WINNIPEG – The Manitoba government’s decision to extend the provincial film and video tax credit and the interactive digital media tax credit was celebrated by stakeholders for its support of the Manitoban film industry.
Announced on April 30, 2015, the extension comes well in advance of the original renewal date slated for the end of 2016. “Recognized for its world class crew, talented actors and highly experienced producers, Manitoba now has the most attractive tax credit in Canada,” said Nicole Matiation, executive director of On Screen Manitoba, in a statement. “The Province of Manitoba is a strong partner in…
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CALGARY, MONTREAL and VANCOUVER – Canada’s communications industry is digging deep to help support relief efforts in Nepal after last Saturday’s devastating earthquake.
Shaw Communications said Tuesday that it will match employee donations to the Canadian Red Cross dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000 to help provide critical supplies and aid in rescue and recovery efforts. Aligning with the Federal Government's donation matching program, every dollar donated by Shaw employees could be matched twice, resulting in three dollars of aid to Nepal.
In addition, all Shaw Phone customers will receive complimentary long distance calling to Nepal until May 25, and Shaw TV customers have…
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GATINEAU – Earlier this month, a group of 14 broadcasters met for the first time to begin figuring out how to develop a subscription television set top box data measurement system.
In its TV Policy Review decision, the CRTC said building such a system would be a very good thing and set a deadline of April 13th for an industry-wide working group to start moving. Representatives from Bell Canada, Blue Ant Media, CBC, Cogeco, Corus, Eastlink, the Independent Broadcasters Group, MTS, Pelmorex, Quebecor, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw and Telus met on April 8th saying in its first…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media president Keith Pelley is leaving the media giant this summer to become the new Commissioner and CEO of The European Tour, a global golf tour featuring 48 events in 26 countries.
During his five year tenure, Pelley (pictured) is credited with reorganizing the company’s media division; leading the push to digital across its publishing brands; launching shomi and Next Issue in Canada; launching Sportsnet magazine; and expanding the reach of the company's TV assets.
A search for Pelley's successor will begin and details on his exact departure date will be announced later. He will remain president of…
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MISSISSAUGA, ON – The Mississauga Convention Center was a buzz of activity Tuesday morning as CommTech East kicked off with a full house for the general session with guest speaker Daniel Howard, CTO for the SCTE.
Howard provided an overview of industry trends and timing direction related to the technology and evolution paths of fibre to the home.
Here are a few highlights. Everyone agrees that PON is the end game scenario, but hybrid fiber coaxial will remain for a long time. The challenge is the transition. Within that challenge is the diversity of the solutions and the diversity…
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OTTAWA – Industry Canada’s latest auction kicked off earlier this week with 11 companies looking to secure some of the more than 300 licences up for grabs in the 2500 MHz band. A combinatorial clock auction (CCA) format, the same as was used in the 2014 700 MHz auction, is in place, meaning the bandwidth sale could last a few weeks.
Along with the Big Three – Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications and Telus Mobility – new entrants Wind Mobile, Vidéotron and Bragg Communications (Eastlink) are all participating. Regional wireless company MTS, rural satellite and wireless broadband providers SSi Micro and…
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LAS VEGAS – Broadcasters, wireless companies and the government at odds over spectrum auction rules… Sound familiar?
In the first quarter of 2016, the Federal Communications Commission plans to auction off a swath of 600 MHz spectrum to wireless companies – the very same spectrum which TV stations now use to broadcast their traditional over-the-air signals. Alas, times have changed and the spectrum is needed for the consumer’s ever-burgeoning tastes for mobile data. So, the FCC here created an incentive auction, where the broadcasters could, essentially, get paid to give up their spectrum move their OTA station to…
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OTTAWA – Making sure to set aside cash for TV broadcasters from the auction of 600 MHz wireless spectrum just might drive the prices to be paid for that spectrum too high for some to participate.
Arguments from the integrated wireless/broadcasting companies that they should get a portion of the proceeds from an auction of the 600 MHz band to pay for the transition to new over the air (OTA) frequencies should be dismissed, argues Wind Mobile.
The company notes that setting aside money from a 600 MHz auction could result in higher spectrum licence costs because the integrated…
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TORONTO – Industry organizations ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) and WGC (Writer’s Guild of Canada) were quick to denounce the Nova Scotia provincial government’s budget that slashed the film and television production tax credit and shuttered Film and Creative Industries Nova Scotia, the province’s film commission.
According to ACTRA, Nova Scotia’s film and television production sector generated more than $140 million in economic activity in 2014 and was responsible for generating over 2,000 jobs in the prior year. This success is bolstered, in part, by the Nova Scotia Film Industry Tax Credit which helps offset the…
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TORONTO – Guy Laurence insists he’s merely in the foothills of a long climb, pulling along with him the Rogers Communications brand.
He’s surely been active in his 15 months as Rogers CEO (Can it only be 15 months? So much has been done.) Since the announcement back in September 2013 that he would be the new CEO (Laurence officially started December 2 that year), Rogers purchased the national NHL rights in a $5.2 billion, 12-year deal; spent another $3.3 billion on wireless spectrum; unveiled a new Rogers 3.0 plan that is driving the restructuring of the…
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