OTTAWA – While branded entertainment often blurs the fine line between entertainment and advertising, the reality is that it can also help pave the way to greater collaboration in the creation and financing of original Canadian screen content, says a new study from the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).
On Tuesday, the CMPA released the second white paper of its three-part study, entitled “Branded Entertainment: A New Production Financing Paradigm,” as a prelude to discussions at their annual Prime Time in Ottawa conference next week.
“The Canadian Experience” white paper (click here to read…
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TORONTO – Tuesday’s federal budget is being characterized as a “do-nothing” budget by opposition politicians and the “one before the big one” by business journalists, as Canada prepares for an election year in 2015. The small advances made in Budget 2014 to wireless telecommunications and broadband Internet policies would seem to support those views.
Tabled in the House of Commons along with Economic Action Plan 2014, the Canadian government’s Budget 2014 provided little real news value for the telecommunications sector. What was included amounted to a re-announcement of the federal government’s intentions with regard to capping wholesale domestic roaming fees…
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GATINEAU – Without domestic roaming rate caps Wind Mobile can’t compete in the Canadian marketplace and despite what the incumbent wireless companies have to say, the high wholesale rates they charge the newcomers prevent some Canadians from choosing Wind as their provider.
So, the CRTC must step in, the company told the CRTC in the reply phase of the Regulator’s dive into wholesale wireless domestic roaming rates, the initial comments for which we summarized here last week.
In its reply, Wind noted several consumer groups told the CRTC that the fact Wind offers “home” rates for when…
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TORONTO – The Canadian CommTech Show has released its schedule of seminars and workshops for its upcoming spring shows, which this year includes the premier of a new Eastern Canada show consisting of more than 25 sessions.
The show in Calgary, known as CommTech West, will be held May 28 and 29, 2014 at Calgary’s Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre, while the new CommTech East show will be held April 15 and 16, 2014 at the Mississauga Convention Centre.
The multi-industry show attracts buyers, safety experts, operations management, planners, strategists, engineers, designers, inside and outside plant technicians, construction staff, system…
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TORONTO – CTAM members looking to update their strategic and leadership skills have until February 21 to apply to for a scholarship to attend the CTAM-U Executive Management Program held at the prestigious Harvard Business School.
One successful applicant will be selected to attend the week-long program, which provides industry executives with an intensive and intimate learning program led by Harvard Business School professors and key industry luminaries. The stimulating curriculum is built around detailed case study problems that are used to challenge the minds of the participants.
CTAM Canada pays for the candidate’s tuition, accommodation, meals, books, and materials. The scholarship…
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OTTAWA – Telesat says Canada’s new Space Policy Framework will serve as a guide for Canada’s strategic activities and future in space and help ensure a strong and commercially competitive space industry.
Joined by Canadian astronauts Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques, Industry Minister James Moore unveiled the new policy document on Friday at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa in Ottawa.
Moore said the plan was developed with several priorities in mind: to help the space industry develop cutting-edge technology; to partner with other countries on major projects; to promote Canadian innovation; and to inspire Canadians to pursue a…
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OTTAWA – Canadians will have more say on new cell towers in their communities after the government revised its antenna tower siting policy Wednesday.
The changes to the policy mean wireless companies must now consult with communities on all commercial tower installations, regardless of height; build the tower within three years of consulting with communities; and ensure that residents are well-informed of upcoming consultations through clearly-marked communications. Municipalities are also encouraged to get involved early in the tower siting process.
Previously, companies only needed to consult when they were planning to build a tower higher than 15 metres, and there was…
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TORONTO – Data centre co-location services provider Argosy Networks Corp. is building a new 40,000 square-foot data centre in Toronto, the company said Wednesday.
The build will be executed in phases with phase 1, which represents 200 racks, slated to open this summer.
The data centre will be designed to have A/B power distribution (2N) via multiple UPS, N+1 diesel generator backup, state-of-the-art cooling systems, round the clock monitoring, and SSAE 16 compliance. It will be carrier-neutral with dual, diverse 10 Gb links to Toronto's telecommunication hub (151 Front Street West), giving customer access to more than 150 national and…
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MONTREAL – While it’s all-hands-on-deck time for the CBC’s 16 days of broadcast and new media coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics, CEO Hubert Lacroix sent out a note of caution to employees last week, warning hard decisions are coming once the sliding, riding, skiing, skating and sledding comes to an end.
“I couldn’t imagine a better start to the year than the Sochi Games!” Lacroix enthused in the staff memo. “Whenever I walk down the hall, wherever I happen to be, the energy is palpable. And the most exciting thing is, in just a few short days, that energy…
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GATINEAU – Submissions to the CRTC on its wholesale domestic roaming rates proceeding break down just where most would expect.
In December, the CRTC launched a review of the rates Rogers, Bell and Telus charge smaller wireless service providers when customers of those smaller companies use their phones to roam outside of their own provider’s home network. The primary accusation of the Commission is that the big three are charging the likes of Wind and Eastlink more than they charge American operators whose customers roam on networks here when they travel.
In the summer of 2013, the…
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