AS THE LONE MEDIA outlet providing daily reports from both the BDU/specialty hearings in Gatineau and the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, we’ve noticed a crossover issue or two.
Take Tuesday, for example. In Gatineau, Quebecor Media CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau made his company’s case for dramatically decreased regulation in broadcasting and cable, presenting a great big book of some 400 regulations governing the sector.
He told the Commission what many other distributors have said – that the Internet is changing everything and it’s time to dump most of the existing rules.
“Within a few years,…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Inc. has announced that it will continue to delay the release of its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2007.
The delay in releasing its financial results is a result of the failure of its insolvent printing subsidiary Quebecor World Inc. to produce its own results. The print unit, also based in Montreal, has been under court-ordered bankruptcy protection since January.
Quebecor Inc., which owns a majority stake in the Quebecor Media business and is controlling shareholder of Quebecor World, warned in February that it could post losses of up to $779 million resulting…
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MONTREAL- New distribution services are allowing Canadians to watch TV programs when and where they want and unless Canada adjusts to this new reality it will “lock itself out of the global television industry” warns Pierre Karl Peladeau, president and chief executive officer of Quebecor Inc.
He made the comments today, arguing that the approximately 400 rules and regulations governing Canada’s broadcasting industry are stifling Canada’s potential to play a leading role in the industry.
"Within a few years, the Internet may be the main distributor of television programs, piping content over a global network that escapes regulation,” says…
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GATINEAU – Quebecor Inc. president and CEO Pierre-Karl Péladeau challenged the CRTC today to re-write its “little red book” of more than 400 broadcasting rules and regulations or risk seeing the Canadian broadcast industry bypassed by the global digital environment.
In a presentation before the CRTC’s hearings on broadcast distribution and specialty services, the head of the powerful Quebec media conglomerate which owns, among other assets, #3 cable company Videotron and top Quebec broadcaster TVA, said that it would be a mistake to go through these “crucial” hearings and make only minor adjustments.
“An accumulation of regulations won’t solve…
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GATINEAU – Allarco Entertainment Inc.’s pay-per-view Super Channel will finally be launching on Shaw Communications’ cable systems and on its direct-to-home satellite distributor Star Choice in late April and early May respectively, according to the broadcaster.
The news was revealed following Allarco’s appearance Wednesday at the CRTC’s three-week-long hearing into pay and specialty services and broadcast distribution undertakings – at which executives complained it was proving impossible to get carriage, even though Super Channel had been granted must-carry status by the regulator.
“It’s easy to get a licence, but very difficult to execute it,” said Allarco chair Chuck Allard….
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TORONTO – There is no current economic rationale for broadcasters and cable networks to abandon traditional TV or attempt to accelerate a transition to a total online model, says a new report released this week by Convergence Consulting Group.
To do so would put $66 billion in traditional TV advertising revenue and $30 billion in cable, satellite, telco TV provider programming fees at risk, says The Battle for the North American Couch Potato report released this week.
“Our forecasts demonstrate that through 2011 broadcaster and cable network online advertising revenues will equal half the gains of their traditional TV…
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Note: The number of cable TV customers acquired by Videotron has been updated based on new information provided by the cableco.
MONTREAL – Videotron grew its cable TV, Internet, telephony and wireless telephone customer bases in the first quarter ended March 31, 2008, the cableco announced Thursday.
Videotron had a total of 1,652,200 cable TV subscribers at March 31, a quarter-over-quarter increase of 14,100 (not 34,600 as previously reported by Videotron), compared with a 10,300 increase (not 29,200) in the same quarter of 2007. The cableco also recorded a net increase of 34,600 subscribers to its illico digital TV service for…
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OTTAWA – Bell Mobility, SaskTel and Rogers Communications were on the list of applicants intending to participate in the auction for Advanced Wireless Services that was released Friday by Industry Canada.
Earlier in the week, Shaw Communications, Quebecor Media, Eastlink and a consortium that includes Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS Allstream) indicated they would also be participating.
Shaw appears to have applied under the numbered company 1380057 Alberta Ltd, as it announced Friday that it had filed a $400 million financial deposit with Industry Canada in connection with the auction. That is the same amount listed by 1380057 Alberta…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media has filed an application to bid as an new entrant in Industry Canada’s spectrum auction for Advanced Wireless Services. Quebecor Media said Thursday it has submitted a deposit of $317 million, in the form of letters of credit, to Industry Canada.
About 40 megahertz of spectrum is expected to go to new entrants in the wireless market.
Quebecor indicated it intended to bid for spectrum across Canada.
“We have always stated clearly that our Videotron subsidiary planned to build its own wireless network to serve the Quebec market. However, exceptionally favourable conditions for new entrants, which may…
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HALIFAX – EastLink announced Thursday it has submitted an application to participate in Industry Canada’s Auction for Spectrum Licences for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS).
EastLink along with Shaw Communications, a consortium that includes MTS, and Quebecor Media have already announced that they plan to participate in the auction.
Industry Canada is expected to release the names of all of the parties who have applied to participate either today or Friday. The auction is scheduled to begin on May 27, 2008.
If successful in acquiring spectrum, Eastlink said it will expand the range of products and services to its customers in…
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