OTTAWA – The Westin Hotel will play host to over 600 people from feature film, television, interactive media, broadcasting and telecommunications industries during the Canadian Media Production Association’s Prime Time conference, beginning Thursday morning.
CMPA CEO Reynolds Mastin kicks things off at breakfast, followed by morning keynoter John Penney, Chief Strategy Officer, Starz.
Other notable speakers over the next two days include Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly, the CBC’s Heather Conway, Shaw Media’s Barbara Williams, Bell Media’s Tracey Pearce, DHX Media’s Steven Denure, Freemantle Media’s Jens Richter, Shaftsbury’s Christina Jennings, and many others.
Sessions on advertising, branding, partnerships, international success stories,…
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GATINEAU – A new fund or reallocated money dedicated to supporting local news, would do little to provide a long-term solution to the financial situation facing local TV, Shaw Communications and Telus told the CRTC on Tuesday.
Telus noted in its opening remarks that any funding for local conventional stations to subsidize their news productions shouldn’t come at the expense of community TV and the diversity it provides to the system. As well, “subsidizing the commercial business models of traditional television stations will not incent the innovation required of these stations to provide sustainable programming opportunities in the long run,”…
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GATINEAU – The industry needs increased levels of funding for access programming said executives from MTS, who appeared before the CRTC’s local and community TV hearing on Monday. The company has proposed that the more access programming BDUs carry on their community TV channels, the more money they should get.
In opening remarks, Paul Norris, VP of residential solutions at MTS, noted viewers want to see local programming that goes beyond news and that access programming is important for locally reflective expression.
“Access programming fulfills a unique role that is not available from conventional broadcasters or from social media…
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TORONTO – Rogers and Shaw's streaming service shomi is now available on the PlayStation4 (PS4) system.
The PS4 system streams from the shomi app, allowing viewers to receive HD quality content on their TV screens.
“Members have been asking for shomi on the PS4 system since we launched, and I’m thrilled we are now able to provide our service on this platform,” said shomi’s director of product management Ann Tebo, in the news release. “With the addition of the PS4 system there are now four Internet-connected ways for members to get great shomi content on their TV screen.”
www.shomi.com
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GATINEAU – Many parties to the CRTC’s local and community TV consultation have proposed funding approaches (each with their own acronyms we’re having trouble keep track of) which could financially support these struggling services. Rogers Communications Inc. has now joined them, unveiling its own approach to a local programming fund.
In its appearance before the Commission on Thursday, the media and communications giant argued while it still prefers its original proposal calling for greater flexibility to move local programming funds from larger to smaller markets, it offered up another model that it says is workable and would provide financial benefits…
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TORONTO – New Rogers channel Viceland will debut in more than 7.5 million Canadian households when it launches on February 29, the company said Friday.
The millennial-focused linear channel, which replaces Rogers’ Bio specialty channel, will be available through more than 20 TV service providers out of the gate, including Shaw and Shaw Direct, Telus, Videotron, Cogeco Connexion and Eastlink, in addition to Rogers Cable.
Kicking off with a three-month free preview, content includes Gaycation with Ellen Page and friend/co-host Ian Daniel, and original music documentary series Noisey, hosted by Vice correspondent Zach Goldbaum. Viceland will also air original series produced…
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TORONTO – Shaw Media’s Showcase is hoping its newest national, multiplatform marketing campaign will work like magic.
The network has kicked off an extensive campaign in support of its new drama The Magicians, premiering January 25 at 9:00 PM ET/PT. Based upon Lev Grossman's best-selling books, The Magicians centres around Brakebills University, a secret institution specializing in magic. There, amidst an unorthodox education of spellcasting, a group of twenty-something friends soon discover that a magical fantasy world they read about as children is all too real.
The campaign plays off of the theme of magic in the real world and positions The Magicians…
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TORONTO — Although the proposed sale of Shaw Media to Corus Entertainment was top of mind for financial analysts Thursday afternoon, Wind Mobile and FreeRange TV was a big deal, too
Calling the Shaw Media sale to Corus “a significant milestone for both companies,” Jay Mehr, EVP and COO of Shaw Communications, said during the Q1 conference call with financial analysts that the transaction along with Shaw’s acquisition of Wind will position Shaw “as a leading pure-play connectivity company with a strong growth profile.” The Wind wireless business complements Shaw’s existing Business Network Services and Business Infrastructure Services segments, Mehr…
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CALGARY – Despite an increase in revenue, Shaw Communications saw first quarter profits drop by 4%.
For the three month period ended November 30, 2015, Shaw posted net income of $218 million, down from $227 in the prior year, primarily from higher income taxes and amortization, partially offset by an improvement in operating income before restructuring costs and amortization.
Revenue for the quarter of $1.42 billion was up 2.2% from $1.39 billion year-over-over, reflecting growth in its Consumer, Business Network Services and Business Infrastructure Services divisions. The improvement is primarily attributed to customer growth in both the Business Network Services and Business…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco and subsidiary Cogeco Cable held their annual general meetings in Montreal on Wednesday, preceded by a conference call with analysts and a meeting with journalists. Here’s what we heard.
Wireless
“It’s been 10 years that you’ve asked me that question,” Cogeco CEO Louis Audet told journalists, and he had it again in the investor conference call. But the logic hasn’t changed, even as Shaw’s acquisition of Wind Mobile makes Cogeco the largest Canadian cable or telecom provider without a wireless service.
“Our perception since the beginning is that if we enter this industry it has…
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