LAST FALL, JUST BEFORE THE annual onslaught of new television programming was scheduled to air, a few friends and I discussed cutting the cord.
One couple said they were doing it in mid-September. Another said they weren’t going to give up cable altogether, but they were going to trim. The third set, my husband and I, didn’t say anything. We had already shaved to a basic package plus kids’ programming.
Fast-forward a few weeks. The ones who planned to trim, did. They had wanted to switch carriers too, but when they tried, they were seduced by a better deal with…
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OTTAWA and TORONTO – Reaction to Monday’s federal budget was seemingly unanimous across the industry as stakeholders offered a resounding thumbs-up to the government’s renewed commitment to the Canada Media Fund and the country’s national broadcaster.
The government recommitted $100 million per year in on-going funding to the Canada Media Fund (CMF), plus a one-time injection of $60 million in funding to CBC/Radio-Canada for the production of Canadian programming. These two measures were originally introduced in the March 22nd budget, but died on the order paper when the election was called.
"This is great news for Canadian programming on all…
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VANCOUVER – Telus and the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) have completed a new collective agreement following a series of ratification meetings.
Telus said Wednesday that more than 80% of its employees who cast their ballots in more than 30 communities voted to accept the new contract. The new agreement, covering approximately 12,100 employees nationally, takes effect Thursday and expires on December 31, 2015.
"I am pleased the agreement was endorsed by our team members across Canada," said president and CEO Darren Entwistle, in a statement. "This is great news for Telus, our team members and our customers, enabling us to…
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GATINEAU – The group of Canadian broadcasters and content creators which asked the CRTC to investigate the effects over-the-top video is having on the regulated TV industry has asked for an extension to the June 27th deadline of the fact-finding proceeding the Commission launched on May 25th.
The Online Broadcast Working Group, chaired by Alain Gourd, asked the CRTC for a “short” extension on June 2, Cartt.ca has learned. We do not know the reasons why the working group has asked for extra time or how much extra time they feel is required.
The group originally asked the Regulator to…
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MARKHAM – Target Broadcast Sales founder Richard Sienko will receive a lifetime achievement award from the Ontario Association of Broadcasters.
After a nomination process, the OAB board awards the honour to individuals who have brought distinction or have made major contributions to the broadcasting industry.
Sienko (pictured) began his career in broadcasting with Radio & Television Representatives (RTVR) in 1955, and quickly moved up the ranks to become EVP of Tele Capitale Unicom. In 1976, after 15 years with the company, the Quebec-based firm decided to take a new management direction and he was out of a job. On September…
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TORONTO – Making a passionate case for greater government support of wireless competition, Globalive Group Chairman Anthony Lacavera lambasted the nation’s three incumbent mobile providers, called for a full set-aside of 700 MHz spectrum for newer entrants and urged that the government ease its current restrictions on foreign investment in Canadian telecom providers.
In a wide-ranging keynote at the Canadian Telecom Summit here Thursday morning, Lacavera lit into Rogers Communications, Bell Canada and Telus for raising legal and regulatory challenges to Globalive’s entry into the Canadian market because of its international investors (wireless giant Orascom). Further, he knocked Rogers,…
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TORONTO – It was no surprise when the last member of the Canadian wireless triumvirate to address this week’s Canadian Telecom Summit made his pitch for an open auction the next time wireless spectrum goes on the block.
As George Cope, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, put it during his luncheon keynote address on the final day of the Telecom Summit: why would the Canadian government put a spectrum auction process in place that would prevent one of the big three incumbent wireless carriers from participating fully in the 700MHz spectrum auction (expected in late 2012)?…
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Dear Greg,
MY COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR superb coverage of the 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit. I was hoping to grab a chance to speak while we were there, but we didn’t seem to cross paths. Maybe next time.
Regarding this article (CTS 2011: Don’t punish us for being early, good, says Telus’ McFarlane), I noted the following Editor’s Comment which I think it is important to correct:
"(Ed note: However, if Industry Canada likes Videotron’s other idea – to consider the HSPA network-sharing Telus and Bell, or “Belus” as Videotron CEO Robert Dépatie called them Wednesday – as a single entity, neither…
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TORONTO – It’s a message the entrenched telecom incumbents have been hammering home all three days of the 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit: Don’t hate us because we’re beautiful.
Okay, maybe “beautiful” is kind of a stretch, but executives from Bell Canada, Rogers and Telus are dying to make it clear to anyone who’ll listen that while they do have millions of subscribers and excellent profits, they have also been the ones who have taken most of the risks on wireless and other telecom investment in Canada – so how can that mean rules have to be built (like those to…
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CHATHAM, ON – TekSavvy Solutions has been named as one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies by Profit magazine for the third year in a row.
The magazine selects the country’s most successful growth companies by five-year revenue growth to compile the Profit 200 list. Published in the summer issue of Profit and on-line at profitguide.com, the Profit 200 is Canada’s largest annual celebration of entrepreneurial achievement.
“Making this list for the third straight year is a strong statement on the importance of innovation in our industry,” said Interim CEO Marc Gaudrault, in a statement. “We are glad that Profit Magazine recognizes the significance…
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