TORONTO – Rogers Sportsnet has added former TV and NHL executive John Shannon to its Hockeycentral panel.
“We have a credible ‘hockey man’, whose passion for the sport and access to the decision makers shall prove invaluable,” said VP of content Dave Akande, in the announcement. “We are confident that we have found another insider to join our Hockeycentral panel and ensure that we continue to be the destination for NHL information and opinion.”
Shannon will bring his expertise in the game after more than 30 years of overseeing the television production of regional and national NHL hockey games, including the…
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TORONTO – A “challenging” fourth quarter contributed to a shortfall of -12.7 % in national radio sales for the 2009 broadcast year, says Canadian Broadcast Sales (CBS).
Q4 was down -25.2% year-over-year, with weakness in the financial services sector (-61%), the alcohol beverages category (-47.8 %) and automotive (-40.5%).
“Radio hasn’t experienced a decrease in revenue since the months immediately after September 11th, 2001, and even that downturn was less than half of Q4’s minus 25.2%,” said CBS president Patrick Grierson, in the press release. “Last September and October represented the peak of a six year run of year-over-year increases. November…
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TORONTO – Primus has signed a deal with Rogers Wireless that will see its serviceable footprint increase to 94% of Canada by spring 2010.
Under the new agreement, Primus will offer customers enhanced voice and text packages, expanded wireless data functionality, including smart phones, plus features such as picture messaging, web browsing and ring tone alternatives.
"Primus is constantly striving to provide its customers with enhanced telecommunications services and the utmost in quality and service," said Rob Warden, VP of residential marketing and sales, in a statement. "Our expanded wireless offering meets our mobile customers’ needs and is a direct reflection of…
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TORONTO – Can local television news be profitable? Or is it a public service that should be funded as such?
These were just two of the many questions that were debated at a panel discussion Tuesday evening that examined the role and the state of local television news in Canada, hosted by the Canadian chapter of the Radio and Television News Directors Association at Ryerson University.
CHCH TV news director Mike Katrycz spoke about his station’s move to air back-to-back news shows with a local focus throughout the day, a format change that came about after the station was purchased by Channel Zero…
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TORONTO – Rogers Sportsnet has overhauled its website to be more user and advertiser friendly.
The new sportsnet.ca now features widescreen format video (16:9), personalized headlines and improved stats and fantasy tools. This, in turn, will allow advertisers greater opportunities such as “massive” takeover ads, TV sized video pre-roll and integrated multi-platform sponsorship opportunities, the company said in a press release.
www.sportnet.ca
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NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE – You come to a gathering of industry folks and, well, you hear things. Here are a couple of items of note…
**********We’ve been reporting on Rogers Communications planned broadband portal for the better part of a year now and apparently, it is about to come to fruition, with several industry programming sources reporting that November is the launch month.
**********Insight Sports’ World Fishing Network is nearing some big things, Stateside. It is just about to announce carriage on a major American MSO and it will soon open a Denver office, with their affiliate point man Sean…
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TORONTO – In advance of its official television launch, the AUX music channel will stage a live webcast later this week to preview its new programming and on-air hosts.
The webcast will be broadcast on Wednesday, September 23 at 6:30 PM ET at www.aux.tv, and feature a performance by Canadian indie rockers Moneen.
AUX music television says it will be devoted entirely to music and music culture. It debuts October 1st on Rogers Cable channel 107.
www.aux.tv
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TORONTO – Canada may not be the “ideal” mobile nation, but we’ve come a long way in the last two years, technology consultant and blogger Tom Purves told mobile developers at the FITC Mobile conference in Toronto.
The mobile industry in Canada has seen “something like progress” since 2007 he said, and while mobile penetration and affordability are still low, Purves said the availability of “leading” devices and network speed have helped to increase Canada’s international profile.
“In April 2007, Canada had some of the worst data rates in the world”, Purves said in his standing-room only presentation. “And it…
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NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. – While the future of high speed data for cable operators is DOCSIS 3.0 and whatever comes after that, it may not yet be necessary to dive into that cost and upgrade for most CCSA members.
Thanks to an ever-increasing array of new bandwidth-hungry applications (to say nothing of the oldest, biggest, app, analog television), all network operators are finding network management a challenge.
So this morning, Chris Lammers, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Cable Television Laboratories, the cable industry’s R&D consortium, told delegates at Connect 2009, the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance annual conference, a bit about…
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GATINEAU – Rogers Cable has been subjecting new pay TV service Super Channel to “an undue disadvantage” in its marketing, the CRTC ruled this morning.
Contrary to section 9 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, which say all channels have to be treated equally, the Commission has directed Rogers to file, by October 19th, written documentation “setting out the steps it will take to ensure that, in future, its marketing of Super Channel does not result in the service being subjected to an undue disadvantage,” reads the decision.
The Regulator, however, said there was insufficient evidence to establish that Rogers has…
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