Without a major regulatory change, the traditional TV industry here faces a chilling future
IF THE CRTC DOESN’T, at long last, review the 1999 New Media Exemption Order, the Canadian TV industry as we know it may well perish in the next five years, at the cost of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs – all while production of Canadian content shrivels to whatever the CBC makes.
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission reached a compromise deal with the subscription TV titans in the States over the American regulator’s so-called push to “unlock the…
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OVER THE SUMMER, our shirt-challenged prime minister and national rock band reminded us that we stand unique in the world. As a country, we caught a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror. Turns out we’re not just sexy: Canadians are passionate about being Canadian. And yes, the Broadcasting Act is part of that.
With dark clouds looming over much of the world, Canadians are taking stock of who we are through the invisible web of culture. It lets us explore ideas and values, and dream our collective future. Culture connects our communities in all our glorious diversities.
Television has a vital…
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Says BDUs fight comparison tools
GATINEAU – That some broadcast distributors say their bundling programs are very much like loyalty points is wrong, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) told the CRTC on the second day of a hearing into flexible channel packaging (read our coverage from day one here).
The organization, which filed joint submissions in the proceeding with the Consumers Association of Canada (CAC), argued that because TV providers are treated like common carriers under the BDU regulations, the rules say they can’t unjustly discriminate against a certain class of customers. This is…
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TORONTO – Globalive Capital has sold off Yak Communications, OneConnect Services, and its hospitality communications provider Canopco in two separate transactions, as it eyes new ventures and plans for expansion.
Long-distance provider Yak Communications has been scooped up by independent telecom Distributel Communications, while OneConnect Services and Canopco were acquired by Accelerated Connections Inc. (ACI), a provider of private IP connectivity and public internet services to businesses in Canada. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
"Yak Communications, OneConnect Services and Canopco have been an important part of Globalive Capital's portfolio and brands that are an integral part of our…
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MONTREAL – The Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC) has appointed Chanelle Routhier as its national commissioner.
Routhier (pictured) has over 17 years of experience in management, sales, marketing, and film and television distribution in Canada and abroad, most recently as manager, sales and market development at the NFB.
“We are very enthusiastic and proud to welcome Chanelle Routhier to this key position,” said QFTC managing director Pierre Moreau, in Wednesday’s announcement. “Chanelle will focus on representation and business development at the national and international levels to ensure that Quebec attracts advantageous financial opportunities that will make use of our assets…
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This is not another new policy review
GATINEAU – Canada’s major broadcasters say that a time when consumers have more TV viewing choices resulting from new flexible channel packaging rules and the continued inroads from exempt (often foreign) platforms, the CRTC must resist adding to the regulatory restrictions already imposed on their programming services.
The comments come as the Commission wraps up the written phase for this fall’s licence renewal hearing for the country’s major English- and French-language broadcasting groups.
Many interveners have called for more stringent regulation of the large broadcasters. They relate to a number of…
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TORONTO – Add the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) to the list of stakeholders objecting to the CRTC’s recent changes to its policy framework for Certified Independent Production Funds (CIPFs).
The union of English-language professional performers is taking issue with the regulator’s decision to drop the minimum CAVCO point requirements from eight to six to fund a Canadian independent production, and criticized the Commission’s rationale that the move could “facilitate the hiring by production companies of non-Canadian actors or creators, who may increase a project's attractiveness and visibility in international markets.”
ACTRA says the ruling not…
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TORONTO – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) provided $371.7M in funding to Canadian television and digital media projects in 2015-2016, according to its bilingual annual report for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
A total of 541 television and related digital media productions were supported through its Convergent Stream, and 104 innovative and interactive digital media projects through its Experimental Stream. This investment in Canada’s audiovisual content industry triggered a total of $1.4B of production activity, an 8.4% increase from the previous year, reads the report.
The CMF also continued with its objective of developing international opportunities for Canadian producers by renewing or…
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MARKHAM, ON – Registration is now open for the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB)’s fall conference Connection 2016.
Scheduled for November 10 at the Marriott Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto, the event will once again offer an advertiser roundtable discussion opening with a new session on digital sales strategies, plus Jeff Schmidt from the RAB will lead 'The New Breed of Salespeople: Integrated Marketing Solutions Providers', offering a process designed to increase the number of orders and the size of each.
Other highlights include a session entitled 'De-Mystifying Millenials' by Jeff Vidler; discussions on broadcasters' digital advantage with Daniel Anstandig; a digital…
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MONTREAL – Former Verizon Wireless president and CEO Dan Mead has joined the Board of Directors at satellite and terrestrial telecommunications provider TerreStar Solutions.
A founding senior executive of Verizon Wireless, Mead (pictured) recently announced his retirement from the U.S. wireless giant after 37 years. He is also a former chairman of the Board of Directors of CTIA, the wireless industry's national trade organization, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Penn State University.
"We are both proud and excited to have someone of Mr. Mead's stature joining our team," said TerreStar Solutions CEO Andre Tremblay, in the announcement. …
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