U.S. streaming giant has Canadian broadcasters rethinking how they shop in Hollywood
TORONTO – Netflix helps drive broadband revenues at BCE, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications.
Yet, as Cartt.ca recently reported, Netflix this year began bidding in earnest, and aggressively, against broadcast divisions Bell Media, Rogers Media and Corus Entertainment for new U.S. network shows at the Los Angeles Screenings.
That move means Canadian broadcasters have started to rethink how they will buy rookie U.S. series from the studios going forward if Netflix can get a jump on picking up new network shows. "We…
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Sees no way to add video to Unlimited offer
TORONTO – Despite having spent $2 billion so far on spectrum, plus a network build, then an upgrade to LTE all between 2010 and now, Vidéotron sees more spending on the horizon as 5G approaches. So today its CEO called on the federal government to maintain “spectral balance” when formulating the rules around the next auction of low frequency spectrum in the 600 MHz range.
In a keynote speech to the Canadian Telecom Summit on Wednesday morning, Manon Brouillette noted the sheer pace of technological change in our industry, remembering she spoke…
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TORONTO – TV service providers offering cost and channel choices through skinny basic TV programming packages receive higher marks in customer satisfaction, according to new data from J.D. Power.
The Canadian Television Provider Customer Satisfaction Study measures overall satisfaction with television service providers based on six factors (in order of importance): performance and reliability; cost of service; programming; communication; billing; and customer service. The Canadian Internet Service Provider Customer Satisfaction Study is based on five factors (in order of importance): performance and reliability; cost of service; communication; billing; and customer service. Both studies were released Thursday.
Videotron ranked highest in…
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TORONTO – Scott Garvie, SVP business and legal affairs at Shaftesbury, was named the new chair of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) this week by the CMPA board of directors.
He replaces Jamie Brown (Frantic Films) who is stepping down after two successful years as chair.
Garvie has overseen the negotiation and implementation of all development, financing, sales and recoupment arrangements for Shaftesbury since 1994. He serves as executive producer on all of its productions, which are sold in 120 countries worldwide, and currently includes David Shore's new series Houdini & Doyle for Sony Pictures Television, Shaw Media, ITV and Fox;…
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GATNIEAU – Many broadband Internet providers say the CRTC must refrain from adopting new funding mechanisms for the deployment of high-speed networks to under-served and unserved areas of the country and let the market play it out.
In final submissions to the basic service objective (BSO) proceeding, providers are nearly unanimous in arguing that the current approach of market forces and targeted government funding is working. They say 96% of Canadians already have access to a minimum 5/1 Mbps (downstream/upstream) service and that figure will jump to 98% once the final round of Connecting Canadians funding is spent.
For Bell Canada,…
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TORONTO – Private equity firm Catalyst Capital has launched a $750 million lawsuit against the former owners of Wind Mobile, claiming breach of contract, misuse of confidential information and conspiracy.
In a statement of claim filed Tuesday, May 31st with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Catalyst says that one of the prior owners of Wind Mobile and its bank – VimpelCom and UBS Securities Canada – breached an exclusivity contract when negotiating for the sale of Wind during the summer of 2014 with Catalyst. Further, Catalyst claims that the group which eventually purchased Wind from VimpelCom later in 2014…
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EDMONTON – The Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta today granted Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc. and Allarco Entertainment Limited Partnership (which does business as Super Channel) protection from its creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).
The initial period is for 30 days, to expire on June 25, 2016, subject to extensions, if granted by the Court. According to court documents, the company owes $115.7 million to various creditors, including the likes of Twentieth Century Fox, Starz and Warner Bros. for content airing on the pay TV service.
The company, which operates as the Super Channel TV brand in Canada,…
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The story of a mostly unwanted TV package implemented clumsily and reported on thoughtlessly
MY 80-YEAR OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW now pays $24.99 a month for her cable TV. That’s her monthly price. No other fees. No add-ons except HST. It is the skinny basic package. She’s glad to have it.
She is a Rogers customer in Hamilton who only really wants to watch CHCH and The Weather Network. This package is perfect for her.
How did I secure such a price while apparently all Canadians can’t figure out this new package and are outraged by the additional charges that can be applied that…
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TORONTO – Bell Media’s Bravo has unveiled a slate of new and returning dramas as it preps for a month-long free preview starting June 1st.
The new shows include crime drama Animal Kingdom which debuts June 14 with a two-hour premier, mystery series Guilt on June 21, as well as the return of its original series 19-2 (pictured) on June 20. Cult favourite Pretty Little Liars also debuts on Bravo starting June 21.
The Bravo Freeview will run June 1 – 30 on over 30 TV service providers across Canada, including Bell, Rogers, Eastlink, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Cogeco, Telus, Sasktel, Tbaytel, Videotron,…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC is calling Bell, Rogers, Shaw and Videotron to a public hearing in September to review the rollout of their skinny basic TV packages and implementation of pick-and-pay.
The Commission said Tuesday that as part of the process to renew their licences, it wants to ensure TV service providers are offering the new channel packaging choices to Canadians “in a manner that is consistent with its regulations and the spirit of its policy”. It added that less than 100,000 Canadians have signed up for the new basic TV package since it debuted March 1st, up from…
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