TORONTO – When life throws curves, there’s Twist TV.
Shaw Media’s newly branded specialty channel Twist TV arrived in over 2 million homes on Monday, though for the month of November, the channel will be offered in an additional 3.6 million homes, bringing Canadian audiences real life with a twist by capturing the experiences of everyday people facing extraordinary situations.
"Through tales of extraordinary life experiences, Twist TV demonstrates that you never know what kinds of curves life will throw your way," said Solange Bernard, director of marketing strategy for Lifestyle Channels at Shaw Media, in the announcement. "Our advertising campaign…
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TORONTO – Canada’s telco TV providers say that they are getting better and better at eating their cable competitors’ lunch, so to speak. And, they have no intention of easing up any time soon.
Bell Aliant, MTS, SaskTel and Telus met with broadcasters and content providers this week in Toronto to chat about their successes and plans for the future. And, they introduced a new member of their informal consortium, TbayTel, who recently began offering digital TV in Thunder Bay, ON.
The majority of the telcos extolled the virtues of their Microsoft Mediaroom platform, particularly how it allows them to offer functionality…
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OTTAWA – Mario Mota, vice-president of broadcasting policy and regulatory affairs at the Canadian Media Production Association has decided to leave the organization, members were informed this week.
After nearly five years with CMPA (formerly the CFTPA) Mota tells Cartt.ca that he intends to work on his private consulting practice he runs with his wife, Boon Dog Professional Services – and may even do some work for the association.
“Over the past four and a half years Mario has been a key asset to the Association,” said CMPA president and CEO Norm Bolen in a note to the membership. “His passion,…
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GATINEAU – Canada’s major cable companies and telcos are squaring off against MTS Allstream and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre over the CRTC’s authority to mandate broadband as an essential service in the so-called “Obligation to Serve” CRTC proceeding beginning Tuesday in Timmins, Ont.
Comments filed with the CRTC in late August show that Bell Canada, Telus and all of the large cablecos are, not surprisingly, opposed to any Commission intervention on this matter, while PIAC and MTS firmly believe that the CRTC can make broadband essential.
The issue has become a central theme in the proceeding which will cover…
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OTTAWA – "We successfully overcame many challenges and managed to come out of the year stronger, more focused and more financially sound than we were at the outset," said CBC/Radio-Canada board chairman Tim Casgrain in kicking off the Corp’s second Annual Public Meeting held Wednesday morning in Ottawa.
Canadians from across the country participated via live webcast as Casgrain, president and CEO Hubert Lacroix, and VP and CFO Suzanne Morris reviewed the highlights of 2009–2010, provided an overview of the next year and took some questions.
Lacroix focused on the myriad changes in the media industry globally – and locally as…
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GATINEAU – Atop Broadband received a Class 1 Broadcast Distribution Undertaking license from the CRTC today to serve the Greater Toronto Area.
Under its license the company can serve Ajax, Aurora, Bolton, Brampton, Caledon, East Gwillimbury, Etobicoke, Georgetown, King City, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Newmarket, Nobleton, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Toronto, and Vaughan (Kleinberg, Maple and Woodbridge).
The company is owned by Robert Socci, president of Atop Communications, and according to the proceeding’s documents, it appears it will be an over-the-top video provider that will provide its own set-top box using its customers’ existing cable DOCSIS or telco…
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TORONTO – Canwest Broadcasting’s chief marketing officer, Walter Levitt, will be leaving the company once it is purchased by Shaw Communications.
Levitt (pictured), former head of marketing at Alliance Atlantis, came on board in 2005, about two years before Canwest purchased the former Alliance Atlantis specialty channels. He and his team raised the profile and lifted the buzz around the specialties and the main network with several innovative marketing campaigns which invariably included robust digital aspects and social media integration.
“As you know, Shaw is a Calgary-based cable and satellite company with a long-serving head of marketing. In planning the integration of the…
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TORONTO – Retiring CTV CEO Ivan Fecan worked in TV all of his life. He was a producer, director and executive at a number of levels. As CEO, he knows all there is to know about how TV in Canada works.
The background of the new CTV CEO-to-be is far different.
Kevin Crull, president of residential services at Bell Canada (CTV’s new parent, pending regulatory approvals) was appointed COO today. He takes the job January 1st and will become CEO once Fecan retires when the Bell acquisition is closed sometime in early 2011.
While Crull knows he’s going to have…
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OTTAWA – Quebecor Media Inc. surprisingly revealed yesterday that the company was no longer going to seek “must carry” status for its Category 2 English language all news specialty channel Sun TV News.
The revelation marks a stunning reversal from previous statements that the channel required must carry status to be able to compete with the other specialty news stations, CTV Newsnet and CBC Newsworld (the company’s last application to the CRTC said without must-carry, the business case couldn’t work). Now the company says it will work within current CRTC rules, which will require Quebecor to negotiate carriage…
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TELUS WILL ADD 800 new employees to its operations in the Philippines next year, according to a report on GMANews.TV.
Telus International Philippines Inc. has facilities in the cities of Pasig, Taguig, and Quezon, which combined employ almost 9,000 in that country. Telus spokesperson Shawn Hall confirmed to Cartt.ca that most of those employees, whom he said are well paid in "good working conditions", serve the company’s U.S. and offshore customers.
“If a U.S. resident orders a pizza, calls an electrical utility with a bill question, dials 411, or calls the 1-800 number on the back of their game console for tips on…
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