HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of new dollars could pour into the Canadian television system under a new fee-for-carriage plan proposed by Canada’s two main private broadcast networks.
Rivals CTVglobemedia and Canwest made a little history Friday by filing a joint submission to the CRTC’s review of its policies governing broadcast distribution undertakings (cable and satellite companies) and specialty services. Those hearings are set to begin April 7th.
Saying conventional television – thanks to the ever-increasing rate of audience fragmentation driven by specialty services and new media outlets – is in “crisis”, the broadcasters want the Commission to add a subscriber…
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TORONTO – Comments due today on the expanded scope of the CRTC’s hearings into policy governing broadcast distribution undertakings and specialty services show the fee-for-carriage debate will be the dominant issue, come April.
While most companies are not filing their comments until 5 p.m. today, CTVglobemedia issued a press release just before noon touting what it believes are the necessary features of new BDU policy.
While the policy review has been set for some time (the hearing begins April 7), the Commission only announced in November that it had expanded the scope of the proceeding and invited comments from…
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Jay Thomson has joined the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) as vice-president of regulatory and policy. He will be responsible for regulatory matters dealing with programming content and social policy issues as they pertain to private broadcasters, including policy development, industry analysis, strategic planning and advocacy with government and industry stakeholders.
Thomas was vice-president of legal and regulatory affairs at the now-defunct Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA), where he worked heavily on Internet retransmission issues. After the CCTA folded, he moved to Telus Communications, where he was assistant vice-president of broadband policy. He has also worked as legal counsel…
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OTTAWA and GATINEAU – It’s been nearly two years, a court appeal and many complaints since the original decision, but the CRTC today revealed how the $650 million or so in the so-called deferral accounts will be spent.
The Commission approved several initiatives that will benefit Canadians with disabilities and expand broadband services to rural and remote communities. The major local telephone companies were also directed by the Commission to finalize proposals for the dispersal of the funds in their deferral accounts.
"Today’s decision will not only make telecommunications services more accessible to all Canadians, but also…
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MISSISSAUGA – The Canadian Satellite Users Association (CSUA) will be changing its name to the Canadian Broadcast Distribution Association, effective next week.
The new name, and acronym – CBDA – better reflects the work mandate of the association over the recent years.
“The mandate has shifted from a focus solely on the satellite distribution networks to all the distribution platforms available to broadcasters to deliver their signals,” said Chris Bell, chairman of CSUA. “The expanding mandate has attracted interest from non-satellite distributors with both Rogers and Telus members of the association, “ added Gordon Lee, vice-chair.
“The annual conference…
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VANCOUVER – Telus said this week that the statutory waiting period under the pre-merger notification provisions of the Competition Act (Canada) expired on December 17, 2007 in connection with its offer to buy all of the common shares of Emergis Inc. for $8.25 in cash.
As well, announced Telus, the Commissioner of Competition has also advised that she does not intend to challenge the $763 million transaction announced late November, under the merger provisions of the Competition Act.
“This fulfills the condition of the Offer relating to the Competition Act (Canada), but the Offer continues to be subject to…
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HAMILTON – Kids’ Health Links Foundation, McMaster Children’s Hospital and Telus today announced the launch of Upopolis.com, the first secure online social network for kids in hospital care.
(Ed note: After seeing it first-hand earlier today, this is one excellent idea.)
Powered by Telus, Upopolis.com provides the best features of social networking for young patients who often feel isolated when they’re in the hospital. It will provide a personal profile, secure mail, instant chat, discussion boards, personal blogs and links to child-friendly games. The site also provides unique features to kids in hospital like a homework site to stay…
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NEW YORK – As the only GSM wireless operator in Canada, Rogers Wireless will face a dilemma – and opportunity – when new wireless companies launch in this country – likely in 2009.
While Bell Canada and Telus and a few other large North American wireless companies use CDMA-driven networks and handsets, GSM has become the de facto worldwide wireless standard technology, so it is highly probable that any new wireless company that comes to market here will choose to be a GSM player, too.
That means such newbies will use the new mandated roaming rules we reported on…
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EVEN FOR A PROPONENT of spectrum set-asides, mandated roaming and mandated tower sharing, the rules surrounding the 2008 advanced wireless spectrum auction, which were released Wednesday afternoon in Toronto by Industry Minister Jim Prentice, aren’t quite a slam dunk.
MTS Allstream’s regulatory chief Chris Peirce was pleased Industry Canada had accepted his, and others’, argument that a leg up was required for newcomers to enter the space and increase wireless competition in Canada, but was non-committal about putting the rules into practice. “At a policy level, the government and the ministry have clearly gotten it. They understand that…
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TORONTO – Canada’s big three wireless incumbents will be wearing handcuffs when the advanced wireless spectrum auction begins on May 27, 2008.
Industry Minister Jim Prentice was in Toronto this afternoon to announce the rules of engagement when the federal government auctions off the 105 MHz worth of spectrum. The auction itself will take two to three weeks.
Of that spectrum, 40 MHz will be set aside for new wireless entrants to bid on alone. The remaining 65 MHz will be open to everyone. “The spectrum being set aside amounts to less than 14% of the total mobile spectrum…
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