ABOUT A WEEK before the next Commission’s September 29th inquiry into the state of the broadcast industry, whomever the regulator dares send to the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance annual gathering will be sure to get an earful.
The members of the CCSA are Canada’s smaller, but fiercely independent, cable operators and when they meet on September 20-22 for Connect 2009 at the White Oaks Resort in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., you can bet any thought of paying a fee for carriage to conventional broadcasters won’t be warmly received, to say the least.
The group has worked hard to earn a small systems exemption…
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GATINEAU – In back-to-back presentations this morning, the CRTC heard from two of Canada’s largest ISPs, Telus and Cogeco Cable, one of which uses no Internet traffic management techniques (yet) and one which uses them all the time.
Each want the same thing, however: to be left alone to manage their networks how they see fit.
Telus, the big western-based telco, uses no traffic management technology right now on either its retail consumers or wholesale business clients, said senior vice-president of regulatory and government affairs Michael Hennessy. But it wants the freedom to be able to deploy them, if needed, in…
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TORONTO – The Radio Television News Directors’ foundation has awarded over $12,000 in scholarships to five broadcast journalism students across Canada.
More than 40 applications were received from across the country as students submitted samples of their work in one of five categories.
The 2009 scholarship recipients are:
– Stefanie Masotti of Fanshawe College in London, ON who won two scholarships – the $2,000 Marketwire scholarship for the top first year student, and the $2,500 RTNDA George Clark scholarship for the overall winning entry;
– Russ Courtney, also of Fanshawe College, won the $2,000 BNN/Jim O’Connell scholarship for a student interested…
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MONTREAL – Bell Canada finished off a pair of acquisitions today that will boost both its wireless subscribers as well as its branding and distribution capabilities.
First off, the company has completed its previously announced $135 million purchase of Canadian electronics retailer The Source. Now operating independently as The Source and as La Source in Québec, the company is already selling Bell TV, and will offer Bell and Virgin Mobile wireless products exclusively in January 2010. The stores used to sell Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice) gear, but no more.
The Source had been owned by the bankrupt…
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GATINEAU – Earlier this week, the CBC attempted to give the CRTC a little advice before the Regulator releases its public notice announcing the September hearing into an overhaul of the regulation of the TV business in Canada this coming Monday.
As reported by Cartt.ca, this past Monday the CBC offered up a proposed new distribution order which would govern new fee-for-carriage negotiations between broadcasters and cable and satellite companies (actually, the broadcasters are trying to “re-brand” the fee-for-carriage battle to one entitled value for signal, but we digress…)
Together, Shaw Communications, Telus, Rogers Communications, Cogeco and Bell…
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VANCOUVER – Telus Satellite TV is now available across British Columbia and Alberta, the western-based telco announced this morning.
Cartt.ca originally had this story announcing the launch was coming back in May.
Telus Satellite TV is available to more than 90% of homes in the two provinces and residents can now add it to their suite of services from Telus. “Bundling Telus TV with Internet, home phone or long distance services helps consumers simplify their lives – and save money at the same time,” says the press release.
Telus Satellite TV will help the company more quickly compete with…
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CALGARY – The Radisson Hotel in Saskatoon is the first hotel in Canada to offer an ‘HD Free-to-Guest’ television system.
The high definition in-room entertainment system (IRES) eliminates the need for an in-room device like a set top box by using a decryption management card in the TV. This allows the channel lineup to be controlled at the television itself.
Using coax lines, hoteliers can now provide a “cost-effective digital IRES” which allows guests to enjoy the benefits that digital technology provides over traditional analog television.
"We are extremely pleased with the product and service and have seen that reflected…
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OTTAWA – The Penthouse Channel will be joining the Rogers Cable lineup after completing a multi-year distribution agreement.
Currently available to Shaw Cable customers, the adult programming network is distributed in Canada by Ottawa-based Ten Broadcasting.
“We are pleased that Rogers chose to carry this top international and well-known and respected domestic brand in adult TV programming, said Ten Broadcasting president and CEO Stuart Duncan, in the announcement. “This carriage agreement comes with additional carriage not only for the channel but with enhanced distribution of the Penthouse brand potentially across many Rogers distribution platforms.”
www.tenbroadcasting.com
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TORONTO – While there have been a number of suits spotted roaming through Canwest Global’s E! stations over the past few months, kicking the figurative tires at the local OTA outlets with the “For Sale” sign on them, some actual names have now been attached to potential suitors.
According to a number of sources on Wednesday, executives from Channel Zero (owners of specialty channels Movieola and Silver Screen Classics and film distributor Ouat Media) spent part of Wednesday afternoon at CHCH Hamilton closely inspecting the facility.
All bidders in such transactions are normally bound by non-disclosure agreements – and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for input on whether it may conduct Canadian ownership and control reviews on a public basis, as opposed to a confidential basis, in certain instances.
Telus sent a letter to the Commission on April 20, 2009 asking it to conduct “an open and transparent process” to review whether wireless newcomer Globalive Wireless Management is under Canadian ownership and control, as required by section 16 of the Telecommunications Act. Shaw sent a letter two days later in support of Telus’ request.
But Globealive opposed the move, saying the Commission has a “longstanding practice” of conducting…
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