Search Results for: rogers

Cable / Telecom News

CTS 2019: Huawei Canada security chief defends company

TORONTO – Canadian government and telecommunications carriers have nothing to fear from Huawei's 5G network products, the chief security officer of the company's Canadian division told telecom industry leaders, and it is free from interference from Beijing. "Huawei operates in over 107 countries around the world, and in each they comply with local rules and regulations," Olivera Zatezalo (pictured) told the Canadian Telecom Summit on Monday during a panel session on cyber security. "All I can tell you is in Canada we are 100% compliant" with whatever the government asks. Asked specifically about the company's independence, she said Huawei Canada is… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

3500 MHz spectrum “Klaw” back expected Wednesday

TORONTO –Innovation, Science and Economic Development minister Navdeep Bains is expected to reveal the proposed structure of the 3500 MHz spectrum auction on Wednesday and, tapping into his inner Raptor, Scotiabank telecom analyst Jeff Fan said in a report this week he expects Bains to “deliver its version of ‘The Klaw’.” Using Toronto Raptors’ star Kawhi Leonard’s nickname as a fun hook, Fan set out what he believes will happen to the 3500 MHz spectrum currently co-owned by Rogers Communications and Bell Canada. Like Leonard stripping an opponent of the basketball, ISED will be stripping a lot of that spectrum… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Upfronts 2019: City adds 15 new titles, including ‘Chicago’ dramas

TORONTO – Citytv has scooped up the ‘Chicago’ franchise which it said will anchor its 2019/20 schedule that also includes 15 new shows and 17 returning favourites. New series include scripted drama series Bluff City Law, comedies Perfect Harmony and Mixed-Ish, as well as new weekday talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show.  Dick Wolf dramas Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD will air back-to-back on Wednesday nights. Last season’s hit dramas, A Million Little Things and Manifest return to Citytv, along with The Bachelor / The Bachelorette franchise, Black-ish, Bob’s Burgers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Dancing with the Stars, Family Guy, Hockey Night in… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Upfronts 2019: Why Canadian broadcasters are Twitter’s newest converts

TORONTO – As Canadian broadcasters pitch linear TV as a safer space for brands than toxic social media platforms during their upfront presentations, it was some surprise to see on stage Thursday at Twitter's TwitterFront event in Toronto top execs and talent from Corus Entertainment, CBC, Rogers Media and Bell Media. "Everyone is working with us," Paul Burns, a former digital exec at Shaw Communications and now Twitter Canada’s managing director, told Cartt.ca about Canadian media players who are increasingly making the most of a social media platform often derided by critics for being a land… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Upfronts 2019: Rogers Media plots a new course as streaming wars escalate

TORONTO – Canadian media circles have long been gripped by a dramatic industry narrative that Netflix and other U.S. tech giants will kill their pay TV business as audiences shift online. The quieter truth is traditional Canadian distributors are still in business as (cord cutting aside) TV viewers mostly still refuse to part with the cable bundle while also embracing Netflix, Amazon and other digital alternatives. "Year over year, it's always a bit of doom and gloom. Is TV in decline, is it going away? We believe TV has lots of runway," a bullish Rogers Media president Rick Brace said Thursday… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Upfronts 2019: CBC touts brand safety and integrity to advertisers

TORONTO – As streaming video grows and younger viewers move online, traditional Canadian TV networks in recent years have been keen to tell advertisers they were following audiences online as multiplatform players amid fast-changing viewer habits. But the CBC, underpinned by new leadership, had a stark selling point at its upfront presentation in Toronto on Wednesday beyond excitement over their new and returning TV shows – brand safety and transparency. "The last year illustrated some of the dangers the digital world represents. There are traps," Jean Mongeau, general manager and chief revenue officer at CBC Media Solutions, told Cartt.ca, as U.S…. Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Heritage Report: How much should artists get – and from whom?

OTTAWA – Canada’s creative community applauded the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for hitting the right notes in calling for better pay for Canadian artists in its Shifting Paradigms report presented to Parliament on May 15. Now, however, groups representing artists want the federal government to produce a symphony of legislative change from the committee’s 22 recommendations, which include a call to both support creators and creative industries adapt to new digital markets, and review safe-harbour exceptions and laws to ensure that Internet service providers (ISPs) are “accountable for their role in the distribution of content.” “As technology… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Bunch of news to come from Canadian Telecom Summit next week

TORONTO – While there are no Canadian carrier CEOs on the speakers’ schedule this year, those executives not in attendance will certainly be paying attention to next week’s Canadian Telecom Summit when it opens Monday morning. (Ed note: For long-time CTS attendees, this year it is being held at the International Centre, which is just up Airport Road a ways from its former Congress Centre home.) The event kicks off with an interview on stage with Rola Dagher, president of Cisco Canada (the questions, however, are coming from another Cisco-ite, Ian Campbell, the company’s CTO, service provider mobility and automation, so… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Hell no, MVNO

TORONTO – While a wide range of hopeful competitors have backed a mandated MVNO, or some sort of variant on it, regime from the CRTC, CFOs from two of Canada’s Big Three Telecoms – Glen LeBlanc (Bell) and Telus’ Doug French – insisted last week such a move would be irresponsible of the Commission to implement. Speaking at TD Securities Telecom and Media Forum in Toronto last week, the executives, in separate presentations, touted their respective company investments in having built the infrastructure that now serves Canadians from coast to coast. (MVNO =… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Wireless Review: Competition Bureau gets its wish as wireless carriers must provide more data

OTTAWA – Wireless carriers will have to provide more granular data to the CRTC, after all. As part of its submission to the CRTC’s review of mobile wireless services, the Competition Bureau wants to, among other things, do a detailed study on what happened locally (not just in provinces and nationally) when new wireless competitors to the Big Three (Rogers, Bell and Telus) were introduced. To do that, the Bureau needs far more detailed data than the CRTC has asked for in its original requests for information upon the proceeding’s call. The wireless carriers and… Continue Reading