TORONTO – GlassBOX Television will launch its cross-platform AUX music channel as a new digital channel on Rogers Cable beginning this Fall.
AUX, which calls itself “Canada’s music discovery destination”, launched last November as a video-rich web destination. The carriage deal will allow its music-themed journalism, current affairs, news, charts, videos, films and documentaries to come to television.
"We are delighted to be launching AUX on Rogers as a key next step in our strategy to bring our unique brand of music television to audiences across Canada," said Raja Khanna, Co-CEO of GlassBOX and founder and president of AUX, in the…
Continue Reading
EDMONTON – Allarco Entertainment, owners of Canadian pay-TV service Super Channel, filed for protection from its creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act on Tuesday, Cartt.ca has learned.
According to documents filed with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, the company has liabilities of $139 million and assets of $68 million.
In those documents – as well as a letter sent to its affected program suppliers – Allarco president and COO Malcolm Knox said the company plans to reorganize and continue broadcasting. He blamed the poor economy and a lack of BDU promotion follow-through for the young broadcaster’s…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – A recent survey from KPMG International suggests wireless subscribers are more willing to pay for broadband content if it means they can avoid having to view ads on their mobile devices. In addition, an increasing number of mobile customers are being turned off by content bundles that don’t let consumers pick and choose the applications they want.
Peter Greenwood, a partner at KPMG in Canada, presented some of his organization’s survey results at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Monday during an afternoon session on the mobile evolution.
“There were comments made during lunchtime today that ‘everybody loves…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – On the day his Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie had his NHL franchise bid rejected, RIM president and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis was waxing nostalgic about the company’s humble beginnings 25 years ago, during a keynote address at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Monday.
Founded in 1984 when Lazaridis was still a university student, RIM recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Blackberry device (and then about eight hours later, unveiled the latest BlackBerry, the Tour)
“What seems to really register with me is this industry has been around for quite a while,” Lazaridis said. “We’ve been…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The CRTC seems prepared to follow up a busy 2008 with an even busier 2009, judging by its six telecom industry initiatives for the coming year, outlined by CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Tuesday morning.
Last year saw the CRTC tackle issues such as wireless 911, the National Do Not Call List, improved accessibility to communications services for disabled persons (with a decision coming this month, said von Finckenstein), and improved dispute resolution, among other initiatives. For the year ahead, the CRTC will expand on some of its recent work while…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Moses Znaimer’s ZoomerMedia is buying VisionTV’s broadcasting assets in a deal worth $25 million.
VisionTV (VTV) operates the multi-faith and multicultural channel by the same name that is available in nine million homes in Canada on basic cable, in addition to diginet One: the Body, Mind & Spirit channel, and the conventional TV stations Joytv 10 in Vancouver and Joytv 11 in Winnipeg.
ZoomerMedia Limited (ZML) is a publicly traded company that caters to the interests of Canadians aged 45-plus through its radio, broadband and magazine properties, including CARP, Canada’s largest association for retirees.
“The VisionTV group of channels deliver unique…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has asked the government to cut the fees that it pays for cellular and personal communications service licences.
In response to Canada Gazette Notice DGRB-002-09 filed by Industry Canada on March 25, the CWTA has recommended a “cost-recovery fee” system, similar to that used by the FCC in the U.S.
The Association says that the current yearly spectrum licensing fees, which last year reached almost $130 million, are much higher than the government’s actual spectrum management costs. According to the CWTA submission, the government has stated its intention to impose a fee that…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA and GATINEAU – Canada’s AM and FM radio stations generated $1.58 billion in revenues for the broadcast year ending August 31, 2008, an increase of just over 5% from the year prior, according to a CRTC report.
Canada’s 474 FM radio stations reported over $1.25 billion in total revenues for 2008.
Over the past five years, average revenues for FM stations have increased by approximately 8%, with revenues for English-language FM stations topping $1 billion, and their French-language counterparts generating $219 million. Ethnic FM stations increased their revenues by over 4% for a total of $16.8 million.
With…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Scolding the broadcast industry for not heeding its warnings two years ago, the CRTC approved Pelmorex Communications’ plan to make emergency alerts available to all broadcasters across the country.
“The Commission recognizes that The Weather Network and MétéoMédia make a unique contribution to public safety and are exceptionally important to the achievement of Canada’s broadcasting policy,” said the Regulator’s press release today. Pelmorex owns and operates the English and French language weather nets.
So, under the 9(1)(h) portion of the regs, which stipulate that if a TV service is deemed to be of “exceptional importance,” it would…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – With no emergency broadcast system in place in Canada (and none on the horizon yet), Pelmorex Media (owners of the Weather Network and MétéoMédia) asked the CRTC earlier this year for both approval of its new emergency alert service – and for mandatory carriage on all cable and satellite operators in Canada.
A decision is coming on Thursday morning, Cartt.ca has learned.
As Cartt.ca reported in April, the company spent a couple of days in front of the Commission explaining the system – and why that should be tied to 9(1)(h) (i.e. mandatory) carriage. Pelmorex’s plan is…
Continue Reading
