OTTAWA and GATINEAU – The CRTC has caught and fined two online advertising companies for allegedly aiding in the distribution of malware through online ads, the first time it has done so under Canada’s anti-spam law.
The Commission said Wednesday that Datablocks and Sunlight Media have been served with violation notices for purportedly helping to help spread malicious computer programs (malware) through the distribution of online advertising. The companies were fined $100,000 and $150,000, respectively.
Using its anti-spam powers, the CRTC said that the “highly complex investigation” found that the companies allegedly violated Canada’s anti-spam law in the following ways:
Sunlight Media…
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By Blayne Haggart and Natasha Tusikov
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RECENT announcement of national consultations on “digital and data transformation” was a long time coming. It’s been clear for years that “Big Data” and digital communication technologies are reshaping the foundations not only of our economy, but of society itself, and must be addressed comprehensively.
The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development will be holding a series of regional roundtables with business, academic and civil society organizations that will include women, Indigenous peoples and other under-represented groups. Canadians can also submit comments online.
These consultations demonstrate that the government recognizes the need for…
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OTTAWA – Total broadcasting revenues dropped 3.3% from 2016 to 2017 as television service providers (BDUs) posted negative growth for the third consecutive year, according to the CRTC’s statistical and financial results for the industry released Monday.
The Commission's 2017 Broadcasting Financial Summaries Highlights reported that overall BDU revenues dropped by 2.3% (or $202 million), falling from $8.74 billion in 2016 to $8.54 billion for the broadcast year ended August 31, 2017. IPTV revenues grew by over 10% to $2 billion in 2017, outperforming satellite for the first time since its introduction into the Canadian marketplace. Satellite (DTH) service providers…
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GATINEAU – Although the CRTC proceeding on lower-cost data-only plans or skinny wireless was not supposed to be targeted towards a means-tested subset of low-income households, the deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing Canadians (DDBHH), seem to have scored a victory.
In its final reply, Bell Mobility (BCE) indicated that they would extend an existing promotion for people with disability. “In order to ensure that new lower-cost data-only plans accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities, we would extend our 2 GB data add-on to our customers with disabilities in conjunction with our proposed plans. This means that persons with…
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TORONTO – As widely expected, Corus Entertainment today slashed its dividend as part of a plan to reduce debt and re-invest in its core business as it struggles to compete with Facebook, Google, OTT providers, internet radio and global change in content consumption.
Corus is cutting its annual dividend by 79% to $0.24 per share for Class B shares (to take effect Sept. 1, 2018). It also announced a quarterly loss of $935.9 million tied to its devaluation of its broadcast licenses. The loss includes a $1.01-billion non-cash impairment charge related to broadcast licences and goodwill.
Television business revenue fell 5%…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) has signed an agreement with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to incorporate the data from its Project Arachnid platform into D-Zone DNS Firewall.
Project Arachnid is an automated web crawler and platform that proactively detects child sexual abuse material and issues takedown notices to hosting providers requesting its immediate removal. Through this initiative, the industry is also implementing proactive measures by downloading real-time lists of URLs that contain child sexual abuse material for blocking purposes.
CIRA said Wednesday that it will be incorporating the Project Arachnid block list into D-Zone…
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GATINEAU – Christa Dickenson is the new executive director of Telefilm Canada for a five year term effective July 30, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly announced Tuesday.
Dickenson (pictured) is the president and CEO of Interactive Ontario, and has also worked at Rogers Communications, CPAC and CTV. She has more than two decades of experience leveraging strategic partnerships and helping generate revenue, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities in her industry, reads the announcement.
She succeeds Carolle Brabant who retired from the role in March after eight years.
Telefilm Canada acts as one of the Canadian government's principal instruments for providing strategic leverage to the private…
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OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT promised a review of the Broadcasting and Telecommunication Acts in its 2017 budget and last week the CRTC took the first step down this path when it issued: Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada.
While it floated a number of interesting, innovative and controversial ideas, we’re all anxious to hear what Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will have to say about it this weekend when she addresses the Banff International Media Fest. There, we hear she is likely to announce the appointment of a worthy and carefully chosen panel of experts to undertake a year-long project…
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Creative community applauds move that acknowledges "the full potential of Canada’s creative sector"
MONTREAL – The federal government will spend $125 million over five years to help boost the country’s creative exports with a range of initiatives, including a new funding program called Creative Export Canada designed to offer creators a leg up in the global market.
Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly unveiled the country's first Creative Export Strategy Tuesday in Montreal, an initiative that promises to strengthen Canada's presence in international markets plus equip Canadian exporters with the tools they need to successfully export their projects.
"Our creative industries have a wealth…
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HAMILTON – The Clearcable Summit organizers never shy away from presenting disruptive, sometimes opposing, ideas.
This year it was opener Edo Kweldam of Netherlands independent carrier CAI Harderwijk, whose 40 minute presentation sang the praises of structural separation for network operators. (He is pictured at left with Clearcable president Rob McCann)
His company is one of the few Netherlands cable operations which wasn’t sold to a larger provider. Back in 1995, he said, the country had approximately 300 independent cablecos but now there are just a few large ones, providing all the same services we here in Canada would recognize…
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