Search Results for: shaw

Cable / Telecom News

Christmas TV on Shaw

CALGARY – Shaw and Star Choice customers can get in to the holiday spirit with the return of the fire log and Christmas tree channels. Starting today, customers can tune to a channel dedicated to a “natural”, flickering fire, or enjoy coverage of a 50-foot Colorado Spruce that has been decorated with more than 6,000 multi-coloured lights and hundreds of festive ornaments, the company announced. "With both the Fire Log and Christmas Tree channels airing over this year’s festive season, Shaw customers will experience holiday programming like never before," said Peter Bissonnette, president of Shaw Communications. "Our Fire Log… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Shaw wins one in Gatineau; CBC Regina, SunTV to stay off DTH line-up

GATINEAU – When Star Choice took Sun TV (Quebecor’s Toronto station, CKXT) and CBKT Regina (CBC) out of its channel lineup in May, it did not violate its conditions of licence, the CRTC ruled Thursday. Back in May, the DTH company (a division of Shaw Communications) took five stations out of its basic package, including the two mentioned above as well as CTV Calgary, which was quickly reinstated after customers complained. French-language CBC news channel RDI was also taken off, but the Commission forced Star Choice to reinstate it last week, as Cartt.ca reported. This followed a stern Commission… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Lacavera says Globalive not about to slow down

TORONTO – Despite the wild, scary ride the global economy has been taking us all on this year, wireless newcomer Globalive is well-financed and going full speed ahead, said its CEO, Anthony Lacavera, an investors conference in Toronto last week. Recognizing that “the market would not allow external financing right now,” Lacavera told the Scotia Capital Markets Telecom and Technology investors day that Globalive’s wireless venture is well-funded by co-owner Orascom – a global wireless player based in Egypt with over 77 million wireless subscribers. Globalive can count on up to $700 million from its corporate partner, said Lacavera,… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Shaw telethon supports Canadian athletes

CALGARY – Shaw Communications’ telethon helped raise $300,000 in support of high-performance Canadian athletes. The "Making It Happen" telethon was held November 16th on Shaw TV in western Canada and nationally on Star Choice. Shaw matched viewer contributions up to $150,000 for total of $300,000 donated to the Canadian Athletes Now Fund (CAN Fund). For eight hours, 70 Canadian athletes, such as members of the 2008 Men’s 8 Gold Medal Rowing Team, wrestling gold medalist Carol Huynh, and Paralympic 100m Gold Medalist Earle Connor, managed phones bids on 400 auction items. "Shaw has initiated a number of innovative fundraising efforts… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Star Choice must distribute RDI to all, says CRTC

OTTAWA – Shaw Communications’ DTH company Star Choice must distribute French news channel Le Réseau de l’information (RDI) to all digital subscribers living in Anglophone markets as part of its digital basic service, the CRTC has ruled. The CBC filed a complaint with the Commission in May, alleging that Star Choice refused to offer RDI as part of its ‘English Essentials’ basic service package in Anglophone markets, despite “repeated efforts” on its part to secure carriage. The CBC argued that this is contrary to objectives in the Commission’s Distribution Order 2007-3, set out as appendix 4 to Broadcasting Decision… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Shaw adds GameTV

TORONTO – GameTV is launching on Shaw digital cable. "GameTV brings an impressive programming mix of ‘winning’ shows, from reality TV to classic game shows to Hollywood movies and our popular Watch & Win segments – so we know viewers in Western Canada are excited about our launch on Shaw," says Mark Rubinstein, president of digital media for Insight Sports. "Now, they’ll have 24/7 access to GameTV’s exciting lineup, a lineup that is even bigger and better this Fall.” Game TV is the former Casino and Gaming Television. www.igametv.com  www.shaw.ca Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Shaw changes channels

CALGARY – Shaw will making changes to its channel lineup in all markets beginning Tuesday. The changes are designed to give Shaw customers “a better viewing experience” by grouping high definition (HD) channels together, the company announced. The release also hinted that Shaw will be adding more HD events, movies and sports to their lineup in the near future, but only mentioned one by name: The Frame, Shaw’s own commercial-free HD art service showcasing the work of international artists and photographers, will available later this week. "Ensuring our customers have the best viewing experience is always a priority at… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CableLabs issues new MHA specs

LOUISVILLE, Colo. – CableLabs announced today that it has released a family of specifications that defines a common set of interfaces for converged video and broadband services in a modular cable network headend. The Modular Headend Architecture (MHA) specifications include the existing DOCSIS Modular CMTS specifications as well as a series of new specifications that define interfaces for narrowcast MPEG digital video services such as video-on-demand (VOD) and switched-digital-video (SDV). The new digital video specifications result from an effort involving headend equipment manufacturers and cable operators. The specifications provide “a point of harmonization” between the Time Warner Cable-led Interactive Services… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Shaws buy more Corus

CALGARY – The Shaw family, the controlling shareholders of broadcaster and animator Corus Entertainment recently purchased 820,000 class B non-voting shares of the company. Given Wednesday’s closing price of $13.11, the shares would be valued at $10.75 million. The Shaw Family, and entities owned or controlled by them, holds 7,283,014 shares of the company, now valued at about $95.5 million. A year ago, that stake would have been worth $189.4 million (when Corus’ share price was $26). “The Shaw family also advised the company it would continue its practice of purchasing shares on a regular basis,” reads the press… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

OPINION: Broadcasters association faces uncertain future

ON THE SURFACE, the 2008 Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention went off with nary a hitch. Speeches and panels were mostly interesting, attendance was stable compared to last year and the country’s broadcasters did their usual good job in celebrating their best and brightest while we were all entertained by various musical acts over about a 42-hour span at the Westin Hotel. Behind the scenes though, it’s a much different story. Now, while no one would go on the record with me about any of this, it became quite clear while talking to many people on the show floor… Continue Reading