OTTAWA – The CRTC Wednesday extended the commentary process on the cable industry’s request to kill the mandatory carriage requirement of local FM radio stations.
As first reported by www.cartt.ca, the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association has asked the CRTC to repeal section 22 of the Broadcast Distribution Regulations which say that Class 1 and 2 cable systems must carry all local FM stations in their market on their cable plant.
The CCTA told the Commission that about 4% of cable subscribers listen to the radio over cable and that its members could better use the plant capacity to…
Continue Reading
HALIFAX – Every fall the fine folks at EastLink play host to dozens of programming and technical suppliers who fly in from Toronto (mostly) to pay the company a visit and pass on a few things to the their employees – and then play a little golf.
This year’s one-day educational forum was entitled: “The Future Is Now” and is designed every year to be both interactive and educational with EastLink learning sessions in the morning and presentations from the programming community after lunch. Continue Reading
HOW COME NO ONE thought of this before?
The amount of programming and the number of people involved in “combatant sports” like Karate or Tae Kwon Do, or wrestling or boxing – or even boxing-style exercise training – is big. The number of fans of those sports just swell the ranks of potential viewers and Canada’s love of hockey fights is legendary. We have The Golf Channel, Speed Channel, the Tennis Channel (U.S. only), The NHL Network and NFL Network. Funny how there hasn’t been a boxing or martial arts channel….
Continue Reading
GRAVENHURST, Ont. – The final day of the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance annual general meeting last Thursday was both informative and thirst-quenching.
While the first day was all about a trade show and golf, as reported by www.cartt.ca, day two was education-focused.
After hearing in the morning from lawyer Purdy Crawford on the value of leadership and American Cable Association president Matthew Polka on what’s up Stateside, Canadian Digital Television president and high definition missionary Michael McEwen outlined recent progress in HD deployment.
Most of his figures were out of the U.S.
Ninety percent…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Rogers Media’s Jack FM Toronto dropped its entire roster of on-air talent in a purge last week that does not indicate the station is moving towards a format flip.
That’s according to 92.5 program director Pat Cardinal, who chatted with www.cartt.ca last week. He insisted the station is not flipping and will not revert to all-Christmas music, as some stations in the market have done for the past few years.
The hosts let go “are all fine broadcasters,” said Cardinal, who added the station is just going in a new direction. Many of the Jack formats in…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Nearly five years in the making, Canada’s first all-Christian, nationally licensed, digital TV service launches tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 6 a.m. on Rogers Digital Cable. The VisionTV-owned service will feature ministries, current affairs, movies, music and drama for the country’s 22 million Christians. Its mission is "to entertain, inform, enlighten and inspire" both practicing Christians and those still seeking,” says the press release.
The service "will be able to offer Canadians a wider selection of the best Christian programming from around the world on a 24/7 basis,” said…
Continue Reading
HALIFAX – EastLink Television will launch its new season of local programming on October 2nd.
Among a number of returning favourites, the channel will launch a new program: Real Wheels. This reality-style program is a “how-to” on the ins and outs of sport compact car modifications and will premiere in January.
Viewer favourites Harv’s Sportsland, EastLink Magazine, Welcome to My Kitchen and Two Guys and a Computer all return to the Fall program line-up. Rounding out the schedule includes last year’s hits: Wonderful World of Painting and Podium TV. Children’s favourite Sunshine Sue and You returns in December hosted by…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Gold Ribbon Awards honour achievement in broadcasting in various categories including community service, breaking news, humour, public affairs, and promotion of Canadian talent.
The awards will be presented during The Future Summit, the CAB’s 2005 Convention in Winnipeg, November 6 -8, 2005. The complete list of finalists, below, was released Thursday.
A total of 457 entries were received. These awards are among the most prestigious in the Canadian broadcasting industry, and recognize outstanding productions in radio, television, specialty and pay services, and community service. After reviewing the entries, the judges selected 124…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw Communications has let vice-president, programming Michael Allen go, www.cartt.ca has learned.
Allen was based in the company’s Mississauga office, reporting to senior vice-president planning Michael D’Avella, with responsibility for programmer contracts and relations as well as some regulatory work for the cable and satellite distribution company.
Allen, formerly vice-president of programming at Rogers Cable, had spent 21 years there before he was let go in May of 2003.
He was hired by Shaw in September of that year.
Calls placed to Shaw Communications by www.cartt.ca Wednesday for comment were not immediately returned.
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Sport Chek’s The Power of Sports for Kids Program in partnership with Rogers Sportsnet is beginning a cross-Canada tour to provide sporting equipment to at-risk, underprivileged and disadvantaged children.
The program provides children in need who do not have access to sporting equipment with the opportunity to play and enjoy sports.
Sport Chek will work with organizations that support children and families, and determine their sporting goods needs that would have the most impact to the children.
To be eligible organizations must meet the following criteria: * Must be a community group, non-profit agency or school that…
Continue Reading
