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TAGGED AS OTT



Production sector to receive $50M in gov’t insurance support

Independent producers will be able to access a $50 million insurance backstop to help get TV and film productions off the ground despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said 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 …

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 …

Gov’t to introduce web giant, CanCon, news legislation in fall: Guilbeault

Legislation modernizing Canada’s Broadcasting Act is “pretty much ready” and will be tabled in Parliament in the fall, when the Liberal government also intends to introduce legislation requiring Alphabet Inc. and Facebook Inc. to compensate news organizations for using their content, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault told Tuesday’s Banff World Media Festival.  Guilbeault had originally intended …

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 …

Networks coping, but future traffic impossible to predict

Experts say Canada’s telecommunications networks are currently handling a spike in residential data consumption caused by the working from home surge, but a lack of certainty around how the COVID-19 pandemic will develop means it’s almost impossible to project whether usage will continue to grow.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …

Bell partners with on-the-go streaming service

BCE Inc. has joined forces with yet-to-launch mobile streaming service Quibi SA, signing a deal to be its exclusive Canadian news and sport provider. 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 …

BTLR recs could see U.S. tariff levies under USMCA: Geist

OTTAWA — Any content levy on internet giants, as the telecom and broadcasting legislative review panel recently recommended, could expose Canada to retaliatory tariffs under the new NAFTA, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist told the parliamentary trade committee Wednesday.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

BTLR on telecom: a Q&A with Janet Yale 

In a phone interview with Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel chair Janet Yale, The Wire Report delved into the panel’s recommendations on the future of Canada’s telecom sector. The panel’s 198-page report on how to modernize Canada’s broadcast and telecom acts was released on Jan. 29.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

Confusion over Guilbeault remarks on BTLR online news recs

OTTAWA — On Monday Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, with some help from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, walked back comments he made over the weekend to CTV News regarding licensing of online news, following the recommendations of an expert panel that news websites be brought into the CRTC’s regulatory sphere.   This content is available to wirereport.ca …

CanCon producers praise BTLR terms of trade recommendation

OTTAWA — The reintroduction of an agreement governing contracts involving independent producers would be vital to curbing market power of large foreign streaming giants, as well as be a boon to independent Canadian content producers, according to a panelist speaking on the closing day of the Canadian Media Producers Association’s annual Prime Time Conference.  This …

CRTC should regulate foreign digital services, news sites: BTLR

The blue-ribbon panel tasked with modernizing Canada’s communications legislation is calling for “fundamental changes” to how the CRTC operates, including giving the regulator jurisdiction over online news and rules requiring large foreign digital audio and video platforms to contribute to and promote Canadian content. The long-awaited, 200-page report from the broadcasting and telecommunications legislative review …

Bell to add French-language content to Crave

Starting on Jan. 28, BCE Inc.’s Crave streaming service will launch some 6,000 hours of French-language content.  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 Wire Report …

‘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 …

Amos, Dabrusin, van Koesverden in as new parlsecs

As the new Parliament gets up and running following the election of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to a minority government, there are also some changes to the ranks of parliamentary secretaries as well.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Bell to focus on declining mobile service prices in MVNO review

Ahead of the CRTC’s wireless review early next year, and on the heels of a report showing Canada is among the highest-priced jurisdictions in the world for data, BCE Inc. executives on Thursday focused on the declining cost of data to push the point that regulatory intervention is unnecessary for competition.  This content is available …

Corus putting more focus on AVOD strategy

High demand among advertisers for premium content to be siloed in ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms has driven Corus Entertainment Inc. to place more attention on that strategy.  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. …

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 …

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, …

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? …

Disney’s streaming service coming in November

Walt Disney Co. announced Monday that it would be launching its Disney+ streaming service in Canada on November 12, entering what is an increasingly crowded marketplace for consumers. 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 …

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 …

Heritage working groups examining regulation of online content

Heritage Canada has commissioned seven working groups that are looking at how to modernize the Broadcasting Act, parallel to the government-appointed expert panel whose recommendations are due in January. 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 …

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 …

Quebecor says Bell devalues its own offering

Quebecor Inc. has responded to BCE Inc.’s claim that Quebecor’s Videotron unfairly disadvantaged Bell’s Super Écran by placing the channel in its “Other Specialties” package with a claim of its own: by putting Super Écran into its basic service Alt TV IPTV package on its own service, Bell has disadvantaged Videotron. This content is available …

Bell hardware malfunction causes Raptors fans to miss out

BCE Inc. confirmed today that several thousand of its Fibe TV and Alt TV IPTV customers lost access to the game during the crucial final 30 seconds of last night’s NBA Finals Game 5 between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

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? …

GoT glitches show challenge in streaming high-viewership events

When the Game of Thrones series premiere aired in 2011, streaming services were still in their infancy. Now, as the HBO ratings juggernaut wraps up its final few episodes, it draws the kind of massive live audiences that are becoming increasingly rare in an over-the-top world. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Bell-branded wireless hits sub-1% churn, continuing industry trend

The expected focus by the country’s largest wireless service providers this year to keep the spoils of last year’s record postpaid wireless subscribers has so-far propelled two of those companies to a milestone achievement: a postpaid wireless churn of under one-per cent. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

OTT subs set to overtake traditional TV by 2020: report

The number of Canadians who opt for over-the-top services is set to surpass the number of Canadians who subscribe to traditional television providers next year, according to a report released yesterday by Convergence Research Group. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Péladeau willing to pull TVA Sports signal in fight with Bell

OTTAWA — Quebecor Inc. president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau said Monday that he would yank TVA Sports from BCE Inc.’s TV service over carriage fees — and denied that doing so would violate CRTC rules. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

NDP MP says gov’t must clarify if Netflix deal had any French-language funds

OTTAWA — Quebec NDP MP François Choquette has filed a judicial review application with the Federal Court to contest the alleged premature closing of an investigation by the Official Languages commissioner into the 2017 Netflix deal that the MP claims underserves francophone Canadians. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Few internet giants weighed in to BTLR, submission list shows

The panel in charge of reviewing the broadcasting and telecom acts received comments from a number of non-industry parties, such as provincial governments and police services, while some of the biggest online companies in the world, including Amazon.com Inc., did not submit comments, according to newly-disclosed government documents. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …

Distributors ask for Canadian film exhibition quotas on broadcast, OTT

Both over-the-top services and broadcasters should be required to show a certain amount of Canadian feature films, the Canadian Association of Film Distributors and Exporters is asking the panel reviewing Canada’s communications legislation. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

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 …

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 …

Bell’s panel submission calls for CMF to get 20% of foreign OTT revenues

BCE Inc. wants to inject the Canada Media Fund (CMF) with a potentially significant influx of cash by forcing foreign over-the-top (OTT) services to fork over 20 per cent of their Canadian revenues to the non-profit every year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

YouTube limiting promotion of conspiracy videos and ‘borderline content’

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube says it plans to tamp down on the spread of misleading, fake or conspiratorial video content that gets recommended for its users to watch by limiting the promotion of alarming videos that still get around the rules for publishing. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

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 …

Bell asked gov’t to ban some VPNs: documents

BCE Inc. urged the federal government to make virtual private networks (VPNs) used to circumvent copyright illegal, ahead of the renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). VPN services, normally offered at a monthly rate, mask users’ real IP address via encryption, allowing them to surf the internet without being traced. It is a tool used …

Preventing LGBTQ content discrimination raised in BTLR consults

The CEO of an independent specialty TV channel is raising concerns that a lack of regulation could let foreign-based digital companies operating in Canada de-monetize or discriminate against types of Canadian content based on cultural values, such as works made by the LGBTQ community. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

FRPC wants CanCon visibility on search engines

As a rule, when Canadians search keywords on the internet, they should be presented with Canadian content related to those searches, argues the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications. 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 …

Canadians split between traditional, online viewing: MTM

The number of Canadians who consume their video content mostly through online platforms is catching up to the proportion of the population that mostly watches traditional TV, a new report from Media Technology Monitor (MTM) shows. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Fast-track OTT review, clock ticking on CMF ‘top-up’: CMPA

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) wants the government to immediately launch a review of the CRTC’s enforcement powers when it comes to regulating over-the-top (OTT) streaming services like Netflix Inc., according to its submission to a government-appointed blue-ribbon panel reviewing Canada’s communications laws. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Platforms could pull out of Canadian market if regulated: Google

Alphabet Inc.’s Google already contributes to the Canadian creative system by providing the infrastructure for users to upload and share their content and enabling them to earn revenue from it, the company is telling the federal review of Canada’s communications legislation. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

One-in-8 ‘cord jumping’ video services: MTM

One-in-8 Canadians have suspended their TV or paid video streaming service while planning to re-subscribe to it later, according to survey information released to media this week by CBC/Radio-Canada‘s Media Technology Monitor (MTM). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Top telecom and media stories to watch for in 2019

As the new year begins, the months ahead promise a new spectrum auction, new CRTC announcements on high-profile files like telecom sales practices, and even potentially a new federal government — to be determined in an election in which the danger of hacking and social media manipulation will itself be a key story. This content …

Telus, Corus jockeying over PVR cloud storage rules

Corus Entertainment Inc. is taking issue with a request by Telus Corp. to have Parliament change the rules for storing personal video recorder (PVR) recordings on network servers, warning the server-space-saving proposal could hurt the video-on-demand market. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Bell ends infringement suit against Videotron

BCE Inc. has dropped a $100-million lawsuit leveled against Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron for allegedly broadcasting CraveTV content without a licence. 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 …

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 …

Bell posts subscriber gains, but wireless ARPU dips

BCE Inc. reported its wireless average revenue per user (ARPU) dipped in its third quarter results Thursday, though CEO George Cope cautioned analysts to keep in mind that the company’s prepaid base, with its lower revenues, is no longer declining. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Yale responds to criticism about review panel consumer reps

OTTAWA – Conservative senators doubled-down on a previously-raised concern with the makeup of the Liberal government’s expert panel reviewing Canada’s communications laws, telling panel members testifying before the Senate’s transport and communications committee Wednesday that it lacked pro-consumer voices. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Rogers’ network ‘our contribution’ to content ecosystem: VP

OTTAWA — The billions of dollars Rogers Communications Inc. says it’s plowing into developing networks of the future are its contribution to the country’s struggling Canadian content system, the company’s vice-president of regulatory affairs said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

VMedia looking to go public through reverse takeover

VMedia Inc. has come to an agreement Tuesday to buy a small company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in a move that will allow it to become publicly traded without having to go through an initial public offering (IPO). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

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 …

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 …

Only 3% of anglophones subscribe to sports streaming: MTM

While services like Perform Group’s Dazn and Rogers Communications Inc.’s Sportsnet Now have been emerging in recent years, they “haven’t yet caught on in the Anglophone market,”  Media Technology Monitor said in a new report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

EU, Canada move closer on telecom regulation, further apart on OTT

Streaming video platforms in the European Union will have to ensure 30 per cent of their catalogues are made up of European content, according to new preliminary rules approved by the European Parliament this week. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Senators criticize makeup of comms acts review expert panel

OTTAWA — Two senators on the Senate transport and communications committee raised concerns to federal bureaucrats testifying Wednesday night that the Liberal government’s expert panel tapped to review the country’s communications laws isn’t diverse enough in its makeup. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

‘Narrow window’ to make new comms laws with USMCA: Nordicity

OTTAWA — There is an “urgent need” for Canadian lawmakers to set out a new communications framework now that Canada has hammered out a new trilateral agreement on trade to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) so that Canadian industry isn’t put at a disadvantage, according to a Canadian telecom consultant. This content …

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 …

Competition Bureau warns streaming services to review marketing practices

The Competition Bureau is calling for online video streaming services to review their marketing practices, terms and conditions after it found they’re sometimes unclear and hard to understand. 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 …

Broadcast, telecom acts review panel kicks off consultation

OTTAWA — The expert panel in charge of reviewing Canada’s communications legislation launched its consultation process Tuesday, on the same day a former CRTC chairman urged a Senate committee to adopt an “internet-centric” approach and completely separate telecom and broadcasting laws and regulators. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Amazon introduces Fire TV DVR for over-the-air-channels

Amazon.com Inc. is launching a DVR that will work with a digital antenna to stream and record over-the-air (OTA) TV channels as part of its Fire TV platform. 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 party, fresh faces on Heritage could shake up Parliament

As politicians file back into Parliament Hill’s Centre Block for the start of the fall sitting Monday, some new faces will be working on files affecting Canadian media and telecom, as long-awaited legislative reviews that could have seismic effects on those sectors get into gear. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …

Canadians spent $8B on digital products last year: StatCan

According to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada, 67 per cent of adult Canadians purchased a digital product, such as a subscription to a streaming service, ebooks or online newspapers, between July 2017 and June 2018. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

CBC appoints new OTT content director

CBC/Radio-Canada has appointed Gave Lindo to lead the public broadcaster’s over-the-top (OTT) content strategies as well as its original digital programming, according to a release on 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 need. …

Viceland shows back to TV after deal with Bell

BCE Inc. and Vice Media Inc. have reached a deal that will see new and previously produced content from the millennial-focused media brand be available on Bell’s platforms, the companies said in a press release Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

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 …

CMPA to tour country ahead of broadcast, telecom acts review

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) has launched a Canada-wide tour to hear what its members have to say about the legislative review of the Broadcasting Act and Telecommunications Act. 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 …

Roku brings AVOD service to Canada

Roku Inc. is launching its no-cost ad-supported video-on-demand service (AVOD) The Roku Channel in Canada, according to a blog post 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 …

Numeris’ new digital measurement a ‘necessary step’: expert

Broadcasters with multiplatform properties are expected to benefit from a new video audience measurement (VAM) system from Numeris, which announced Thursday that it will begin recruiting viewers to participate as panelists, after recently completing a proof of concept.   This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Broadcast, telecom act review panel plans ‘outreach’ in Sept.

The panel appointed to lead the review of the Broadcasting Act and Telecommunications Act has met for the first time this week, and will continue to meet regularly over the summer, the federal government said in a press release Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

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 …

Crackle ending operations following Bell partnership

Sony Corp.’s ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service Crackle will cease existence in Canada next week, following a content deal with BCE Inc. 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 …

12.5% Canadians watched pirated content in past month: MTM

One in eight Canadians have watched pirated TV or movie content online in the past month, according to the Media Technology Monitor’s latest 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 news you need. Take a free …

Rogers to launch more TV everywhere-style services

Rogers Communications Inc. is launching additional TV-subscription authenticated, ad-supported over-the-top (OTT) services for two of its channels, FX and CityTV. 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 …

Bell launches TSN/RDS streaming service for $25/month

BCE Inc. has made its TSN and RDS sports channels available without a TV subscription for $24.99 a month. 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 …

Experts to ‘find solutions’ in broadcast, telecom review: Joly

OTTAWA — The expert panel appointed by the federal government to spearhead its review of the Telecommunications Act and Broadcasting Act will have to figure out how to ensure all companies “pay their fair share” without increasing any costs for Canadians, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

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 …

Growth of OTT doesn’t affect broadcast competition: Comp Bureau

The growth of over-the-top (OTT) services did not change the mind of the Competition Bureau when it rejected a deal earlier this week involving two French-language channels. 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. …

Bell to sell ad space for online video company

Online video production and syndication company WatchMojo Inc. has signed an advertising sales deal with BCE Inc., according to a press release 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 a free …

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 …