SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Worldwide cable telephony service revenues rose from US$4.5 billion in 2004 to US$5.6 billion in 2005, and are projected to reach US$10 billion by 2009, reports American research firm In-Stat.
"The widening availability of VOIP-based cable telephony services has resulted in thousands of new cable telephony subscribers for operators like Time Warner Cable and Cablevision in the United States, Videotron and Shaw Communications in Canada, and Liberty Global in Europe," says the In-Stat release.
"The key attraction for cable operators is the cost advantage that VOIP offers in comparison with circuit-switched service," says Michael Paxton, In-Stat analyst….
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TORONTO – Thanks to integration expenses (of Microcell and Call-Net), Rogers Communications posted a loss of $66.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, ended December 31st..
While that’s a far larger quarterly loss than in Q4 2004, the wireless, cable, telecom, and media giant’s annual loss was 33.5% lower than last year at $44.6 million.
Revenue in the quarter was $2.12 billion, a 35.4% increase over the same period last year and operating profit was $513 million, a 14% jump. Revenue for the full year was $7.48 billion, a 33.4% increase while OP was $2.14 billion, a 23.6%…
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SASKATOON – Canadian broadcaster Keith Morrison, a former Saskatoon broadcaster who now works for NBC in Los Angeles, is coming back to the Prairie province to host Crystal Meth: Toxic Speed, a one-hour, open line program which will be broadcast live on Sunday, February 12 from 6 to 7 p.m. on Shaw TV as well as most other media outlets in the province.
Spearheaded by Shaw Communications, the program will be hosted and moderated by Morrison, and a primary panel of four will facilitate a meaningful discussion with a live studio audience of experts and interested parties. Viewer and…
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SASKATOON – While his brainchild, Crystal Meth: Toxic Speed, will air as planned on Sunday, Shaw Cable program manager Jim Mattern has been fired, says the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix.
Two reports in the newspaper say that Mattern was fired last week and that Mattern thinks it stems from a political call-in show during the election.
On January 17th, a live telecast saw an anonymous caller accuse Conservative candidate Maurice Vellacott of sexual assault. According to the newspaper Vellacott demanded the phone number and immediately promised libel action, because the now-MP (he won the election handily) had never been accused…
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OTTAWA – Quebec cable company Videotron is claiming Star Choice is selling some systems on a two-for-one basis and that such practices run contra to the Broadcast Distribution Regulations.
In a complaint to the CRTC filed December 2nd, Videotron asked the CRTC to step in and put a stop to the practice, saying the Shaw Communications-owned DTH satellite company was giving itself an undue preference by allowing people to pay one subscription fee on more than one system, which contravenes section 9 of the regs.
Star Choice and Bell ExpressVu have allowed customers to purchase more than one system,…
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TORONTO – A story in today’s National Post which said Rogers Communications made a friendly, informal, $9.3 billion all-share offer to purchase Shaw Communications is wrong.
A terse two-sentence release put out by Rogers this morning says: "The purported meeting and offer described in the story did not occur."
Shortly after noon today, Shaw put out its own firm denial. "The Shaw Family has advised the company that it is not in discussions with any party to sell its controlling interest in the company. The purported meeting and offer described in the National Post story did not occur."
In…
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OTTAWA – American radio host Don Imus earned a rebuke from the CRTC on Friday thanks to comments made during his show on MSNBC Canada in the fall of 2004.
MSNBC Canada no longer exists, however MSNBC is on the eligible satellite list and Imus in the Morning is MSNBC’s 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. morning program.
The CRTC says it received over 100 complaints about comments made on the November 12 and November 19, 2004 programs. Shaw, Rogers and MSNBC, which owned Canadian version of the channel, shut it down later that month for economic reasons.
Imus and his co-hosts…
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OTTAWA – Shaw Cable is selling commercial advertising on its community channels during Western Hockey League games, says the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, which contravenes CRTC regulations.
While Canadian cable companies are allowed to offer sponsorships to local companies for some of its programming, like Joe’s Garage sponsoring a car repair program, for example, they are prohibited by regulation from selling commercial advertisements promoting products on their community channels.
During a WHL game last May, says the CAB’s complaint, Shaw aired 14 commercial messages, at least 11 of which contravened the regs by actively promoting certain products….
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TORONTO – TSN today announced it has hired Jim Marshall as executive producer, events, and Shawn Redmond as senior manager, marketing.
Marshall is now responsible for TSN’s mobile productions, including CFL, International Hockey (including the IIHF World Junior Championship), Golf, Tennis, Auto Racing, Figure Skating and Blue Jays Baseball.
Marshall is returning home. He has had stints at TSN as a director/producer and at various CTV stations. Born and raised in Burlington, Ont., Marshall’s career began in 1975 as a copywriter at CTV Regina (CKCK), followed by stints at CTV Kitchener (CKCO), and CTV’s Wide World of Sports. He has…
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REGINA – A comprehensive lineup of WHL games from across the province will anchor Access7 community channel programming.
Rick Fraser, vice-president, marketing for Access said the games are made possible through a joint agreement between Access, Shaw Communications and the league.
“We are pleased again in 2006 to work with our friends at Shaw and the WHL to bring our viewers more great WHL hockey action. Between our WHL game coverage across the province and our weekly show dedicated to the Regina Pats, our viewers can count on Access7 to provide the best in Major Junior hockey coverage,” said Fraser….
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