OTTAWA – As the CRTC prepares to review the relative success of the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), it has released new numbers for the 2010-2011 period, ending August 31st, which indicate Shaw Communications paid the most into the fund, followed by Bell Canada and Rogers Cable.
Shaw (cable and satellite) combined to pay almost $32 million (an earlier version of this story had an erroneous amount for Shaw), followed by Bell at $25.08 million and Rogers at $24.05 million. Quebecor (Videotron) contributed $13.6 million and Cogeco, $6.77 million.
Shaw, the LPIF’s largest contributor, received only $8.06 million in…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC said today that it will continue to license satellite relay distribution undertakings (SRDUs) because of a lack of competition in that market, but will not incorporate the transport of pay and specialty services into SRDU licensing.
In its decision the Commission maintained that its dispute resolution process “remains the best way to address concerns regarding uplink fees that the Bell direct-to-home undertaking charges Canadian pay and specialty services for the transport of their signals to cable headends in cases where they do not need to use Bell’s SRDU facilities.” Canada’s only two SRDU operators, Shaw Satellite…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Hot on the heels of Shaw Communications’ application to review and vary the CRTC’s newly set policy on wholesale Internet, both Rogers Cable and now Videotron have also submitted similar appeals to the CRTC of its Telecom Regulatory Policy 2011-703, the so-called wholesale usage-based billing decision.
The decision quashed the idea of usage-based billing for third party independent internet service providers in favour of incumbents charging independent ISPs either a flat rate, or a rate based on capacity and the number of users. While most liked the idea, few liked the rates (independent ISPs…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw officially rolled out its new upgraded network, which it calls Shaw EXO, on Monday to its residential cable customers.
The network offers TV viewers 1080p high definition quality on the Shaw Gateway, more on-demand content, including select content from Global, CTV and Citytv, and new service bundles. The company said that it will add WiFi to the mix soon.
“Shaw EXO is a promise that we will continue to innovate, lead and provide the latest in technology and entertainment offerings to customers,” said president Peter Bissonnette, in the announcement. “With Shaw EXO, the power of our network allows…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Shaw Communications filed an appeal to the CRTC on Friday regarding last October’s policy decision to quash usage-based billing in favour of incumbents charging independent internet service providers either a flat rate, or a rate based on capacity and the number of users.
Under the new regulatory regime, ISPs can now sell smaller providers a set capacity per month, or a simple flat fee for a set level of speed – and was officially instituted February 1st. The new policy also means smaller ISPs will have to pay more to…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has given Bell Media the green light to add a pair of new transmitters to its CTV Two station in Barrie, a move that was opposed by two of its own commissioners in addition to a host of competing broadcasters.
Bell Media asked to add two new digital transmitters to CKVR-DT Barrie to serve the areas of Burlington, Fonthill, Fort Erie, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Oakville and Welland, Ontario. Opposing interveners, which included Channel Zero, Rogers Broadcasting, CBC, and Shaw Communications, argued that approval of the applications would have a negative impact on other Canadian…
Continue Reading
THUNDER BAY – Due to popular demand, Shaw Cable said as of January 31, customers in the Thunder Bay area will begin receiving standard- and high-definition U.S. feeds for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS from Minneapolis.
In July, to comply with regulatory requirements, the feeds for these American channels were switched to markets in the same time zone as Thunder Bay (to Detroit stations). Due to local response to the changes, Shaw applied for and was granted an amendment from the CRTC to allow customers in the Thunder Bay area to receive U.S. channels from Minneapolis, as they had…
Continue Reading
KONRAD VON FINCKENSTEIN made a lot of work for a lot of us.
As he has noted since he first took the job of CRTC chair in January of 2007, he wanted to make the CRTC more open, predictable, fair, and timely. While by our judgment he succeeded, with that openness came more public processes and a quick count of the number of public proceedings under his watch comes to 103. His predecessor, the late Charles Dalfen, called just 78.
Mr. Dalfen, however, never had to deal with the likes of YouTube, Facebook or Twitter.
Coinciding with von Finckenstein’s tenure at the…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw Cable has added the HD versions of Sportsnet, Sportsnet One and TSN to its basic HD offering as part of some recent packaging changes.
The move comes amid cable subscriber losses at the Calgary-based company, many to its Western-based rival Telus’ Optik TV service.
"As a Canadian company, Shaw understands the importance of national and regional sports across our country and in the communities we serve," said president Peter Bissonnette, in the announcement. "We are excited to expand access to these popular sports channels to our cable customers through their availability in our basic High-Definition TV…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw Communications has entered into a five-year $1 billion bank credit facility with a syndicate of ten financial institutions.
With a maturity date in January 2017, this facility replaces the prior credit facility which was scheduled to mature in May 2012.
The company said that the new facility will be used for general corporate purposes.
www.shaw.ca
Continue Reading
