OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for broadcast licence renewal applications from the country’s big English- and French-language ownership groups for their services that have licences set to expire in 2017.
The Commission said Monday that it has sent customized letters to Bell, Corus, Quebecor, Rogers, Shaw and Remstar, given that there is no licence renewal application form for television services owned by large ownership groups. Licensees are required to respond to questions set out in the letter, and the questions and responses provided will comprise the application.
The renewal applications must be submitted prior April 4 unless otherwise required or authorized. …
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TORONTO – CTAM Canada has tweaked its mission statement and membership rules to open the door to employees of satellite and IPTV companies operating in the CRTC-regulated television environment.
The organization, which was geared to cable companies, content providers, and others who supply products and services to the cable industry, said that the changes “will provide increased focus to the industry organization's education and research initiatives and result in a more inclusive space in the advancement of industry solutions and best practices”.
It’s new mission statement reads:
CTAM Canada is the television industry association focusing on the advancement of content distribution across…
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OTTAWA – Middle-aged media execs are usually investors in Vice Media, not managers
So it caused quite a stir when Shane Smith's fast-growing digital powerhouse recently lured David Purdy away from cable giant Rogers Communications to help grow its edgier Vice Media business worldwide as chief international growth officer.
Even Purdy (pictured) shares the surprise, given Vice's production focus on millennials. "My first day at Vice, I came into the room and counted 14 tuques. And I'm the only bald guy in the room, the only guy who should have a tuque on," he recalled during an informal keynote at the…
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OTTAWA – Television stations are allowed to report on the activities of other divisions owned by the same parent company, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has ruled.
The CBSC received two complaints alleging conflict of interest in two separate reports that aired in May and June 2015. The first concerned a Global Ontario report about the online video streaming service shomi, which is partially owned by Global parent Shaw, along with Rogers. The report informed viewers that shomi would soon be available to anyone wishing to subscribe to it, rather than only to Shaw and Rogers television service customers…
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GATINEAU – A new fund or reallocated money dedicated to supporting local news, would do little to provide a long-term solution to the financial situation facing local TV, Shaw Communications and Telus told the CRTC on Tuesday.
Telus noted in its opening remarks that any funding for local conventional stations to subsidize their news productions shouldn’t come at the expense of community TV and the diversity it provides to the system. As well, “subsidizing the commercial business models of traditional television stations will not incent the innovation required of these stations to provide sustainable programming opportunities in the long run,”…
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VANCOUVER – Vancouver’s NEWS 1130 is gearing up to celebrate 20 years as that city’s only all-news station.
After joining the airwaves in February 1996, the Rogers-owned station continues to be the Lower Mainland’s go-to source for breaking news, traffic, weather, and sports.
Beginning Friday, February 5, the station will kick off a month-long celebration that will include a walk down memory lane as on-air hosts dive into the biggest stories of the past 20 years and welcome former hosts, staff, and special guests in-studio to share their favourite memories. The NEWS 1130 Insider Club will also be giving away gift…
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GATINEAU – The industry needs increased levels of funding for access programming said executives from MTS, who appeared before the CRTC’s local and community TV hearing on Monday. The company has proposed that the more access programming BDUs carry on their community TV channels, the more money they should get.
In opening remarks, Paul Norris, VP of residential solutions at MTS, noted viewers want to see local programming that goes beyond news and that access programming is important for locally reflective expression.
“Access programming fulfills a unique role that is not available from conventional broadcasters or from social media…
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TORONTO – Rogers NHL GameCentre Live is offering hockey fans a redesigned user interface, an improved video experience, and personalization options that put the focus on the user’s favourite team.
The changes come as a result of a new five-year partnership between Rogers and Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and technology company of Major League Baseball.
Rogers said Monday that transitioning to the new version of the app will be seamless on all platforms, simply requiring existing users to sign back in with their MyRogers login, or “restore purchase” if their subscription was purchased in-app. There are…
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TORONTO – Rogers and Shaw's streaming service shomi is now available on the PlayStation4 (PS4) system.
The PS4 system streams from the shomi app, allowing viewers to receive HD quality content on their TV screens.
“Members have been asking for shomi on the PS4 system since we launched, and I’m thrilled we are now able to provide our service on this platform,” said shomi’s director of product management Ann Tebo, in the news release. “With the addition of the PS4 system there are now four Internet-connected ways for members to get great shomi content on their TV screen.”
www.shomi.com
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GATINEAU – Many parties to the CRTC’s local and community TV consultation have proposed funding approaches (each with their own acronyms we’re having trouble keep track of) which could financially support these struggling services. Rogers Communications Inc. has now joined them, unveiling its own approach to a local programming fund.
In its appearance before the Commission on Thursday, the media and communications giant argued while it still prefers its original proposal calling for greater flexibility to move local programming funds from larger to smaller markets, it offered up another model that it says is workable and would provide financial benefits…
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