VANCOUVER – The world’s first gay TV network, OUTtv promises its “most exciting fall programming lineup in its history” has something for everyone. The network is also launching in HD on Rogers and Cogeco (Rogers channel 600 and Cogeco channel 899). OUTtv began broadcasting in HD in July of this year, rolling out across the Eastlink systems.
“We are delighted that Rogers and Cogeco have been so quick to get our HD offering into their lineup. These additions come with packaging changes significantly increases our overall market penetration in Ontario and the GTA. This could…
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TORONTO – It’s unlikely a foreign player, like a Softbank, would enter the Canadian market and “roll up” Wind, Mobilicity and Public Mobile to take on the incumbents says a Scotia Capital analyst.
“Even if they were combined, do not have the same potential combined spectrum position like S/CLWR (Softbank, Clearwire). The Canadian "challengers" would have to still acquire more spectrum licenses in the “700 MHz auction in 2013 and the 2.5 GHz auction in 2014 to compete against the incumbents Rogers, Telus and BCE,” writes Jeff Fan in the October 15 edition of…
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TORONTO – Score Media Inc. has announced that its shareholders have unanimously voted to approve Rogers Media’s $167 million takeover bid.
“We are delighted our shareholders share the view of the executive team and the board of directors that this agreement with Rogers Media is in the best interests of all parties. We now look forward to securing final approval from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and completing the Arrangement,” said John Levy, CEO of Score Media in a statement.
Under the deal, shareholders of Score Media will receive, for each share…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC said Thursday that Corus Entertainment's OWN and G4techTV (co-owned by Rogers Communications with minority owner Comcast Corporation) specialty channels are not complying with their licenses and must tell the CRTC why those licenses shouldn't be revoked or suspended. The hearing is set for December 11 in Gatineau, Quebec.
As analyzed by Cartt.ca in August, Corus had filed an application to change OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network which began life in 1999 as Canadian Learning Television) from a Category A service to a Category B service and to drop its educational…
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TORONTO – Telus says it’s the first “premium” Canadian carrier to scrap its $35 activation fee, it will also eliminate the $25 equipment exchange for renewing customers.
In a bid to differentiate itself from Rogers and Bell, the telecom says the move reflects its focus of placing “customers first and being fair and transparent,” by becoming the first “established brand” to eliminate activation fees.
The move is part of Telus’ “clear and simple pricing initiatives,” to help customers understand when they are paying for “tangible products or value-added services,” it stated in a news…
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TORONTO – As part of its major re-launch, specialty channel GameTV has announced a number of new executive appointments. To support the re-launch the channel has also unveiled a trade media campaign this week, with a consumer campaign planned for October 29th. The channel, owned by Insight Sports, launched in 2005 as Casino & Gaming Television. It was renamed GameTV in 2007 and is now available in 9 million households across Canada.
“We have assembled this stellar team to lead the re-launch of the GameTV brand across all aspects of the channel from sales and marketing…
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MY FIRST MEETING WITH SHAW Communications president Peter Bissonnette in the winter of 1998 seems like a lifetime ago. It was in Richmond Hill, then the home base of Shaw’s substantial Ontario cable operations. I think it was February.
This was before Bissonnette was even president of the company. Before Shaw and Rogers traded their Ontario and British Columbia cable systems to each other. Before Izzy Asper and JR Shaw split up WIC (Western International Communications). Before the Shaw family spun its media assets into Corus Entertainment. Before a Jean Monty-led BCE bought CTV the first time, claiming – a…
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GATINEAU – A monthly per subscriber compensation regime proposed by CBC/Radio-Canada is being panned by its private sector opponents while the corporation’s foray into the digital arena is also being questioned by interveners to its licence renewal.
In its application, CBC said that it needs to be compensated for its signals because the broadcast distribution undertakings (cable, satellite and telco TV companies) are free riding and making money off the back of the corporation’s content. In essence, the public broadcaster is seeking a value for signal, or fee-for-carriage, regime. (The CRTC’s authority to implement such a model was Continue Reading
TORONTO – Ad sales and marketing veteran Jack Tomik has jumped from the CBC to join Rogers Media. Tomik will fill the newly-created position of Chief Sales Officer effective November 1. Rogers also promoted Dale Hooper to Senior Vice-President, Marketing & Consumer Insights. Both Tomik and Hooper will report to Keith Pelley, President of Rogers Media Inc., and serve as key members of Rogers Media’s Senior leadership team.
“Jack’s time at CBC has covered an eventful period in our history, and throughout, his talents and experience have helped us to meet many financial challenges and positioned…
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OTTAWA – Rogers Communications bid to extend Citytv into the Maritimes through simultaneous substitution of the broadcast feeds from bordering U.S. stations has been denied by the CRTC.
Bell Media, the CBC and several individuals argued that the proposal does not adhere to the simultaneous substitution policy, which grants simultaneous substitution privileges to only local and regional stations. The group also contended approval of the application would grant Rogers the benefits of having a local station in Atlantic Canada without investments in service to the region. The CBC added that Rogers had not substantiated its claim…
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