Search Results for: shaw

Cable / Telecom News

Corus sale, shomi wind down, eat in to Q1 profits at Shaw

CALGARY – The demise of streaming service shomi weighed heavily on first quarter profits at Shaw Communications, which saw net income plunge by almost 60%. For the three month period ended November 30, 2016, Shaw posted net income of $89 million, well below the $218 million reported in Q1 2016, due to a $107 million charge from the wind down of shomi, its joint venture with Rogers Communications.  Net income this quarter also reflects a decrease in income from discontinued operations, net of tax, in the amount of $80 million due to the sale of its Corus Media division last… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Shaw’s new BlueSky “a different way to interact with your home,” says Mehr, Werner

X1-powered, voice-controlled CALGARY – Shaw Communications upped the ante in Canada’s television and broadband market Wednesday, launching a new voice-controlled platform it has dubbed BlueSky TV. Using Comcast’s X1 platform, Shaw BlueSky TV includes a remote that follows viewers’ voice prompts to access content, whether live, recorded on their DVR, available on-demand or offered through an over-the-top service.  Customers may also use the voice remote to search for content by actor, genre, or a famous movie quote, or may ask "what's trending?" to activate its database of popular selections and what's trending on social media.  Comcast's intuitive, user-friendly platform is quickly Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Corus Q1 revenues, profits, buoyed by Shaw Media acquisition

TORONTO – Corus Entertainment’s acquisition of Shaw Media appears to paying off as the company reported a 72% lift in profits and a 105% jump in revenues for its first quarter ended November 30, 2016. The company said Wednesday that net income attributable to shareholders for the quarter was $71.1 million, up from the $41.3 million posted in the same period last year, which includes business acquisition, integration and restructuring costs of $13.2 million.  Adjusting for the impact of these items resulted in an adjusted net income attributable to shareholders of $80.8 million. Consolidated revenues for the quarter of $468.0 million… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

BASIC SERVICE OBJECTIVE: Commission launches new $750 million fund to get to 50 Mbps down, 10 Mbps up, everywhere

GATINEU – The CRTC today declared that broadband access is now considered a basic telecommunications service for all Canadians, that it is setting new speed targets while also creating a new fund that will invest up to $750 million over and above existing government programs. Further to its legislative mandate, the Commission has set the following targets for the basic telecommunications services that Canadians need to participate in the digital economy: speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download/10 Mbps upload for fixed broadband Internet access services. In 2015, 82% of Canadians already had access to speeds of 50 Mbps download/10… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CACTUS lauds MPs support of community media petition

OTTAWA – Support for community TV and media has been on the agenda in the House of Commons, with nearly a dozen MPs presenting a petition calling for the creation and ongoing support of community media centres in Canada. According to Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), the petition says that community media centres will ensure that Canadians have access to adequate news and information that reflects their communities, as well as offer skill development for Canadians' participation in the digital economy. Liberal MP Will Amos, who represents the riding of Pontiac, north of Ottawa, said in a CACTUS statement that he supported… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

UPDATED: Why Rogers dumped its own IPTV solution for X1 and will take $500 million hit

TORONTO – The rumour mill in the TV business was spinning overtime on this one lately, but today Rogers Communications made it official – it is killing its long-awaited IPTV solution in favour of Comcast’s X1 platform. The move means the company will take a pre-tax non-cash asset impairment charge in the range of C$475-$525 million in its fourth quarter. Friday morning’s press saw Rogers tout a new “long-term strategic partnership” with Comcast to bring Rogers customers Comcast's X1 IP-based video platform. However, it will not launch until 2018. As we have reported, Rogers was hoping to have its IPTV solution (built… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Bloomberg Canada: Still no Bell carriage, but a “very good” first year (update #3)

TORONTO — Bloomberg TV Canada’s first year of operation has been one of growth and expansion, with distribution and advertising levels increasing monthly, the first of several news bureaus across the country coming online, and an “A-list” of newsmakers having appeared on the channel. Despite not having carriage on Bell TV nor Bell Fibe, Bloomberg TV Canada executives say it has achieved distribution parity with its main business channel competitor, Bell-owned Business News Network (BNN). “We’re very happy, 12 months in, with the progress that we’ve made and the expansion that we’ve seen,” said Chris Fuoco, vice-president of sales and… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

DATA CENTRES: Amazon Web Services comes north, wants to partner with telcos

TORONTO – Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been setting up data centres around the world offering a wide range of compute and analytics services in competition and partnership with local service providers and on Thursday it announced it has come to Canada, opening two data centres here – as promised earlier in the year . Now it’s looking to partner with telecommunications firms to resell its services. “If you look around the world there are many telco partners who work with us closely to take our services to market and offer complimentary services to the AWS platform,” AWS Canada director Eric… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Freedom Mobile customers get free Shaw Go WiFi access

TORONTO – Freedom Mobile today announced the launch of Freedom Wi-Fi, a service that connects customers to over 65,000 Shaw Go WiFi hotspots across Western Canada. Beginning today with this free trial, Freedom Mobile customers can supplement their mobile phone plans with access to the Freedom Wi-Fi trial. Freedom Mobile is owned by Shaw Communications. "Freedom Wi-Fi leverages the expanse and power of the country's largest Wi-Fi network, Shaw Go WiFi, to provide our customers with even greater value," said Freedom Mobile CEO Alek Krstajic in a press release. "Along with the launch of our LTE… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

MUSIC TV: Vintage Canada – a Kardashian-free zone

New TV specialty is serious about music TORONTO — Launched in October as a place for “serious music fans”, the retro-focused Vintage TV Canada specialty channel is aimed at not only older music lovers but anyone who’s hungry for music information and good solid music, says Canadian radio veteran Alan Cross, the channel’s creative director. In contrast to other music channels where celebrities and lifestyle programming figure prominently and music now takes a back seat, Vintage TV Canada is focused on artists making serious music (its logo is a guitar pick), Cross said last week in an interview with Cartt.ca. We… Continue Reading