REGINA – Despite increased competition in the province, SaskTel ended 2013 with net income of $90.1 million and operating revenues of $1.2 billion, up $22.7 million from 2012.
But according to president and CEO Ron Styles, that amount could drop to $59.2 million next year due to unintended consequences of new federal regulations that encourage the presence of four wireless companies in all regions of the country. Styles is scheduled to meet with federal government officials this week to express concern over prices in provinces with four carriers, such as Saskatchewan, which he says are much lower than in provinces where…
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OTTAWA – CBC will eliminate the equivalent of 657 positions as part of $130 million in budget cuts over the next two fiscal years, the national broadcaster announced Thursday. It will also incur one-time severance costs of $33.5 million.
The cuts are necessary to balance its current budget, said president and CEO Hubert Lacroix, in a press release. He blamed the loss of the NHL, an industry-wide softening of the advertising market, disappointing schedule performance in key demographics on CBC Television, and lower-than-expected ad revenues from Espace musique and CBC Radio 2.
Lacroix also said that CBC and Radio-Canada will no…
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LOSING THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE rights (and revenues) will move from the realm of “what if” to real, tangible cuts which will be felt directly by many CBC staffers today (Thursday) when senior management hosts a series of town hall meetings to address the Corporation’s future.
We don’t know what, exactly, will happen but given the massive revenue hit the broadcaster will take next season – when it will still air games, but earn no revenue from hockey at all, while still being on the hook for Saturday night’s game productions – not to mention the very soft ad market…
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OTTAWA – Various parties continued to question the level to which Rogers Media will use its recently acquired NHL hockey content as a component of its Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) commitments at the company’s licence renewal hearing before the CRTC while Rogers said they need not worry.
The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), in its opening remarks on Wednesday fretted that Canadian content will suffer because Rogers will use the NHL to account for its CPE commitments, particularly if the Commission approves Rogers request to be treated under the group licensing framework (GLF).
“We have to wonder if hockey fans will…
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TORONTO – Reducing churn through much-improved customer service should be the top priority for newly minted Rogers Communications CEO Guy Laurence, according to a recent analysts report circulated on Bay Street.
“We believe improving customer service is an important strategic priority at Rogers, perhaps the most important priority,” wrote BMO Capital Markets telecom and media analyst Tim Casey. “Among the national wireless incumbents, Rogers’ operating metrics have been underwhelming. Specifically, it has the highest churn rates and a declining ARPU profile. Combined, they translate to deteriorating customer lifetime revenues and value at Rogers. We expect new CEO Guy Laurence will…
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ROGERS MEDIA SPENT MUCH of Tuesday playing defence during its licence renewal hearings before the CRTC, deflecting criticism over the company’s desire to have its hockey broadcasts considered programming of national interest (PNI), or be part of the company’s Canadian programming expenditures (CPE).
CRTC vice-chair of broadcasting Tom Pentefountas took the first shot by questioning whether hockey programming should be included in Canadian content or PNI commitments. After a series of questions on whether this type of sports programming needs regulatory help from the commission, he wondered why hockey should account for CPE or fall under PNI programming.
Keith Pelley, president…
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YET ANOTHER FEDERAL government digital/new media announcement was made on Friday that offers hundreds of millions of dollars to connect the 280,000 Canadians without broadband access because of where they live while remaining silent on the million or so who have broadband already at their doorsteps but who aren’t connected because they can’t afford it.
Yes of course it is important to connect rural Canada, but there has long been – and continues to be – many government programs to help that along. That’s despite the face that private companies such as the numerous independent phone…
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AN INTERESTING DECEMBER 2012 paper from the Australian Government's Department of Finance and Deregulation, Offices of Best Practices Regulation entitled "Influencing Consumer Behaviour: Improving Regulatory Design" is an instructive piece of research when viewed through the lens of our own TV business.
The paper explores two broad frameworks that influence consumer behaviour – Rational Choice theory and Behavioural Economics. Rational Choice theory holds that consumers maximize utility subject to their budgetary limitations. Behavioural Economics assumes choice is affected by social, economic, emotional and other factors. Examples from the health, finance and other sectors are used to…
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TORONTO – Next week’s first-ever CommTech East Show has more than 600 vendors and attendees already registered, and only four exhibitor booth spaces remaining, say organizers.
Scheduled for April 15 and 16, 2014 at the Mississauga Convention Centre, registration is on-going. The event has over 25 sessions scheduled, including topics such as:
– If FTTH is the Future, What Happens Before Then?;
– LTE Interference on Broadband Cable TV Services;
– Damage Prevention by the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance;
– Why Batteries Fail – Backup Battery System Testing and Maintenance; and
– Wireless Interference 101.
The exhibitor forum will showcase over 2,000 products and…
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THE RECENT SPORTS CONTENT AND SPECTRUM acquisitions made by Rogers Communications falls squarely into the category of “they had better be right”.
Adding up the $3.3 billion it paid for 700 MHz spectrum in the just-finished auction, last fall’s $5.2 billion NHL rights deal and the $650 million for its portion of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment in 2012, that’s nearly $9.2 billion spent or committed in less than 24 months – largely due to the belief that delivering live sports (especially hockey and baseball) to any and every electronic device, any and everywhere in Canada, is the key to…
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