Heritage Committee strikes social media exemption from C-10; moves away from 7 year licence terms

The House of Commons Heritage committee has moved to strike an exemption for content posted on social media sites from regulation in the government’s much-watched update to the Broadcasting Act, known as Bill C-10.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

We’re ‘used to’ broadcaster interpretations of CRTC content regs: Scott

Asked whether or not the CRTC is up to the task of dealing with broadcasters who may try to circumvent Canadian content regulations if Bill C-10 is passed and brings streaming giants like Netflix, Inc. under the regulator’s remit, chair Ian Scott said effectively that they’re used to it.  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Cogeco accuses Wildbrain of “glaring abuse” of CRTC process over Part 1

Cogeco Inc. has responded to a Part 1 from television company Wildbrain, calling the company’s attempts to invoke the CRTC’s standstill rule “a glaring abuse of the Commission’s process.”  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Heritage committee to ask Guilbeault for draft policy directive for CRTC, summon Zuckerberg  

MPs on the House of Commons Heritage Committee said Friday they want to see the first draft of the directions the CRTC is going to get from Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault on how it should regulate streaming giants like Netflix Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Sales tax for foreign digital services coming July 1

The federal government plans to begin imposing sales taxes on foreign digital services on July 1, 2021 and to implement a corporate tax for digital companies by 2022, according to its fall economic update released Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Digital platforms won’t fight or flee new regulations, Guilbeault says

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault isn’t concerned about potential political or industry opposition to the Broadcasting Act updates he tabled Tuesday, saying in an interview a “realistic timeline” for the new rules to be in place would be by the end of 2021.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Broadcast Act updates not comprehensive enough: NDP, Conservatives

The Liberal government’s proposed updates to the Broadcasting Act have received sharp criticism from opposition parties, while some advocates for Canadian content makers offered up praise for Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault’s bill, tabled Tuesday as Bill C-10.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Back to Parliament: your (pandemic) preview

Given the precarious situation around the now-escalating COVID-19 pandemic, what will actually be included in Wednesday’s speech from the throne, and in the government’s priorities in the following weeks, is more uncertain than ever. With a day to go, even the details of exactly what a hybrid and virtual sitting will look like are still …

Working from home binge: OTT viewing up during the pandemic

A quarter of anglophone Canadian over-the-top (OTT) service subscribers opted in to a new platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, while a majority of subscribers increased their usage, according to a new survey from Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Netflix lowers Canadian bit rate for next 30 days

Netflix Inc. has announced it will lower its bit rate in Canada by 25 per cent for the next 30 days, just days after three telecommunications associations publicly urged the streaming giant to lower rates to lessen network congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

‘Task force’ assembled for Canadian screen industry

The COVID-19 global pandemic represents “an unprecedented challenge for all involved in the screen-based industry across Canada,” according to the Canadian Media Fund.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

There was never a Netflix deal: federal government

Former Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s much-touted 2017 deal with Netflix Inc. to spend $500 million in Canada should never have been referred to as an agreement, the federal government is arguing as part of its reasoning for why it shouldn’t have to publicly disclose the details involved. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

BTLR reaction mixed, no clarity on gov’t implementation

OTTAWA — A broadcasting and telecommunications legislative review report recommendation that would task a renamed CRTC with regulating online news sites is the “ok, boomer” approach to the internet, according to Conservative industry critic Michelle Rempel Garner.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

‘Clock ticking’ on new content rules for web giants, Guilbeault says

The Liberal government’s minority mandate means it will have to move fast on its promised new rules for Canadian content on foreign digital platforms, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault says.  “We’re in a minority government and we have to do in months what we probably would have done in years in another context,” he said in …

Netflix disclosure ‘nothing to do with regulation,’ company says

Following the federal parties’ shared pursuit to further regulate foreign internet companies, Netflix Inc. has this week disclosed for the first time its Canadian figures over the past three years, but the company said the decision is unrelated to looming regulation.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Facebook to lobby feds on digital services tax after election promises

Facebook Inc. has registered to lobby the federal government on “proposed digital services tax,” according to the lobbyist registry, just weeks after an election campaign that saw all major parties pledge to go after foreign digital companies.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Blair says ‘no timeline’ on Huawei ban; Bains promises ‘more’ on prices

OTTAWA — New Public Safety Minister Bill Blair indicated Wednesday he is open to talking to telecoms about whether to ban Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd equipment from 5G networks, while returning Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains promised “additional measures” to lower wireless prices. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

CPC plans for Netflix, rural broadband still unclear days ahead of vote

Despite Conservative leader Andrew Scheer indicating throughout this fall’s election campaign that he would make sure Netflix Inc. pays its “fair share,” his party is refusing to clarify whether he actually plans to introduce any new obligations on the streaming giant. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Consensus on ‘digital giants,’ data breaches in French debate

Federal party leaders agreed Thursday evening in the last debate of the election campaign on the need for big online companies to pay more in taxes, for the government to invest in the cultural sector and to protect Canadians from data breaches, though they didn’t delve into details. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

OECD seeks unified tax regime for web giants

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will host a public consultation next month on its proposed “unified approach” to the taxation of the world’s biggest tech companies. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

CanCon producers silent on CBC-Netflix rift

Organizations that represent important stakeholders in the field of Canadian content are staying relatively mum on the revelation that the CBC/Radio-Canada would stop collaborating with Netflix Inc., though the union representing Canada’s English-language screenwriters has endorsed Tait’s decision. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Leaders talk Netflix taxes, privacy in TVA election debate

During the first French-language debate of the federal election campaign, party leaders promised to take on digital giants, even as they dodged answering how they would do so without angering U.S. president Donald Trump. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Liberals, Conservatives promise new rules for Netflix

The Liberal Party platform, released Sunday, includes promises of new regulations for Canadian content on streaming services — while the Conservatives gear up to announce new taxes affecting foreign digital giants, the specifics of which are still unclear. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Telecoms ‘caught off guard’ by allegations piracy promoted at retailers: Super Channel

Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc.’s Super Channel held meetings with “totally surprised” representatives of Canadian telecoms in the weeks before it filed a Federal Court lawsuit against four major retailers, whose employees allegedly peddled the piracy benefits of media boxes they sold in stores.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Election 2019: watch for price caps, Netflix regs, Huawei ban

Even before the federal election campaign officially kicked off, telecom price caps already emerged as a proposal that, if implemented, would reverse a decades-long policy trend in Canada and diverge from international norms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Helix will keep cord-cutters in Videotron ‘ecosystem,’ CEO says

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron unveiled its new Helix platform Tuesday, and the company is counting on the combined IPTV, WiFi management and smart home platform to position it for a post cord-cutting world, according to CEO Jean-François Pruneau. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Feds putting $14.6 million toward French-language network

The federal government last week announced that it would pour $14.6 million over five years into TV5Monde, a French-language network internationally funded and managed by a consortium of French-language content producers across the world.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

CRTC commissioning report about market impact of online BDUs

The CRTC wants to know more about the potential for the Canadian broadcasting market to absorb virtual broadcasting distribution undertakings (vBDUs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling

The CRTC has asked several telecoms to explain how their throttling of wireless speeds once customers exceed their data allotments doesn’t violate the commission’s regulatory policy on internet traffic management practices (ITMPs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Rodriguez promises CanCon rules for ‘web giants’

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said in a social media post Wednesday that the Liberal government plans to force large online services to make and promote Canadian content on their platforms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Broadcast, TV service revenues down again: CRTC

New data released by the CRTC Thursday shows the industry-wide trend of tumbling broadcast sector revenue continued last year, with broadcasters and TV service providers both seeing declines. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Heritage committee calls for end of ISP safe harbour copyright rules

The House heritage committee says the government should do more to fight piracy, including holding internet service providers “accountable,” and put in place efforts to have streaming services develop and promote Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Canadians want more money for CBC, don’t trust OTTs to support CanCon: Poll

Almost 60 per cent of Canadians have “low trust and confidence” in Netflix Inc. to “protect Canadian culture and identity on television”; half of Canadians don’t trust cable companies to do the same; and 56 per cent of Canadians trust the CRTC to step up to fill that void.  This content is available to wirereport.ca …

NDP calls for OTT sales tax, end of ad tax exemption

MONTREAL — The NDP’s platform for this year’s federal election will include requiring foreign over-the-top (OTT) services to collect and remit sales tax on revenues earned in Canada and ending the tax exemption for advertising on foreign online platforms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Sales tax regime for digital services outdated: auditor general

OTTAWA — Canadian companies that sell digital products which are subject to sales tax are “disadvantaged” by foreign companies who are exempt from the tax, according to one of the auditors behind a report released by the auditor general’s office Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Rural broadband, new tax rules among industry pre-budget asks

As the Liberal government unveils its last budget before the upcoming federal election, companies and industry groups will be watching to see if this is the year they’re finally granted some of the requests they’ve been making for years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Netflix setting up production hub in Toronto

Netflix Inc. will expand its production presence in Canada by leasing space at two Toronto production studios, the company said in a press release Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …

YouTube top source of mobile traffic: Sandvine

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube makes up just over 35 per cent of worldwide mobile data traffic, making it the biggest download draw on phones by a wide-margin, according to Sandvine Corp.’s Mobile Phenomena Report released Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Don’t exclude online services from Broadcasting Act: Private radio

Canada’s private radio broadcasters are fighting against a push to keep online services out of Canada’s broadcast laws, according to a submission sent to the Liberal government’s expert panel review of the future of Canada’s communications laws. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

CBC president likens Netflix to colonialism

OTTAWA — CBC/Radio-Canada’s president Catherine Tait compared Netflix Inc.’s worldwide presence to the damage done by European colonialism, comments she made at a high-profile industry event Thursday where representatives from every sector of Canadian broadcasting outflanked the global streaming giant with calls for it to be regulated. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

MPs demand removal of Lac Mégantic images from Netflix

The House of Commons unanimously passed a motion Tuesday condemning Netflix Inc. for using footage of the Lac Mégantic, Que. train disaster in a TV show and a movie. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

New Broadcast Act should ‘unambiguously exclude’ OTT: Netflix

Netflix Inc. is defending against calls to rope foreign over-the-top players into Canada’s broadcasting framework — which could require the company to abide by CanCon quotas, fund Canadian programming through CMF contributions or artificially weigh their algorithms to make Canadian programming more prominent. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Netflix considering setting up hub in Toronto: report

Toronto mayor John Tory said he has been in discussion with Netflix Inc. about setting up a production hub in Toronto, according to a report by the Canadian Press Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

English Canadian subs to OTT jumps to 65%: MTM

The number of English-speaking adults in Canada subscribing to over-the-top streaming services continues to rise at a brisk pace, according to newly released results from CBC/Radio-Canada‘s Media Technology Monitor. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Canadian Netflix had best value-for-money compared to other countries: study

A new analysis published by the consumer website Comparitech this week claims that Canadian Netflix Inc. subscribers have enjoyed the best value-for-money, based on catalogue-size and price-point, compared to 78 other countries around the world. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Cost of TV service driving cord-cutting: Angus Reid

A new report from the Angus Reid Institute indicates that the cost of services is the main driver behind the choice of Canadians who have gotten rid of their traditional TV service subscriptions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

OPC asks for more flexibility on info sharing with CRTC

OTTAWA — Canada’s federal privacy watchdog asked a Senate committee Tuesday to increase his office’s information sharing abilities with the CRTC and Competition Bureau when consumer protection and privacy issues intersect. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Canada waiting on other countries for new digital tax rules: Morneau

Canada has been “pushing hard” to speed up development of a plan for the G20 to “make sure that digital companies pay their fair share of tax,” Canada’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Friday, but Ottawa plans to wait for some amount of international consensus to emerge before it acts. This content is available to …

More than half of internet traffic is encrypted: Sandvine

Internet traffic is “more encrypted than ever,” with a “conservative estimate” suggesting more than half of all internet traffic is encrypted, according to Sandvine Corp.’s 2018 Global Internet Phenomena Report This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Netflix expects to ‘exceed’ planned investment in Canadian content

Netflix Inc. says it’s “on track to exceed” its $500 million pledge to invest in Canadian content, a company official wrote in a blog post Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Netflix has 75% of Canadian OTT market: report

Just under half of Canadians, or 47.2 per cent, use subscription over-the-top (OTT) services, according to new data from eMarketer. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

TV dominates OTT in viewership: industry group

Despite the impact over-the-top (OTT) streaming services have had on the television market for sometime in Canada, a new report by Think TV suggests that linear is still dominating those services. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Joly out at Heritage as Pablo Rodriguez named new minister

Former chief government whip Pablo Rodriguez is the new heritage minister, replacing the embattled Mélanie Joly, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

We have no obligation to offer paper bills: telecoms

There is no legal or regulatory obligation on telecoms to offer paper bills, BCE Inc. said in a filing to the CRTC, responding to an application asking the regulator to ensure companies must provide a paper bill to customers who ask for one. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

OTT co-productions trending up: study

Domestic and international content producers and over-the-top (OTT) services are continuing to partner on original programming at an increasing pace, according to new data from Ampere Analysis released last Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Canadians using multiple devices, but adoption leveling off: MTM

According to the latest data from CBC/Radio-Canada’s Media Technology Monitoring (MTM) project, 35 per cent of English-speaking internet users in Canada continue to own four types of electronic device: computers, smartphones, tablets and internet-connected televisions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

ISED won’t rule out using spectrum proceeds for CanCon: Bains

OTTAWA — Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly had slightly different messages in response to the issue of new recommendations from the CRTC potentially increasing telecom and media service costs for Canadian consumers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

CRTC calls for ISPs to pay for CanCon, ‘equitable’ OTT contributions

GATINEAU — The CRTC is recommending the government undertake a bevy of changes to the Canadian content system, including a new approach to funding content that would include contributions from telecom service providers and see online services make “equitable” contributions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Trade committee recommends sales tax for foreign ‘intangible products’

The House standing committee on international trade is calling on the government to implement sales taxes on “intangible products” sold by foreign companies, improve rural internet access and enhance competition in the wireless market, in a report released on Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

CBS All Access launches early in Canada

CBS Corp.’s All Access streaming service is now available in Canada, the company said in a press release Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

Quebecor, cultural groups praise Que. budget digital sales tax

The Quebec government’s 2018 budget, unveiled Tuesday, includes a measure to impose sales tax on digital services sold in the province. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Radio-Canada asks broadcasters ‘to pool our strengths’ on OTT, content

CBC/Radio-Canada is in negotiations over opening up its French-language Tou.tv over-the-top (OTT) service “to other broadcasters, producers and creators,” said Michel Bissonnette, executive vice-president of French services, in an open letter. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Money for CanCon in budget stopgap measure: CMPA

The 2018 federal budget, released Tuesday, confirmed the Canadian Media Fund (CMF) will receive top ups to offset declining private industry contributions, and included new funding efforts to support local journalism. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Data, programmatic ads benefit in telecoms’ media ownership: Moody’s

Data insights and programmatic advertising that could disrupt digital media’s dominance are factors that could reap longer-term benefits for Canadian telecoms that own media properties, according to a report from Moody’s Corp. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

CRTC asks digital giants for info, promises confidentiality

As part of its government-ordered proceeding on future content distribution models, the CRTC is asking a number of companies — including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Netflix Inc. — for information about their digital media broadcasting revenues, subscribers and viewing in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Joly cites confidentiality for redactions in Netflix ATIP request

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly faced questions this week about why a 700-page access to information request containing emails between the federal government and Netflix Inc. was published with the majority of the text redacted. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

57% of anglophones subscribe to OTT services: MTM

Fifty-seven per cent of Canadian anglophones subscribe to over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, with Netflix Inc. as the strong leader, according to the latest report from Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Netflix responds to post-Creative Canada criticism

Netflix Inc. has published a blog post in support of a deal it reached with the government to invest $500 million in making content in Canada, though it declined to offer any additional details about its plans. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Quebec legislature votes to tax Netflix

The Quebec national assembly voted Tuesday to impose provincial sales tax on foreign digital services, including Netflix Inc.’s over-the-top (OTT) service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Netflix in 33% Que. households, Illico at 19%: report

Just over half, or 53 per cent, of Quebec households with internet access watch streaming video services, according to new research from the Centre francophone de recherche en informatisation des organisations (CEFRIO). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Joly’s cultural policy continues drawing mixed reaction

Various groups praised the promised investment in production and promotion included in the federal government’s new cultural strategy, while opposition MPs criticized it in question period and financial analysts pointed out the new strategy won’t affect the declining traditional TV sector. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Future reviews to determine much of DigiCanCon strategy: experts

OTTAWA — While the response to the long-awaited results of Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s Canadian content consultation included praise for some elements — such as a $500 million deal for Netflix Inc. to spend on content in Canada — many also pointed out that it’s a strategy that pushes off any substantive legislative and regulatory changes. This content …

France imposing Netflix tax

France will put in place a two-per-cent tax on foreign digital video platforms, according to a report in Le Monde. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

Quebec ready to tax Netflix: culture minister

If the federal government isn’t willing to impose taxes on foreign over-the-top (OTT) services, Quebec is willing to do so itself, Le Devoir quoted Quebec culture minister Luc Fortin as saying Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

BQ criticizes Joly over OTT tax policy

The Bloc Québécois has accused Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly of favouritism toward the likes of Netflix Inc. and Spotify AB for not imposing sales tax on foreign digital platforms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

House of Cards arrives on Canadian TV

Netflix Inc. original series House of Cards will broadcast on Channel Zero Inc.’s CHCH this fall, the company said in a press release Wednesday, calling the broadcast “a first for conventional television in North America.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

NFB awareness lagging behind Disney, CBC

Canadians’ awareness of the National Film Board (NFB) as an organization that produces documentary or animated films falls behind Walt Disney Co. and its Pixar studios as well as CBC/Radio-Canada, and those who do know about the NFB want it to be easier to access its content online, according to board-commissioned research. This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Skinny TV has room to grow: Macquarie

Skinny-basic uptake will only grow in Canada and that could spell bad news for broadcasters’ bottom lines in the future, according to Macquarie Capital Markets analyst Greg MacDonald. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

New OTT offerings pose threat to BDUs, opportunity for producers

A proliferation of new streaming TV competition in Canada is set to benefit content producers even as it causes problems for the country’s broadcasters and TV service providers through fragmented audiences and higher content costs — though it doesn’t yet signal an existential crisis for linear TV, experts said. This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Disney going it alone with planned streaming services

Walt Disney Co. will end its partnership with Netflix Inc. and launch two of its own separate streaming services in the next two years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

CCSA leads lobbying after Hill visit

Last month’s deluge of Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members on Parliament Hill for the group’s third annual lobby day pushed the organization to the top of the telecom lobbying list for the second month this year, logging 49 communication reports in May. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

CBC, Netflix jump in brand trust ranking

Both CBC/Radio-Canada and Netflix Inc. saw dramatic improvements in how Canadians view their brands over the past year, according to the latest edition of the Gustavson Brand Trust Index. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

ISED PS Lametti hot property for April lobbying

The parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister was a popular target for lobbyists last month, as representatives from major telecom and Internet companies sought him out, according to the latest statistics from the office of the lobbying commissioner. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Netflix to have Ont. ‘download zones’ for cottage season: CP

Netflix Inc. is setting up “download zones” in certain areas in Ontario to help the data starved pre-load movies and TV shows onto their devices, according to a Canadian Press report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Joly to discuss promoting CanCon with Google, Facebook

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will travel to California later this month to meet with representatives from Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc., her office has confirmed.

Spokesman Pierre-Olivier Herbert said the minister will go to San Francisco and Los Angeles next week and will meet with officials from Google, YouTube and Facebook.

Quebec union ‘disappointed’ budgets didn’t address taxation imbalance

A Quebec union representing communications sector employees said it is disappointed with both the federal and provincial budgets, saying that in “both cases, no action has been taken to counter tax avoidance and unfair competition” by foreign digital companies like Netflix Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc.

Imposing taxes on foreign OTT could bring in $1B: report

Taxing foreign digital services such as Facebook Inc., Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime service, Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube and Netflix Inc. could provide the federal government with up to $1 billion per year, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

The recommendation was included in the progressive think tank’s alternative federal budget, released Thursday.

‘Level playing field’ for digital services: C.D. Howe

The federal government should require foreign providers of digital services to remit tax on sales in the jurisdiction where the final customer is located, the C.D. Howe Institute said.

In a report released Thursday containing suggestions for the federal government ahead of the release of the 2017 budget, C.D. Howe said the measure would increase annual revenue by about $200 million and “level the playing field for domestic and foreign providers of digital products and services in Canada.”