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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TORONTO – TSN and RDS have extended their multi-media rights agreement for exclusive coverage of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) Ice Hockey World Championship through 2023.
The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will continue to be broadcast live across TSN’s five national feeds, with live streaming and on-demand viewing available to TSN subscribers through TSN GO. RDS will also deliver live coverage across its platforms, including RDS, RDS2, RDS Info, and RDS GO.
The new agreement with Infront Sports & Media will also see TSN platforms air live coverage of the semi-finals and final from Europe’s preeminent club hockey competition, the Champions…
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VANCOUVER – RTDNA Canada, The Association of Electronic Journalists, has unveiled the 2015 nominees for its Network awards.
The winners will be announced at the annual RTDNA National Conference, set for June 2 – 4, 2016 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto.
"The RTDNA’s network awards once again highlight the depth and scope of outstanding storytelling in Canada,” said RTDNA Canada president Ian Koenigsfest, in the news release. “….and despite another year of challenges in our industry, this year’s winners are world class."
The nominees are:
Dave Rogers Award – Long Feature – Radio
– AMI Audio: Contact, The Flag at 50
– AMI Audio:…
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BOSTON – Even as the U.S. cable industry scrambles to eliminate the need for installing traditional set-top boxes in the home, it has stepped up its fierce fight against a regulatory proposal to open up the set top leasing business and stoke retail competition.
As we reported earlier, National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) president and CEO Michael Powell lambasted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler for promoting the proposed 'Unlock the Set-top' rulemaking. If it gains Commission approval later this year, the controversial proposed rule would mandate that cable operators give third party manufacturers…
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BOSTON – It wasn’t long ago where cable leaders like Comcast CEO Brian Roberts felt constrained by – and complained about – the slow pace of technological development in the industry.
MSOs were once 100% tied to either the Motorola (formerly General Instrument) or Cisco (formerly Scientific-Atlanta) video platforms – and their development cycles – when it came to providing consumers with new in-home equipment like cable set top boxes. Development was slow and carriers bought gear optimized for the industry as a whole and not necessarily their own customers.
Over the past five years or so, pressured by the intense…
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