LOS ANGELES – Since it went digital, the cable industry has been on a long, arduous search for a pair of improvements: a better remote control and an easier to use interactive program guide.
The on-screen grid guide and multi-buttoned remotes have gone about as far as they can in their ability to navigate the multichannel world. It’s a world not only with hundreds of linear TV channels but also thousands of video on demand titles (and in the case of Comcast, tens of thousands of titles).
Navigating through what’s on with a remote and the standard grid is not a customer-pleasing…
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LOS ANGELES – It was one of the more eclectic panels we’ve seen in a while at a gathering like this.
The final day’s opening general session at the NCTA’s Cable Show featured a couple of the usual suspects (Showtime CEO Matt Stone, Cablevision COO Tom Rutledge), but it also featured a disruptor (TiVo CEO Tom Rogers) a talent agent (William Morris CEO Ari Emanuel) and a newcomer (Twitter CEO Evan Williams).
While the session was entitled “Conversation 2.0, Community, Collaboration and the Future of Media”, the conversation turned to where just about every session’s conversation goes. Essentially: How do we…
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LOS ANGELES – The Canadian cable TV industry was out in force at the Los Angeles JW Marriott Tuesday night to honour industry pioneer JR Shaw, who was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame with five others.
Ted Rogers was the first Canadian inducted, back in 2002. Shaw joins an illustrious list of cable leaders, from Ted Turner and John Malone to Brian Roberts and Gerry Levin.
The rest of the 2010 class included Pennsylvania cable pioneer Yolanda Barco, retired Scientific Atlanta EVP Allen Ecker, Atlanta Braves CEO and former TBS CEO Terry McGuirk, Falcon Cable and Mapleton Investments’…
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TORONTO – Rogers has launched a new program aimed at keeping its customers connected should their devices become lost, stolen or broken.
The Rogers Handset Protection Guarantee program, which launched Tuesday, is available at no cost to Rogers’ wireless customers with an eligible device. The program, which the company says is a first in Canada, offers customers a discount toward repair or the choice of a $0 or subsidized replacement device on their first out-of-warranty occurrence.
"Our customers want to stay in touch with their friends and families any time, any place, any where," said Phil Hartling, SVP of the consumer segment, in…
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TORONTO – With the Apple iPad confirmed to launch in Canada on May 28, Rogers unveiled its two iPad data plans for customers.
The first plan offers 250 MB for $15 plus WiFi, while the second will provide 5 GB for $35 plus WiFi. Both data plans will be available without a term contract, and include free, unlimited access to all Rogers WiFi hot spots.
In a post on its company blog on Monday, Rogers said that the iPad will not be available on its Fido brand at launch.
www.rogers.com/iPad
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TORONTO – Rogers Media is partnering with the Canadian Women’s Foundation for the sixth consecutive year to raise funds for Shelter from the Storm, Canada’s largest national fundraising campaign dedicated to ending violence against women.
Rogers radio stations across Canada have donated airtime to promote the fundraiser, and six of the stations will be hosting a radiothon on May 5 and 6. Citytv is supporting the campaign through its local programs CityLine, Breakfast Television and CityNews at Six, while Rogers’ digital media group has also supported the campaign through on-line media across their key women’s brands including Chatelaine.com, Flare.com and…
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OTTAWA – It is often said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
And as the clock ticks down on the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, some of its soon-to-be former members have begun to look ahead to the future while keeping those lessons firmly in mind.
Bill Roberts, who was the first senior vice-president of television at the CAB as well as a former board member, said that he first expressed concern for the association’s future when the Specialty and Pay TV Association was folded in to the CAB in 2000.
“I was worried, I think…
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THE LEADERS OF SHAW Communications took a look at the media landscape around us and decided that if they’re going to be a player in the new always on, video on demand culture, one which is expanding by the second, they had better own some hit shows. Some good brands.
And Monday it announced a $2 billion deal to purchase the TV assets of Canwest Global outright – a move that will cement it as the leading media and distribution company in Canada. The prior deal Shaw announced earlier this year was to purchase just 20% of the company.
Rogers…
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TORONTO – International news channel Al Jazeera English took to the Canadian airwaves Tuesday on Bell TV, Rogers and Videotron.
Additionally, the channel announced plans to open its first Canadian bureau in Toronto next month, a move that it says “signifies the channel’s commitment to presenting Canadian news and perspective to a global audience”.
"We are extremely pleased that AJE’s groundbreaking news and programming is now available in Canada, one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world”, said AJE managing director Tony Burman, in a statement. “Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to travel throughout…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media president and CEO Tony Viner has announced his retirement.
Viner, 63, will stay with the company until a successor is named to ensure an orderly and seamless transition, the company said Tuesday. He joined Rogers in 1982 when the division consisted of only three radio stations.
"Tony has been a key part of our management team and has delivered solid results," said Nadir Mohamed, president and CEO of Rogers Communications, in a statement. "Our media division has dramatically expanded and thrived under his leadership so that today Rogers Media has many of the country’s premier media brands."
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