THE WORD DIGITAL IS A conundrum to Canadian broadcasters of any stripe.
It means digital specialty channels, or digital migration of analog channels, or digital over-the-air TV (better known as high definition), or even digital audio.
Investing in digital is an expensive proposition. For an over-the-air broadcaster there is no immediate return on investment in upgrading to HD, so many here haven’t done it. Consumers are forcing that change, meaning HD Cancon should be in the offing this fall..
On the radio side, any transition to digital audio broadcasting (DAB) was halted last year once the CRTC decided to…
Continue Reading
EDMONTON – The Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada presented its regional journalism awards yesterday in Edmonton.
The 2004 TELEVISION winners are:
Bert Cannings Award – Best Newscast CHAT-TV – Redcliffe, AB – "NEWSWATCH" (Small Market) CTV Regina – Regina, SK – "CTV News Six O’clock Report" (Medium Market) Global Calgary – Calgary, AB – "Racism at the Door" (Large Market)
Charlie Edwards Award – Spot News CTV Saskatoon – Saskatoon, SK – "SHOOTING" CTV Winnipeg – Winnipeg, MB – "Crash Landing" (Honourable Mention)
Dan McArthur Award – In-depth/Investigative CTV Winnipeg – Winnipeg, MB – "I.C.E. Unit" CBC…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – At least it won’t be an election issue this time around.
The CRTC today added Italian channel RAI International to the eligible satellite list of services for distribution on a digital basis.
Getting RAI on has been quite a battle for the cable companies since the Commission originally sided with its policy of genre-protection, shutting RAI out in 2004 in favor of protecting Corus Entertainment-controlled Telelatino.
The channel was an election issue last time around as politicians promised Italian-Canadian voters the channel would be added.
Rogers Cable says RAI will go live on its systems June 2,…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – So I’m sitting in the Second Cup in Ottawa’s Byward Market yesterday, remembering that Rogers and the coffee chain have a deal to provide free WiFi hotspots around the country.
I’m looking to post a story or two and access my e-mails. I power up and find six wireless networks I could potentially access (none are Rogers though). Four are secured. I pick the open one called “netgear” and log on to find out I’m sharing the wireless bubble of the Ottawa Suites nearby. I’m able to post a story and answer some e-mails before my meeting….
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Rogers Communications vice-president, regulatory, Ken Englehart told www.cartt.ca that the CRTC’s demand that cable open up its third party Internet access (TPIA) tariff agreements to explicitly include provisions for voice service, should not pose much of a problem.
While the Commission did adjust its position somewhat, calling for cable to make provisions for access-dependent” third party voice, “things change” shrugged Englehart.
“We had said that access independent voice (where the consumer and their new VOIP provider installs his or her own telephone service on top of their Rogers High Speed service) is okay. We think that…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – “Why did we find that VOIP is a telephone service? Because Canadians use it as a telephone service,” CRTC chairman Charles Dalfen said today at the Commission’s headquarters upon the release of its voice over Internet decision.
The decision confirmed what the Commission had said previously: that it would continue to regulate VOIP when it is provided and used as a local telephone service.
That means incumbents like Bell and Telus will continue to have to file rate tariffs with the Commission for approval – to make sure predatory pricing below cost doesn’t happen – while the…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – “Why did we find that VOIP is a telephone service? Because Canadians use it as a telephone service,” CRTC chairman Charles Dalfen said today at the Commission’s headquarters upon the release of its voice over Internet decision.
The decision confirmed what the Commission had said previously: that it would continue to regulate VOIP when it is provided and used as a local telephone service.
That means incumbents like Bell and Telus will continue to have to file rate tariffs with the Commission for approval – to make sure predatory pricing below cost doesn’t happen – while the…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The Canadian Coalition Against Internet Child Exploitation (CCAICE) today released its seven-point National Action Plan designed to help protect children from online sexual exploitation and to assist in bringing those who victimize children to justice.
"The Action Plan is the result of unprecedented collaboration by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and industry leaders, law enforcement, government and non-governmental agencies," said Inspector Jennifer Strachan, Officer-in- Charge of the RCMP National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre. "However, to succeed we require the help and support of all Canadians to protect children online."
The members of the coalition are: Cybertip.ca RCMP and…
Continue Reading
TED ROGERS TURNED TO AN old friend this week to expand his telecom empire, but was a little unclear whether or not he’ll use his new hammer to nail his cable friends while building local telephony across the country.
Today, Rogers Communications announced it would purchase Call-Net Enterprises, which does business mainly under the Sprint Canada name, in a $330 million all-stock deal. Still a money-losing competitive local exchange carrier (its net loss in 2004 was $78.4 million), Call-Net did book revenues last year of over $818 million and EBITDA of $105 million.
Call-Net CEO Bill Linton is a…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – In a move designed to give it a huge jump-start into the local telephony market, Rogers Communications announced today a friendly takeover of Call-Net Enterprises, whose brand is Sprint Canada.
The all-stock deal has been recommended by the Call-Net board. Surf back to www.cartt.ca for more on this deal once the principals meet the media.
“Under the terms of the agreement, Call-Net Common and Class B shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of one RCI Class B Non-voting share for each 4.25 outstanding shares of Call-Net, representing a fully diluted equity value of approximately $330 million,”…
Continue Reading
