MONTREAL – The federal government’s plan to increase foreign ownership in the telecommunications sector will not result in cheaper wireless service, and could serve to undermine plans for universal access, says Canada’s largest telecommunications union.
Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), said that CEP-commissioned research actually disputes claims that wireless services are more expensive in Canada than in other countries.
"Existing studies compare pricing in markets that have very different usage, that don’t have special plans with unlimited minutes, or free phones, for example, like we do in Canada," Coles said. "When taking all of that…
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TORONTO – The World Fishing Network will dedicate an entire day of programming and commercial airtime on June 30th to support recreational anglers affected by the Gulf oil spill disaster.
The on-air campaign, which will air on its Canadian and U.S. channels, aims to raise awareness of the catastrophic impact this spill is having on the entire fishing industry, and to raise money for organizations providing aid and support to those most negatively impacted by the disaster.
In addition to in-depth coverage of the impact of the spill on recreational and commercial fishing in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, the channel…
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TORONTO and WINNIPEG – Disgruntled Canwest Global shareholders, including the Asper family, are continuing in their efforts to stop Shaw’s purchase of the company’s television divisions.
According to a report in the Financial Post, the group filed an affidavit in Ontario court this week alleging that the proposed $2 billion sale “was not the result of a full and informed auction”, and therefore did not “fetch hundreds of millions of dollars in additional value the company is estimated to be worth”.
The group, which includes the founding Asper family, three U.S. investors and four unidentified Canadian investors, also served…
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CALGARY – Not to be outdone by its cable brethren, Shaw Cable has launched a broadband video-on-demand player to offer its customers “complete control” of their entertainment experience.
The new broadband VOD player allows customers to search and order programs on VOD.SHAW.CA to enjoy either on TV or on their computers. In addition, customers with Movie Central as part of their TV package can order and stream movies and shows from the channel at no additional charge.
"Technology continues to evolve with the ability to watch content on multi-platforms," said president Peter Bissonnette, in the announcement. "That’s why Shaw is investing…
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IF EVERYONE PLAYS their expected part, Canadians may end up clamouring for the new SunTV News channel that its owner, Quebecor Media, envisions.
The launch strategy, it appears, is so far playing out brilliantly. After a couple of weeks of leaks (“It’ll be like Fox News, but in Canada!” “They’re going to spend $100 million!” “They’ve asked the CRTC for permission! “We’ve hired some reporters!”) which were linked and retweeted everywhere across the country – and especially in Ottawa – newspaper, TV and radio reporters, camera folks, online newsers (including yours truly) and bloggers crowded…
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BANFF – Today’s youth expect a fully integrated, holistic content experience – not just games and contests on-line, according to a Shaw Rocket Fund study.
The 2010 Media and Technology Landscape Study, which garnered over 1100 responses among 9 to 17 year-old Canadians, captured young people’s expectations on how they wish to consume and interact with media both today and into the future.
At a presentation earlier this week at the Banff International Television Festival, Shaw Rocket Fund president Agnes Augustin and Decode strategist Jacquelyn Salnek outlined some of the study’s highlights, including:
– Youth have a much different view of the…
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TORONTO – International news channel Al Jazeera English has launched on Shaw Cable and officially opened its Canadian news bureau.
Available to Shaw’s digital TV subscribers on channel 175, the network will be available on a free preview through August 31, 2010. It also available on Bell TV, Rogers and Videotron.
"We are pleased to continue our expansion throughout Canada and bring AJE’s groundbreaking news and programming to Shaw customers”, said Tony Burman, the managing director of AJE, in a statement. “Since launching in Canada in May, AJE has provided a much-needed alternative perspective to global events. There…
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EVEN THE NON-SPORTS fan will know there’s a bit of a soccer tournament about to begin in South Africa this weekend. And yesterday was press release day on the TV front.
In Canada, the CBC is leading the coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with broadcast across multiple platforms, a World Cup CBC mobile app – and the third place and final games are to be available in 3D for the dozens (?) of fans who have new 3DTVs.
After CBC sent out it’s announcement, so did Shaw Cable, Telus, Shaw Direct, Cogeco, Rogers…
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OTTAWA – Telesat has chosen Space Systems/Loral to manufacturer its new Anik G1 satellite and International Launch Services (ILS) for its launch into geostationary orbit, scheduled for the second half of 2012.
The powerful new multipurpose bird will carry 16 transponders operating in the extended Ku-band for Shaw Direct, as the DTH company announced in March. Co-located at the 107.3 degrees West Longitude orbital location with the Anik F1R satellite Shaw Direct presently uses, the satellite could boost Shaw Direct’s satellite television services by 30%.
Anik G1 also will also have satellite capacity operating in the X-band frequencies with geographic coverage of the…
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TORONTO – Can connectivity and content achieve a happy marriage or should they just stay friends?
Dvai Ghose, the outspoken managing director and head of Canadian research for Canaccord Genuity, came down firmly on the side of ‘friends’.
“There is no evidence to suggest that owning content assets helps connectivity providers,” he said at the Canadian Telecom Summit during a panel discussion Monday afternoon called ‘Business Models 3.0: Financial Implications for Content and Carriage’.
While acknowledging that content ownership could make sense for “defensive reasons” or as a “regulatory hedge,” he was also quick to point to the “convergence nightmares” of the…
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