MONTREAL – Canada’s telecommunications regulations aren’t keeping up with innovation and are harming the country’s competitiveness, says Michael Sabia, president and CEO of Bell Canada Enterprises.
“In telecom, the regulatory environment is trailing the times. Stifling innovation. Limiting consumer choice,” Sabia told the Canadian Club in Montreal today. “A few months ago, Bernier issued a clear directive to let market forces determine outcomes in telecommunications. It’s time to bring regulatory practice into line with government policy.”
Speaking about the broader information and communications technology sector, Sabia said Canadian companies are investing only about two-thirds of what…
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HORSESHOE VALLEY, Ont. – With well over 270 delegates last week, the Central Canada Broadcast Engineers 2006 conference saw a 20%-plus jump in attendance, say organizers.
Beginning Thursday with papers and seminars, the CCBE agenda was a full one as speakers covered topics from fibre optics system design for broadcast operations to high definition connectivity, media transport technologies to aspect ratio handling, HD radio/IBOC to ENG IP connectivity, audio processing to digital workflow.
The conference wrapped up today (Sunday).
Saturday morning, CBC Transmission’s Martin Marcotte detailed the 2005 installation of the terrestrial repeaters to make Sirius Canada’s satellite radio system work…
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MONTREAL – Six telecom pioneers and industry leaders will be officially inducted into the Canadian Telecommunications Hall of Fame next month.
The 2006 Telecom Hall of Fame Laureates are Edward S. "Ted" Rogers (CEO, Rogers Communications Inc.), Edward S. Rogers, Sr. (Communications Inventor and Wireless Wizard), Donald L. Hings (Inventor of the Walkie Talkie, Burnaby, B.C.), Leila Wightman (Rural Telephone Pioneer, Clifford, Ontario), Francis Dagger (Public Ownership Advocate for the Prairies), and Ernest E. "Ernie" Saunders (Dean of Canadian Telecom Law and Regulation, Montreal, Quebec), says the press release.
The 2006 Hall of Fame Special Recognition Award will go…
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TORONTO – Saying that the hearings and subsequent licensing of a new pay TV player boosted its expenses, Corus Entertainment eliminated 83 positions on Tuesday as part of an overhaul of its content and television division.
The restructuring will see producer Nelvana folded into the television division and a new lifestyle, drama and movies group created.
Most of the job cuts are in Edmonton, as Move Central’s base is moving to Toronto. Corus’ Calgary offices will remain.
Having come out of a strategic planning session in May with the theme "Core and Explore," the company has decided to…
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OTTAWA – The number of Canadians who are abandoning their plain old telephone service for new-fangled cable delivery – or moving to wireless alone – continues to grow, a report from Statistics Canada says today.
There were 16.8 million wireless subscribers at the end of the first quarter, up 11.9% compared to the first quarter of 2005, a rate of year-over-year growth that is comparable to those observed over the past three years.
While the wireless market grows, losses among the traditional wireline players accelerate. The year-over-year drop of 5.3% was the largest observed since the erosion of this…
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TORONTO – Amid one report saying that Alliance Atlantis’ Motion Picture Distribution Group may welcome Victor Loewy back, the company announced a new hire today.
Andrew Austin has been hired as senior vice-president of television distribution, beginning September 20th.
Reporting to the senior vice-president of operations, Doug Smith, Austin will be responsible for managing the television sales team with oversight in all windows of operation including hotel, pay per view, video on demand, pay television and all conventional and specialty television services.
Austin has over nineteen years of experience in the industry. Currently, he serves as SVP, Canadian…
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TORONTO – Corus Entertainment today eliminated 83 positions as part of an overhaul of its content and television division which will see producer Nelvana folded into the television division and a new lifestyle, drama and movies group is created.
This morning’s release sets out the changes as follows
* Nelvana Studios will be folded into the Corus Television division * Nelvana Enterprises, a separate business unit that will focus on leveraging Corus’ intellectual property internationally, will be created. * A new lifestyle, drama and movies portfolio for the Television division highlighted by the amalgamation of Movie Central, W Network,…
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THORNHILL, Ont. – Andrea Messineo has been appointed regional vice-president of AT&T for Canada, the Caribbean and the Latin American region, effective immediately.
She replaces former VP John Slamecka.
In Canada, Messineo will lead a workforce of over 200. Headquartered in Thornhill, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal, AT&T offers a range of managed data network services in Canada and has deployed nine MPLS nodes that provide global reach along with voice and data services to enterprise clients in over 400 Canadian cities.
"I am thrilled with the opportunity to lead the AT&T team in Canada. It is…
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OTTAWA – A new CEO will lead Telesat’s next act.
As the company prepares for its initial public offering later this year, president and CEO Larry Boisvert announced his retirement today after 13 years in the top job at Canada’s largest satellite company.
"Under Larry’s outstanding leadership, Telesat Canada has grown to the point where it is a significant presence in the Americas," said Michael Sabia, president and CEO of Telesat’s owner, BCE Inc., in a release. "And that success is attributable in no small measure to the direction and extraordinary dedication that are the hallmarks of Larry’s stewardship….
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TORONTO – Sue Sheridan’s position was made official today.
After serving as interim executive director of Women in Film and Television – Toronto for most of the year, Sheridan was given the full title. She joined WIFT-T in 2005 as director of programming development and was named acting managing director in 2006.
“We are more than delighted that someone with Sue’s exceptional leadership ability will be assuming the role of executive director,” said WIFT-T board chair Wendy MacKeigan. "With the launch of www.CanadianFilmmaker.com, the development of the Business Learning Initiative certificate program, and the upcoming Crystal Awards in…
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