OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Profits at Canada’s private radio stations jumped 23.8% in 2005, says new data released today by the CRTC, just in time for the Radio Policy Review, which will begin on May 15th.
Revenues for Canadian radio stations in 2005 increased by 8.7% over 2004 to $1.3 billion, while profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) jumped to nearly $277 million dollars in 2005. "These growth rates exceeded the average rates recorded over the last five years, during which revenues increased at an average rate of 5.7%, and PBIT at 12.8%," says the release.
Of course, FM led the…
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TORONTO – The TV-industry-created organization that was set up eight years ago to evangelize on high definition television and the transition to digital will shut down as of August 31, 2006.
The CDTV board decided at a recent meeting "that the work of CDTV as presently mandated is complete and we should wind up the Association effective the end of our fiscal year," said a note to members from CDTV president Michael McEwen.
However, www.cartt.ca was told by a source, it was the competing visions for HDTV in Canada that led to the group’s demise.
CDTV Members included Canadian…
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TORONTO – "Work. Live. Play. – The Infinite Potential of Wireless", is the theme of the 2006 Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association annual conference.
The gathering, backed by major sponsors Bell Canada, Rogers, Telus and Nortel, will explore new business opportunities, converging technologies and life beyond 3G.
Set for May 16 and 17, 2006 at the Hilton Toronto Airport, the two-day symposium will feature more than 65 industry experts, business leaders and government officials in a series of panel discussions and workshops centred around three main tracks:
* Freedom to the Worker – Wireless Solutions for Business * Living in…
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IT HARDLY SEEMS LIKE a year ago since the launch of www.cartt.ca.
It feels more like just last month I was dragging my infant daughter around to business meetings, planning the launch of this site. Accountants, lawyers, web site developers, database folks, bankers, you name it, Brenna met with them. Prior to the launch (and even for some time after it), I was her primary caregiver, so she tagged along and was a perfect little angel in boardrooms, offices and restaurants… well, mostly.
Now, she’s almost two, in a great day care, and as of Tuesday, May 2,…
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OTTAWA – The first annual report to the CRTC by the CAB on the progress made by broadcasters to ensure diversity in broadcasting was announced today.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ report, filed April 28th, describes initiatives taken on matters of cultural diversity, as well as those concerning the presence, portrayal and participation of persons with disabilities in broadcasting.
“Over the past year, the CAB has made significant progress in developing and launching a wide range of initiatives and activities to help foster diversity in broadcasting,” said CAB president and CEO, Glenn O’Farrell. “Canada’s private broadcasters are committed to…
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OTTAWA – Those expecting the first Conservative budget in 14 years to throw any more money at the Canadian culture sector came away from today’s federal budget disappointed.
Then again, nothing was taken away, either.
Just a few lines of the budget made mention of culture, when the government committed $50 million more over two years to the Canada Council.
It was silent on Telefilm, the Canadian Television Fund and the CBC, for example.
ACTRA, the performers union, offered up typical criticism, calling it a "different cast, same script," in its press release.
"Our culture defines us as an…
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TORONTO – One of the highlights of The Canadian Telecom Summit each year is the cocktail reception. This year will be no exception.
However, organizers are adding a special feature with a mobile-enabled Silent Auction to benefit the Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
The conference will feature pretty much all of the important speakers. For example, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier will join 21 other leaders who will deliver keynote addresses, offering insights into the future of Canadian Telecom, examining technology, services, consumer and business trends and policy. More than 50 experts will…
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CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – The CRTC needs fining power to make sure telecom companies abide by the rules, chairman Charles Dalfen told the 2006 Telecommunications Invitational Forum on Sunday.
In a speech that was in large part an answer to the Telecom Policy Review report filed in March. Dalfen said the Commission is digesting the report, filed in March, and will soon implement many of its recommendations.
As well, "(w)e will also be striking a working group with the Competition Bureau to develop recommendations on how the Canadian telecom sector can more effectively benefit from the expertise resident in…
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TORONTO – The many gaps in the opinions of those in the music industry has finally taken on coalition form.
A number of high profile Canadian musicians, songwriters and producers have united to provide a new voice in Canadian copyright and cultural policy with the Canadian Music Creators Coalition.
The CMCC "will ensure that lobbyists for major record labels and music publishers are not the only voices heard in debates about Canada’s copyright laws and other key cultural policy issues," says the group.
The multi-million-selling membership includes such artists as: Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum…
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SECURITY IS PRETTY TIGHT at large American gatherings these days and the National Association of Broadcasters show is no different. Media had to be pre-registered well in advance (no chance of registering on-site) and local police were very interested in the publication bins for some reason at about 8 a.m. We saw a police sniffer dog go through each and every bin searching for, well, who knows? It was a big German Shepherd and we weren’t about to bug him and his handler to ask. If the pooch was trained to find beer, however, he certainly would have parked…
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