TORONTO – Hollywood Suite will offer the red carpet treatment to new customers in Ontario, B.C., and Alberta after finalizing agreements with Cipher TV (AEBC Internet Corp), Beanfield Metroconnect and Frontline 360 Inc. for its four HDTV movie channels.
“We are thrilled to satisfy more and more Canadians’ appetites for nostalgic, high-quality programming with our growing service partnerships,” said Hollywood Suite content distribution VP Julie Kumaria, in the news release. “With an illustrious, expansive film catalogue and monthly movie premieres to boot, Hollywood Suite is excited to deliver the customers of Cipher TV, Beanfield Metro Connect and Frontline 360 unparalleled…
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AS OF THIS WRITING, it appears the next CRTC chair will be an interim one – someone who will keep the lights on and the bills paid through the summer, at least.
It could be vice-chair telecom Peter Menzies (although according to sources he’s made it known to associates and others he does not want the job), one of the other four remaining commissioners (Yves Dupras, Stephen Simpson, Chris MacDonald and Linda Vennard) or perhaps the recently departed interim vice-chair broadcasting Judith LaRocque will be asked to return for another six-month stint, except this time as interim chair.
This was not…
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TORONTO—Although ISED Minister Navdeep Bains' call for lower wireless and broadband prices dominated the buzz at the Canadian Telecom Summit here last week, it was not the only hot subject on the agenda. Far from it, in fact.
During a panel discussion moderated by Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O'Brien, senior officials from Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, TekSavvy Solutions and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre scrimmaged over such other pressing subjects as software-based competition, low-income broadband subsidies, Wi-Fi-only services, unlimited broadband offerings, the future of the Broadcast and Telecom Acts and…
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THE ANNUAL CANADIAN MEDIA LEADERS panel at the 2017 Banff World Media Festival pivoted from the future of production, development, and broadcast screen-based content to the onslaught of streaming opportunities commanding the increased attention of domestic advertisers and viewers.
Those leaders included: Rick Brace, president of Rogers Media; Randy Lennox, president, Bell Media; John Brunton, chair and CEO of Insight Productions; Sally Catto, general manager, programming, CBC; and Barbara Williams, EVP and COO, Corus Entertainment.
Running throughout the discussion was a strong sentiment that non-Canadian OTT services should be paying their fair share of domestic taxes and other tithings for the…
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MONTREAL and TORONTO – Videotron has sold its AWS-1 spectrum licence in the Greater Toronto region to Rogers Communications for approximately $184 million, pursuant to the transfer option held by Videotron since 2013.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) approved the transfer on Friday, and Videotron parent Quebecor said the transaction is expected to close within the next few days.
The proceeds of the deal will assist in funding Videotron's ongoing network investment plans in Quebec and Eastern Ontario, continued Quebecor, which include an “aggressive” 4G network expansion and densification, an anticipated 5G network deployment and upgrades to its IP wireline…
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TORONTO—ISED Minister Navdeep Bains' clarion call Monday for the Canadian telecom industry to slash its wireless and broadband prices re-ignited a heated debate within the industry about the sector's direction.
That debate was on full display on the stage of the Canadian Telecom Summit here Tuesday evening. In a contentious 90-minute session moderated by Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O'Brien, senior officials from Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Telus, TekSavvy Solutions and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre tangled over the industry's current pricing policies and the response needed to the Liberal Government's populist push for lower consumer…
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TORONTO – Canadian communications providers have to become leaders in the debate about the importance of privacy and cyber security to educate consumers, an expert has told a telecom conference.
“They have to be much more vocal,” Ann Cavoukian (pictured), executive director of Ryerson University’s Privacy and Big Data Institute, said Monday at the annual Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto. “We’ve had a lot of conversations but we need much more to explain to the public: ‘This is your data. Telcos may have custody and control, but they don’t own your data. They don’t have right do what they want…
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Modernized OMNI on the way, too
TORONTO – Watch this (digital) space.
That's the word from Colette Watson, senior vice president of television and broadcast operations at Rogers Media, who told Cartt.ca on Tuesday the media player isn't done with the online TV space after it and Shaw’s failed bet on former streamer Shomi.
"We know we have to deliver content where viewers are. How that's packaged, how that's priced, how that's delivered, is still part of the plan, but we should have something to announce in the next few months," she said.
Watson gave no details on its latest over-the-top live TV…
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TORONTO – Headlined by three new Canadian titles, Rogers-owned City announced its fall and winter programming slate Tuesday, which also includes five new comedies and four new dramas.
New Canadian content includes the six-part series Bad Blood (pictured), a true crime story inspired by reputed Montreal mobster Vito Rizzuto; comedy series Fubar: The Age of the Computer, based on the beloved film franchise; and Louis XIV historical drama series Versailles.
Joining the fall lineup are sci-fi adventure comedy The Orville; Ghosted, which sees a skeptic and a paranormal believer team up to save the human race from aliens; Will Ferrell-produced commuter comedy LA…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media Sales unveiled two new deals for advertisers Tuesday that it says will expand reach and deliver “brand-safe premium-content environments”.
Rogers Media and The Weather Company are teaming up to provide weather information and content customized specifically for the Canadian market. With this agreement, The Weather Company will provide in-depth weather data and forecasts, as well as curated content, across Rogers Media properties. In turn, Rogers Media will provide locally relevant articles, photos, and video content across the Canadian versions of The Weather Channel app and weather.com.
The Weather Company and Rogers Media Sales will also work together to…
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