MONTREAL — Quebecor Media subsidiary TVA Group yesterday announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2022, which showed its operating revenues grew slightly to $144.5 million, representing a year-over-year increase of $3.7 million compared to the first quarter of 2021.
TVA Group reported an overall net loss of $13 million in Q1 2022, compared to a net loss of $4.5 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
The company’s consolidated negative adjusted EBITDA was $9.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, which represents an unfavourable variance of almost $11.9 million from the $2.1 million…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – After a victory in Federal Court in February 2022, Québecor is requesting the CRTC remove an exemption from a small broadcasting distribution undertaking (BDU) and strike its name from the list of exempted undertakings for having acted in contravention of the Broadcasting Act.
After noticing various hotels in the region of Québec City were cancelling their subscriptions, Québecor sent technicians to rent rooms in some of these hotels in 2020. They were able to determine the hotels were receiving TVA and TVA Sports through a third party.
The provider, Coopérative de câblodistribution Hill Valley, was not…
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TORONTO – Early Saturday morning, Rogers Communications issued a press release saying it was notified that the Commissioner of Competition will file applications to the Competition Tribunal opposing the company’s proposed $26 billion purchase of Shaw Communications.
Despite that, the two companies said in the release they remain committed to the deal and they are engaged in sale process for full divestiture of Freedom Mobile to maintain strong fourth carrier. Both Xplornet and Quebecor are rumoured to be in negotiations to buy Shaw’s wireless assets.
“Rogers and Shaw remain committed to the transaction, which is in the best interests of Canada…
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MONTREAL – Videotron announced today starting May 9 it will offer newcomers from Ukraine six months of free mobile service with an all-inclusive 20 GB plan.
To take advantage of the offer, which is available until July 31, 2022, “newcomers need only bring their mobile phone to one of the eight participating Videotron stores and present a piece of ID—a passport, Ukrainian ID card or temporary residence permit—and proof of entry to Canada, such as a work or study permit, travel visa or temporary residence permit,” a press release explains.
The company “is also donating 1,000 refurbished mobile devices to the Ukraine…
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MONTREAL — Quebecor Content announced today the appointment of Louis Pearson (above) as senior director of acquisitions and original film.
In his new role, Pearson will be responsible for acquiring “the best content for the TVA Group, Club illico and Vrai platforms,” says a press release announcing his promotion.
Pearson will lead Quebecor Content’s content acquisition team while retaining his responsibilities as head of film development for the group, overseeing the production and promotion of Quebec feature films.
Prior to his new appointment, Pearson had been director of fiction acquisitions and Quebec film development for Quebecor Content since 2018. He has almost…
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MONTREAL — TVA Group’s MELS Studios and Postproduction division announced today the appointment of Geneviève Brodeur (above) as vice-president of studios and business development of MELS.
Brodeur will have three core responsibilities in this role — “managing studio personnel and operations, studio business development and marketing, in collaboration with the other sectors, and developing business intelligence tools,” TVA Group’s press release explains.
Brodeur has been working in Quebec’s media industry since 2005 and she joined Quebecor in 2015. Since that time, “she has earned a reputation for strategic thinking and results-oriented leadership,” the release says.
Her appointment comes at a time when…
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By Ahmad Hathout
LARGE TELCOS ARE recommending the CRTC avoid subsidizing next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) networks through a large fund subsidized by the carriers and dedicated to basic telecommunications services, with one large telco fearing such a move would increase the cost of operation with less oversight.
The Commission is currently putting in place the funding mechanism to allow for the installation and upkeep of networks that will drive NG9-1-1 service, which will allow distressed callers to submit texts, photos and videos to first responders. The Commission expects the cost of funding the networks will be $55 million annually over five years.
But in a proceeding…
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MONTREAL — Quebecor and non-profit organization Société de verdissement du Montréal métropolitain (Soverdi) announced today Quebecor has joined Soverdi’s Comité des leaders de la forêt urbaine (Urban Forest Leaders Committee) and will help promote the organization’s tree-planting initiatives in Montreal.
“Quebecor’s extensive media ecosystem will provide a unique showcase for Soverdi’s greening initiatives on private and institutional lands, aimed at growing the urban forest and improving Montrealers’ quality of life,” reads a Quebecor press release.
Quebecor says it will provide visibility on its various platforms for Soverdi’s “A Tree for My Neighborhood” campaign, “which has already helped plant more than…
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By Howard Law
THE NEW SEASON of Canadian culture wars is now available from the House of Commons’ second reading of Bill C-11 the Online Streaming Act, the federal Liberals’ digital reboot and seventh iteration of the Broadcasting Act since 1932.
After minor revisions by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, the Bill C-11 debate promises to be a re-run of last year’s Bill C-10 which drew flak from friends and foes alike and was successfully filibustered by the Conservatives prior to the dissolution of Parliament for the fall election.
Split into three posts, I will cover what Rodriguez says C-11 is about, what its…
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Updated with comment from petitioner, dotmobile.
OTTAWA — The federal cabinet has denied a petition today to overturn a decision by the CRTC that only allowed a limited group of wireless service providers to force negotiations to use national telecom facilities, saying it believes the decision will provide consumers with greater choice and bring down prices.
Mobile virtual network operator Data on Tap (dotmobile) filed the petition in May 2021 to reverse the part of the CRTC’s decision that excludes full MVNOs like itself from participating in those mandatory negotiations. The decision by the regulator…
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