Heritage commitee recommended collecting data to address media deserts
By Ahmad Hathout
As the news industry faces an uncertain future, a team of researchers is working to map all news outlets in the country in part to help guide public funds where they are needed most, assist in combating mis- and disinformation, and make reliable news outlets more discoverable.
The government-funded project will utilize advancements in artificial intelligence to help plot Canadian news outlets across the country, which will then go through human verification at the local level, including by library workers in those communities. The result will be a website with…
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The CRTC on Monday announced it has administratively renewed the broadcasting licences for various television programming undertakings, networks and broadcasting distribution undertakings from Sept. 1, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2027.
These licence renewals cover the large broadcasting groups of Bell, Rogers, Quebecor, Corus and Blue Ant, as well as smaller broadcasters including APTN, Accessible Media, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), OUTtv, Pelmorex Weather Networks, Stingray, Super Channel, TLN Media Group, TV5 Quebec Canada and ZoomerMedia, and BDUs operated by Cogeco, SaskTel and Telus.
The broadcasting regulator said the administrative renewals are necessary to allow the various undertakings to…
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By Connie Thiessen
Chris MacDonald, the former CRTC commissioner for Atlantic Canada and Nunavut and a longtime Rogers Communications senior manager, has passed away following an undisclosed illness. He was 44.
While still studying business administration at UNB (University of New Brunswick), MacDonald began his career as a research assistant and later executive assistant to New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord.
He joined Rogers in 2005 as a strategic account manager, moving his way up to market manager for Atlantic Canada and then senior manager of sales for fiber solutions and small business over the next decade.
He was appointed to the CRTC in 2015 to a five-year…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Thursday that Bell must pay for all corrective work to attach third-party equipment for which it did not issue an invoice to Quebecor before the regulator ruled that all such work must be done by the structure owner at its own expense.
The clarification favours Quebecor, which asked the regulator late last year to decide on a dispute with Bell that dealt with the status of permit applications that had yet to be fully approved by Bell when the CRTC in January ordered the telcos to make the necessary corrective work…
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Crave subs top five million
By Ahmad Hathout
Bell executives said Thursday that the company will focus on trade-in and other “device residual programs,” rather than device discounting, to address affordability for consumers.
Bell reported wireless product revenue that was $555 million, down 6.6 per cent in the quarter against the equivalent period that ended June 30 last year. The company noted in its second-quarter earnings report that this was a result of lower wireless device sales to consumers “mainly from lower contracted activations due to a greater mix of bring-your-own-device activations and fewer upgrades, partly offset by reduced discounting and…
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Rogers has expanded its 5G network to Matane-sur-Mer in Matane, Quebec.
The cable giant, which erected a new tower, notes that Matane-sur-Mer is a key business hub in Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region and is home to the Port of Matane and the Matane Industrial Park, which are major economic contributors to the region.
“Over the past decade, Rogers has invested nearly $40 billion in its networks,” a press release said. “This expansion builds on these investments, delivering improved 5G wireless coverage to Matane-sur-Mer’s growing business community, residents, and visitors.”
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By Ahmad Hathout
The News Forum (TNF) is alleging Cogeco and Quebecor’s Videotron are not giving it television package treatment demanded by CRTC regulation.
The independent national news service, which broadcasters must offer to their subscribers under the 9.1(1)(h) rule, claims in separate but nearly identical Part 1 applications that the aforementioned broadcasters are excluding it from packages that include incumbent news networks CBC and CTV, thereby giving those services an advantage over it.
“Broadcasting Order CRTC 2022-297 requires BDUs to distribute TNF, CBC News Network, and CTV News Channel, and to include those services in…
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Rogers and Amazon’s Prime Video announced Tuesday a 12-year sublicensing agreement for Prime Video in Canada to exclusively broadcast Wednesday night regular-season national NHL games in English and French, starting with the upcoming 2026-2027 season.
For the last two NHL seasons, Prime Video has been the home for Monday Night Hockey in Canada under a previous sublicensing deal with Rogers. Under the new agreement, Prime Video’s exclusive broadcast rights shift to Wednesday nights and also include two first-round playoff series and one second-round playoff series each year. Prime Video’s full lineup includes at least 26 national regular-season NHL games,…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC has not provided reasons for why it believes Rogers, Bell and Telus are violating the regulator’s new rules on activation fees, even after the companies provided justifications for charges related to device handling and SIM cards, according to submissions by the Big Three.
As such, Rogers and Bell are backing a procedural request by Telus this month to bifurcate the CRTC’s inquiry: first, establish a proceeding to consider whether a violation has been committed by any of the companies, and, if required, establish a proceeding to consider if any enforcement remedies are necessary in the event…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Beanfield is asking the CRTC to assist in the renewal of a support structure agreement (SSA) with Rogers.
The Toronto-based fibre internet service provider is asking the regulator to establish just and reasonable rates and terms after Rogers said it would not renew the agreement.
“The Commission’s intervention is necessary for Beanfield to continue offering competitive telecommunications services without disruption to the hundreds of premises served over the facilities in question,” the telecom claims in a Part 1 application to the commission, made public on Tuesday.
Beanfield claims Rogers told it in a March letter that it would terminate a…
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