BANFF – CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told Banff World Media Fest delegates it’s time for Canada to talk TV – really talk about it – in order to figure out what we as a nation want from our television system as the global electronic media universe just keeps changing and growing.
In the fall, said the chairman, the Commission will embark on an ambitious plan to potentially remake the regulatory system so that the rules work better in the face of the rampant technological development and consumer behavioural shifts we see today.
“I am already on the record as saying we…
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BANFF – Industry reps from the Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Media Production Association presented highlights to attendees at the Banff World Media Festival being held this week on a new national promotion strategy and new branding to promote Canadian content.
CMF president and CEO Valerie Creighton, Telefilm Canada executive director Carolle Brabant, and CMPA president and CEO Michael Hennessy are part of a working group focussing on increasing awareness and interest in Canadian content and on developing partnerships with various industry leaders. The project, initially dubbed “Watch Canada,” evolved from a symposium…
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BANFF, AB – Corus Entertainment and Telefilm Canada have joined forces to create a Family Feature Production Fund designed to help increase the production of Canadian English-language, live-action family films.
The joint pilot project, announced Tuesday, will provide financing for up to two English-language family feature films a year, including international treaty co-productions, with production budgets of between $3.5 million and $5 million. Films with a fully developed script and marketing plan will be eligible to apply to the fund. Corus and Telefilm will evaluate the applications and use the fund to finance a portion of…
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OTTAWA – Shaw Communications now has 100% ownership of specialty channel TVtropolis after the CRTC approved its application in a decision Tuesday to acquire Rogers’ 33% interest in the Category A service for a reported $59 million.
The acquisition of Rogers’ remaining interest in TVtropolis is part of a number of transactions between Shaw and Rogers announced in January. At that time Rogers said it would acquire Shaw’s cable system in Hamilton, Ont. and secure an option to purchase Shaw’s Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum holdings in 2014. Rogers said it would also enter into…
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TORONTO, ON – While Canadians businesses continue to have concerns with public cloud computing, an IDC study released Tuesday says more Canadian enterprises are associating cloud services with a higher level of business performance.
The IDC study, commissioned by Telus, found that 73% of Canadian organizations that have adopted cloud have overcome data governance challenges and reported improved data compliance as one of the main benefits. These companies also said that using cloud was meeting their financial expectations. “The survey indicates that the number one priority for Canadian businesses is improving customer service,” says Tony Krueck,…
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BANFF, ALTA. – On Monday, the Canada Media Fund announced the launch of a new website dedicated to information on crowdfunding aimed at Canada’s creative content creators.
The new site, crowdfunding.cmf-fmc.ca, was officially launched at the Banff World Media Festival. Designed in partnership with Nordicity, it contains a directory listing some 50 crowdfunding platforms accessible to Canadians and featuring the platforms that are most relevant to creative content projects.
In a release, the CMF said the new website is intended primarily for members of the industry who are organizing crowdfunding campaigns and…
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TORONTO – Telus officially terminated its plan to buy Mobilicity today after last week’s refusal by Industry Canada to okay the deal.
The struggling wireless provider announced it will now pursue its earlier recapitalization plan, which will be voted on by Mobilicity’s debtholders at a meeting on June 25. In a statement, the company said it “will continue to provide updates as warranted. Mobilicity continues to deliver an affordable wireless experience to its customers.”
The federal government rejected Telus’ proposal of $380 million to acquire Mobilicity on June 4, stating that it would not allow…
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LOS ANGELES, CA. – Global distribution and production company Keshet International announced a joint venture today with Canadian TV executive Mark Rubinstein to establish a new Canadian office.
Rubinstein, who was previously president and CEO of Insight Sports and COO of Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting, will lead the joint venture, to be known as Keshet Canada. The new Canadian office will have the rights to more than 50 Keshet International properties, and aims to engage the local industry to develop, produce and co-produce original content under the Keshet Canada banner.
WINNIPEG – A group of current and former MTS employees and their families were feted Thursday by the regional telco in honour of the group’s 75th anniversary as a volunteer group supporting non-profit and charitable organizations across Manitoba.
MTS Volunteers were honoured June 6 at a 75th anniversary event. Pictured left to right: MTS Volunteers liaison Barb Culbertson, City of Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz, Minister of Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs Jim Rondeau, MTS Volunteers Winnipeg council…
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TORONTO – With an aging population that will help Canada spend $250 billion annually on health care by 2020, it’s absolutely imperative that our health care providers dramatically accelerate their adoption of broadband technology and all that can mean, Telus chief commercial officer Joe Natale told Canadian Telecom Summit delegates on Tuesday.
The message was overshadowed completely by the federal government’s announcement on wireless spectrum which, in part, denied the application made by Telus to acquire Mobilicity, but Natale’s main theme is one our country absolutely needs to hear.
“Today, healthcare spending consumes 42 cents of every…
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