OTTAWA – Industry protests over recommendations in the just-released Dunbar-Leblanc report are bound to follow fast and furious in the next few days.
After all, the report recommends the CRTC re-examine simultaneous substitution, possibly reduce the amount of independently produced programming required, and be more pro-active in adjudicating competitive disputes, including distributor undue preference with regard to affiliated TV channels.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) on the eve the 315-page report, entitled “Review of the Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting Services in Canada,” was released was already voicing its opposition.
Stating it had “significant concerns” with the report prepared by…
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TORONTO – Insight Sports has hired Craig Purcell as president, sports and entertainment, a brand new position for the company.
He will begin his duties with Insight Sports effective immediately.
“I’m thrilled to be returning back to Canada to join Insight Sports,” said Purcell, in a press release. “After spending the past 15 years overseeing the sales and marketing operations for a handful of professional sports teams, I’m looking forward to pursuing new challenges in the broadcast and entertainment side of the industry with the goal of strategically developing Insight Sports’ current and future properties.”
Purcell will lead the strategic…
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OTTAWA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR Dr. Michael Geist is Canada’s leading proponent of network neutrality, which, as you’ll read, has many definitions.
Despite the differences in definitions, it’s primarily about treating most bits of data equally so that the free flow of information prospers and opportunities can be available equally to all.
In newspaper columns and on television and in his blog, Geist revisits this issue frequently and believes it’s only a matter of time before it is front and centre in Canadian politics.
The Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law, University of Ottawa recently sat down with…
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MONTREAL – Quebec’s TV industry kicked off the new fall season Sunday by honouring its top shows and best performers from the past year, during the prime time awards show, le Gala des Gémeaux, the equivalent of the English-language Geminis.
Among the big winners was Radio-Canada’s Sunday evening talk show Tout le monde en parle (“Everybody’s talking about it”), whose big coup last season was contributing to the fall of Guy Fournier as chairman of CBC-Radio Canada.
Fournier resigned as chair after a particularly embarrassing performance on the show when he was called upon to explain some earlier bizarre…
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HAMILTON – Video on demand is now available to Mountain Cablevision’s customers.
The independent company serves approximately 38,000 customers in and around Hamilton, Ont. who will now be able to call up content when they want, pause it, fast-forward or rewind, from their cable company for the first time.
Of course, they need a digital box and Mountain cut the price of a customer’s first digital terminal to $39.99.
The company is offering a wide variety of free VOD programming, a library of pay-as-you-go premium new release movies to choose from and The Movie Network On Demand
"Mountain Cablevision…
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TORONTO – The Fight Network, which has battled heavyweight after heavyweight on its way from an independent digi-net to growing multiplatform brand, announced this morning a new round of financing and a new leader.
Launched in 2005, just as the ultimate fighting/mixed martial arts craze began to go mainstream, The Fight Network is available on most Canadian cable systems either as the linear channel or on demand.
Content from the channel is also available to wireless subscribers of Telus, Bell, Verizon, Sprint and AT&T. It also has a syndicated radio show, "The LAW" (Live Audio Wrestling), a broadband player,…
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VIDEO ON DEMAND, wireless, HDTV, deregulation – Canada’s small cable operators will gather at Mont Tremblant in just over two weeks for Pixel Nation, which is the theme for the 2007 Canadian Cable Systems Alliance’s annual general meeting.
The formal – and informal – parts of the event will be lively, given the upcoming broadcast distribution undertaking policy review coming in January, and all the issues Canada’s independent cable operators face at home and will want to address there.
Panel sessions include a video on demand session and technical session led by CableLabs, along with a members-only meeting with…
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OTTAWA – The 2007 Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention happens right in Ottawa this November and look for the group to focus on the future and how it will affect policy.
Entitled Broadcasting, Redefined, the annual convention will look at, says the CAB web site:
* The impact of new technologies and platforms, including broadband, the Internet, high-definition television, and digital radio
* The new consumer, whose needs and expectations are being constantly redefined by innovative content offerings and delivery systems
* The adoption of new business models and partnerships in an ever-changing marketplace
* The need for a…
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OTTAWA – On September 14th, American radio stations making the transition to in-band on channel (IBOC) technology – otherwise known as HD Radio – will be able to transmit after sundown.
Last week, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters warned its members that Canadian AM stations operating on frequencies that are first and second-adjacent to powerful U.S. stations “may experience increased levels of skywave interference after dark as a result of this recent FCC decision,” according to the association.
On conventional AM receivers, this digital interference may be heard as a “rushing” or “hissing” sound, superimposed on the affected analog…
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TORONTO – Canadian broadcast equipment sales veteran Sean East has been hired by Harris Corp. as its Canadian sales manager in its radio division.
In his new role, East will report to Chris Pannell, director of North American radio sales, and focus on Harris transmission sales throughout Canada, according to the company.
"East joins an already strong team of radio industry veterans on the Harris Radio Broadcast sales team, including Al Jason (district sales manager, northwestern U.S. region), Terry Becht (district sales manager, southern central U.S. region) and a large group of new channel partners in the U.S. and…
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