TORONTO – Some of the big American media companies that participated in the Let’s Talk TV initiative pulled no punches when evaluating the perils of a possible mandated pick and pay subscriber model in Canada.
Representatives at Walt Disney, Turner Broadcasting, Viacom and A&E Television Networks (AETN) declined to appear at the September 8th hearing, but had plenty to say in their submissions to the CRTC.
Disney, the world’s second largest broadcasting company in regards to revenue, discussed how broad distribution makes for better “channel packaging” for growing advertising, quality production, lower subscriber fees and long-term planning. The mass media company also pointed to…
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TORONTO – All four of Canada's English-language network broadcasters have pledged to simultaneously air, for the first time ever, a Canadian-inclusive Stand Up To Cancer special this September.
CBC, City, CTV and Global will join ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and dozens of U.S. cable channels simultaneously airing a star-studded special from Hollywood, and for the first time, Toronto. The live, one-hour fundraising event, which draws on the entertainment community to rally the public around ending cancer's reign as a leading cause of death, will air commercial-free simultaneously on Friday, September 5 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
The 2014 SU2C telecast will be…
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TORONTO – The pending AWS-3 auction announced Monday could spark the consolidation of some new wireless entrants, and give Quebecor/Videotron the push it needs to launch a national wireless service, say industry analysts.
“We believe that (Industry Canada’s) move is the first of many important requirements that will lead to the consolidation of fragmented new entrants and spectrum licences, and attract new capital from Quebecor/Videotron and potential partners”, wrote Scotia Capital’s Jeff Fan in a note to clients.
Videotron’s other requirements, Fan continued, are lower wholesale domestic roaming rates to at least below $0.01/MB, better rules to ensure tower sharing, a…
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TORONTO – Industry Canada will stage another wireless spectrum auction early next year, with more than half of that spectrum set aside for operating new entrants, in an effort to increase wireless competition.
At a press conference early Monday morning in Toronto, Industry Minister James Moore said that the AWS-3 auction will take place before the 2500 MHz auction, which is scheduled for April 14, 2015. The AWS-3 spectrum band also includes 50 MHz of paired spectrum and is is adjacent to the AWS spectrum auctioned in 2008. It is thought to be more valuable than the 2,500 MHz variety because it functions well…
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TORONTO – Wind Mobile is continuing its network expansion in southwestern Ontario with the launch of two new retail stores in Brantford.
The new retail openings include a location close to Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus and a standalone kiosk at Lynden Park Mall. As of Thursday, the company confirmed it has 1,412 sites on air across the country, and is 100% HSPA+ enabled across Canada with speeds of up to 21Mbps.
“Today’s announcement is another example of Wind’s continued growth and commitment to being the fourth largest carrier in Canada,” said chairman and CEO Anthony Lacavera, in the news release. …
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MONTREAL – Entrepreneur and seasoned telecommunications professional Shawne MacDonald has joined Incospec Communications as account executive, sales and business development.
MacDonald (pictured) has over 25 years of hands-on and management experience in technical services. In 2009 he founded and launched SMD Technical Solutions Inc., a company focused on providing technical services to the telecommunications industry, including Rogers Communications, Northwestel and VANOC/2010 Olympic Games. Previous to that, he held management positions with Shaw Communications in Whistler and Whistler Cable, and was a senior technician with UMG Telecommunications in Brockville, and Kincardine Cable TV.
In his new role, MacDonald will be responsible for…
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GATINEAU – The press release headlines sound pretty good, but it’s in the conditions, the details, where all this talk of consumer choice and flexibility gets bogged down.
The three largest Canadian vertically integrated media and carriage companies (Bell, Shaw and Rogers) each issued press releases Friday – the day their submissions to the CRTC on its TV Policy Review were due – saying, and we’re paraphrasing here: “boy oh boy, are we consumer friendly and choice leaders!” The big three each said they support more pick and pay, or a-la-carte channel selection, so that Canadians…
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MONTREAL – Telefilm is applauding the new audiovisual coproduction treaty between the Canadian government and the Government of the Republic of India that came into effect on July 1st.
Enabling producers from both countries to pool their creative, technical and financial resources, this treaty is the first to be signed since Canada’s Policy on Audiovisual Treaty Coproduction was implemented in March 2013. Telefilm said that the policy reflects the ever-changing audiovisual production environment, allows the Government of Canada to better support the Canadian audiovisual industry, and makes Canada a partner of choice.
India is the 54th country with whom Canada has…
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TORONTO – David McLennan has been nominated to the Canada Media Fund’s board of directors following the general assembly held last week in Montreal.
With more than 20 years of experience as a senior business executive, McLennan joined Sierra Wireless in 2004 as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. Prior to that, he spent almost a decade years in a variety of senior management positions within the Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) group of companies, including Chief Financial Officer of Bell ExpressVu and subsequently as president and Chief Operating Officer. McLennan is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and earlier in his…
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TORONTO – Canadian Music Week is welcoming the following industry members to the CMW 2015 co-chair committee:
– Darryl Ballantyne, CEO, LyricFind;
– Dave Carr, VP of Programming, Central Ontario Broadcasting;
– Derrick Fung, CEO, Tunezy;
– Ron Kitchener, President, RGK Entertainment Group;
– Jesse Kumagai, VP of Talent, Live Nation Canada;
– Paul Larche, President, Larche Communications Inc.;
– Julien Paquin, President, Paquin Artists Agency; and
– Karen Steele, Program Director, Kiss 92.5 (Toronto).
The 2015…
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