PIAC re-launches undue-preference complaint against Shomi

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has re-launched an undue-preference complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi streaming service, following uncertainty about how a recent CRTC decision would affect the service.

Nadir Mohamed to lead venture-capital fund

Former Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Nadir Mohamed will lead a new venture-capital fund created by the Ontario government, the office of Premier Kathleen Wynne said on Monday.

Mohamed will lead a council of about 30 business leaders and entrepreneurs tasked with managing Scale Up Ventures, a $50-million fund for startup companies that "have shown initial market success and that demonstrate strong growth potential," the premier's office said in a press release.

Sandra Mackechnie to head BBC Canadian digital ad sales

BBC Worldwide North America announced Monday that it has appointed Sandra Mackechnie to the position of vice-president for digital ad sales at BBC.com’s Canadian office in Toronto.

Mackechnie joins BBC from Postmedia Network Canada Corp., according to a press release, where she was head of digital strategy and vice-president of digital advertising since 2011. Prior to that, she was director of digital sales at Rogers Communications Inc. from 2006 to 2010.

Stingray files for IPO

Stingray Digital Group Inc. has filed for an initial public offering, according to documents filed Friday with Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

The Montreal-based company’s products include audio TV channels, as well as music- and video-streaming apps. Stingray said in the preliminary prospectus that it operates in 111 countries and reaches an estimated 110 million TV subscribers.  

The company’s revenue in fiscal 2015 was $71 million, the document said.

Corus seeks more flexibility for OWN

In the wake of the CRTC's recent changes to specialty-TV genres, Corus Entertainment Inc. has applied to change the licence conditions of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), which it has the licensing rights for in Canada.

Comcast, Time Warner deal nixed

Comcast Corp. on Friday confirmed that it is walking away from its proposed $45-billion US buyout of Time Warner Cable Inc.

In a statement on Comcast's website, CEO Brian Roberts said: "Today, we move on. Of course, we would have liked to bring our great products to new cities, but we structured this deal so that if the government didn’t agree, we could walk away."

PIAC, seniors group denied costs in CRTC proceeding

The CRTC has denied an application by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of British Columbia for reimbursement of about $13,500 for their participation in a complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s NHL GamePlus web product.

HBO notifying Canadian streamers using VPNs: report

HBO has been sending notices to users in countries outside of the U.S., including Canada, who have attempted to access its over-the-top (OTT) HBO Now service, the National Post reported.

The newspaper said in an article Tuesday that some users have received emails stating that it “has come to our attention that you may have signed up for and viewed video content on the HBO NOW streaming service from outside of the authorized service area (the United States, including D.C. and certain US territories).”

Playoff viewership up 40%, Rogers says

Viewership of the first round of the NHL playoffs is 40 per cent higher than last year at an average of 1.36 million viewers, Rogers Communications Inc. spokeswoman Jennifer Neziol said in an email.

Citing data from Numeris, she said the games between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens are attracting an average of 3.22 million viewers, which is 58 per cent higher the first round series between the same two teams in 2013, "and the highest average for either team in five years.”

Sonia Carreno new president of IAB Canada

The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB) has named Sonia Carreno its new president, the organization said in a press release Monday.

The release said Carreno has “more than 15 years of integrated leadership experience including strategic brand and media planning, business relationship management, consulting, paid and organic search engine marketing, and cross-media marketing.”

Small Toronto ISP to provide fibre link for Pan Am athletes

Athletes from across two continents competing in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto this summer will be able to connect with family and friends back home via high-speed fibre Internet connections provided by Beanfield Technologies Inc.

The company, the official communications services supplier for the games, has a fibre network in downtown Toronto that links commercial and residential buildings all along the waterfront to the Internet at speeds of 100 Mbps and more.

VPNs facing barriers in Australia, New Zealand

A new bill in Australian parliament could block virtual private networks (VPNs), while Internet service providers in New Zealand could face lawsuits for a VPN-like service, two articles in the Guardian said.

The British newspaper reported Monday that four of New Zealand’s major broadcasters have “confirmed they are preparing legal action” against two ISPs “on the basis of breach of copyright.”

Jean-Pierre Blais to speak at Banff conference in June

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais will give the keynote address to the Banff World Media Festival on June 7, according to a press release from the organizers of the event.

Blais will speak to the conference, which bills itself as “the world's largest and most important gathering of entertainment industry and digital media executives,” about the recent Let’s Talk TV proceeding as well as the future of telecom regulation in Canada, the release said.

Rogers enjoying playoff boost, but benefits hard to quantify

Having five Canadian teams reach the NHL playoffs for the first time in more than a decade is set to translate into a winning season for Rogers Communications Inc. as it completes the first of 12 years of a $5.2-billion rights agreement with the National Hockey League.

Bell says IPTV customers have reached 1 million

BCE Inc. said in a press release Friday that its IPTV customer base has reached one million households.

In the release, Bell said IPTV, which it offers through its Fibe TV and FibreOP TV brands, has  since its launch in 2010 become one of the fastest growing product lines in the company's 135-year history.

Keith Pelley leaving Rogers this summer

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday that Keith Pelley will leave as president of the company's media division this summer to take over as CEO of the PGA European Tour.

Rogers condo connection could be cut off without Bell access

The CRTC said Thursday that unless a developer provides BCE Inc. "timely access" to a Toronto condominium building about to accept new occupants, the other service providers that have been given access to the building, including Rogers Communications Inc., will not be permitted to provide services there.

CRTC approves 3 BDU licences

The CRTC on Thursday approved two licences for AEBC Internet Corp. to operate television services in Alberta and British Columbia.

The company, which offers Internet, phone and IPTV service, was approved to offer a TV service that includes affiliates of the five main U.S. over-the-air U.S. networks, being NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and PBS.

In a separate decision, the regulator approved a licence for 768812 Ontario Inc. to operate a broadcast distribution operation in Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont.

Corus strikes deal with Disney

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Thursday it has signed a long-term licensing agreement with Walt Disney Co. giving it the rights to distribute Disney content across Canada in both official languages.

Netflix to make marketing push outside of U.S.

Netflix Inc. said in letter to shareholders Wednesday it would be shifting some of its U.S. marketing budget to other parts of the world in the coming months "to take advantage of the substantial available growth opportunities."

In the same letter, the company said it added a record 4.9 million subscribers during this year's first quarter to reach 62.3 million overall, with gains of 2.3 million coming from the U.S. and 2.6 million coming from elsewhere. Overall, its U.S. subscriber base stood at 41.4 million and it was 20.9 million elsewhere.

Kosiner looking for piece of TV music market

A 27-year-old entrepreneur wants to offer an alternative to what he calls a monopoly in the market for audio music channels offered through TV service providers in Canada.

Evan Kosiner, president and owner of Kosiner Venture Capital Inc., said in a phone interview there is still a business opportunity in audio-only music channels despite the impending launch of scaled-down TV subscriptions next year as mandated by the CRTC and the rise of online music streaming.

CRTC removes most restrictions on Al Jazeera Arabic

Al Jazeera Media Network has won its fight to delete most of the conditions on Canadian distribution of is Al Jazeera Arabic channel, the CRTC said Wednesday, making it easier for Canadian service providers to distribute the Arabic all-news channel.

In a 2004 decision, the CRTC approved the channel for distribution while imposing unique conditions of licence that meant service providers that wished to carry AJA were mandated to monitor the channel’s content and pre-empt any hate speech.

Shaw loses profits, subs in Q2

Shaw Communications Inc. on Tuesday reported $1.34 billion in revenue in its second fiscal quarter, up five per cent from the same period a year earlier, though its net income during the three-month period ended Feb. 28 fell to $168 million from $222 million last year.

Shaw said in a press release that net income for the first two quarters of the year “included restructuring costs and higher amortization and net other costs and revenue, partially offset by improved operating income before restructuring costs and amortization and lower income taxes.”

Report shows 95,000 TV cord-cutters last year

Convergence Consulting Group Ltd. says in a new report that Canada lost 95,000 TV subscribers in 2014, the second year of decline, while TV subscriber revenue continued to grow.

A summary of the report posted to the Convergence website said TV providers saw subscription revenue of $9.1 billion in 2014, up two per cent from the previous year.

Nova Scotia ‘failed the production sector’ with cuts to tax credits: ACTRA

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) said it is “dismayed” by the cuts to the Nova Scotia film and TV production tax credit and the closing of the province’s film commission.

ACTRA said in a press release Friday that the change, which will replace the refundable Nova Scotia Film Industry Tax Credit with a mixture of both refundable and non-refundable credits, “ignores the reality in which films and television shows are made today.”

Bell moves forward with appeal in mobile-TV case

BCE Inc. on Friday took the next steps in appealing the January CRTC ruling regarding its mobile-TV service, having been granted leave to appeal the matter last week.

The date the appeal will be heard has not yet been determined, according to a notice from Bell's lawyers filed Friday with the Federal Court of Appeal. The proceeding will be held in Toronto unless the court decides otherwise, the notice said.

Industry Canada streamlines satellite-station licensing

Industry Canada said Friday that it is implementing a single-licence system for operators of large networks of satellite-to-earth communication stations, a move the department said would save companies in the sector at least $1 million a year.

The government said in a press release that when combined with other changes introduced since 2006, its policies are saving radio, spectrum and satellite users about $10 million annually.

Shaw Media reorganizes execs

Shaw Communications Inc. said Thursday it has made a number of changes affecting the executive positions at its media division.

The company said it appointed Christine Shipton senior-vice president and chief creative officer, named Dervla Kelly vice-president of marketing and communications, and named Greg Treffry as vice-president of business development and media digital strategy.

Kevin Crull out as Bell Media boss

BCE Inc. said Thursday that Kevin Crull is out as president of its Bell Media division, and a press release appeared to link Crull's ousting to his recent conflict with news staff over coverage of the CRTC's decision on TV-channel unbundling.

Bell CEO George Cope said in the release that "Kevin Crull departs Bell with our thanks for his contributions to our customers and shareholders,” noting achievements such as the integration of Astral Media and the launch of CraveTV.

Corus reports Q2 loss

Corus Entertainment Inc. reported an $86.8 million loss for its second fiscal quarter, attributed largely to writedowns in the value of radio-broadcast licences and other associated goodwill charges.

The company said in a press release Thursday that this compared to a profit of $6.1 million in the same period a year earlier.

Cogeco boosts revenue as TV subs continue decline

Cogeco Cable Inc. reported late Wednesday a decline in profit for its second fiscal quarter, a gain in revenue and fewer TV subscribers.

It said in a press release that its profit was $58.9 million for the three months ended Feb. 28 this year, down from $60.4 million a year earlier. It attributed the decline to depreciation, amortization, financing expenses and income taxes.

Microsoft adds OTA broadcasts to Xbox One

Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday that users of its Xbox One gaming console in Canada and the United States that are subscribed to its beta updates program will now be able to receive over-the-air broadcast television with an additional TV tuner.

The company said in a news release that the upgrade allows users to pause live broadcast TV for up to 30 minutes, watch TV side-by-side with other Xbox One content, and stream broadcast channels to devices on the same local network running the SmartGlass app.

Bell looks to avoid legal showdown with privacy commish

Faced with a possible legal fight against another agency of the federal government, BCE Inc. on Tuesday backed down after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner said the company refused to require customers to provide explicit consent before tracking their telecommunications habits in order to sell marketing profiles to third-party advertisers.

Online video viewing up an hour a week over year: MTM

In the fall of 2014, Canadian anglophones spent an hour more watching online video in a typical week than they did a year earlier, according to new data from the Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, said in a report released Wednesday that respondents in surveys conducted last fall indicated they spent an average of 8.2 hours viewing online video, compared to 7.2 a year before.

Bell granted leave to appeal in mobile-TV case

The Federal Court on Thursday granted BCE Inc. leave to appeal in its challenge of a CRTC ruling regarding its mobile-TV service.

Stephen Tapp named Stingray’s new SVP of business development

Stingray Digital Group Inc. , the provider of music content over TV subscriptions, has named Stephen Tapp as senior vice-president of business development, the company said in a press release Thursday.

His responsibilities will include overseeing “relationships with record labels and the music industry in addition to being responsible for global and domestic business development,” the release said.

Catherine MacLeod named new TVB president

The Television Bureau of Canada (TVB) said Thursday Catherine MacLeod is its new president, effective April 13.

MacLeod most recently worked for BCE Inc.'s media subsidiary as the senior vice-president of specialty channels and Bell Media production, the industry group said in a press release.

DHX reaches international distribution deal with Orchard

DHX Media Ltd., a Canadian content creator specializing in children's television programming, said it has reached a deal with U.S. distribution company, The Orchard, that will give it a new path to audiences around the world.

CCTS reports fewer complaints, more wireless code breaches

While overall complaints about telecommunications services have continued to decline, according the first-ever mid-year report from the Commissioner of Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), confirmed breaches of the wireless code have increased exponentially.

News channels face funding challenges after CRTC decision

Canada’s national news channels face new obligations from the CRTC even as the regulator is taking away their place on basic cable, raising questions about their future finances.

Last month, as part of the CRTC’s wide-ranging review of its television rules, the regulator detailed a new basic package of cable channels that excludes the national news channels from BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. and any future entrants into that market.

Corus puts Mario Cecchini in charge of radio

Corus Entertainment Inc. on Tuesday said it has made Mario Cecchini president of Corus Radio, effective immediately.

Corus CEO Doug Murphy said in a press release that Cecchini has more than 25 years of experience in the radio industry, which "will serve our Radio division well as we continue to evolve and adapt our business to the changing needs and listening habits of our listeners."

Corus gets multi-platform rights to Nickelodeon content

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday it has secured a long-term agreement with Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon division to secure the exclusive Canadian rights to its content for television in digital platforms.

Corus said in a press release that the deal includes English- and French-language programming.

Shaw names Vito Culmone as CFO

Shaw Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has named Vito Culmone as its executive vice-president and chief financial officer.

The appointment is effective June 1, the company said in a press release.

Culmone’s most recent position was as chief financial officer for WestJet Airlines Ltd., and he has also worked at Molson Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers, it added.

CRTC proposes changes for licence renewals

The CRTC is proposing changes in the way it deals with broadcast-licence renewals, such as getting rid of reminder letters for each licensee and removing the requirement that it publish a notice of consultation for every licence renewal.

Bell facing $350M lawsuit over IPTV technology: report

BCE Inc. is facing a patent lawsuit for $350 million plus future royalties and penalties related to technology used for distributing IPTV service, the Financial Post reported.

Telecom and broadcasting converge as legislation remains separate

A case involving BCE Inc.’s mobile-TV service that’s currently winding its way through the Federal Court of Appeal is just one example of how the lines between telecommunications and broadcasting are becoming blurred.

National alert system gets underway

A national emergency alert system became operational on Tuesday, according to officials speaking on behalf of the company that will operate the infrastructure behind it.

A spokesperson for public relations company High Road, working on behalf of Pelmorex Media Inc., which owns The Weather Network, said in an email the system is in effect.

A press release from Pelmorex said the alert system is done in co-operation with federal, provincial and territorial governments, and Canada's broadcasting industry.

CMF raises annual budget by $7.2 million

The Canadian Media Fund said Monday it will have $375.2 million to fund television and digital-media productions in the 2015-16 fiscal year.

That's up $7.2 million from the $368 million it announced was the budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which runs April to March.

"Underspending in some 2014-2015 programs, revenues from tangible benefits and one-time adjustments of revenues from broadcast distribution undertakings (BDU) in 2014-2015 contributed to achieving this program budget," the CMF said in a press release Monday.

Doug Murphy takes over as Corus CEO

Corus Entertainment Inc. on Monday announced that Doug Murphy taken over the job of president and CEO from John Cassaday, who has retired after 15 years in this role.

Cogeco Cable brings TiVo service to Quebec

Cogeco Cable Inc. said Monday it is now offering its TiVo Inc. service to customers in Quebec.

Cogeco Cable Canada CEO Louise St-Pierre said in a Monday news release that the service ensures “there will always be something worth watching.”

The company’s partnership with TiVo allows customers to access IPTV content as well as online services such as Netflix Inc., via a set-top box.

TekSavvy appeals Voltage cost award

TekSavvy Solutions Inc. said Friday it will appeal a recent cost award in a dispute with Voltage Pictures LLC over filesharing.

Should copyright tariffs be mandatory?

CBC/Radio-Canada and the Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) recently argued before the Supreme Court of Canada over whether a tariff on “broadcast incidental copies” of musical works for television or Internet productions is legal.

Nielsen to begin measuring Netflix viewership: report

Nielsen Co., the which measures viewership for TV shows, will start assessing audiences for online streaming services such as Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime this year, according to a Bloomberg report.

Proposed BDU code inconsistent with unregulated OTT: consultant

The CRTC’s proposed new code of conduct for television service providers is at odds with the commission’s stance that it won’t regulate over-the-top (OTT) services, according to broadcast consultant Peter Miller.

He said it was “interesting that this regulator still wants to get involved in this level of detail with respect to traditional providers while still saying they’re going to do nothing with over-the-top providers.”

Bell concedes costs request in early phase of mobile-TV appeal

BCE Inc. is not seeking costs from the Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) in the early part of the appeals process in relation to a CRTC decision to force it treat data used in its mobile-TV service like any other online data.

Blais makes statement on alleged CTV news interference

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais on Wednesday issued a statement warning about the seriousness of "manipulating news coverage" in the wake of a report that a prominent BCE Inc. executive did just that last week.

The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that Bell Media president Kevin Crull directed staff at its CTV News operation not to show footage of Blais following the commission's decision Thursday on TV-channel unbundling.

IPTV gains are slowing as cable losses continue: Boon Dog

An Ottawa consulting company says IPTV services aren’t absorbing the exodus of cable customers at the same rate as they used to.

TV-industry consulting company Boon Dog Professional Services Inc. issued a press release Wednesday that showed Canada’s publicly traded companies lost a record of 64,649 TV customers last year, compared to a few hundred the year before.

Bell applies to bring Africa Channel to Canada

BCE Inc. has asked the CRTC to approve the U.S-based Africa Channel for distribution in Canada.

Currently, the channel is distributed in the United States and the Carribean, the channel’s chief financial officer, Fred Paccone, wrote in a letter included in the application posted on the CRTC's website Tuesday.

Court dismisses Bell’s motion for stay in mobile-TV case

The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a motion by BCE Inc. to extend the deadline by which it has to comply with a CRTC ruling on its mobile-TV service.

PIAC calls for affordability standards in telecom

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) released a report on Monday that calls on Canada to legislate the requirement that all Canadians have access to "affordable" telecommunications services.

PIAC said in its report that affordability should be defined in such a way that people can afford telecommunications without having to give up other essentials, such as heat or food.

English CBC TV saw $20.9M loss last year

CBC/Radio-Canada’s English-language conventional TV stations reported a loss of $20.9 million in the financial year ended on Aug. 31, 2014 despite an increase in revenue, which amounted to $799.5 million, according to numbers provided by the CRTC.

Its French-language conventional stations recorded a loss of $18.1 million on revenue of $528.6 million.

Telecoms will adjust to pick-and-pay regime, analysts say

Financial analysts reacting to the CRTC’s new pick-and-pay rules say they don’t expect the decision to have a major impact on the industry, though the broadcasting side of the business is more vulnerable than TV distribution.

Troy Crandall, a telecom analyst with 3Macs, said in a phone interview Friday that pure broadcast distributors, such as Telus Corp. and Cogeco Cable Inc., will be least affected, while companies focusing on content, such as Corus Entertainment Inc., will see the biggest impact.

Quebecor Media buys bigger piece of TVA

Quebecor Media Inc. said Friday it has upped its stake in TVA Group Inc. to more than 68 per cent from about 51 per cent.

Quebecor Media, which is three-quarters owned by Quebecor Inc., said in a press release it bought 17.3 million Class B, non-voting shares in TVA for $97.9 million, raising the proportion of Class B shares it holds to 65 per cent from 41 per cent.

The company said it bought the TVA share "for investment purposes and QMI has no present intention of acquiring additional securities of TVA."

Sony launches video-streaming service in U.S.

Sony Corp. said Wednesday it has launched a new online video-streaming service in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.

PlayStation Vue streams video from the Internet though PS3 or PS4 gaming consoles, Eric Lempel, vice-president of Sony Network Entertainment, said in a blog post Wednesday.

"PlayStation Vue is a new service that combines live and on-demand TV, and a cloud based DVR to stream the best TV shows, movies and sports directly to your console without a cable or satellite subscription," Lempel said in the blog.

Four small TV providers to offer CraveTV

BCE Inc.’s media division said in a press release Wednesday that its streaming service, CraveTV, is now available to customers of four small TV providers in Ontario.

Bell Media said Hay Communications Co-operative Ltd., Mitchell Seaforth Cable TV, Tuckersmith Communications Co-operative Ltd. and Wightman Telecom are now carrying CraveTV.

Producers ‘shocked and stunned’ by terms-of-trade elimination

The CRTC’s decision last week up to eliminate an agreement governing contracts between independent producers and large broadcasters has angered and surprised the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).

“What this fundamentally means is that if the commission is going to abandon safeguards to protect against the abuse of market power by vertically integrated carriers in broadcasting, then that is going to lead to a substantial diminishment of the independent production sector,” CMPA president Michael Hennessy said in a phone interview.

Broadcasters seeking compensation for 600 MHz changes

Broadcasters participating in a consultation on moving 600 MHz spectrum from its role of carrying television signals to mobile usage are intent on avoiding the kind of costs borne by the industry as a result of the 2011 conversion from analog to digital over-the-air TV.

CNOC asks for dismissal of Bell appeal of mobile-TV decision

The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) filed papers with the Federal Court of Appeal Monday asking that BCE Inc.'s appeal of a CRTC decision banning the way it bills for mobile-TV services be dismissed.

CNOC said in its submission that Bell has failed to demonstrate that its Mobile TV app should not be subject to the Telecommunications Act because it is a broadcast service.

Comwave approved for TV service

The CRTC approved a new TV service from Comwave Networks Inc. on Monday.

Mobile-device video viewing doubled in 2014: Ooyala

The amount of video watched on smartphones and tablets doubled in 2014, according to a sub-sample used for Ooyala Inc.'s quarterly index.

The online-video management company said in a report released Wednesday there had been a 114 per cent increase in mobile video plays in December compared to a year earlier, and that mobile devices were used in 38 per cent of all online video viewing that month, compared to 18 per cent in December 2013.

Quebecor reports Q4 loss, major gains in wireless

Quebecor Inc. on Wednesday reported a net loss for the fourth quarter resulting largely from non-operational factors, while indicating major gains in its wireless operations' revenue and subscriber base.

Telus announces $100M for fibre connections in B.C.

Telus Corp. is spending $100 million to provide access to a fibre optic network to 90 per cent of the homes and businesses in the British Columbia communities of Kelowna and West Kelowna, it said Tuesday.

It said in a press release that work began on the project in the fall and it expects the final premises to be connected by the spring of 2016. Telus said the connections will provide Internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

Ont. government spent months developing OTT regulation stance: Geist

The Ontario government spent months preparing its position on regulating streaming services like that offered by Netflix Inc., according to documents cited in a blog by University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist.

During CRTC hearings on the future of television in the fall of 2014, Ontario's assistant deputy minister for tourism, culture and sport, Kevin Finnerty, asked the CRTC to expand regulation of “new media TV,” which would include “future Cancon financial obligations for foreign over-the-top providers.”

Is broadcasting heading for more litigious environment?

BCE Inc.’s appeal of a CRTC decision to ban the use of simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl in future years could be a sign of more conflict and court challenges to come as the broadcasting industry awaits further decisions from the CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV review, some experts are warning. 

Bell Media’s Crull takes aim at U.S. channel retransmission

OTTAWA — The retransmission of U.S. networks in Canada is the equivalent of Aereo, the service ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court last year, Kevin Crull, president of BCE Inc.'s media division, said Friday.

“Canada is the only country in the world that allows American networks to be retransmitted without restriction despite valid and exclusive copyrights held by domestic broadcasters,” he said during a keynote address at the Prime Time in Ottawa event put on by the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).

Piracy, Netflix giving ‘false expectations’ about content cost: Crull

OTTAWA — Kevin Crull, president of BCE Inc.'s media division, said Thursday that monetization is currently his organization's biggest challenge, given the usage of over-the-top (OTT) services and illegal alternatives.

“False expectations are being set in the minds of politicians and regulators, by a couple of things,” the Bell Media boss said during a panel at the Prime Time in Ottawa conference.

New MTM report shows shrinking rate of TV subscriptions

New data shows an overall drop in the share of English Canadians subscribing to TV services over the last year.

MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, released a report Thursday that showed the proportion of Canadian anglophones subscribing to cable TV had fallen to 43 per cent last fall from 46 per cent a year earlier. It had been as high as 64 per cent in 2005, MTM said.

"The decrease can be attributed to the increase of competition in many markets across Canada," MTM said in the report.

Bell appeals CRTC’s Super Bowl simsub decision

BCE Inc. is launching a court challenge of the CRTC’s ban on the use of simultaneous substitution during the Super Bowl.

Bell Media spokesman Scott Henderson said in an email Monday that “the CRTC erred in law, exceeded its jurisdiction, and demonstrated a lack of awareness of Canadian attitudes, opinions, and values.”

PIAC says 600 MHz proposals could ‘hinder’ OTA

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre said some of the proposals made by Industry Canada regarding 600 MHz spectrum could “hinder the potential” of over-the-air broadcasting in Canada.

In a document submitted Feb. 26, PIAC said that 7.3 per cent of Canadians currently use OTA, which is “is an affordable, accessible alternative to costly distribution platforms which continue to increase in price for consumers.”

Rogers denies exec called for ban on VPNs

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday that David Purdy, its senior vice-president of content, did not call on government to ban virtual private networks (VPNs) during a media-industry conference in Toronto on Thursday, despite suggestions on Twitter to the contrary.

Broadcasting consultant Kelly Lynne Ashton, commenting on proceedings at the Content Industry Connect conference, posted Thursday: "Purdy - need the govt to shut down VPNs, enforce copyright then can have a viable business."

No plans to seek must-offer status for Bloomberg TV

One of the executives behind the newly announced Bloomberg TV Canada news channel says that there are no plans to seek a broadcast licence that would compel broadcast distributors to offer the channel to customers.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting at odds with Bell over TV ad

Advocacy group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting say a television ad was turned down by Canada’s largest broadcasters, yet at least one company says it has no record of the denial.

In the 30-second spot, available on the group’s website, two men in suits tied to chairs with rope are submerged in water while a narrator says, “They can’t drown us all out. Join the campaign to free the CBC from political interference.”

IPhone 6 Plus data usage double that of regular iPhone 6: report

Users of Apple Inc.'s iPhone 6 Plus are using twice as much data as those with the iPhone 6, according to a report from Citrix Systems Inc.

The U.S. provider of workplace mobility technology said in a press release earlier this month that the bigger, 5.5-inch screens of the iPhone 6 Plus — compared to 4.7 inches for the regular iPhone 6 — leads more video viewing. Its report said that data usage on the iPhone 6 Plus is 10 times that of the iPhone 3GS.

Online video factors into cord-cutting: CIRA survey

Newly released results from a Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) survey show the availability of online video content is a factor for four in 10 Canadian Internet users who do not subscribe to cable TV.

Bell seeking costs in appeal to overturn mobile-TV ruling

BCE Inc. is seeking to recover legal costs from a range of parties — including an advocacy group representing senior citizens, private individuals and companies in the telecommunications sector — in a case it has brought before the Federal Court of Appeal to overturn a January CRTC ruling that compelled it to treat video streamed through its mobile-TV app like any other data.

CRTC suspends proceeding against Shomi, CraveTV

The CRTC has suspended the proceeding initiated the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and Consumers' Association of Canada (CAC) against video-streaming services CraveTV and Shomi.

CBC considers sale of Toronto headquarters: report

CBC/Radio-Canada is considering selling its headquarters in Toronto, according to a report in the National Post.

An article published Thursday said a consultant has been hired to determine whether it should sell the million-square-foot building. Fred Mattocks, general manager of media operations for CBC's English services, is quoted as saying it only needs one-third of the space there, though it would like to remain a tenant.

Bell, PIAC trade procedural shots regarding streaming complaint

BCE Inc. on Thursday reiterated its position that a complaint from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Consumers' Association of Canada (CAC) about its CraveTV streaming service is "frivolous" and should be dismissed, but if the CRTC review does go ahead, the deadline for responding should be extended by 30 days.