CALGARY – Advertisers on the TV listings channels in a number of smaller Shaw Cable communities can now make their own ads, if they like, opening up the service to all kinds of advertisers from local businesses to someone selling a used car.
Corus Custom Networks, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. today announced the launch of its Create Your Own Ad service, enabling Canadians in Shaw Cable communities across western Canada to design their own television advertising online for the TV Listings Channel.
Corus, which is controlled by the Shaw family, owns the TV listings channels carried by…
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WHEN PEOPLE FIND OUT I AM the president of Babytel, an independent provider of high-speed Internet phone service, the first question I get is about our name, (most love it), followed closely by “how in the world can you compete against the big guys?”
How we compete is quite simple: we are finding unique opportunities, such as being the VOIP backbone for partners like independent cable companies and ISPs, and we are selling to niche markets like Asian and African communities in Canada.
(I will refer the genesis of our name to later.)
There is incredible opportunity. VOIP opens…
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DESPITE THE IMMINENT SHUTDOWN of the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association, a move which will cost 26 jobs, Canada’s smaller independent operators have already decided they must have a continuing presence in Ottawa.
As reported first by www.cartt.ca early Friday afternoon, Rogers Cable, the largest remaining member of the CCTA, decided to rescind its support of the association, effectively killing it – even though no other member wanted to pull the plug. Even Rogers didn’t really want to do it.
However, no CCTA member is blaming Rogers for the demise of the 50-plus year-old association. Indeed, the CCTA’s board of…
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OTTAWA – Bragg Communications, the parent company of Halifax-based MSO EastLink, has appealed to the CRTC to expand what can be shown in the two minutes of ad time U.S. cable channels make available for local ads.
CRTC regulations currently say that cable companies may only promote their video or audio services within that avail time. Cablecos can claim 25% of the time and must give the rest up, at cost, to Canadian broadcasters to promote their channels. Channels like CNN and the Golf Channel make two minutes per hour available to its carriers to sell advertising, which is…
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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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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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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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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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