OTTAWA – It will take three weeks to plough through the various issues to be presented by 74 intervenors who wish to speak during the CRTC hearing into the policies governing specialty channels and broadcast distribution undertakings in Canada.
Beginning on April 8th with Rogers Communications, commission staff has estimated it will take until April 28th to get to Lee Weston, the final intervenor (who has community TV on his mind) listed on the lineup released Friday.
The Regulator also released some preliminary financial data on the sector to help people prepare.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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WE ALL LOVE TO BE THE FIRST to declare something cool, or buzz-worthy. It’s fun and exciting to be the first to find something neat-o and let people know about it. Conversely, though, we humans also sometimes revel in declaring that when things that aren’t cool, aren’t on the hot lists, and that they are in fact, dead.
For many new media true believers, radio is part of the old media world, harkening back to the days when people submitted to the hierarchy and let others decide for them what they will listen to, what music is new and…
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OTTAWA – Bell Mobility, SaskTel and Rogers Communications were on the list of applicants intending to participate in the auction for Advanced Wireless Services that was released Friday by Industry Canada.
Earlier in the week, Shaw Communications, Quebecor Media, Eastlink and a consortium that includes Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS Allstream) indicated they would also be participating.
Shaw appears to have applied under the numbered company 1380057 Alberta Ltd, as it announced Friday that it had filed a $400 million financial deposit with Industry Canada in connection with the auction. That is the same amount listed by 1380057 Alberta…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC put on the public record Friday a slew of applications for new radio stations in Ottawa-Gatineau, along with several new TV proposals (Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing 2008-1).
Telelatino Network is looking for Category 2 digital TV licences for four new stations, while Rogers Broadcasting is seeking to operate a national English-language digital TV station devoted to baseball, called appropriately Baseball TV.
Among the 11 applications for radio licences in the Ottawa-Gatineau area are: Reel-Radio for a French-language campus radio station, Fiston Kalambay for a French-language Christian music service, Corus Radio Company for an English-language…
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PRINCE RUPERT, BC – Rogers Wireless has launched advanced wireless services over its Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication network in Prince Rupert, BC to service the city and Northern Canada.
“I appreciate Rogers’ support of our efforts to invest in the future of Northern B.C. with its multi-million dollar network expansion which will bring wireless service to Prince Rupert and other towns in the area,” said BC Premier Gordon Campbell.
Rogers said it has invested over $10 million in the service. Rogers Wireless GSM network coverage is now available in Prince Rupert and Terrace, with expansion to Prince…
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ST CATHARINES – Robert C. (Bob) Short, the founding president of the Canadian Cable Television Association, died last weekend. He was 82.
After years in the electrical equipment supply industry, rising to president of Edwards Company, Short was hired as the first full-time president of the CCTA in 1970. Later, he also served as vice-president of Canada Wire and Cable, the first president of Cancom and deputy chairman of CUC Broadcasting (which many will recall as Trillium Cable).
Short fought some of cable’s first battles during his five-year stint heading the association, such as helping win the rights to…
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TORONTO – CTVglobemedia announced this afternoon that John Gossling, 42, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of CTVglobemedia, effective April 7, 2008.
He replaces Robin Fillingham, 63, who is retiring. “This afternoon CTVgm’s board unanimously congratulated Robin for his 37 years of distinguished and exemplary service to the company. Mr. Fillingham will serve as a consultant to Mr. Gossling during the transition period,” says the CTV press release.
Gossling was most recently vice-president, financial operations at Rogers Communications Inc. From 2000 to 2005, he served as the senior vice-president and CFO of Rogers Wireless. From 1985 to 2000, Gossling…
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TORONTO – Gord Cutler and Don Young have been named executive producers, features for the CTV-Rogers’ coverage of the 2010/2012 Olympic Games in Vancouver and London.
Reporting to Rick Chisholm, EVP broadcasting for the CTV/Rogers Olympic consortium, Cutler will handle planning and programming of the pre-Olympic and Olympic coverage, including live event, studio and taped production for both the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games on CTV and Rogers.
“I have had the opportunity to watch Gord’s development in sports television production from the very beginning. Over the years, he has developed into…
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TORONTO – Leave it to Ted Rogers to take a shot at his competition while complaining about regulation – in the same sentence.
During Friday’s conference call with financial analysts, the Rogers Communications founder bemoaned the new rules announced in November by Industry Minister Jim Prentice surrounding the wireless spectrum auction coming in May, but especially took shots at the conditions placed on him when it comes to mandated network roaming for newcomers.
While spectrum has been set aside for new wireless companies, the ministry also said that the incumbents must allow customers of these newbies to roam on…
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MONTREAL – After analyzing the spectrum auction rules, meeting with several potential partners and talking business plans, Quebecor Media chief Pierre Karl Peladeau says his company will be a national wireless player.
Well, he didn’t say national for sure, but if he’s going to play the game outside of Quebec, which he did say for sure, it’s more than likely to be a nationwide play. He has already said he likes the advanced wireless spectrum auction rules set out late last year by Industry Canada and that he will bid on spectrum. Today was the first time he…
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