TORONTO – Rogers Sportsnet has rolled out an app for the new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that it describes as hockey fans’ “ultimate digital companion”.
The Hockeycentral App, available now at BlackBerry App World, provides scores, stats and breaking news from the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“As a frontrunner in the digital world, Rogers Sportsnet is always looking to better engage our hockey fans more closely with the game”, said Scott Moore, president of Rogers Broadcasting, in the press release. “Our Hockeycentral App for the BlackBerry PlayBook will enhance the viewer’s experience with a premiere resource for NHL news, stats and informative opinions…
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TORONTO – RTNDA Canada, The Association of Electronic Journalists, has named its British Columbia region award winners honouring the best programs, stations and newsgathering organizations in both radio and television.
The annual awards will be presented in Vancouver on May 28, 2011.
The Television winners are:
Trina McQueen Award – News Information Program• CTV British Columbia for Black Blood
Charlie Edwards Award – Spot News• /A\ Vancouver Island for Migrant Ship Approaches
Hugh Haugland Award – Creative Use of Video• CTV British Columbia for Irish Pride
Ron Laidlaw Award – Continuing Coverage• Global BC for Surrey Six
Dave…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given its thumbs up to a new TV service provider that wants to serve the greater Toronto area plus Kitchener-Waterloo.
The Commission announced Tuesday that 2251723 Ontario Inc. has received Class 1 terrestrial BDU status through August 31, 2017. The company is wholly owned by Content Media Rights Inc. and equally controlled by Alexei Tchernobrivets, Vadim Sloutsky and Ivan Smirnov.
After some prompting from incumbent Rogers, the applicant confirmed that it would comply with all requirements relating to distribution and linkage, priority carriage and access, as well as distribute all ‘must-carry’ services and over-the-air priority signals.
No…
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GATINEAU – There were some pretty big surprises as Canada’s large broadcast groups took the stand one last time during the CRTC’s group licensing proceeding in Gatineau last week.
While it should come as no shock that Bell Media maintained its position on symmetrical regulation of Canadian content spending requirements – 30% on Canadian production expenditure (CPE) and 5% programs of national interest (PNI) – Rogers Media shocked commissioners when it asked to be excluded from the group licensing regime.
For Bell, complying with the new group licensing approach is simple: all large broadcast groups should follow the same…
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OTTAWA – The country’s free cell phone recycling program is encouraging Canadians to recycle their old cell phones and accessories during Earth Week 2011 via its free ‘Recycle My Cell’ program.
Run by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) in conjunction with cell phone carriers and handset manufacturers, the goal of the program is to keep handsets and accessories from entering Canada’s landfills. Proceeds from the recycled devices are donated to charity, and close to $1 million has been raised since the program launched two years ago.
A visit to the bilingual website allows consumers to enter their postal code to locate the…
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MONTREAL – Not surprisingly, Quebecor-owned Videotron was the first TV service provider to trumpet the arrival of the Sun News Network, also owned by Quebecor, which launched nationally Monday afternoon.
Canada’s newest all-news channel, a re-brand of the over-the-air Sun TV in Ontario and simltaneously a digital specialty channel elsewhere, “is poised to shake up the Canadian news media landscape”, according to Videotron’s news release. With a mixture of “hard news” by day and “straight talk” by night, the network features talent such as Charles Adler, Ezra Levant, Theo Caldwell, Brian Lilley, Krista Erickson, Pat Bolland, Alex Pierson and David Akin.
“The network is…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media has overhauled the websites of its two newest radio stations, re-building them in blog style format designed to connect listeners quickly and easily to the content that matters the most to them.
91.7 The Bounce in Edmonton and 102.3 BOB FM in London, which Rogers purchased last June, now stream live on-line, plus allow listeners to check out the station’s recent playlists and morning shows, buy songs, and share content with friends and followers. The websites also feature multimedia galleries, Twitter and Facebook posts, a proprietary loyalty club and contest sections.
"91.7 The Bounce in Edmonton and…
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OTTAWA – The country’s television broadcasters may be a little more worried about the threat from foreign over-the-top (OTT) services than they have let on.
A group of some 35 senior private sector executives from the country’s distribution, telecommunications, broadcasting, production and creative sectors have formed a loose coalition called Over-The-Top Services Working Group to counter, or at least mitigate, the impact that these services could have on their traditional media businesses.
Founded by Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), the group counts industry heavyweights like Bell and Rogers amongst its members. And it has been meeting quietly over the last few…
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NEW YORK – Rogers Ventures, the venture capital arm of Rogers Communications, is investing in mobile payment provider Payfone.
The New-York based company announced the closing of its $19 million strategic funding round, which includes new investments from American Express, and Verizon, as well as from existing investors Opus Capital, BlackBerry Partners Fund and RRE Ventures. Payfone said that its new funds will be used to “continue innovations in its market approach and to support its global expansion across North America, EMEA, Latin America and Asia”.
"Strategic investment from major operator players like Verizon Investments Inc. and Rogers Ventures, as well…
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THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 15, marks two important deadlines for CTAM Canada members.
It is last day to RSVP for the annual CTAM night all the ballgame, where members can cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays as they take on the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. A presentation by Rovi chief evangelist, Richard Bullwinkle, will begin at 5:45 and the game begins at 7:07 pm.
The event is free to CTAM members. Please reserve your ticket by registering with Andrea Baxter at abaxter@ccsa.cable.ca or (506) 849-1334, Ext. 212.
And don’t miss your chance to register for the next Canadian…
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