GATINEAU – If BCE is going to own CTV (and with it, French sports channel RDS) plus the piece of the Montreal Canadiens it currently holds, then there must be special rules put in place governing sports programming exclusives in Quebec, according to Quebecor Media CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau.
Péladeau was speaking in front of the CRTC this morning as the Commission’s hearing into the acquisition of CTV by BCE continued.
While first stating that the valuation BCE put on CTV is too low (the CRTC says it is worth $2.67 billion, BCE says $2.2 bil) and must be re-evaluated by…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media has beefed up the websites of two of its top radio stations, allowing them the ability to publish real-time content that can then be easily shared across listeners’ social networks.
98.1 CHFI in Toronto and SONiC 102.9 in Edmonton have re-launched their websites in a blog-style format designed to get listeners quickly and easily to the content that matters the most to them. Highlights include the ability to ‘listen live’, check the station’s recent play lists, buy songs, and share with friends and followers. The sites also include multimedia galleries, Twitter and Facebook posts, a proprietary…
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TORONTO and WINNIPEG – Rogers and MTS Allstream have confirmed that their joint HSPA + wireless voice and data network in Manitoba will launch on March 31st.
MTS said that it is investing more than $100 million in the new network to provide its urban and rural customers in the province with faster download speeds, access to a new lineup of smart phones and handsets, and extensive international roaming on compatible GSM and HSPA networks.
"All of us at MTS are incredibly excited about bringing this next generation of wireless service to our Manitoba customers, which will give them faster data speeds as…
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GATINEAU – While producers and others argued how and where the $220-million BCE/CTV benefits package should be spent, the two largest carriers without broadcast or specialty TV divisions warned the CRTC that something must be done to rein in the power a combined BCE/CTV will have.
While the Commission has long prohibited content exclusives on the TV side (CTV has to make Comedy Network available to all carriers and can’t sign an exclusive with any one or two), our exploding media world has all experimenting, looking for new business models and lines of revenue on new, unregulated, platforms.
Part of that…
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MONTREAL – At 6 a.m. Wednesday, Montrealers will wake up to a brand new TV station.
Well, technically, it’s still on channel 14, but as of today the station takes on a new name, look, and line-up.
“The new identity of Métro14 Montréal is based on what the station represents and its core target,” said Chris Fuoco, vice-president of sales and marketing of the station’s owner, Channel Zero. “It’s vibrant, it’s fresh, and it speaks many languages and addresses viewers from varying multi-cultural backgrounds.”
“The new programming schedule on Métro14 Montréal is unparalleled in the market,” added Romen Podzyhun, chairman and CEO,…
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TORONTO – Citytv is adding more local programs to its schedule in Toronto and Calgary starting this spring.
CityNews will return to weekends on Citytv in Toronto, and its anchors will be announced shortly before the program begins in March. Citytv in Calgary will debut a new, yet untitled, half-hour suppertime program Monday to Friday. The province-wide search for its new local host created a buzz in the industry that lead to Monday’s early announcement about the new program.
"Due to competitive reasons we can’t reveal too much about the show at this time, except that it will be hosted by a personality well-known…
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LOS GATOS, CA – Netflix has done so well since its launch in Canada four months ago that it is planning to expand in to a second international market later this year.
In a letter to shareholders earlier this week detailing the company’s Q4 financial results, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings described the company’s Canadian results as “excellent”, and predicted that the service will have between 750,000 and 900,000 Canadian subscribers by the end of March, 2011.
While Netflix declined to specifically break out the current number of Canadian customers, it did report 3.08 million new subscribers overall in its fourth…
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OTTAWA – BCE insists that it does not have to pay tangible benefits on its proposed acquisition of CTVglobemedia, noting requiring it to pay a second time is inconsistent with Commission policy.
In reply comments, the company argues that it paid a $230 million benefits package in 2000 when it first acquired CTV and despite the decision to sell an 85% stake in the broadcaster in 2006, it never relinquished control and therefore shouldn’t be required to pay again.
“If the Commission were to require that the same acquirer (BCE) pay tangible benefits on the same assets (CTV) on…
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TORONTO –CHCH has become the latest broadcaster to partner with pop culture news outlet andPOP.
Thornhill, ON-based andPOP tracks and covers entertainment news stories, music, and movie releases. With a website that reaches more than 150,000 unique monthly visitors, its programming is also available on XM Radio’s flagship show Laugh Attack, AUX TV’s Something New and via Rogers On Demand On-line.
“We continue to provide cutting-edge, top-quality content to our audience and partners this year,” said CEO Robert Ostfield, in Tuesday’s announcement. “A flagship program on XM Radio, a second season on AUX TV set to launch in February, and a new deal with…
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U.S. CABLE OPERATORS likely ended up generating a record US$5 billion in commercial services revenue in 2010, up 25% from $4 billion in 2009, according to the latest data (figures in US dollars).
What’s more, the three largest American MSOs all scaled the $1 billion threshold for business services revenue for the first time last year. In December, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications all indicated that they would easily clear the $1 billion mark for 2010.
Speaking at a Light Reading conference on cable business services in New York recently, Craig Collins, senior vice-president of services sales and marketing…
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