Search Results for: quebecor

Cable / Telecom News

Bell and Quebecor support Red Cross, victims of Québec train derailment

MONTREAL – Following the train disaster early Saturday morning in Lac×Mégantic, Québec, Bell and Quebecor have each made donations to the Red Cross to support relief efforts in this community of 6,000 about 250 kilometres east of Montreal. Bell announced Sunday it had donated $25,000 to the Red Cross, and Quebecor announced today its donation of $100,000 to the organization. In collaboration with the Red Cross, Quebecor is also launching a fundraising campaign across Quebec with the help of its subsidiaries TVA Group, Journal de Montreal, Le Journal de Quebec, 24 Hours, the Canoë French… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Snap Judgement: Where Bell won (it got Astral) — and lost (in some of the details)

MAKE NO MISTAKE, it was a long road, but BCE Inc. finally won the right to purchase the most coveted licensed assets owned by Astral Media. However, CRTC decisions are so much more nuanced than a simple “yes” or “no”. So below we give you our first impression of the decision broken down by the number of points Bell won with the Regulator – and lost. WIN: No additional divestitures. Bell executives said repeatedly through the whole process that it could live with certain conditions – even some unprecedented, stringent ones, but it would not proceed with the deal if the… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

WIRELESS: Feds very unlikely to spin a silk purse from this sow’s ear

TORONTO – The realities of the wireless market in Canada and globally continue to tell most people that no matter what the federal government tries or what anyone says, chances are slim that a fourth viable wireless player in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario will find success. Add BMO Capital Markets telecom, cable and media analyst Tim Casey to the chorus of those who believe the federal government has muddled and mishandled the wireless file and that there doesn’t seem to be a way forward to its stated political goals. Noting that Industry Minister Christian Paradis has been on record several… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Videotron closes sale of $400M senior notes

MONTREAL – Videotron Ltd. said today it has closed the sale of its senior notes worth $400 million scheduled to mature in 2025. The new senior notes were sold at par and carry a coupon of 5.63%. With a maturity date of June 15, 2025, the Quebecor-owned company says they are the first 12-year, Canadian-dollar high-yield corporate bond issued in the Canadian market. Videotron intends to use the proceeds from this issuance to redeem its outstanding senior notes due in 2018, worth $380 million, as well as to finance settlement and termination costs, if any,… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Videotron appoints new VP, content commercialization, public affairs

MONTREAL – Videotron announced Tuesday it has appointed Isabelle Dessureault as its new vice-president, content commercialization and public affairs.
Dessureault will be responsible for the distribution, commercialization and programming of content for all of Videotron’s content delivery platforms: television, Internet, mobiles and tablets. She will also oversee the Indigo pay-per-view service, Lib tv, Canada’s first channel designed specifically for mobile devices. She will continue in her role as president of MAtv, the… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Aldo Giampaolo joins Quebecor as head of Media Entertainment & Sports Group

MONTREAL – Quebecor has appointed former Cirque du Soleil executive Aldo Giampaolo as the new president and CEO of Quebecor’s Media Entertainment & Sports Group. With more than 25 years of experience in managing, promoting and producing major local, national and international events, Giampaolo joins Quebecor on July 8. “We are very happy to welcome Aldo Giampaolo to the Quebecor team,” said Quebecor president and CEO Robert Dépatie of the announcement. “Aldo is a seasoned event manager, a leader in the field. His extensive expertise in the management of major events and large venues is recognized… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

TVA Group cuts 90 jobs, blames tough ad market

MONTREAL – Quebecor’s TVA Group announced today it is cutting 90 jobs as part of a plan to reduce operating costs in a challenging market. In a release, the company said the job cuts, which represent 4.5% of its total staff, are necessary for the company to compete in what it says is a challenging market for advertising revenue for media outlets both here and abroad In addition to a reduction of existing personnel, unfilled positions will be abolished and others will be eliminated through attrition, the release states. “In order to preserve its… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Quebecor sells job search, dating websites to Mediagrif for $65 million

MONTREAL – Quebecor Media announced today the sale of its Jobboom job search website and Reseau Contact dating website to e-commerce company Mediagrif Interactive Technologies for $65 million. The deal for Mediagrif’s acquisition of Jobboom will close tomorrow, with the Reseau Contact deal expected to close Oct. 31, 2013. Quebecor Media president Robert Depatie said the management and employees of both companies will remain in Quebec. “We are particularly happy to see these two platforms remain in the hands of a well-established Quebec company,” Depatie said in a release. “These acquisitions represent a unique opportunity… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Rogers, Videotron to share LTE net in Ottawa and Quebec; Rogers buys another spectrum option

MONTREAL – Videotron and Rogers announced an agreement late Wednesday to bring LTE to even more customers in the province of Québec and the Ottawa region. Under a new 20-year agreement, the two companies will pool their efforts to quickly build out and operate a shared LTE wireless network, the most advanced wireless technology in the world. This network will deliver an optimal user experience for consumers and businesses in both key markets (and perhaps let Videotron launch the iPhone, which does not work on its current AWS spectrum). In addition to the network sharing agreement, Videotron and Rogers have also… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

CBC licence renewal decision coming this morning

GATINEAU – The CRTC will announce its decision on the renewal of the broadcasting licences for the CBC at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. The most contentious issue of the hearing, held back in November, was the CBC’s request for permission to sell advertising on Radio 2. Struggling with cuts to its funding in the past 24 months, the Corp wants to be able to earn more cash by selling advertising into the indie/classical/eclectic music station – and it also promised not to change the nature of the service in order to pursue higher ratings and increased ad dollars. Many Canadian private… Continue Reading