Judge zeroes in on the term “wholesale” for Quebecor subsidiary Fibernoire
By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Arguments before the Federal Court on Tuesday about whether Videotron correctly qualified for 3.5 GHz spectrum for wireless services in western Canada pivoted on what kind of impact this decision could have on the market – and whether unfair advantages would be given based on a specific interpretation of the auction rules.
In July, Quebecor’s Videotron was awarded 294 licences for nearly $830 million in the set-aside portion of the 3.5 GHz auction that began in June. This includes licences in Manitoba, Alberta and British…
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Government will not publish submissions received
By Amanda OYE
GATINEAU, QC – Comments submitted to the federal government’s consultation into harmful content online highlight a multitude of issues with its proposals for addressing the issue as well as with the consultation process itself.
The submissions to the consultation are not easy to come by. The deadline for comments passed in September, but the government decided it would not publish the ones it received.
A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage told Cartt.ca via email the submissions will only be available if an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request is made because the submissions…
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Shaw fastest fixed broadband provider during the quarter
SEATTLE — In its latest quarterly report, released today, Seattle-based mobile and broadband network testing company Ookla says Telus Communications was the fastest mobile operator in Canada in the third quarter of 2021, while Shaw Communications was the fastest fixed broadband provider in the country during Q3.
Using its Speedtest Intelligence data for Q3, Ookla awarded Telus a speed score of 81.93 for its mobile network performance. The next fastest mobile operator was Bell with a speed score of 77.15, according to Ookla’s report. The remaining top mobile providers included in the…
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TORONTO and HAMILTON – Boss & Co, Portfolio Entertainment and CBC today announced production on Homeschooled, a new CBC Gem original YA dramedy series, has begun in Toronto and Hamilton.
“Created, directed, and executive produced by Karen Knox and Gwenlyn Cumyn (Slo Pitch, Barbelle), Homeschooled explores the niche world of home education as mainstream and fringe teen experiences collide in a unique coming-of-age tale,” a press release says.
“Freaks are underrated and “trads” (a student attending a “traditional” education facility) rarely make history – or at least that’s what 16-year-old intellectuals Farzanah (Eman Ayaz, Ghostwriter) and Greta (Veronika Slowikowska, What We Do in the Shadows) set…
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TORONTO — Independent content creator and distributor Epic Story Media Inc. (ESM) announced today it has signed deals with broadcast and licensing partners on a number of series across its slate of children’s programming.
ESM has sold evergreen brand Pocoyo to WarnerMedia Kids & Family U.S. for its Cartoonito preschool block, which was launched on Sept. 13.
In addition, ESM also recently signed a deal with B.C.’s public broadcaster Knowledge Network to air the Pocoyoseries in Canada.
Owned by Zinkia Entertainment, Pocoyo is “a fun and educational series about a little boy who discovers the world around him with his inseparable group…
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Bloomberg says company chairman wanted up to nine senior executives gone
TORONTO – Rogers CFO Tony Staffieri left the company due to “a high-level power struggle” during which the company’s chairman attempted to unseat the company’s CEO, the Globe and Mail reported last Friday.
Staffieri’s abrupt departure from Rogers was announced by the company on Sept. 29. No explanation was given at the time.
The Globe and Mail has since reported unidentified sources said Staffieri had developed a close relationship with Rogers chairman Edward Rogers, had ambitions to be CEO and “frequently butted heads” with Joe Natale, the company’s current…
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IGLOOLIK, Nunavut — Uvagut TV, Canada’s first 24/7 Inuktut TV channel, announced today it has filed a motion with the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) to secure the right to broadcast and rebroadcast the next round of public hearings being conducted by the NIRB into the proposed phase two expansion of Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.’s Mary River mine (located in northern Baffin Island).
Cartt.ca readers will remember Uvagut TV first started broadcasting live coverage of the controversial mine hearing in January 2021, shortly after the channel launched.
In April, Uvagut TV was allowed to continue live broadcast coverage of…
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WOODSTOCK, N.B. — Rural broadband provider Xplornet Communications Inc. announced today Dennis Steiger (above) is joining the company as its new chief technology officer.
In this role, Steiger “will lead all aspects of architecture, planning, design, implementation, and operations of the Xplornet national broadband network for rural Canadians,” reads an Xplornet press release.
With more than 30 years of experience in the telecommunications and media industries, Steiger previously held CTO positions at Shaw Communications Inc. and at Australia’s national broadband network NBN Co.
“Mr. Steiger brings deep experience with ambitious broadband rollouts in Canada and Australia, with a mixture of best-fit technologies, including fibre-to-the-home, hybrid…
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TORONTO — Canadian family entertainment company Portfolio Entertainment announced today it has made a number of international deals across its slate of kids and family series with channels in Latin America, Portugal, Russia and Hong Kong.
Portfolio has secured its first sale of its new half-hour family Christmas special Where Oliver Fits: A Christmas Eve Tale and series of Where Oliver Fits shorts (pictured above, 9 episodes x 2.5 minutes) to Discovery Kids Latin America.
“We can’t wait for kids around the world to meet Oliver,” said Donnie MacIntyre, Portfolio’s vice-president of sales and business development, in a press release.
“His adventurous spirit…
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LOS ANGELES and TORONTO — Independent entertainment company Boat Rocker announced today it has struck a first-look deal with Canadian brothers, actors and producers Shamier Anderson (above, left) and Stephan James (right).
“Under the deal, Anderson and James, the stars of Boat Rocker’s highly anticipated series Invasion and Beacon 23, respectively, will develop and produce original television projects for the company under their Bay Mills Studio banner,” reads a Boat Rocker press release.
Anderson is starring in the Boat Rocker-produced series Invasion, created by producer Simon Kinberg, which will premiere on Apple TV+ on Oct. 22. James is an executive producer…
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