TORONTO – With millions of customers between them, you'd expect that customer service would be shining stars for Canada's biggest cablecos.
However, at a communications conference executives from Shaw Communications and Rogers Communications admitted they aren't there yet.
“I think we have a lot of work to do," Jim Pitt, vice-president enterprise, wholesale and tracking," said at a panel on leadership at the annual Capacity North America conference in Toronto. "I don’t think incumbents in general are well known for providing great customer service. We work very hard at it but we have work to do." Company surveys show that after…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Shaw Media revealed a number of new organizational changes to its original content team Wednesday, a combination of promotions and new hires.
Led by SVP and chief creative officer Christine Shipton, the division is responsible for the development of original series and co-productions, the creation of multiplatform content, and domestic and international strategic partnerships.
According to an internal memo, the changes are as follows:
Lisa Godfrey, Head of Original Content
Godfrey (pictured) has over 25 years experience in the television industry both in production and broadcasting. As head of original content at Shaw Media, she oversees all Canadian programming for Global…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – TSN will be the home of every tackle and scrum of this year’s Rugby World Cup which kicks off Friday, live from England.
The network’s exclusive coverage of the event runs September 18 – October 31 and will include all 48 games of the tournament, including in-depth coverage of every Canada matchup, plus the playoffs and final. Coverage begins Friday at 2:00 PM ET with the opening ceremonies, followed by the tournament’s opening game featuring hosts England vs. Fiji.
French-language coverage of all 48 tournament games is available on RDS. TSN subscribers can access live streaming and on-demand viewing…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Today Hollywood Suite announced that its four HD movie channels will be relaunched on November 2nd as Hollywood Suite 70s Movies, Hollywood Suite 80s Movies, Hollywood Suite 90s Movies and Hollywood Suite 2000s Movies.
Right now, the channel branding is Warner Films, MGM Channel Sony Movie Channel and AXN Movies.
“With a focus on consumer choice in an era of vigorous competition and regulatory change, the new unified and simplified Hollywood Suite brands will create an emotional connection with consumers by leveraging the nostalgic value of the greatest films of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s,” said Hollywood Suite…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw Communications has launched a number of new programs designed to bring sports fans even closer to their favourite Canadian Football League teams and players.
The initiatives include:
– Team Shaw: a weekly player spotlight program that gives fans greater access to their favourite CFL stars. Calgary Stampeders' quarterback and reigning Grey Cup MVP Bo Levi Mitchell (pictured) has been named the first member;
– ShawRoadtotheGreyCup.ca: a digital hub that will serve as a central point for CFL content, plus permit fans to contribute and share their own content; and
– Shaw CFL Top Performers Program: a weekly and monthly player achievement…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Telus has joined forces with a network of more than 70 carriers to offer a global SIM card that offers customers seamless connectivity and simplified billing across more than 200 networks around the world.
The company said Wednesday that its new Global IoT Connectivity Platform makes it easier for customers to scale their Internet of Things (IoT) businesses globally by connecting internet-enabled devices around the world at simplified rates without roaming charges or currency risk. For example, a shipping company with a fleet tracking solution can continue to monitor its vehicles when they travel to the U.S., Mexico…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Corus Entertainment's Cartoon Network has expanded its distribution to over 5 million subscribers in Canada after adding big TV service providers Rogers, Shaw and Shaw Direct to its list of distribution partners.
As Cartt.ca reported, the service has taken the place of the now defunct Teletoon Retro in many channel lineups across the country.
Cartoon Network also announced that it will be the exclusive Canadian home for popular series like Clarence, Steven Universe and Teen Titans Go! that will air day-and-date with the U.S. Later this fall, an all-new season of the acclaimed award-winning series Adventure Time (pictured) will premiere…
Continue Reading
TORONTO and MONTREAL – Disney Channel and La chaîne Disney officially arrived in Canada this week.
Corus Entertainment said that the channels are available in most markets now, and will be available in 10 million households by Thursday via distribution partners Bell Aliant, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, CCSA members including Eastlink and Access, Cogeco Cable Canada, MTS, Rogers, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Telus and Videotron. SaskTel customers will have access to the new service in the coming weeks.
Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family-inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and…
Continue Reading
A BRIDGE IS A musical term meaning a bit of a song which gets you from the verse back to the chorus. We thought the term was a good one to characterize Peter Bissonnette, an accomplished musician, as well as the outgoing president of Shaw Communications (his official last day was yesterday).
Bissonnette has worked in cable for more than 30 years, the last 25 of which for Shaw Communications. He’s been president of the company since 2000, working under company founder JR, and then both his sons, Jim and Brad Shaw – and has much prior experience working for…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Three of Corus' local television channels in Eastern Ontario looked a little different Monday after ditching their long time CBC affiliation in favour of programming from Bell Media’s CTV.
CHEX-TV in Peterborough, Channel 12 in Oshawa, and CKWS-TV in Kingston are now offering CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme, sports, and big series like The Amazing Race Canada and Saving Hope as part of a program supply arrangement between the broadcasters announced in May.
“We are thrilled that the new Bell Media agreement will give us the flexibility to expand our top-rated local programming and bolster it with…
Continue Reading