IN THE SPACE OF a few days last week, I had the chance to listen to a pair of conventional broadcasters expound on the future of their industry and what they must do to adapt.
From what I heard, the points of view of the two men were pretty dissimilar and boiled down to two questions: 1. Do we try some new things? Or, 2. Do we keep plugging away at more of the same?
The first was outgoing Rogers Broadcasting president Rael Merson, the subject of this week’s Tuesday Interview.
The future of broadcasting, he said, is…
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TORONTO – Former VJ, television and music executive Denise Donlon has been hired by the CBC to head up its radio division.
She will take up her role as executive director of radio, effective September 29, 2008.
Donlon, 52, is former president of Sony Music Canada and vice-president and general manager of CHUM Television’s MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic, and is one of the country’s best-known media executives, although she has focused much of her recent attention since departing Sony in 2004 on various international environmental and humanitarian initiatives.
"Denise is without question one of the broadcasting industry’s most talented and…
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THERE’S NOTHING MYSTERIOUS about Rael Merson’s upcoming departure from his post as president of Rogers Broadcasting.
It goes like this: He’s been at the company for over 20 years, recently turned 50 and wants to give something else a shot. “I felt like, we’re empty nesters and I turned 50, I’m here 20 years, I wanted to do something a little different,” he told Cartt.ca in a recent interview.
He’s not retiring, however. While he has a non-compete agreement in place that will keep him out of the industry for a little while, he does have something entrepreneurial in…
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OTTAWA – Wireless incumbents Rogers Communications and Telus have asked Industry Canada to hold a public proceeding into wireless newcomer Globalive’s Canuck bona fides.
Globalive, a Canadian VOIP operator and long-distance re-seller, backed by Egypt-based wireless supplier Orascom, bid over $440 million for wireless spectrum during the summer’s advanced wireless spectrum auction. But both Telus and Rogers say the new wireless company’s ownership structure violates the Canadian legislation which says telecom companies must be majority-owned by Canadians.
Last month, Telus requested Industry Canada hold an open public proceeding to review the eligibility of new holders of wireless spectrum to…
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TORONTO – ACTRA’s bargaining team has decided that after 17 slow months of negotiations with Canada’s ad agencies and advertisers, it will seek a strike mandate from its membership.
“We’re going to our members to ask for a strike mandate to demonstrate loud and clear that performers will not accept less for their work,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s national executive director, in a press release. “After almost a year and a half of negotiations, our members’ patience is running out.”
While ceding some progress, the actors’ union negotiating team and representatives from the Institute of Communications Agencies (ICA) and…
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OTTAWA – Yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper indicated that his government is willing to explore allowing more foreign investment/ownership in Canada.
Today, actors union ACTRA called the “plans to relax foreign ownership and cuts to culture funding are culturally and economically irresponsible,” in a press release.
“Canada’s cultural industries indirectly contributes $85 billion, and over one million jobs to the Canadian economy. To put an industry that plays such a vital role in Canada’s economy at risk is fiscally irresponsible,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s national executive director, in the release.
“Mr. Harper’s call to relax foreign ownership rules could…
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EXHIBITOR TABLE REGISTRATION, advertising opportunities, sponsorship packages and the call for technical paper applications are now available for the fourth annual CommTech Trade Show and Seminars, which will happen May 12-14 in Kelowna, B.C. at the Coast Capri Hotel.
It’s anticipated that the trade show will attract over 80 exhibitors from Canada and the U.S. Outdoor exhibit space is also available to accommodate suppliers and outfitters of industry vehicles and heavy equipment displays.
Over 50 companies visited this year’s show. Cable companies, telcos, wireless, sub-contractors, telecommunications providers, educators, and utilities will be invited to attend. Attendee information will be…
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MONT TREMBLANT – With the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance 15th Summit for Independent Communications (Connect 2008) set to begin on Sunday evening, September 21, 2008, CCSA has announced its first ever presenting trade show sponsor: TVC, in partnership with Arris and Commscope
In just a 11 days, independent cable operators from across Canada, suppliers, and other industry delegates from both sides of the border and abroad will meet at the resort village in Mont Tremblant, Quebec for the “Connect 2008” summit.
Over 250 attendees will enjoy: an expanded trade show; sessions on innovative technologies featuring speakers from CRTC and…
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MONTREAL and OTTAWA – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has lost its most influential French-language member.
Quebecor Media-owned Le Groupe TVA, the country’s largest private French-language TV broadcaster, informed the CAB of its withdrawal in a letter Friday, citing irreconcilable differences over how best to represent the interests of generalist TV networks. Its representatives have also resigned from all CAB committees.
“We do so with regret, and not without having tried, by every means, to convince the Association to be the voice for our concerns about the future of our broadcasting system and to respond to legitimate…
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TORONTO – Globalive took its first step into the consumer consciousness this week with the launch of www.WirelessSoapbox.com, a web site where anyone can share their thoughts, ideas and opinions about wireless services.
And hopefully gain a soft spot for Globalive, too, which is aiming at a launch of its new consumer wireless service in the first half of 2009.
"WirelessSoapbox.com is about starting a dialogue with people who care about wireless in this country and are invested in making sure the next provider gets it right," said Anthony Lacavera, chairman and CEO of Globalive Communications, in the…
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