TORONTO – They’ll probably crack eventually, but so far, the big four of Canadian video distribution, Shaw Communications, Rogers Communications, Bell TV and Videotron have resisted adding the new TSN2 to their channel lineups.
As usual, it’s a fight over money (that and to a lesser extent, packaging and capacity).
TSN2 was the “alternate feed” of the main TSN network, a sometimes on, sometimes off, dumping ground that the sports network used when it had conflicts with two live events. Most of the carriers had it somewhere on the dial and didn’t mind making space for that channel since…
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TORONTO – The opportunity for growth on the data side of the wireless business is huge, says Rogers Communications president and COO Nadir Mohamed.
While overall wireless penetration is headed to 70% in Canada in the not-too-distant future, growth in data is just beginning, he told a BMO Capital Markets telecom and media conference on Tuesday.
“Data is fairly new in terms of where we’re at in the country,” he said. “We’re the leaders, where let’s say that 15% of our revenue comes from data but we think there’s a ton of opportunity.
“If you look at the wired…
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TORONTO – Sportsnet.ca today announced its web site is optimized for use with the iPhone 3G and iPod touch.
The mobile site offers users access to a wealth of sports information including customized real-time scores, stats, standings and breaking news for all the sports they follow.
"Sportsnet.ca mobile connects iPhone 3G and iPod touch users with the latest sports news wherever they are," said David Ballingall, vice-president, marketing, Rogers Sportsnet and general manager, sportsnet.ca. "Sports fans are demanding more and more content while they’re on-the-go and this iPhone 3G exclusive site will cater to those demands."
By visiting sportsnet.ca on…
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EXTON Pa. and TORONTO – The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers made official today a brand-new annual professional development opportunity – the SCTE Canadian Summit.
The event is set to debut Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 3-4, 2009, in Toronto.
SCTE Canadian Summit 2009 “is designed to facilitate an exchange of technical information for Canadian engineering professionals to help them maximize opportunities and overcome challenges specific to the cable telecommunications industry in Canada both now and in the near future.”
Cartt.ca has signed on to be the media partner of the event.
The first year of the Summit will feature…
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VANCOUVER – S-VOX officially named the senior management team of Christian broadcast station Joytv 10, which launched Sept. 1 in Vancouver, B.C.
Before S-VOX bought it earlier this year, the broadcaster was a Rogers OMNI station and prior to that was an independent broadcaster called NowTV. Rogers had to commit to the CRTC to sell the Christian station when it acquired Citytv from CTVglobemedia in 2007. It’s always been a religious station.
And, since Rogers purchase of Vancouver’s Channel M last year, OMNI in Vancouver is now a multicultural station.
Amid the changes, Terry Mahoney remains. Mahoney,…
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CALGARY and EDMONTON – Rogers Media confirmed today the launch of OMNI Television in Alberta will happen this month.
The two stations, OMNI Calgary and OMNI Edmonton, are the province’s first over-the-air multilingual/multicultural television stations and will sign on in Calgary and Edmonton at 6 a.m. MT, Monday, September 15th.
OMNI Calgary (CJCO) will air on cable channel 4; over-the-air on channel 38. OMNI Edmonton (CJEO) will air on cable channel 11; over-the-air on channel 56.
"We’re clearly happy to be pioneering language television in two previously underserved areas at the same time," said regional vice-president of television for…
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TORONTO – CRTC vice-chairman, broadcasting, Michel Arpin, will be the keynote speaker at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) Awards luncheon in Toronto.
At the event, the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to former CHUM Limited, vice-chair and CEO – and broadcasting pioneer Fred Sherratt.
“We are thrilled that Mr. Arpin has agreed to be our keynote speaker. Prior to becoming vice-chair of the CRTC Mr. Arpin has had a distinguished career in broadcasting and so has valuable firsthand knowledge of the significant issues and challenges facing our radio and television members. We very much look forward…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media Television will officially take over OLN as of August 31st, 2008. This follows the purchase of the specialty channel which took place August 1st, 2008.
As previously reported by Cartt.ca, Rogers had owned a third of the channel, with the rest owned by CTVglobemedia and Comcast. Rogers agreed to buy out the other partners in 2007.
"We are thrilled to welcome OLN into our broadcast family and are pleased to be able to reach more viewers with the exciting and innovative programming OLN has to offer" Alain Strati, vice-president, specialty TV and development, Rogers Media…
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OTTAWA – Hockey fights do not contravene the Canadian Association of Broadcasters code of ethics, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council said today.
In a decision released today, the CBSC found that Rogers Sportsnet’s showing hockey fights in its game highlights does not promote or exploit violence.
On the February 7, 2008 edition about which a viewer complained, the program provided clips of fights between players, among other highlights of goals and game action.
The viewer said showing the brouhahas “exploits violent action outside activity of the sport” and should not be broadcast during the day. Sportsnet explained that fighting…
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TORONTO – Rogers multicultural broadcaster, OMNI Television, is unveiling new station-wide scheduling for its popular Chinese Super Cinema series starting Saturday, September 20th.
Chinese Super Cinema will present its latest season of "HK" movies to an audience of established and soon-to-be fans alike.
“Chinese Super Cinema offers a subtitled genre that reaches across culture and generation each week,” said Madeline Ziniak, national vice-president of OMNI, in a press release. “Ontario viewers have hugely demonstrated their loyalty for the series and we anticipate viewership will skyrocket when we introduce Chinese Super Cinema to an additional two million households.”
Chinese Super…
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