – As Canadian media companies feel besieged by their industry's digital whirlwind, Blue Ant Media, like its larger rivals, has had to think about how to get bigger and wider to navigate the gathering and growing streaming storm.
But what if bigger isn't always better?
Jamie Schouela, president, Canadian Media, at Blue Ant, told Cartt.ca after his company's Upfront presentation to advertisers at the Royal Ontario Museum Wednesday he recognizes Big Media has a need for scale via mega-deals to compete against Netflix.
Blue Ant, however, has an alternative growth strategy: premium scale, or innovating through new partnerships and key audience…
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TORONTO – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has added two new members to its Board of Directors following its recent AGM in Montreal.
Barry Chapman and Gary Pizante succeed outgoing directors Dave McLennan and Rob Scarth, joining current directors Alain Cousineau; Alison Clayton; Lori DeGraw; Guy Fournier; and Michael Schmalz.
Chapman has over 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry at the executive level, extensive knowledge in regulatory affairs, mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic and financial planning. He also brings extensive corporate governance experience, having sat on numerous boards. Chapman held the role of vice-president, regulatory affairs at Bell Canada…
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MONTREAL – The National Film Board of Canada says that it is one year ahead of schedule on its pledge to spend at least 15% of its production funding on Indigenous works.
Announced in June 2017, the NFB’s three-year Indigenous Action Plan contains 33 commitments in the main areas of production, distribution, organizational transformation and industry leadership.
The organization said that production is underway or recently completed on 40 works by Indigenous creators from across Canada, including Tasha Hubbard’s award-winning feature doc nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, the first Indigenous film to open Hot Docs and currently in theatres…
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OTTAWA – Total broadcasting revenues sank 1.2% from 2017 to 2018 as television distribution providers (BDUs) posted negative growth for the fourth consecutive year, according to the CRTC’s statistical and financial results for the industry.
The Commission’s 2018 Broadcasting Financial Summaries Highlights reported that overall BDU revenues dropped by 2.0% ($168 million), falling from $8.58 billion in 2017 to $8.41 billion for the broadcast year ended August 31, 2018. IPTV revenues grew by 4.5% in 2018 to surpass the $2 billion mark, albeit at a slower rate than previous years. Satellite (DTH) service providers reported total revenues of $1.9…
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OTTAWA – In its statutory review of the Copyright Act, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology (INDU) parted ways with its Canadian Heritage counterpart on issues regarding ownership of cinematographic works, the definition of “sound recording” in the legislation, and the radio-royalty exemption.
However, differences between both committees were also based on process, according to a news release INDU issued on Tuesday.
It said that since the committee presented its report to the House of Commons on June 3, “some stakeholders who participated in INDU’s proceedings have expressed regret that the committee…
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OTTAWA – A little more than a month and a half following the adoption of Motion 208, which called for expanded digital infrastructure (wireless and wireline) in rural Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada issued a new report with a number of recommendations it would like to see put forth to help improve connectivity throughout the country.
The top recommendation is… more study: that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology consider solutions to help close current gaps in wireless infrastructure in rural Canada over the next year. That includes the deployment…
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OTTAWA – Back in February 2019, we weren’t sure we’d see sunshine again or see the Raptors win the NBA championship(!!), but Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains decided that one day he would have the sun shine on consumers in the form of more affordable wireless plans, and issued a proposed telecommunications Policy Direction to that effect.
This is a rare occurrence. The last time it had been done was by then Conservative Industry Minister Maxime Bernier, back in 2006.
After the consultation mandated by statute was completed, the policy direction is…
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BRAMPTON – At a Rogers Communications, Ryerson and ISED cybersecurity announcement on Friday, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains took a moment during the event to thank Rogers for lowering its wireless pricing.
Rogers was announced as one of the founding partners of a new national cybersecurity centre in downtown Brampton that will be known as Ryerson University’s Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst.
A not-for-profit organization owned and operated by Toronto’s Ryerson University, the Catalyst will offer specialized training programs for Canada’s growing cybersecurity sector. Bains pledged $10 million to the venture through FedDev Ontario, a move…
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GATINEAU – Alicia Barin has been appointed as the CRTC’s regional member for Quebec, announced Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez this afternoon.
Her five-year term will begin August 11, 2019, the day after the term of current CRTC commissioner for Quebec, Yves Dupras, expires.
Barin has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian media industry and was a key member of Astral Media's senior management team from 2003 to 2013. When she left the company in 2013 she was vice-president of strategic planning. Since then, she has been working in corporate affairs for AECO Project Management and Barin Architecture…
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