Rob Farina leaves Rogers after reported record label spat

Rob Farina has resigned as vice-president of content with Rogers Communications Inc.'s media division, the company has confirmed, following a report he called for a boycott of a record company he saw as favouring BCE Inc.

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.

Bell holds out on distributing Bloomberg TV

When Channel Zero Inc. announced the launch of its Bloomberg TV Canada channel this week, it listed every TV-service provider that was carrying it and absent from that list was Canada's biggest provider of TV service.

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.

Videotron ordered to pay $7.4M in LPIF class action

A judge has ordered Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron to pay back $6.4 million it improperly billed its customers, plus $1 million in punitive damages.

Superior Court Judge Carole Hallée said in a Nov. 11 decision that Videotron improperly billed customers for contributions to the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), which was eliminated last year.

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.

Ottawa anchor loses job in Bell Media cuts

News anchor Carol Anne Meehan, who has been with BCE Inc.’s Ottawa CTV station for 26 years, is among those who lost their job as part of cuts at Bell Media Tuesday.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that Meehan confirmed to the newspaper she was leaving, among a number of staff cut by the station and by Bell Media-owned radio station CFRA.

Telus, Cogeco challenge Bell appeal of wholesale code

Telus Corp. and Cogeco Cable Inc. have filed their opposition to BCE Inc.'s attempt to fight, before the Federal Court of Appeal, the CRTC's wholesale code governing relationships between television stations and TV-service providers.

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.

Videotron’s MAtv still violating licence conditions: complaint

A group that previously battled MAtv, the community channel operated by Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, is telling the CRTC that MAtv is still violating the conditions of its licence months after a CRTC decision found it in non-compliance.

Numeris appoints Neil McEneaney as CEO

Numeris announced Tuesday it has appointed Neil McEneaney as its new CEO.

The ratings measurement group said in a press release that McEneaney will be replacing Jim MacLeod, who had announced his retirement in April. Numeris said McEneaney’s position will be effective Jan. 11.

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.

Trudeau tells Bains to boost broadband coverage

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has directed Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains to increase “high-speed broadband coverage and work to support competition, choice and availability of services,” according to a mandate letter released Friday.

He also said Bains should “foster a strong investment environment for telecommunications services to keep Canada at the leading edge of the digital economy.”

FTTH to cover 90% of Bell footprint in 10 years: Cope

BCE Inc. will cover about 90 per cent of its wireline footprint with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in a little less or a little more than a decade, though the issue of whether smaller Internet service providers will get mandated access to such networks will affect the build-out in an unspecified fashion, Bell CEO George Cope said Thursday.

MTS to offer CTV, TSN TV-everywhere apps

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. said Thursday that all of its TV customers will have access to BCE Inc.’s TSN GO and CTV GO mobile apps for free.

MTS said in a press release that the apps are available through Apple Inc.’s iTunes or Google Inc.’s Google Play Store, and said that its customers can also log in through a web browser to get access.

CRTC says Toronto IPTV provider can broadcast U.S. channels

The CRTC granted Atop Broadband Corp., an IPTV provider serving most of the Greater Toronto Area, the authorization to carry WNLO-TV and WNYO-TV, based in Buffalo, N.Y.

Shoan tells radio operators to focus on smartphones

CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan told a group of broadcasting professionals this week that radio operators should look at how they can become a bigger presence on smartphones in order to hold their own against an increasing number of new options for audio consumption, such as online streaming.

TVB appoints Kathy Gardner VP of media insights

The Television Bureau of Canada (TVB) announced Wednesday it has appointed Kathy Gardner to the newly created position of vice-president of media insights.

TVB said in a press release that Gardner will oversee research and planning, looking into emerging technologies and consumer behaviour.

Catherine Cano new president of CPAC

The Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) announced Tuesday that Catherine Cano will become its new president and general manager.

The privately-owned, not-for-profit television service said in a press release that Cano’s position will be effective Jan. 11.

CPAC added that she brings more than 20 years of executive leadership and  “most recently, she oversaw newsgathering and all news programming at Société Radio-Canada.” 

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.

Market has adjusted to 2-year wireless contracts: analyst

Third-quarter results indicate the mobile market has adjusted to the higher-priced, two-year contracts that became the norm after the CRTC implemented the wireless code in 2013, says Scotia Capital telecom analyst Jeff Fan.

In a research note issued Monday evening, Fan said this assertion is based on data showing that, for the first time in three years, all the publicly traded wireless carriers in Canada combined reported higher net gains for postpaid customers than a year earlier.

29 local TV stations at risk of closing by 2020: report

A report from independent consultant and lawyer Peter Miller and research company Nordicity says that 50 per cent of Canada’s small- and medium-market local TV stations could close by 2020.

The report, prepared for advocacy group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting and the union Unifor, and submitted by Friends as part of the CRTC’s consultation on community and local television, found that “Canada’s local television heritage is at risk of major cutbacks and station closures.”

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.

CMPA partners with RightsTrade

The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) has reached an agreement with online TV and film rights marketplace RightsTrade that will give CMPA members “preferred access” to RightsTrade sales tools, marketplace and marketing support.

CMPA vice-president of outreach and strategic initiatives Marguerite Pigott said in a press release Monday that the RightsTrade platform “is a great tool for our members to better exploit their content rights on the global stage.”

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.

Corus version of Disney XD coming in December

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Monday that its version of kids' specialty channel Disney XD will start broadcasting in Canada in December.

CRTC says 30-day cancellation ban not for single channels

The CRTC on Friday made certain clarifications about the policy implemented early this year to prohibit providers of telecommunications services from requiring 30-days' notice of subscription cancellations.

Responding to concerns expressed by some providers, it said the regulation would be modified to explicitly state that the policy only applies to the cancellation of TV services as a whole, not individual channels or particular packages.

Deadline extended in review of local, community TV

The CRTC said Friday it extended the deadline for interventions in its review of the policy framework for local and community television programming to 8 p.m. ET that evening.

It had already delayed the deadline once from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5.

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.

Bell Media to cut 380 jobs this month

BCE Inc.'s Bell Media will cut 380 jobs in Toronto and Montreal this month, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

There will be 270 jobs axed in Toronto, with 220 in production, editorial and operations, 45 in marketing and sales, and five that are clerical or administrative.

In Montreal, a total of 110 jobs will be cut, including 70 in production, editorial and operations, 35 in marketing and sales, and five administrative or clerical positions.

Telus revenue up due to wireless, wireline data usage

Telus Corp. increased its revenues by 4.2 per cent from a year earlier to $3.15 billion in the third quarter, the company said Thursday.

It said in a press release the revenue growth was “a result of higher data revenue in both wireless and wireline operations. Wireless data revenue increased 12 per cent from a year ago, leading to overall network revenue growth of four per cent, while wireline data revenue increased 11 per cent to generate 3.3 per cent growth in external wireline revenue.”

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.

Quebecor appoints Lyne Robitaille music division VP

Quebecor Inc. announced Wednesday that its music division will now be headed by Lyne Robitaille, who will become the senior vice-president of newspapers, books and music.

It said in a press release that Distribution Select, Quebec’s largest music distributor, and Musicor, Quebecor's music label,  will now be part of Quebecor’s Media Group.

MTS revenue, profits down in Q3

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. on Wednesday reported lower revenue and profits compared to a year earlier.

It said in a press release that revenue was down one per cent to $398.4 million for the three months ended Sept. 30. Net earnings came in at $26.7 million, down from $36.8 million one year earlier.

MTS said revenue was down due to declines in wireless-voice and long-distance revenue, partially offset by gains in wireless-data, Internet, "information solutions" and IPTV revenues.

Bell becomes largest TV provider for Canadians

BCE Inc. announced Wednesday that the popularity of its Fibe TV service has made its the largest TV provider in Canada for the first time with more than 2.7 million customers across the country.

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.

CCTS asks CRTC to keep membership mandatory for telecoms

Representatives from the Commission for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) told the CRTC Tuesday that making telecom companies' participation in the CCTS voluntary would affect the independence and effectiveness of the commission.

Blue Jays help Sportsnet attain record numbers for Oct.

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that its Sportsnet network had its highest viewership ever in October, highlighting that 21.1 million Canadians watched some part of the Major League Baseball (MLB) post-season.

It said in a press release that it had an average minute audience of 446,000 during the month, which was a year-over-year increase of 122 per cent.

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.

B.C. provider offers skinny-basic TV

Mascon, a small telecom service provider in British Columbia, announced Monday that it is now offering a skinny-basic TV package for $20 a month, getting a head-start on the CRTC requirement that packages for no more than $25 a month must be available as of next March.

The company said in an announcement on its website that the package, called the "Digital Starter," will cost $20 per month. It added that customers can pick channels they want that fit their “household unique needs, budgets and realities.”

CMF provides $2.6M for French-language productions

The Canadian Media Fund (CMF) announced Tuesday it is funding five productions that are part of its francophone minority program with $2.6 million.

CMF said in a press release that the funding is part of the second round of financing that is part of the program to support productions that reflect living in French-language communities outside of Quebec.

Are stars aligning for Shaw sale to Rogers?

The idea of a merger between Canada's two biggest cable providers — Shaw Communications Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. — is on the radar again, with at least two market analysts saying the conditions are right for such a move.

Telus provides $3.2M to content creators

Telus Corp. announced Monday it is providing more than $3.2 million in funding for more than 60 new local content projects in Western Canada this year through its Optik Local community programming.

It said in a press release that Optik Local provides funding to train filmmakers to create compelling original stories in British Columbia and Alberta. It added that the content will be distributed for free on Optik On Demand, as well as online.

Another union urges change in CBC leadership

The Canadian Media Guild said in a press release that it has taken “the unprecedented step of publicly declaring our lack of confidence” in Hubert Lacroix, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, and the public broadcaster's board of directors.

“We join with our ​colleagues represented by the SCRC … to ask for an end to the leadership of a ​​team that is implementing a plan to weaken the public broadcaster, and ​that ​has lost our confidence,” the union said in a press release Thursday.

CRTC creates online public forum as part of CCTS review

The CRTC announced Monday it has created an online public forum as part of its review of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) and is inviting Canadians to participate in it.

Bell Media asks for CBC disaffiliations in B.C.

BCE Inc.'s Bell Media division has asked the CRTC to approve the disaffiliation of two TV stations it owns in British Columbia from CBC/Radio-Canada.

U.S. version of Mr. D picked up by CBS: report

CBS Corp. has picked up CBC/Radio-Canada sitcom Mr. D and will be creating a U.S.-based version, according to an online report by Postmedia Network.

Postmedia reported that Gerry Dee, the creator and star of the show that is based on his career as a Toronto teacher, signed the deal on Thursday. The show will be produced through the production company called Electric Avenue, owned by Canadian actor Will Arnett.  

CMF fund awards $400K to Riftwood project

The Canadian Media Fund (CMF) said Friday that a fund it manages in partnership with Belgium-based production financing company Wallimage SA has awarded $400,000 to a multimedia project called Riftwood: Heroes.

The project was described in a press release by the CMF as an "innovative multiplatform project." It said it is being co-produced by Canada's Riftwood Productions Inc. and Belgium's Reed SPRL.

IPTV grew, but households with TV subscriptions fell in 2014: CRTC

The CRTC said in the final installment of its communications monitoring report Thursday that the percentage of households subscribing to TV services fell to 82 per cent in 2014 from 83.7 per cent a year earlier.

That makes for the lowest percentage in the past five years, given that the household subscription rate for broadcast-distribution services was 84.2 per cent in 2012, 83.5 per cent in 2011 and 84.5 per cent in 2010, according to the report.

Cogeco financials show big gains in U.S.

Cogeco Cable Inc. reported higher revenue and profit numbers this week, with its U.S. operations bringing in substantially more money as it benefited from a favourable trend in the U.S.-dollar exchange rate.

The company said in a press release late Wednesday that revenue in its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended Aug. 31, was $520.4 million, up 6.2 per cent from a year earlier. It said it realized a profit of $78 million during that period, up from $63.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.

CRTC approves change of licence conditions for OWN

The CRTC approved Wednesday an application from Corus Entertainment Inc. on behalf of OWN Inc., the Oprah Winfrey Network, to amend certain conditions of its broadcasting licence as well as its terms-of-trade agreement.

Bell unit to install interactive ad panels in Toronto

BCE Inc.’s advertising division, Astral Out of Home, announced Tuesday it is launching new interactive advertisement panels to be featured in transit shelters in Toronto.

It said in a press release that 10 interactive screens, called TSA Interactive, will launch in November and will provide video and audio to engage with consumers. The release added that this will be the first time these screens will be installed and are “designed to bring advertising campaigns to life.”

Bell asks court for permission to appeal Wholesale Code

BCE Inc. is again turning to the courts over a CRTC decision, this time asking the Federal Court of Appeal for leave to appeal the CRTC’s Wholesale Code.

In documents filed Thursday, Bell argued that the code violates both the Copyright Act and the Broadcasting Act because its purpose is to govern the commercial arrangement between broadcasters and broadcast distributors.

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.”

Yahoo loses $42M US on original TV content

Yahoo Inc. said in its third quarter financial results that it incurred a $42 million US loss on its original TV video content.

Ken Goldman, chief financial officer for Yahoo, said during an earnings conference call with analysts last week that that the $42 million US loss is due to some of its original video content, specifically the TV series Community and Sin City Saints.

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.  

Shoan asks court to limit Blais’ ability to name CRTC panels

Commissioner Raj Shoan has brought another case against the CRTC to court, asking the Federal Court of Appeal to limit the ability of the CRTC chairman to assign commissioners to panels that make decisions on issues before the regulator.

CRTC extends CCTS membership requirement for telecoms

The CRTC announced Friday that all telecom service providers (TSPs) that fall under the purview of the Commission for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) will remain CCTS members on an interim basis until final decisions are made as part of its review of the CCTS.

CCTS finds small Alberta telecom breached regulations

The Commissioner for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) said Thursday that VOIS! Inc., an Alberta-based telecom provider, has breached its regulatory obligations towards its customers.

CRTC denies ownership transfer of ethnic channel

The CRTC denied Thursday a transfer of ownership application submitted by NMTV Inc., a national third-language general interest ethnic specialty channel.

The application, which was filed on Aug. 1, requested the commission change NMTV's ownership and licence. It was denied because “a broadcasting licence cannot be issued, amended or renewed if the application is submitted by a non-Canadian,” the CRTC said.

Rogers revenues, profits up

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Thursday in its third quarter results it saw a 40 per cent increase in net income to $464 million, up from $332 million the previous year.

Shaw sees 40% rise in profits in Q4

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Thursday a 43.8 per cent increase in its fourth quarter profits.

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.

CRTC to review policy on independent production funds

The CRTC said Tuesday it will consult on its policies regarding certified independent production funds.

It said the primary objective of the consultation would be “that these funds contribute to the development of a robust Canadian production sector that is better able to offer compelling, high-quality content to Canadians and global markets.”

Liberal government positive for big telecoms: analyst

A telecom-market analyst says incumbent telecommunications-service providers would benefit under a Liberal government.

Scotia Capital analyst Jeff Fan said in a research note released the Friday before Monday's election: "A Liberal majority could be a fresh and positive change for the incumbents."

He said that while a Liberal government would not want to see less competition in the telecom sector or higher prices, it would likely take an approach "very different from that of a Conservative majority."

Supreme Court denies Bell appeal against Quebecor

The Supreme Court on Thursday denied BCE Inc.'s appeal of damages it was ordered to pay Quebecor Inc. subsidiaries for the hacking of Bell's satellite-TV service a decade or more ago and the lost revenue that resulted among competing providers of TV service.

The case was dismissed with costs, with the court providing no reason for its decision. Quebecor said in a press release that Bell now owes it $141 million, including interest and expert fees.

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.

CMF teams with Screen Australia to fund digital projects

The Canada Media Fund and the Australian government, through the Screen Australia agency, are investing $800,000 into an initiative for digital interactive projects.

“With 50 film and television co-productions between Canada and Australia, it’s a natural fit to build on this relationship and create an incentive for interactive digital media co-production,” CMF president Valerie Creighton said in a joint press release Wednesday.

Michael Serafini gets senior role with DHX TV

DHX Media Ltd. announced last week it has appointed Michael Serafini as vice-president of programing at its DHX Television division, which oversees a stable of kids' channels under its Family brand.

Serafini was most recently the interim executive director of content planning for television at CBC/Radio-Canada, and before that was its senior director for content planning and acquisitions, DHX said in a press release.

NDP promises review of IoT privacy issues

In full election platforms released last week, the NDP is promising to implement changes to Canadian privacy law and look into Internet of Things (IoT) privacy, the Conservatives are pledging funding for rural broadband and cyber-security, and the Liberals say they would improve access to online government services.

Bloomberg TV Canada to launch Nov. 16

Bloomberg TV Canada will debut on Nov. 16,  the Canadian broadcaster that will be operating the channel said Tuesday.

Channel Zero Inc. added in a press release that it has hired Pamela Ritchie — who was an on-air journalist with BCE Inc.'s business-news channel BNN — to anchor a daily show it will call The Daily Brief. It said the show will air at 4 p.m. ET on weekdays, right after North American stock markets close.

DHX kids shows land on Australian channel

DHX Media Ltd. said Tuesday that it has reached deals with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that will see two of its main children's shows air on Australia's public broadcaster.

DHX, a Canadian content producer and distributor, said in a press release the shows involved are Twirlywoos and the new version of Teletubbies.

Sports content helping drive interest in 4K: experts

Sports fans are an ideal market to sell 4K content to in its early stages, say analysts, though at least one expert says this quality of video has not yet achieved "must-have" status.

Richard Grunberg, associate professor of media at Ryerson University, said in a phone interview that most consumers see the transition from regular high definition (HD) to 4K as a less dramatic change than the move from standard definition to HD.

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.

Bell Media accepting applications for producer training program

BCE Inc.’s media division said Wednesday that the deadline for its Executive Producer Accelerator Lab is Nov. 6.

The company said the 2016 edition of the annual program, which “provides mid-level television producers with unique hands-on training to assist their career advancement within Canada’s television industry,” will start in January.

Green Party would increase CBC funding

The Green Party supports reversing recent years' cuts to CBC/Radio-Canada and boosting its funding further, though the party doesn’t oppose the public broadcaster's attempt to find alternative sources of funding, said Jo-Ann Roberts, the party’s arts and culture critic.

Corus expands original content distribution to U.S. broadcasters

Following Corus Entertainment Inc.’s announcement at MIPCOM, the global entertainment content conference, it said in a press release Monday that it has signed deals to distribute its original content to two U.S. broadcasters.

Corus said that Walt Disney Co.’s ABC Family has secured the rights to Cheer Stars, and Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. has secured the rights to Masters of Flip.

DHX in global deal to produce show based on hit movie

DHX Media Inc. announced Monday it has signed a deal with Turner Broadcasting System Inc. for the rights to the new TV show, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The Series.

It said in a press release that the show, which is based off of the movie with the same title, will be produced by DHX’s Teletoon in Canada in co-operation with Sony Corp.

Federal election unlikely to change telecom policy: Huang

Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang said in a research note Monday that, despite the uncertain outcome of this month's federal election, a significant change in policy with regard to telecommunications is unlikely.

Huang noted that polls have indicated a close race between the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP, with a minority government looking likely. He added that "minority governments have historically shied away from pushing any significant/contentious new policy objectives."

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.