TORONTO – Rogers Communications reports it has acquired 11,162,084 Class A subordinate voting shares of theScore, Inc. (Score Digital), initially announced on August 25, 2012 for $167 million.
Rogers says it acquired the Class A subordinate voting shares of Score Digital for investment purposes. The company says it has no current intention of acquiring ownership of or control or direction over any additional shares of Score Digital. But it reserves the right to acquire additional shares of Score Digital, to sell all or any portion of its holding of such shares or to enter into derivative or other…
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THE ASTONISHED FEEDBACK came fast and furious late Thursday as people tried to give voice to their feelings on the Commission decision to deny Bell Canada’s $3.4 billon purchase of Astral Media.
******************** “Like most observers, we had expected conditional approval,” said analyst Dvai Ghose of Canaccord Genuity in a note to clients. “This could also have implications for other potential media transactions such as Shaw-Corus, although in that case both entities are already controlled by the Shaw family. We also believe that the speculation of a Corus bid for Astral could rise and could be more palatable for regulators.
“While…
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TORONTO – A new strategic alliance with Microsoft will enable Rogers subscribers to connect their Windows Phone 8 devices to a growing ecosystem where they can readily communicate with all the screens in their household says Rob Bruce, President, Rogers Communications. He believes the alliance will enable Rogers to “attract more high-valued customers” by leveraging the features of Microsoft’s Windows 8 platform.
The announcement today makes Rogers the exclusive Canadian provider of the Nokia Lumia 920, Windows Phone 8X by HTC (8GB) and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC tablet. Rogers will also retail the…
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TORONTO – Edison Research's Sean Ross will address delegates at Connection 2012 says The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB). As Vice President of Music and Programming for Edison Research, Ross will present findings of recent research, entitled Radio’s Progress in the Digital Ad Space. He will share the study conducted with principals, account managers, planners and buyers at digital and general agencies, which analyzed perceptions and attitudes about radio. The study reveals participants’ feelings about, and interactions with, the digital offerings of AM/FM Radio companies as well as those with pure-play Internet radio companies.
Ross a 30-year…
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WINNIPEG – Beginning October 20, 2012, 10-digit dialing will become mandatory for all local calls in Manitoba which brings the three-month transition period to an end, and on November 3, 2012, the new area code 431 will be introduced in the province.
Since July, local calls made using seven digits were interrupted by a recorded announcement before the call went through. As of this Saturday, local calls will no longer be completed without first dialing the 204 area code. The Telecommunications Alliance (members include MTS, Rogers, TELUS, Bell and Westman…
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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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