OTTAWA – Spending on tangible public benefits related to the acquisition of regulated Canadian broadcast television assets declined significantly to $108.8 million (all for English-language benefits initiatives) in the 2012-2013 broadcast year, according to new research from research and consulting firm Boon Dog Professional Services.
For the year ended August 31, 2013, spending on television benefits by various Canadian broadcasters dropped 39% ($68.3 million) from a record high of $177.1 million in 2011-2012. Of that $108.8 million, 76% ($82.7 million) went to on-screen/programming-related initiatives – primarily the creation of new Canadian programming – and the remaining 24% ($26.1 million) went…
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LOS ANGELES – Despite the increasingly powerful competitive threat posed by large Internet video providers like Netflix, some top cable executives believe that Netflix may start producing some benefits for them as well.
Speaking on an opening panel of the Cable Show here Tuesday, the optimistic MSO executives argued that Netflix may actually come to the aid of the cable industry now that a number of cable operators have struck peering or carriage deals with the online bide king. They seemed hopeful that these recent deals, such as last week's carriage agreements between Netflix and three…
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OTTAWA – Sun News has cracked the programming lineup at Bell.
The network said Wednesday that it has secured “a long-term spot” on Bell TV's basic satellite television and in Bell Fibe packages, and will also soon be available for the first time ever to Bell Aliant customers. Viewers can find Sun News Network on Bell Satellite TV on channel 506, on Bell Fibe channel 531 (or 1531 for HD) and on Bell Aliant channel 232.
The network said that the agreements follow a CRTC ruling in December “that told cable and satellite TV providers to treat all Canadian news channels…
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TORONTO – Alan Dark is leaving CBC’s Revenue Group to become vice president of national sales for Rogers Media, effective May 26.
In this newly-created role, Dark (pictured) will be responsible for implementing a compelling and differentiated go-to-market OneCall strategy to drive advertising revenue that leverages Rogers’ media assets and brands. Based in Toronto, he will also set the strategic direction for the national sales teams, including the five national agency teams, sports, and specialty.
Dark has more than 16 years of experience in broadcast and digital media sales, integrated media development, sales strategy, strategic planning, and business development, most recently…
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VANCOUVER – From restaurants and coffee shops to dry cleaners and yoga studios, Canadians can now earn points and redeem offers at local small businesses in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary thanks to the launch of Vicinity.
Vicinity, a Rogers Communications company, gives customers access to a single loyalty card that can be used to redeem offers and collect rewards across a network of participating small business locations. Customers may register for a Vicinity rewards loyalty card at any participating local business or online, and track their points through their online rewards profile or on the Vicinity mobile app available on Android and iPhone smartphones.
Small…
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TORONTO – Premium sports network beIN SPORT Canada has signed a national broadcast television deal with The National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC).
The three-year deal will include live NBL Canada games in HD on Thursday and Saturday nights starting with the 2014-15 season, plus additional coverage for playoffs and special events like the All Star Weekend. The NBLC was founded in 2011, and is Canada's only professional domestic basketball league. There are currently nine teams within two divisions: Central and Atlantic.
“Together with the NBL Canada, we share a vision to showcase premium Canadian sporting content to the Canadian audience”, said Slava Levin, co-founder…
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QUINCY, MA and PRINCETON, NJ – Cogeco Cable subsidiary Atlantic Broadband, as well as Grande Communications and RCN are the first U.S. cable providers to offer Netflix through the same set-top box used to watch live television.
The companies said Friday that the Netflix App will be fully integrated into their TiVo DVR service distributed by the three providers, meaning customers who subscribe to Netflix will be able to access the OTT service in addition to live TV, On Demand shows and other web content through one single device.
The partnership eliminates the complexity of multiple boxes, remote controls, input…
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THE CRTC IS EXPECTED TO launch its formal TV hearing process imminently. Much of the focus going into it has been on what Canadians want from their broadcasting system.
Without diminishing the importance of this, in all likelihood, Canadians will continue to want from the Canadian broadcasting system what they’ve always wanted.
To paraphrase Fred Sherratt, former COO of CHUM, from 15 to 20 years ago: “Canadians have more television than anyone else in the world. We get everything Americans get, plus Canadian content, at a lower price.”
Canadian television has delivered on this in spades for more than half a century,…
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TORONTO – Rogers president and CEO Guy Laurence, Shaw EVP and COO Jay Mehr, and MTS Allstream CEO Pierre Blouin are just three of the high level keynote speakers confirmed for the 2014 Canadian Telecom Summit which will take place June 16 – 18 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto.
Now in its 13th year, the Canadian Telecom Summit has grown to become Canada's most important annual telecommunications and IT event, attracting hundreds of attendees from around the world. This year’s event will feature over a dozen keynote addresses and more than 50 panelists.
In addition to the popular Regulatory…
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TORONTO – A pair of individual complaints do not a trend make, but it’s worth noting that two questions from the floor of the annual general meeting of Rogers Communications were from individual shareholders concerned about poor customer service (something that has been explored here).
It’s worth noting because very often at these meetings there are no questions from the floor at all, let alone ones that are direct complaints to management. One shareholder, who admitted he has switched his television service to a competitor, voiced an oft-heard complaint about channel deletions: that a specialty service…
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