OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC will issue its decision on the purchase of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia tomorrow morning, Cartt.ca has learned.
It’s a stunningly quick decision, given the size of the deal and the fact the hearing concluded just five weeks ago, but according to sources, none of whom wish to be identified, it was an easy decision because the Commission will deny the biggest part of the acquisition: CTV’s request to purchase CHUM’s Citytv stations.
The CRTC has had a long-standing policy against Canadian broadcasters owning a twin-stick operation – or two commercial over-the-air stations of the same…
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BANFF and TORONTO – While Canada’s telecommunications leaders debate the future of telecom in Toronto at the Canadian Telecom Summit next week, the world’s leaders in digital media and television will be making headlines at NextMedia and the Banff World Television Festival.
Cartt.ca will be on the ground at all three, of course, providing regular reports.
First out of the gate is NextMedia, beginning tomorrow in Banff. Organized by Achilles Media, the same company that puts on the BWTF (not to mention NATPE Mobile++ and the World Congress of History Producers), NextMedia features cutting-edge speakers and session topics.
For example,…
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THE ONLY EXISTING facilities-based wireless player advocating that Industry Canada come up with a different formula for auctioning off wireless spectrum than an open auction is MTS Allstream.
The company is the dominant player in Manitoba, but it seems clear the company has designs on growing beyond its friendly borders to offer wireless service.
Lumped in as a "scallywag" by Ted Rogers, MTS is attempting to get into the national wireless game as cheaply as possible, asking for certain spectrum blocks to be set aside and for mandated roaming until its towers are constructed.
On the other side,…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Citing the "questionable business practices" of independent cable co-op Campbell River TV Association, Shaw Communications declined earlier this year to renew the contract of its Shaw Pay-Per-View service with the small cable company.
When Shaw made it known to CRTV that the contract would not be renewed, the co-op filed a complaint with the CRTC under section 6.1(1) of the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, which prohibits a licensee from giving an undue preference to any person, including itself, or subjecting any person to an undue disadvantage.
While CRTV said the PPV or VOD options available to it…
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TORONTO – Larche Communications and Rogers Communications today announced a swap of two Ontario radio stations.
Larche, which already operates another station in central Ontario, agreed to acquire CICX FM Orillia (105.9 Jack FM), from Rogers while RCI bought Larche’s 50% ownership of CIKZ FM (The Beat 91.5) in Kitchener. (CanWest owns the other half of the station, but announced in October it was selling its two Canadian radio assets to Corus Entertainment. The Commission has not yet made a determination on that sale.)
Financial terms of today’s deals were not disclosed.
"This swap makes great strategic sense for…
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HALIFAX – RTNDA Canada presentedits easternmost awards this weekend at the Association’s annual Atlantic Regional Professional Development Seminar in Halifax.
This year RTNDA Canada created five new award categories to recognize outstanding videography, use of sound, new media, information programming and diversity. The RTNDA "Diversity Tool Kit" which was released across the country in January offers practical solutions to bring diversity to our stories and to our newsrooms.
To acknowledge those accomplishments RTNDA created a new Diversity Award. Congratulations to CBC Radio Halifax for winning the inaugural award in the Atlantic region. Five television and eight radio stations received…
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MONCTON, NB – Rogers Communications Inc. on Thursday announced it was spending $109 million in New Brunswick to expand its Rogers Moncton Customer Care Centre, extend its wireless network and upgrade its cable network.
The New Brunswick government is providing Rogers with a forgivable loan of up to $1.34 million as the telcommunications and cable TV company’s outlay will create 244 new jobs in the province, primarily at the customer care centre.
“As we move toward self-sufficiency, it is essential to improve the telecommunication infrastructure of our province and to partner with companies that want to expand and invest…
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TORONTO – Digital specialty TV channel G4TechTV is sending a vehicle with tech junkies to major events across Canada this summer to introduce the public to the latest in technology. The first ever Wired Road Trip will also be shown online through weekly podcasts and on-air on G4TechTV, a diginet owned by Rogers.
The first stop is Montreal for the Grand Prix, followed by Toronto for the Gay Pride Parade and Ottawa for Canada Day celebrations.
The TV show will be hosted by Brenna Pierson, who will introduce viewers at home to different Canadian places along with the latest gaming,…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications president and CEO Ted Rogers and his wife Loretta have donated $15 million to Ryerson University’s Faculty of Business. It will be renamed the Ted Rogers School of Management.
“This gift is a tremendous vote of confidence in Ryerson’s growing research and graduate programs, and our outstanding students and faculty,” said Ryerson president Sheldon Levy.
Most of the money will go toward the establishment of 52 new undergraduate and graduate student awards and scholarships, which will be “at unprecedented levels” for the university. The money will also be used to establish a new research chair…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications founder and CEO Ted Rogers said Monday his company was approached by at least some off the private equity players looking to take Bell Canada Enterprises private.
The response from the CEO whose stated goal is to beat Bell? "Of course, we told them all to go to hell.”
For Rogers, who wouldn’t say who approached them, it’s all about execution, shoulder to the wheel, nose to the grindstone, the "boring" work of making sure customers are happy.
"It’s very, very important to maximize what we have, and for the past number of years, we have…
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