TORONTO — As a medium known for its engaging on-air personalities who are able to connect with listeners and create an atmosphere of intimacy, the spectre of artificial intelligence being employed by radio stations may worry many.
However, no one should feel threatened that AI is going to take over anyone’s job in the newsroom or sales department at the radio station — instead, AI holds the promise of making some programming jobs easier, while also providing better tools to prove the effectiveness of radio campaigns to advertisers. That was the message from a panel of radio experts at the…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The winners of the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards (CMBIA) were unveiled Thursday night in Toronto, celebrating the best and brightest in all fields of the Canadian music and broadcast industries.
Paul Anka received the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, while Robert "TooTall" Wagenaar, Patti-Anne Tarlton, David Farrell and Jeff Craib were also in attendance as 2018 inductees to the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame.
In addition, Régine Chassagne and Win Butler of Arcade Fire (pictured) were on hand to receive the 2018 Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award in recognition of the band's humanitarian efforts to…
Continue Reading
TORONTO — With a little more prep time, the radio executive superpanel at Canadian Music Week’s annual Radio Interactive Summit may have turned into a drinking game, if moderator Sharon Taylor’s last-minute idea to offer panellists a choice between answering questions or downing a shot had come to fruition…
As it was, discussion among the radio execs was free flowing during Thursday afternoon’s panel, with topics ranging from the impact of smart speakers and voice assistants in the home, to audio streaming, to some of the business challenges related to audience measurement and big data.
Despite ad revenue continuing to diminish…
Continue Reading
Videotron, Telus Mobility, SaskTel rank highest in respective segments
TORONTO – As Canadians hold on to their wireless devices longer, their growing appetite for heavy data-based websites and apps is impairing the performance of wireless networks, which in turn fosters a negative brand image of their wireless carrier, according to a new J.D. Power report.
The 2018 Canada Wireless Network Quality Study measures Canada’s wireless carrier networks performance in metro and rural Canada, and provides an overview of Canadians’ wireless usage patterns, data plan preferences, and more. Fielded in February-March 2018, the study was conducted online in English and French…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Just in time for summer, Bell Media’s Gusto is cooking up a free preview with sizzling new programming.
The food and lifestyle channel has assembled a summer schedule that includes new original series Where To I Do?, starring design expert Tommy Smythe (The Marilyn Denis Show); Dog Tales Rescue, a docu-series following King City, Ont.’s Dog Tales Rescue and Horse Sanctuary; and Bonacini’s Italy, featuring world-renowned chef and MasterChef judge Michael Bonacini. Celebrity gourmet Nigella Lawson makes her Gusto debut by whipping up her favourite comfort meals with her latest series,…
Continue Reading
LAST WEEK’S 9(1)(h) renewal hearing was the fourth such one for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and each one has been a new test for APTN’s leadership.
“The challenge we face every time for APTN is to justify its existence – and obviously it generates a fair amount of reaction from the rest of the industry, especially the BDUs,” said CEO Jean La Rose in an interview last week.
“Many are supportive of the network, but it has an impact on their bottom lines and they would rather not have that… We are asked the same questions…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC said today the wholesale pricing structure offered by Rogers for NFL Sunday Ticket and NHL Centre Ice pay-per-view packages does not violate the Commission’s TV wholesale code of conduct.
Vidéotron had alleged its affiliation agreements with Rogers for NHL Centre Ice for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 NHL seasons, as well as NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2016 NFL season, included a minimum revenue guarantee, which runs contrary to section 4(g) of the Code Conduct, recounts the decision. (Ed note: Rogers no longer controls the rights to Sunday Ticket, which was purchased by OTT provider DAZN prior to…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Rogers Media announced Friday that David Battistelli has been named supervising producer of OMNI News: Italian Edition.
In this role, Battistelli will oversee all production and editorial of OMNI's Italian newscasts produced out of Montreal and Toronto as well as Focus Portuguese on OMNI.1 in Ontario. He will report to Manuel Fonseca, director of OMNI’s lifestyle and entertainment production.
"David is a highly respected journalist and producer, and his extensive experience both behind and in-front-of the camera will help us continue to produce engaging and informative news programming for Canada's Italian community," said Fonseca in the press release….
Continue Reading
TORONTO – RTDNA Canada has released the 2018 finalists for its annual National Awards.
The RTDNA Canada Awards honour the best journalists, programs, stations and news gathering organizations in radio, television and digital. National winners will be announced at the RTDNA Canada 2018 National Conference & Awards Gala scheduled for May 25-26 at the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto.
The nominees are:
Digital
Breaking News – Charlie Edwards Award
CBC Montreal, Evacuations Begin as Floods Strikes Montreal Area
CBC Vancouver, B.C. Wildfires: State of Emergency
Global Edmonton, U-Haul Attack
Continuing Coverage – Ron Laidlaw Award
CBC Nova Scotia, CBC Investigates: IWK Expense Scandal
CBC Quebec, Quebec City Mosque Shooting
CBC Vancouver, The Fentanyl…
Continue Reading
Bell and Telus propose 500MB for $30; Rogers 400MB for $25
GATINEAU – Rogers, Bell and Telus have given the CRTC what it asked for – new data only wireless plans meant to fill a gap the Regulator sees in the market.
A multifaceted wireless decision last month included decreases in wholesale wireless rates, a “no” to Wi-Fi first models, and an early review of the wholesale wireless framework that will again reconsider MVNO rules. However, as part of that, the Commission directed the big three to immediately come up new data-only wireless plans which: must not…
Continue Reading
