GATINEAU – The main attraction on Tuesday, day 10 of the hearing into the policies governing specialty channels and their carriers, was a posse of independent broadcasters arguing that the system as it now stands, isn’t quite as broken as some would have everyone believe.
Of course, the system ain’t quite right, but it’s not broken – and surely doesn’t need the massive overhaul proposed by cable and satellite companies, said the group
The panel featured S-Vox (VisionTV, The Christian Channel, One: Body, Mind and Spirit), Stornoway Communications (ichannel, bpm:tv, The Pet Network), TV5, APTN and Ethnic Channels Group…
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OF ALL THE CONFLICTING complaints we’ve heard so far about the hearing still ongoing in Gatineau which will decide the future policies to govern specialty channels and BDUs, the question in the headline has been the most often repeated – from all sides of the debates.
The issues are so numerous, so complex, then again so connected to each other, it’s a wonder the five-member CRTC commissioner panel can make sense of everything. And there are just so many unanswered questions.
Last week at the National Association of Broadcasters convention, one couldn’t help but marvel at the utter sense…
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CALGARY and OTTAWA – Shaw Communications CEO Jim Shaw told Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a letter yesterday that the CRTC is bent on derailing the conservative government’s goals.
The five-page letter date April 16th, which was also sent to Industry Minister Jim Prentice, Heritage Minister Josee Verner and CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein, first outlines Shaw’s broad support for the government’s deregulation thrust on the telecom front and then decries the actions, or lack of action, Mr. Shaw feels is happening on the broadcasting and cable file.
“(W)e were the only broadcast distributor to support your Government’s move…
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EDMONTON – The National Telecommunications Workers Union,TWU-STT Canada, has announced today the launching of their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/twustt). The union’s YouTube channel is part of an overall membership outreach strategy that is intended to utilize new media technology to better communicate with members as the union mobilizes employees for many upcoming initiatives including preparing for Telus bargaining which will commence in 2009.
"It is essential that we, as communications workers, engage our members using all the technology available so that we remain informed, connected and relevant to those we represent. Our YouTube channel is an integral part of…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communications announced today that its channel line-up will be changing April 22, 2008 through April 24, 2008 in all markets to accommodate new high-definition (HD) channels and HD Pay Per View. The new HD content features TLC HD, Encore Avenue HD and additional HD Pay Per View movies and events.
The markets affected starting April 22, 2008 will include: – British Columbia – Powell River, Chilliwack, Fort St John-Dawson Creek, Castlegar, Trail , Nelson, Cranbrook, Creston, Kimberley, Invermere; – Alberta – Red Deer, Innisfail, Bowden, Olds, Didsbury, Ponoka-Lacombe, Stettler, Drumheller; – Saskatchewan – Prince Albert, Swift Current,…
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GATINEAU – Imagine – a video presentation at the CRTC’s hearings on broadcasting! Who would ever think of doing that?
“3-2-1. Blastoff!”
The Shaw Rocket Fund cleverly grabbed the attention of CRTC commissioners yesterday with a short animated video to make their point that children, as the ones who are already immersed in multi-media culture, should have a voice in this three-week gabfest about a future Canadian broadcasting model.
But it also took a former Radio-Canada journalist and now CRTC commissioner, Michel Morin, to ask the most probing question of the day: how come no one else at these…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communications acquired 6,524 new basic cable TV subscribers for a total of 2,241,503 at the end of the second quarter ended February 29, according to financial figures released Friday.
Its digital TV base grew 48,006 to 850,642, and the number of its Internet subscribers rose 31,517 to a total of 1,517,992. The number of its Digital Phone lines increased 56,536 to a total of 492,232. Its DTH satellite TV operator, Star Choice, signed on 4,977 new customers to bring the total number to 886,106.
“Quarterly subscriber gains in Digital Phone and Digital were the strongest additions…
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GATINEAU – What would have been fun, was a debate.
Day three of the CRTC hearings into BDU and specialty service regulations featured the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and Canadian Cable Systems Alliance, two groups with decidedly different constituents, and points of view, on the future policy direction of the TV industry.
The CAB represents most broadcasters in Canada who together serve basically 100% of the Canadian population. The CCSA, on the other hand, has a far smaller group of members whose companies deliver cable and broadband service to under a million rural Canadians.
While each had their turn…
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CALGARY – A press release issued by Shaw Communications this afternoon that some might term a little imprudent, took some new swings at the CRTC and in the overall direction the Calgary-based company believes this month’s Commission hearing is headed.
The three-week-long hearing has just completed its third day of proceedings (Shaw isn’t scheduled to appear until April 23) into the policies governing broadcast distribution undertakings and specialty services, but the company which owns Star Choice and Shaw Cable clearly doesn’t like the tone of the discussions so far.
"When it was first announced, we were optimistic that this…
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GATINEAU – Allarco Entertainment Inc.’s pay-per-view Super Channel will finally be launching on Shaw Communications’ cable systems and on its direct-to-home satellite distributor Star Choice in late April and early May respectively, according to the broadcaster.
The news was revealed following Allarco’s appearance Wednesday at the CRTC’s three-week-long hearing into pay and specialty services and broadcast distribution undertakings – at which executives complained it was proving impossible to get carriage, even though Super Channel had been granted must-carry status by the regulator.
“It’s easy to get a licence, but very difficult to execute it,” said Allarco chair Chuck Allard….
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