CraveTV gained 100,000 subs after launching as standalone

BCE Inc.’s CraveTV streaming service gained more than 100,000 “direct to consumer” subscribers in 90 days after launching as a stand-alone service in January, the company said in its quarterly results Thursday.

Sweeping government review to include CRTC, Broadcast Act, CanCon

Industry insiders and observers are calling Canadian Heritage’s impending study of Canadian content in the digital age — which could potentially affect CBC/Radio-Canada, legislation like the broadcasting, telecom and CRTC acts, and Canadian content rules for TV and radio — long overdue.

ATN to launch new OTT service

As streaming services grow, is TV-everywhere still relevant?

When companies launched TV-everywhere products a few years ago, they did so as part of an effort to compete with then-new streaming services — but now that many of those same companies have their own subscription OTT products, TV everywhere seems to be stuck in something of a holding pattern.

Despite companies continuing to push TV-everywhere products, people aren’t using them any more than when they were first introduced. And while awareness of individual platforms remains steady, the general idea of TV everywhere is falling off the radar.

20% of Canadians don’t subscribe to TV: MTM

The number of Canadians without TV subscriptions is currently 20 per cent, according to a pair of new reports from Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

MTM noted that “living without a paid TV service is nothing new,” given that 15 per cent of Canadians did not subscribe to TV service in 2002.

NFL to stream on Twitter, Canadian OTT rights still up for grabs

The National Football League (NFL) announced Tuesday a new deal with Twitter Inc. to stream NFL games on the social media platform, and though Canadians won’t have access, whether they’ll be able to watch through Rogers Communication Inc.'s Sportsnet Now OTT service instead still hasn’t been determined.

Both Rogers and the NFL confirmed the deal in which Twitter will live-stream 10 NFL games over the 2016 season won’t apply to Canada.

Exec cites ‘tipping point’ in customer demand as Sportsnet goes OTT

Rogers Communications Inc. will begin offering its Sportsnet channels without a TV subscription for $24.99 per month, the company announced Thursday.

Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL properties at Rogers, said in a phone interview that the company chose to do so because “this is what a certain segment of our consumer base is asking for. You would have to have your head in the sand over the last three to five years if you weren’t paying attention to the way people consume video content.”

CRTC closes PIAC undue preference complaint against Shomi

The CRTC said in a letter Tuesday it closed the “moot” Part 1 complaint by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) against Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi, which argued the companies were giving themselves an undue preference by tying the subscription service to an affiliated Internet service provider or TV provider.

T-Mobile adds more providers to Binge On service

T-Mobile U.S. Inc. announced Thursday it has added more video providers to its unlimited mobile video streaming service, Binge On, including Google Inc.’s Youtube, Google Play Movies and Discovery GO.

It said in a press release that Binge On will now have more than 50 video services that customers can stream for free without cutting into their wireless data, which represent more than 70 per cent of “of all video T-Mobile customers watch on their phones and tablets each month.”

CRTC tells CCTS to step up enforcement, ‘naming and shaming’

In addition to expanding the mandate of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) Thursday to include TV service, the CRTC told the organization to make more use of enforcement tools at its disposal, including “naming and shaming.”

The CRTC said it believes that “promoting and monitoring compliance are necessary first steps in enforcement… it is not clear how much effort the CCTS has put into these activities or into enforcement, but at this point it would appear to be insufficient.”

NFB launches SVOD service on Vimeo

The National Film Board (NFB) of Canada said Wednesday it has launched a new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service on Vimeo LLC's platform.

It said in a press release that the service will include NFB-produced documentary and animated short films.  The service will start off with 14 films, and “will be expanded periodically, with three new films added every two weeks,” it said.

Shaw partners with Bell to offer CraveTV discount

Shaw Communications Inc. has partnered with BCE Inc. to provide Bell’s over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, CraveTV, at a discount to its cable and satellite customers.

The companies said in a joint press release that “greatly expands the distribution reach of CraveTV and enhances the value of television services available to Shaw customers.”

Mobile video advertising growing: Videology

The number of advertising campaigns in Canada that used video ads only on mobile platforms more than doubled in the past quarter, growing from three per cent to seven per cent, according to Videology Inc.

Mobile was included in 52 per cent of all video ad campaigns in the fourth quarter, the company said in a press release Friday.

Empire moves from City to Shomi

Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.’s over-the-top service Shomi will be the new home for the American TV show Empire after it was dropped by Rogers’ conventional City network.

Julie MacFarlane, spokeswoman for Shomi, confirmed in an email Tuesday that the OTT service “will have exclusive rights to Empire beginning March 1.”

The episodes will be available 24 hours after they originally air in the U.S., MacFarlane confirmed.

Blue Ant launches 4K streaming app

Blue Skye Entertainment, a joint venture between Blue Ant Media Inc. and Smithsonian Networks, announced Monday it has launched a 4K subscription video-on-demand app called Love Nature.

It’s available in 32 countries that include the U.K., Australia, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland. Sarah Etherden, spokeswoman for Blue Ant, said in an email that the service plans to launch in Canada later this year. She was not able to provide a launch date or the cost.

Mobile delays cause subscriber headaches: Ericsson report

Smartphone users who experience delays while streaming content are more likely to look for other service providers, suggests a new Ericsson AB study.

According to results published Wednesday in its Mobility Report, Ericsson said it found that study participants who faced a high level of video delays while streaming video responded negatively to all mobile service provider brands.

"This surprising finding suggests that major delays can even cause the whole industry to suffer a loss of brand equity," the report said. 

How could the Netflix proxy ban affect Canadian OTT?

The Netflix Inc. crackdown on virtual-private-network (VPN) use could provide an opportunity for Canadian providers to carve out more of the over-the-top (OTT) market, though a lack of firm figures makes predictions difficult.

CRTC asks Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Quebecor to renew TV licences

The CRTC said Monday that BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and Quebecor Inc. should apply to renew their TV licences that will expire in 2017.

TV advertising needs better metrics, execs say

While advertising will remain a key part of the TV ecosystem, the television industry will have to provide better audience data in order to keep up with digital competition, said Barbara Williams, president of Shaw Communications Inc.’s media division.

“The future is not ad-free,” Williams said during a panel discussion on Thursday at the annual conference of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), formerly known as the Canadian Media Production Association.

Online-only TV viewing on rise: MTM

The majority of anglophone Canadians still subscribe to traditional television services, but an increasing number are taking an online-only approach, according to a new report on media technology adoption by the Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Growth in telecom to lag behind economy: Conference Board

According to the Conference Board of Canada, high debt levels and weak job prospects will make it difficult for Canadians to increase spending on telecom services in 2016, limiting industry growth.

A new report said the"industry’s pace of growth has slowed remarkably in recent years, from an increase of more than [four] per cent in 2010 to a mere 0.4 per cent” the Conference Board forecasts for 2015.

CRTC approves new hybrid VOD service

The CRTC has approved a video-on-demand licence application by Gold Line Telemanagement Inc., a Markham, Ont.-based company that offers over-the-top (OTT) subscriptions to international TV and radio services.

OTT usage up 32 per cent from last year: MTM

The Media Technology Monitor, a project of the CBC/Radio-Canada, reported Thursday that nearly 45 per cent of all TV viewers now use an over-the-top (OTT) service, an increase of 32 per cent from the previous year.

Videotron says original show breaks Illico viewing record

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron said Thursday that its over-the-top (OTT) service Club Illico’s original series Blue Moon reached 100,000 views in less than 48 hours within its launch.

Videotron said in a French press release that Blue Moon was the first show to receive so many views in such a short period of time in the history of Club Illico, and added that this was the first show across all categories of content to break the record.

It noted that the show was available to about 250,000 customers since Jan. 25.

CRTC news fund proposal would ‘gut’ community TV: Cogeco

Cogeco Communications Inc. told a CRTC hearing Wednesday that a plan the commission proposed to create a new fund for local TV news programming, to be funded by existing financial resources within the broadcasting system, would amount to “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Nathalie Dorval, Cogeco’s vice-president of regulatory affairs and copyright, said doing so “particularly when both Peter and Paul are increasingly losing customers and money to Uncle Sam, is neither an effective nor a fair public policy option.”

Bell, Channel Zero tell CRTC local TV needs help

GATINEAU — The first day of the CRTC’s hearing on local and community television painted a picture of traditional TV in flux, as operators of conventional stations said declining ad revenue is making local TV unsustainable, while Vice Media LLC said it’s moving into traditional TV in order to capture a wider range of advertisers.

Court hears mobile-TV case

BCE Inc.'s appeal against a CRTC decision banning the provision of mobile-TV services that are not subject to regular data charges was heard by the Federal Court of Appeal in Toronto on Tuesday, and the court is expected to render a decision some time in the coming months.

As CBC’s funding increases, will it have to change course?

Following last fall’s election, the government is set to boost CBC/Radio-Canada's funding, but when that will happen and under what conditions is unclear. It also remains to be seen whether the public broadcaster will continue the long-term plan it began under the former Conservative government.

The new Liberal government plans to hold a consultation prior to making additional funding available, though it’s not disclosing when it will happen, how comprehensive that consultation will be or how it might affect CBC’s current plans.

CraveTV now available without strings for $8

BCE Inc. said Thursday that its CraveTV streaming service is now available online to Canadians without TV subscriptions, but they will pay about twice what subscribers to Bell TV and other TV services have been putting out for CraveTV so far.

Its Bell Media division said in a press release that CraveTV is now available on an over-the-top basis for $7.99 a month, with one-month free trials being offered to new customers.

Netflix says VPNs, proxies will no longer work

Netflix Inc. said Thursday that it will soon be employing technology that stops users from bypassing conditions that restrict some content from being seen in certain locations.

David Fullagar, its vice-president of content-delivery architecture, said in a blog post that "in coming weeks, those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are."

Traditional TV still important for baby boomers: MTM

According to a new report on media technology adoption of baby boomers released Wednesday by the Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio Canada, 89 per cent of baby boomer anglophones aged 50 to 69 have a paid TV service subscription, compared to 73 per cent of younger adults aged 18 to 49, and 93 per cent of seniors aged 70 and above.

Tangible benefits unclear for Corus-Shaw deal: expert

Regulatory approval of Corus Entertainment Inc.'s planned purchase of Shaw Communications Inc.'s media division shouldn't be a problem since there's no real change in who's controlling the assets, said one consultant, though there is some question as to how tangible benefits will apply in this deal.

Netflix expands from 60 countries to 190

Netflix Inc. announced Wednesday that its streaming service is now available to customers in more than 130 new countries, tripling its international availability.

CraveTV remains unavailable without TV subscription

CraveTV will be available online to all Canadians some time this month, a spokesman from BCE Inc.'s Bell Media division said Tuesday, and access did not open up on Jan. 1, which had previously been the announced plan.

"CraveTV will launch direct to consumer later this month," Bell Media spokesman Scott Henderson said in an email.

TV regulatory changes could cost 15,000 jobs: report

New CRTC regulatory changes from the Let’s Talk TV decisions could lead to a loss of more than 15,000 Canadian jobs and take $1.4 billion from the Canadian economy annually by 2020, according to a new report released Tuesday that was co-authored by independent TV consultant Peter Miller and research company Nordicity.

Content on multiple platforms can lower future revenue: report

Having premium content on linear TV and on over-the-top (OTT) services can cause adverse effects on revenue growth and will cause consumers to expect lower costs for premium TV content, according to a new report from Needham & Co. LLC.

Shomi extends free trial to 2 months

Video-streaming service Shomi is temporarily doubling the length of its free trial offer to new subscribers to two months, it said Wednesday.

Shomi, which is jointly operated by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., said the deal is available for a limited time.

“After the expiry of the additional free month, our already-awesome one-month free trial period will be reinstated,” the release said.

DHX teams up with Mattel in content deal

DHX Media Ltd. said Wednesday that it has reached a long-term deal with toymaker Mattel Inc. to produce and develop content based on brands such as Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Little People and Polly Pocket.

DHX said in a news release that the two companies will work together on the development, production and international distribution of such content, created for both television and online platforms.

Netflix says new process will waste less bandwidth

Netflix Inc. is re-encoding its entire library of content in order to provide customers with a better experience for watching content while using less bandwidth to process it. 

The company said in a blog Monday that the process is called per-title encoding, in which an analysis of every title that is available was conducted in order to determine the quality and the amount of bandwidth required for it to be streamed.

Bell adds Netflix link to IPTV services

BCE Inc. announced Monday that subscribers of Bell’s Fibe TV and Bell Alliant’s FibreOP TV will have access to their Netflix Inc. account directly from their TV receivers.

It said in the release that all Fibe TV receivers have been upgraded to access the video streaming service, and added that customers have to press the apps button on their Fibe or Fibre OP TV remote.

Blue Ant partners with Smithsonian Networks to create content

Blue Ant Media Inc. announced Monday it has partnered with Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between CBS Corp.’s Showtime and the Smithsonian Institution, to create Blue Skye Entertainment, in order to develop and distribute 4K natural history and wildlife content.

Yahoo launches mobile app in U.S. to find OTT content

Yahoo Inc. announced Thursday the launch of its Yahoo Video Guide mobile app for customers in the United States to search for video content across multiple services they have installed on their devices.

The company said in a blog that customers will be able to “quickly and seamlessly search” for content in order to find out which over-the-top content provider is streaming programming they want to watch. The post added that customers can click on the content and will be redirected to the app where that content is available.

Millennials consume most TV, video content online: MTM

Canadian millennials, defined as individuals aged 18 to 34, spend 31.8 hours a week on the Internet and are more likely to watch TV and video content online than those aged 34 and above, who spend 16.5 hours per week online, according to a new report released by Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Amazon offers to link video producers to audiences

Amazon.com Inc. announced Tuesday it is launching an over-the-top (OTT) streaming subscription program for video providers to reach out to Amazon Prime members, and will also allow Prime members to add other video subscription services onto their membership.

It said in a press release that, for video providers, Amazon will be responsible for driving subscriber acquisitions, managing customer care services as well as payment services and managing compatibility of OTT services across different devices.

Future CraveTV prices unclear for non-Bell customers

Subscribers to BCE Inc.’s TV services will pay more for CraveTV starting in February, though the company isn’t saying how much customers who get the streaming service through other TV-service providers, or those planning to get the service independently over the Internet, will pay.

DHX signs 5-year deal with DreamWorks

DHX Media Ltd. announced Tuesday it has signed a five-year deal with DreamWorks Animation LLC to produce, broadcast and distribute content across several channels.

DHX said in the press release that it will be co-producing 130 episodes of original animated children’s content at the DHX studios and will broadcast on its Family Channel, Family Jr., Family CHRGD and Télémagino channels. It added that DHX will manage distribution of content within Canada and DreamWorks will manage distribution around the rest of the world.

Shaw provides better public WiFi for premium plans

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Wednesday that all customers who are subscribed to its Internet 30, or any broadband Internet plan above that, will have access to download speeds six times faster when connected to any of the 75,000 Shaw Go WiFi hotspot across Western Canada.

Distant TV signals losing value, service providers say

OTTAWA — Canada's major TV service providers argued before the Copyright Board of Canada on Monday that they should pay less for distant-TV signals because these channels are losing value as more viewing options become available to consumers.

It was the fifth day of a hearing scheduled to last until Friday, along with final arguments slated for Jan. 26 and 27.

Broadcasters advised to ‘pick their winners’ as pick-and-pay approaches

As the Canadian TV industry approaches an era where customers have more choice over the channels they subscribe to, large broadcasters should “pick their winners” and consolidate into a smaller number of channels, a new report from RBC Capital Markets says.  

On-demand audiences equal 5-10% of broadcast viewership: Numeris

On-demand viewing delivers “bonus audiences for programs,” since the number of people watching on-demand programs amounts to five to 10 per cent of the original broadcast audience, according to a report from Numeris on Thursday.

HBO deal bolsters CraveTV against Shomi, Netflix: experts

BCE Inc.’s move to acquire exclusive rights to HBO programming on all platforms and become the sole operator of HBO Canada will make its CraveTV over-the-top (OTT) service more competitive against rivals, experts said.

Having national HBO rights should “bolster the competitive position of CraveTV relative to other OTT services,” such as Netflix and Shomi, especially when CraveTV launches as a stand-alone service next year, RBC Dominion Securities analyst Drew McReynolds said in a research note.

Bell Media wins exclusive HBO rights for Canada

BCE Inc.’s media division said Thursday that it is now the sole operator of HBO Canada, and that it has reached a deal with Time Warner Inc.’s HBO that will give it exclusive Canadian rights to all HBO programming on every subscription platform.

DHX signs deal with 7 international broadcasters

DHX Media Ltd. announced Thursday it has signed a distribution deal for one of its cartoon shows, called Endangered Species, with seven international broadcasters and video-on-demand (VOD) services.

Blue Ant makes several leadership changes

Blue Ant Media Inc. on Wednesday announced several changes to its leadership team, including the appointment of Jamie Schouela to the newly created position of executive vice-president of Canadian networks.

Blue Ant said in a press release that Schouela, who was formerly executive vice-president of marketing and communications, would now be in charge of the company's domestic TV and digital properties, with responsibilities including the implementation of its multi-platform content strategy and overseeing relationships with TV-service providers.

Google launches YouTube Kids in Canada

Google Inc. announced Wednesday it is launching in Canada its YouTube app for children. 

It said in a blogpost that the YouTube Kids app will be a “safer version of YouTube, a family-friendly place for kids to explore their imagination and curiosity.” It added that parents and kids will be able to browse through channels and playlists that are separated into four categories: shows, music, learning and explore.

Most millennials still have subscription-TV service: MTM

Seven out of every 10 Canadian between the ages of 18 and 34 have a subscription-TV service in their home, while that proportion is 87 per cent for those 35 and older, according to a new report from Media Technology Monitoring (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

It also found 19 per cent of millennials rely on the Internet for watching all of their TV content versus four per cent those who are older.

DHX revenues up 48% in Q1

DHX Media Ltd. said in its 2016 first quarter results that its revenue in the three months ending Sept. 30 grew 48 per cent to $63.9 million from $43 million during the same period a year earlier.

T-Mobile gives users unlimited video from select services

T-Mobile US Inc. announced Tuesday it will be launching a new service for its Simple Choice mobile plan customers that allows free video streaming from several services without it cutting into their LTE-data limits.

YouTube more popular with richer, educated Canadians: survey

A majority of Canadians reported in a survey this year they are users of Google Inc.'s YouTube video-streaming service, with the likelihood increasing among those further up on the income and education ladders.

Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio Canada, said in a report released Tuesday that 69 per cent of Canadians surveyed this spring reported having used YouTube at least once in the past month. That was up from 64 per cent in a survey done a year earlier and 57 per cent in the fall of 2011.

IPTV, Netflix adoption lower in Ontario: MTM

Ontario residents are not moving as fast toward newer ways of getting TV content, such as IPTV and Netflix, as other parts of the Canada, according to newly released figures.

CraveTV first original series to premiere in February

BCE Inc.'s Bell Media said Monday that its streaming service, CraveTV, will debut its first original series — a comedy called Letterkenny — on Feb. 7.

Lead-up to Discoverability Summit in Montreal Dec. 3

The CRTC announced Friday that the second of two En Route events leading up to its Discoverability Summit will be held in Montreal on Dec. 3 with discussions focusing on French-language markets.

Rogers, Vice to launch new channel for millennials

Rogers Communications Inc. said Thursday it will launch a new 24-hour specialty channel aimed at millennials next year as part of its partnership with Vice Media Inc.

Quebecor reports big gains in mobile, OTT

Quebecor Inc.'s third-quarter financial report showed the company is seeing strong gains in the areas of mobile service and its over-the-top streaming service, Club Ilico.

The company said in a press release Thursday that revenue for three months ended Sept. 30 was $971.7 million, up 9.5 per cent from a year earlier. That included a gain of six per cent from telecommunications operations, 21.3 per cent from media, and 33.9 per cent from its sports and entertainment activities.

MPAA says Popcorn Time shut down by court

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) said Tuesday that it has shut down the Canadian-based video-streaming site Popcorn Time through a court injunction.

The MPAA said in a news release Tuesday that it has obtained an injunction through the Federal Court of Canada to shut down Popcorntime.io, which has claimed to be the "official" Popcorn Time site. The MPAA said this site saw 1.5 million unique visitors in July, citing data from ComScore Inc.

Connectivity beats content in telecom/media sector: report

The notion that "content is king" is challenged in a new report that points out that connectivity services take in significantly more revenue than content providers in Canada and have seen more growth in recent decades.

CRTC partners with NFB to host content-discoverability events

The CRTC announced Tuesday it is partnering with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) to host two events that will lead to a large summit, in order to start a discussion on discovering content across Canada, the U.S. and other countries around the world.

VoLTE connections to reach 2 billion by 2020: Juniper

Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) connections are anticipated to reach two billion by 2020, rising from about 123 million connections this year, according to a new report released Monday from Juniper Research Ltd.

It said the opportunity for monetizing VoLTE will initially be limited as “network operators will initially focus on experience and quality of service, rather than monetization, with failure to deliver a high-quality offering at the outset potentially resulting in churn to rival operators.”

European Commission sets net neutrality rules

The European Commission voted Tuesday to set net neutrality rules for the first time in the European Union law.  

Bell Media launches Discovery GO

BCE Inc.’s media division has launched a TV-everywhere app for five Discovery Canada channels, and said Discovery GO would soon begin offering 4K content.

The company said in a press release Monday that programming from Discovery, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, and Discovery Velocity will be available “live and on demand on smartphones, tablets, computers, and television set-top boxes.”

New Star Wars movie coming to Netflix in Canada only

Canadian Netflix Inc. subscribers will be the only ones able to stream Walt Disney Co.'s Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2016.

A Netflix representative confirmed in a phone call that the seventh installment, and latest release, in the movie franchise is slated to be available on Netflix eight months after the movie is out of movie theatres in Canada, the only jursdiction where it will be available on the streaming service.  

Youtube to launch paid video subscription service

Google Inc.’s Youtube announced Wednesday it will launch a new paid video subscription service that will have ad-free original content.

It said in a blog post that the service, called Youtube Red, will be available on all platforms and devices and will be priced at $9.99 US per month. It added that users will be able to save videos and watch them offline and that early next year users will get to watch new original shows from some of Youtube’s content creators.

Shomi to promote new show on Facebook

Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi announced Wednesday that it is partnering with Facebook Inc. to show the first episode of a three-part horror TV show on the social media site the same day it debuts on Shomi.

The streaming service said in a press release that it is "the first time a Canadian entertainment company has run a full episode on Facebook."

Liberals to be ‘less aggressive’ on 4th-player policy: analyst

Canaccord Genuity analysts Aravinda Galappatthige and Sanford Lee said Tuesday that they expect a Liberal majority government, as elected Monday, to take a “softer pro-wireless new entrant stance.”

They said in a research note that the previous Conservative government had “consistently pursued the idea of a fourth national wireless player” through policies such as spectrum caps and set-asides in spectrum auctions, expecting that more competition would lower prices for consumers.

Most francophones consume some English media: survey

Most French-speaking Canadians watch some English television and film, and most of those do so at least once a week, according to a newly released survey.

CBC/Radio-Canada's Media Technology Monitor said in a report released Thursday that 60 per cent of francophones in Canada reported viewing English TV or film, and 66 per cent of those who said they consumed English content did so on a weekly basis.

Netflix profit halved from year ago

Netflix Inc. reported 30 per cent annual growth in quarterly revenue on Wednesday, though its net profit in the third quarter was half of what it was at the same time in 2014.

The over-the-top (OTT) streaming company said in a letter to shareholders posted on its website that revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was $1.58 billion US, up from $1.22 billion US a year before. Net earnings were $29 million US, compared to $59 million US in the third quarter of 2014.

Are apps the future of TV?

In the past 18 months, Ottawa-based TV app-maker You.i TV has grown from 20 employees to 130, and the company expects that kind of expansion to continue in the next year, according to Matt Nelson, You.i TV’s director of marketing.

Netflix raises price $1 per month

Netflix Inc. has raised pricing for new Canadian customers signing up for its standard package by $1, to $9.99 a month, according to its website.

The increase applies to the package that includes high-definition content and allows the same account to be viewed on two screens simultaneously. A basic package with no HD content and that can only be viewed on one device at a time remains $7.99 a month, while the premium package that includes 4K content and usage of up to four devices at a time is still $11.99.

Pick-and-pay TV prices could reduce cord cutting, say experts

Prices for TV subscriptions in the coming pick-and-pay era will be one of the main factors determining how over-the-top (OTT) video services are affected, say experts, noting that competitive pricing in TV packages might curb the cord-cutting trend. 

Rogers dives into 4K video, gigabit Internet

Rogers Communications Inc. on Monday announced it is moving forward with two different kinds of technology — 4K video and gigabit-speed Internet — though one commentator says the success of either of these initiatives is uncertain.

Rogers CEO Guy Laurence said during a live-streamed press conference from Rogers Centre in Toronto — home of the Blue Jays baseball team — that 40 per cent of television sets sold in Canada this holiday season will be 4K.

"This is going to be a 4K Christmas," Laurence said.

Blue Ant makes 4K channel available worldwide

Blue Ant Media Inc. announced Thursday that its 4K Love Nature channel content is now available for worldwide distribution.

The content company said in a press release that the 4K content will be available on linear and streaming video-on-demand platforms. It added that the commercial-free programming will include natural history series, as well as documentaries.

TFO launches OTT website

Ontario’s French-language public broadcaster Groupe Média TFO has launched a website that allows viewers to watch its video content.

The catalogue includes “over 9 000 videos and games, 5 600 pieces of educational content for children between two and six years, mobile applications, colouring spaces, light-hearted skits, reports on different topics and musical sessions by francophone artists,” TFO said in a press release Wednesday.

TV wholesale code finalized, takes effect in January

The CRTC on Thursday released a final version of its anticipated wholesale code governing the business relationships between TV-service providers and channel operators, which, among other things, bans provisions that would prevent a particular channel from being offered on a stand-alone basis or as part of a package that customers can create themselves.

The rules, which take effect on Jan. 22, will also ban so-called penetration-based rate cards (PBRCs) that require service providers to compensate channel operators when certain thresholds for advertising revenue are not met.

File sharing down due to popularity of OTT: Sandvine

The proportion of Internet traffic taken up by peer-to-peer file sharing is down in Canada due to the ongoing popularity of over-the-top (OTT) services, according to Sandvine Inc., a network management provider.

It said in a blog post Thursday that Netflix Inc. continues to be the leading OTT service in Canada, accounting for 34 per cent of download traffic during peak evening hours, up from 13.5 per cent four years ago.

Corus releases two kids’ TV-everywhere apps

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday it is launching the YTVGo and NickGO TV-everywhere apps, which will be available to subscribers of its YTV and Nickelodeon channels.

“These apps give kids and families access to live YTV and Nickelodeon network streams along with an extensive offering of their favourite on-demand episodes,” the company said in a press release Tuesday.

BBC to launch OTT service in North America

The BBC says it is planning to launch an over-the-top (OTT) video subscription service in North America next year.

“Next year, we’re launching a new OTT video service in America, offering BBC fans programs they wouldn’t otherwise get, showcasing British actors, our program makers and celebrating our culture,” BBC director Tony Hall said Thursday at the Royal Television Society Convention in Cambridge, England, according to an email from network spokeswoman Christine Black on Friday.

Smartphones owned by 73% of anglo Canadians: MTM

Smartphone penetration among anglophone Canadians was at 73 per cent this spring, according to a new report by Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

MTM said in a report Tuesday that the proportion of anglos with smartphones has grown from 69 per cent in 2014, 66 per cent in 2013 and was as low as 10 per cent in 2008.

The report showed that 86 per cent of anglophone Canadians report owning a cellphone of some kind, which was unchanged from the previous two years.

You.i TV gets $15M in funding

You.i TV, an Ottawa-based company making software for video applications, said Monday it has secured $15 million in funding, led by Los Angeles-based private-equity group Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP.