TORONTO – As the Rogers-Shaw over-the-top viewing portal shomi is wound down by the end of November, many have wondered what the companies are going to do with the content they have under contract.
There were rampant rumours throughout the summer as the two companies pondered their commitment to shomi, and sources told Cartt.ca that Amazon was a player in trying to negotiate a content arrangement with Rogers and Shaw to launch its video streamer in Canada.
We asked Rogers Communications CEO Guy Laurence these questions yesterday during a press session announcing its…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC took matters in to its own hands Thursday, throwing out the wholesale high-speed access rates proposed by the country’s large cable and telephone companies in favour of its own.
In its decision, the Commission said that the proposed rates from incumbent carriers “were not just and reasonable” and that they were therefore revised downwards. It also expressed “significant concern” that that some of the companies have not conducted their cost studies in accordance with well-established costing principles and methodologies, and disregarded the CRTC provided Regulatory Economic Studies Manuals .
“Competitors that provide retail Internet services to Canadians using…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – In an effort to celebrate people and organizations making a difference in the lives of Canadian youth, Shaw Communications will recognize and support 150 local charitable and community activities through 2017.
Through its Shaw Kids Investment Program (SKIP), Shaw said that it will provide grants to charitable and non-profit organizations planning heritage and cultural youth-focused events that celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial; charitable organizations planning Canada 150 initiatives that support children and youth; and organizations championed by outstanding Canadians going above and beyond to support our nation's youth.
Nominations are now being accepted here.
"Canada is more than just our home, it's…
Continue Reading
CUSTOMERS OF Shaw Direct, Northwestel, Xplornet, and Bell Mobility experienced service disruptions Sunday due to a “technical anomaly” with Telesat’s Anik F2 satellite.
According to a CBC News report, the satellite cut out around 5:00 PM EDT Sunday, impacting customers in northern Quebec and Nunavut. The bird helps provide cellphone, television and Internet service, though the outage also impacted ATMs and aircraft in some communities.
Telesat had the problem fixed by early afternoon EDT on Monday.
“The satellite is performing normally and all of its subsystems appear healthy”, reads the company’s statement. “Satellite anomalies like the one that affected Telesat’s Anik F2 yesterday are highly…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The full results of a first-of-its-kind independent, national study on broadband performance in Canada shows that Internet service providers (ISPs) largely meet or exceed their advertised download and upload speeds.
Participating ISPs in the survey (announced last year and for which preliminary results were made public in the spring), conducted by SamKnows and which was commissioned by the CRTC, included all the main wireline service providers in Canada, with the exception of Sasktel, which declined to participate, said the CRTC in a press release this afternoon.
The data collected will…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Registration is now open for the 14th annual International Institute of Communication – Canadian chapter conference scheduled for November 16 -17 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa.
Dubbed ‘Towards an Innovation Agenda for the Communications and Media Sector’, the confab will bring together leading communications sector players from government, industry and other areas to discuss the developments and policies that influence innovation. Highlights include:
– A keynote address from CRTC chairman and CEO Jean-Pierre Blais;
– An expert panel will explore the positive ways in which big data is being harnessed to drive Canadian innovation and productivity, plus showcase digital…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Canada’s broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs) say they are doing what is required of them to meet rules on an entry level small package of TV channels, and that calls from consumer groups for additional provisions on promotions and set top box prices are unwarranted.
Eastlink noted its in final reply that a request from the Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) to include comparison charts explaining the differences between tiered services and the small basic package should be denied.
“As noted by other parties during the hearing, when one takes into account both…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Shaw Communications and Rogers Communications have decided to shut down their joint Canadian subscription video on demand service shomi after less than two years in operation.
A statement on Monday confirmed that the service is winding down, a process that will be completed by November 30, 2016.
"The business climate and online video marketplace has changed markedly in the last few years”, reads the statement by shomi SVP and GM David Asch. “Combined with the fact that the business is more challenging to operate than we expected, we've decided to wind down our operations."
The move signals an end to…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – While Corus Entertainment continues the hard work to absorb the assets and people of Shaw Media, CEO Doug Murphy said more changes are afoot as the company looks to solidify its leadership position with women and families while likely rationalizing its huge list of channels as new pick and pay regulations take hold.
The company currently has 45 specialty TV brands, which Murphy told a BMO Media and Telecom conference in Toronto on Tuesday is likely too many, over the long term.
While he didn’t name which ones he believes his top specialty brands to be, Murphy did drop a…
Continue Reading
Without a major regulatory change, the traditional TV industry here faces a chilling future
IF THE CRTC DOESN’T, at long last, review the 1999 New Media Exemption Order, the Canadian TV industry as we know it may well perish in the next five years, at the cost of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs – all while production of Canadian content shrivels to whatever the CBC makes.
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission reached a compromise deal with the subscription TV titans in the States over the American regulator’s so-called push to “unlock the…
Continue Reading
