OTTAWA – Citing BCE’s monopoly over the distribution of Montreal Canadiens content in the Quebec market, if its acquisition of CTVglobemedia is approved, Quebecor Media Inc. (QMI) is asking the CRTC to adopt a new regulatory framework for sports programming.
In the comparable Toronto market, there are four entities that hold the rights to distribute Toronto Maple Leafs games: Sportsnet, TSN, CBC and team-owned Leafs TV. QMI wants the Commission to ensure that Quebec viewers have a similar choice by implementing a system where the Canadiens broadcast rights would be divvied up by a number of distributors.
QMI argues that…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with Telus and Bell in a complaint against Videotron over exclusivity of some of its video-on-demand content.
In separate applications made last June, Telus and Bell claimed that Videotron owned the exclusive rights to popular programs from TVA network, which it offered on its illico on-demand platform, but would not license them for the telco’s own on-demand platforms in Quebec, contrary to VOD regulations.
TVA is the largest conventional television network in Quebec and is owned by Quebecor Media, which also owns Videotron.
The Commission determined on Wednesday that a condition of undue preference does exist, and…
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THE CRTC MUST ENSURE that independent broadcasters have sufficient access to distribution in the wake of the BCE Inc. proposed acquisition of CTVglobemedia, say those ‘casters.
As well, the Commission has to force BCE to pay the full benefits to producers in the form of 10% of the transaction’s entire $3.2-billion value, say some of those producers. These are two of the critical issues that the CRTC will have to stickhandle once it begins hearing arguments on the proposed transaction on February 1st.
Generally, Bell’s fellow distributors are in favour of the transaction. But they say that safeguards need to…
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OTTAWA – The complexity – some might say silliness – of Canada’s telecommunications foreign ownership rules were on full display last week as the Federal Court heard arguments on a petition to overturn Cabinet’s decision to approve Globalive Wireless’ ownership structure.
According to people at the hearing, Globalive Wireless’ lawyers argued that because the Telecommunications Act says Canadian telecom firms can’t be controlled by non-Canadians doesn’t mean they must be controlled by Canadians. Therefore, a telecom company can find itself in the situation of being controlled by neither Canadians or non-Canadians.
Globalive, of course, is in business under the Wind…
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OTTAWA – An attempt by Axia SuperNet to overturn the CRTC’s decision on Telus’ deferral accounts has failed.
The Commission said that Axia was unable to “demonstrate substantial doubt as to the correctness” of its determinations in Telecom Decision 2010-639 which gave Telus the go ahead to use its deferral account funds to expand broadband services to 159 communities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec.
Click here for more on the decision.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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CALGARY – While remaining mum on just who the manufacturer is, Shaw Communications says it will launch a new residential media hub/gateway in May.
The new customer premises device (which would replace existing set top boxes) is meant to compete with Telus’ Microsoft Mediaroom-driven Optik TV.
Telus’ TV service offers customers options cable doesn’t, like the ability to remote-program their DVR and multi-room DVR ability – meaning customers can watch shows on any room there is an Optik-connected television. Its more-flexible search functionality lets customers find shows or movies by the name of the actors or directors instead of…
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TORONTO – The Canadian broadcast and telecom industries appear to have plenty to say about the proposed merger of Bell and CTV. With comments and interventions due on Tuesday, three weeks in advance of the CRTC hearing, most stakeholders offered their conditional support, but only with safeguards in place to preserve industry competition.
Rogers tied its support of the deal to Bell’s continued opposition to the issue of value-for-signal (a.k.a. fee-for-carriage). Bell, Rogers, Cogeco, Shaw and Telus at one point banded together to challenge the CRTC before the Federal Court of Appeal arguing that the Commission lacks the power…
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TORONTO – Despite assertions to the contrary, Shaw may not roll out its new wireless service this year. As the Calgary-based company prepares for its annual general meeting on Thursday, at least one industry analyst is predicting that a “widespread wireless launch in 2011 seems unlikely”.
“Building a wireless asset may be more challenging and take longer than some may think”, wrote Dvai Ghose, the managing director and head of Canadian research for Canaccord Genuity, in a note to investors on Monday. “Shaw has publicly stated that it aims to launch wireless in 2011. However, it had also planned to…
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WE JOURNALISTS JUST love our year-end lists, don’t we? They are everywhere. However, we don’t do predictions here. They only thing I have found to be certain when trying to predict the future is that nearly all the time, the predictions are wrong.
So instead, here’s our list of 10 open questions heading into 2011.
1. How much market share will the Telus and Bell Canada IPTV services take from incumbent cable companies? The user experience of the Microsoft Mediaroom-driven Optik TV and Fibe TV is just so darn good and so darn integrated (I’d switch just for the whole-home PVR…
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TORONTO – The first ever 3D broadcast of CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada is coming to TV screens across the country.
Viewers with a 3D-ready television, along with the associated pair of glasses, will be able to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on December 11. The broadcast will be available free to Bell TV subscribers on channel 1933 (satellite TV) and 1208 (Fibe TV); Shaw Direct subscribers on channel 233/333 (Classic/Advanced); Telus Optik TV subscribers on channel 656 and Telus satellite TV subscribers on channel 1933; and to Vidéotron…
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