TORONTO – Personal video recorders are not yet affecting how most Canadians watch television, says the Television Bureau of Canada.
According to a recent BBM Analytics omniVU study released by the TVB, PVR penetration among those 18+ is only 13.5%. Of those who use their PVRs to fast forward or skip commercials, more than half report they will stop to watch commercials that are of interest to them or that they found entertaining.
“This is good news for television, advertisers and agencies,” says TVB president and CEO Theresa Treutler, in the release. “It shows that mainstream television advertising remains…
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EXTON Pa. and TORONTO – The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers made official today a brand-new annual professional development opportunity – the SCTE Canadian Summit.
The event is set to debut Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 3-4, 2009, in Toronto.
SCTE Canadian Summit 2009 “is designed to facilitate an exchange of technical information for Canadian engineering professionals to help them maximize opportunities and overcome challenges specific to the cable telecommunications industry in Canada both now and in the near future.”
Cartt.ca has signed on to be the media partner of the event.
The first year of the Summit will feature…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC will put off a review of its benefits policy until after the federal government renders its views on the Canadian Television Fund.
The Commission issued a public notice in July, asking for comments on altering its benefits policy so that some money could be directed to new media initiatives. Currently, when one broadcast company buys another, a certain percentage of the transaction (10% in the case of television companies) must be set aside for public benefits, which are mostly for the production of Canadian content.
However, a number of recent transactions (such as Goldman Sachs’…
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TORONTO – In a historic collaboration to encourage Canadians to join in the fight against cancer, Citytv, CTV and Global Television will broadcast Stand Up To Cancer, a one-hour fundraising special that will educate viewers and raise funds for cutting-edge cancer research, Friday, September 5 at 8 p.m. ET (check local listings).
The fundraising event will bring together major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities, athletes and prominent leaders in cancer treatment, research and patient advocacy.
In Canada, Citytv, CTV and Global Television will air the special in simulcast with American networks ABC, CBS and NBC. In a primetime…
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NEW YORK – Thanks to incoming competition, there is a new expectation of increased pricing pressure in the Canadian wireless sector – which has prompted the influential Moody’s Investors Service to change its outlook on the country’s wireless telecommunications sector from positive to stable.
The outlook expresses Moody’s expectations for the fundamental credit conditions in the industry over the next 12 to 18 months. The rating agency does not believe that there will be significant credit-rating changes for these companies over this period, barring further consolidation activity.
"We lowered our outlook on Canada’s wireless industry to stable from positive,…
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TORONTO – The Mix is no more as Virgin Radio 999 will replace long-standing station brand The Mix 99.9 as of 4 p.m. today.
At a press conference, Astral Media today announced the launch of the first North American commercial FM radio station under license with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Radio International.
“Energetic, innovative and irreverent will be the trademark of Virgin Radio, as it focuses on delivering a very ‘Virgin’ kind of listening experience,” says the press release.
Virgin Radio will focus on the hit adult contemporary format and is “promising to shake up the industry by bringing…
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OTTAWA – In Canada, anyway, private radio revenue continues to grow, defying many who believe the web, MP3 players and phones with music players in them will drive radio to an increasingly marginalized role.
In the 2007 broadcast year, ended August 31, 2007, advertising revenue among Canadian private radio broadcasters advanced 6% to almost $1.5 billion (current dollars), outpacing advertising market growth as a whole for the third time in five years.
Moreover, the 19.8 cents of profit before interest and taxes per dollar of revenue represent the industry’s third best showing in the past 30 years, after those…
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TORONTO – Astral Media says its new national radio sales division will “deliver ideas – not just air.” The company’s re-launch of IMS Radio as Astral Media Radio Sales aims to present clients with “focused, integrated solutions beyond traditional airtime campaigns.” With more “imagination and more innovation,” the group intends to change the approach to selling national radio in Canada.
“We are committed to working with clients to solve their business needs. We’re setting the bar high and finding new ways to utilize the products and services we offer,” says Lesley Conway-Kelley, executive vice-president and general manager of the new…
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TORONTO – The release of July TRAM statistics shows an increase of 7% year-over-year for radio sales across Canada’s 12 largest markets reports Genuity Capital Markets.
Seasonally speaking, radio ad sales during the months of July and August are typically less relevant than other months. The months of July (7% of total LTM) and August (6.6% of total LTM) weigh far less in the balance than those during the September to December period.
Nonetheless a 7% YoY radio ad sales growth in July, amidst a softening economic landscape for many regions, warrants mention. Last year, July was a weak month for…
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VANCOUVER – Canwest Broadcasting has named Kenton Boston to the position of vice-president of Global National News and Neill Fitzpatrick as Global National’s executive producer.
Boston’s new responsibilities as vice-president of Global National include providing strategic editorial direction to the Global National management team, developing the Global News network identity across Canada, and overseeing the launch of Global National’s four new foreign bureaus. Boston reports to the senior vice-president of news and current affairs, Troy Reeb, and was most recently Global National’s senior executive producer.
As Global National’s new executive producer, Fitzpatrick oversees the day-to-day operation of the national newscast, working…
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