By Greg O’Brien
THE CANADIAN CABLE Systems Alliance annual general meeting is always a great time. Compared to some of the other events I attend through the year, it’s tiny. But it’s very useful and always well organized. I always come away from it having learned a lot – and finally having had some face-to-face time with people I normally only chat with via e-mail.
The “learnings” (not really a word, but it’s one everyone uses) this year were plentiful. From new technologies and services to future-gazing and concrete advice on how to approach video on demand.
But there was a bit…
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MONT TREMBLANT – When Cogeco Cable began rolling out video on demand about five years ago, “we thought we were building a virtual video store,” says the company’s director of affiliate relations JP Caveen.
Not any more, of course. VOD has moved leaps and bounds away from that.
Caveen was part of a video on demand panel organized by CTAM Canada held Monday afternoon during the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance 14th annual general meeting that included a programmer, an aggregator and three operators.
They were there to share their success stories and challenges with the independent cable companies who…
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ROGERS BELIEVES Bell Canada is less than two months away from launching its IPTV service in Toronto, beginning in the Yonge-Bloor region, according to David Purdy, Rogers Cable’s VP and GM television.
********** WTBS will change its name to PeachtreeTV as of October 1st, said Turner’s Matt Tolleson. The programming will remain much the same, however. Also – with CNN HD having launched in the States on September 1st – Tolleson says he wants to see that feed in Canada soon.
********** And speaking of HD, Speed is readying its high definition version, which it will have ready to…
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MONT TREMBLANT – Dean Prevost wasn’t speaking in front of the Canadian Club or the Empire Club like Ted Rogers and Pierre Karl Peladeau did last week, but his message today at the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance AGM followed the squabbling script:
Industry Canada’s advanced wireless spectrum auction rules have to favour newcomers somehow, so that Prevost’s company, MTS Allstream (like Peladeau’s Videotron), can become a national wireless provider.
Prevost, the chief corporate officer of the company, talked about wireless in other parts of the world, adding: “What’s different about the Canadian experience is the price is really,…
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TORONTO – If it can’t buy ’em, it looks like Rogers might overbuild ’em.
Rogers Cable has applied to the CRTC to extend its cable territories in Ontario to include a chunk of Cogeco Cable’s Ontario wheelhouse: Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills, as well as into tiny Aurora Cable’s market in Aurora, just north of Toronto.
A move like this may signal a stark departure from the historically collegial cable industry where each company kept to its own territory and expanded by purchasing other cable companies. (Aurora and Cogeco are both known not to be for sale, however.)
In…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC today denied Shaw Communications’ request to add USA Network to the list of eligible foreign satellite services for digital distribution.
Shaw asked for the new addition in January, saying the general interest cable channel available to 90 million in the States, would be attractive to customers.
Shaw also wanted Commission to alter its approach to adding non-Canadian services to the digital lists. The company wants the Commission to automatically approve the addition of all general interest non-Canadian services, and that it permit broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) to distribute services on the eligible lists on…
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TORONTO – A day after Ted Rogers called him out as a possible “corporate welfare bum”, Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau swung back at Rogers (albeit not as colourfully) using one of the niftiest bits of technology we have on the planet – that isn’t available in Canada.
After proclaiming himself “speechless” over Rogers’ comments, Peladeau began his speech to the Empire Club of Toronto by holding aloft an Apple iPhone, and scolded the big three incumbent wireless players (Rogers, Bell Canada and Telus) for not yet having the device in Canada. (The iPhone is a GSM device, however,…
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TORONTO – Rogers Digital Cable customers can train for their next Canadian Idol audition in the comfort of their own home with their TVs as the company today launched Karaoke On Demand.
The service is free to all its PersonalTV customers in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland with a digital box.
And, to celebrate the launch of Karaoke On Demand, Rogers is giving away karaoke microphones to the first 500 customers who order a digital box and sign-up at www.rogers.com/karaoke.
Customers can choose from up to 600 songs ranging from the latest pop singles to classic rock and oldies. Using their remote…
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MONT TREMBLANT – There’s just a couple of days left to register for the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance annual general meeting.
Canada’s independent cable operators, their programming and technical suppliers and a distinguished cast of guest speakers will highlight the three days at the base of the mountain.
The event begins Sunday evening with the president’s reception from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and the real meat of the conference is Monday, with Tuesday set aside for the annual – and much anticipated – golf tournament.
Monday’s speakers will be:
* Dean Prevost, Chief Corporate Officer at MTS Allstream Inc.,…
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TORONTO – The NBA’s Toronto Raptors will be seen on five different channels this year, including the CBC, the team announced Wednesday.
All 82 regular-season contests will be televised nationally and for the first time, all of them in high definition (HD). This also marks the sixth straight campaign that the entire regular season schedule will be aired locally.
"We are excited to once again partner with The Score, TSN and Rogers Sportsnet, plus welcome CBC,” said Tom Anselmi, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment executive vice-president and chief operating officer, in a press release. “In addition, Raptors NBA TV…
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