Shaw shutting call-centre operations in 3 cities

Shaw Communications Inc. said Wednesday it is shutting down call-centre operations in Edmonton, Calgary and Kelowna, B.C., with about 1,600 workers at these locations having a choice of whether to move, assume a different position or take a buyout.

The company said in a press release that it will realign its customer service along "centres of expertise," including technical service, sales and billing, loyalty care, technical field support, e-care, payment solutions and satellite operations.

Telus to make Netflix available for Optik TV users

Telus Corp. said Wednesday it will be making services from Netflix Inc. available through its Optik TV set-top boxes in the coming weeks.

Telus said in a press release that almost half of its Optik TV customers are Netflix subscribers, and this development removes "the inconvenience of having to switch hardware and source inputs or fumble with additional remotes" when watching Netflix on a television.

Super WiFi ‘exciting new area’ for wireless: spectrum expert

Industry Canada’s announcement last week that it is opening up TV white space for the use of "super WiFi" technology could improve broadband availability in rural areas and has the potential be used for Internet of Things connectivity, experts say.

International Datacasting discussing sale

International Datacasting Corp., an Ottawa-based provider of technology for the broadcasting industry, said Tuesday it is in talks with an undisclosed party about the sale of the company.

International Datacasting said in a press release that the discussions are "preliminary in nature and there can be no assurance that they will result in a transaction."

It said it has established a committee of independent directors to assess the potential sale and other "strategic alternatives."

Netflix goes to Cuba

Netflix Inc. said Monday it is now offering service in Cuba.

"Bienvenida Cuba! Netflix is now available," Netflix said in a Twitter post.

The move follows the December announcement that the U.S. government is restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than five decades.

Shomi, CraveTV could be pulled if PIAC challenge succeeds: analyst

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) on Friday asked the CRTC to prohibit Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. from restricting the availability of their streaming services, a move that could lead the companies to kill the services outright if it succeeds, according to Cannacord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose.

Ont. municipality still interested in Eastlink buyout: report

The Municipality of Kincardine in southwestern Ontario is interested revisiting the issue of selling publicly owned Bruce Telecom to Eastlink-owner Bragg Communications Inc., according to a news report, despite a potential deal last year that was called off after the Competition Bureau raised concern.

Nigerian music TV channel proposed for Canadian distribution

Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. has filed an application to the CRTC to have a Nigerian TV channel called 1Music approved for distribution in Canada.

The company said in a letter posted on the CRTC’s website Friday that the English-language channel shows music and music-related programming  aimed at African youth or those with an interest in African programming.

Redbox shutting down Canadian movie rental service

The movie rental service Redbox will shut down its 1,400 kiosks in Canada, owner Outerwall Inc. said Thursday.

In its latest quarterly report, Outerwall said the Canadian business is “not meeting the company’s performance expectations” and took a $1.5-million US write down.

In a posting on the company’s Canadian website, Redbox said the last day to rent movies would be Feb. 13 and the last day to return them would be March 5.

VMedia now offering triple-play bundles in Ontario

VMedia Inc. said Wednesday it has become the first independent telecommunications service provider to offer a triple-play bundle of television, Internet and home-phone service in Ontario.

The company said its packages start at $69.85 a month for DSL Internet with 6-Mbps download speeds, more than 50 channels of mostly high-definition TV and unlimited Canada-wide calling.

CRTC says Videotron French community TV violated licence, OKs English version

The CRTC said Wednesday that while it found MAtv, a French-language community channel owned by Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron subsidiary, was not in compliance with the conditions of its licence, it would approve a licence application from Videotron for MYtv, the channel's English equivalent.

Senators going to U.K. as part of CBC review

Five Canadian senators are going to the United Kingdom this month on a "fact-finding mission" as part of a study on the difficulties faced by CBC/Radio Canada.

The Senate's transport and communications standing committee said in a press release that five members would be in London from Feb. 9 to 12, to consult with British parliamentarians, representatives of that country's public broadcaster, the BBC, and the BBC Trust, which is its governing body.

NHL interest declined over last year: SRG

Solutions Research Group Consultants Inc. (SRG) released results of a survey Tuesday that suggest interest among Canadians in following the National Hockey League declined over the last year.

The company said in a press release that the survey of 1,500 Canadians 12 and older in December found that 53 per cent followed the NHL either on TV or on digital media. That was down from 56 per cent in a similar poll done one year earlier.

CRTC says no to Bell meeting regarding simsub

The CRTC has turned down a request from BCE Inc. to meet and discuss the regulator's decision to get rid of simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl starting in 2017.

Videotron launches original content for Club Illico streaming service

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron hopes that producing original content exclusively for its Club Illico streaming service will help the company attract and keep subscribers, said Videotron CEO Manon Brouillette.

At a Monday press conference in Montreal, the company announced it would launch Blue Moon, the first original series for Club Illico. The scripted series, about a woman taking over her father’s private security firm, will premiere in 2016 and, a press release emphasized, was designed to be binge-watched.

Bell launches restart feature for Fibe TV customers

BCE Inc. announced Monday that the latest upgrade to the software for its Fibe TV service adds the ability to rewind and restart programs already in progress.

The new Restart feature, which functions even if a user has not previously chosen to record a show, works on “thousands of shows,” the company said in a news release.

Bell claims this is the first time such a service has been available in Canada.

5% of Rogers, Shaw customers trying Shomi: SRG

More than half of Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s customers are familiar with their Shomi streaming service, but just five per cent are using it, according to a survey. ‎

According to a study from Solutions Research Group (SRG), 54 per cent of Shaw and Rogers’ customers had heard of the service within a month after it was launched but were not using it, while five per cent said they were testing it out, and 41 per cent had not heard of it.

Super Bowl worth estimated $15-$19M in ads for Bell

BCE Inc. said Friday that it will use its broadcast of the Super Bowl on its CTV network this Sunday to promote its original Canadian programming, including 19-2, Orphan Black and Masterchef Canada, which will air directly following the game.

Bell said in a press release that it devoted 12 minutes of airtime during last year’s game to promoting its original Canadian shows, which was worth more than $4 million.

CRTC gives SaskTel pass on flood-related problems

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp.'s network problems following floods in the company's home province last summer will not result in it owing rebates to companies like BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. that rely on its network, the CRTC said Friday.

Mobile-TV ruling could be harbinger of streaming regulation: Klass

The CRTC’s ruling on Thursday that BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc.-owned Videotron can no longer exempt their mobile-TV services from data charges could have implications for the regulation of streaming services such as CraveTV and Shomi, according to the man behind the original complaint.

Bell Media ‘extremely disappointed’ by Super Bowl simsub decision

The CRTC said Thursday that it would prohibit the use of simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl, but would otherwise keep the practice in place, in an approach BCE Inc.’s media division spokesman Scott Henderson called “troubling.”

The rights to the event are currently held by Bell Media. In an emailed statement, Henderson said that “we are extremely disappointed of course. The government is damaging the future of local television in Canada while rewarding U.S. corporations over homegrown companies.”

Analyst says Rogers downgrade related to hockey

Canaccord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose says concern over hockey viewership is among the reasons he downgraded the stock of Rogers Communications Inc. this week.

In a research note Wednesday, the telecom industry analyst pointed to a Toronto Star article that said the National Hockey League all-star game attracted 1.48 million viewers on Sunday, down from 2.54 million when the previous all-star game was played in 2012. The two-year layoff was the result of the Olympics last year and a player lockout in 2013.

Seevibes expands to Toronto

Montreal-based social-TV audience measurement company Seevibes is opening an office in Toronto, the company said in a press release Wednesday.

Blais to announce decision about local TV Thursday

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais will speak to the London, Ont. Chamber of Commerce on Thursday morning about “the future of local television in Canada.”

“At the event Mr. Blais will announce certain decisions related to the Let's Talk TV public proceeding which was launched in the fall of 2013,” the CRTC said in a press release issued Tuesday.

Sun News Network close to closing: report

Quebecor Inc.'s Sun News Network is close to shutting down, a report on the news website Canadaland said Monday.

The report cited unnamed sources as saying negotiations for its acquisition by Moses Znaimer's ZoomerMedia Ltd. had hit an impasse over severance packages for Sun News executives who would not be staying on after a sale.

The Canadaland story said Quebecor spokesman Martin Tremblay would not comment on speculation about Sun News' pending demise.

CRTC to issue Talk TV decision on local TV this week

The CRTC will issue a decision about local television in its Let’s Talk TV process by Jan. 30, the regulator said in a weekly email Friday.

Distributel gets word out on TV service

Distributel Communications Inc. announced on Thursday its new television service, which is available in markets throughout Ontario and Quebec.

The independent Internet service provider had already began offering TV service last year, though it announced in a news release this week the "official launch" of Distributel TV.

Distributel said its service includes more than 90 channels in its base packages, and its rates, which also include Internet service, range from $99.95 to $149.95 a month.

CBC funding becoming political ahead of budget, election

MONTREAL — NDP Leader Tom Mulcair is promising, if elected, to reverse funding cuts imposed on CBC/Radio-Canada in recent years, though political observers do not expect the Conservative government to make any surprise moves regarding the public broadcaster in the coming months when it lays out its last budget before the next federal election.

Shomi gets rights to original Amazon content

Canadian video streaming service Shomi said Thursday it has secured the Canadian rights to original content made for Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime streaming service in the U.S.

VMedia secures Blue Ant content for cloud-TV service

VMedia Inc. said it has secured its first specialty-TV channels for the cloud-based PVR service it makes available to IPTV customers.

The company said in a news release Thursday that it has reached a deal to include Blue Ant Media Inc.'s Bite, T&E and Cottage Life channels on its cloud PVR, from which programming is available on an on-demand basis for up to seven days after the initial broadcast.

TMN Go now available to Shaw customers

Shaw Communications Inc. said Thursday that TMN Go is now available to its cable customers in northern Ontario and satellite-TV customers throughout Eastern Canada, allowing them to watch The Movie Network, HBO Canada, Showtime and TMN Encore content on-demand on televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones.

The availability is limited to Eastern Canada customers because BCE Inc.'s The Movie Network does not have broadcast rights in the West, Bell Media spokesman Scott Henderson confirmed.

Netflix wants to complete global expansion in 2 years

Netflix Inc. can expand to pretty well everywhere in the world while staying profitable over the next two years, the company said in a letter to shareholders Tuesday.

“Acceleration to 200 countries is largely made possible by the tremendous growth of the Internet in general, including on phones, tablets and smart TVs,” it said, noting its streaming service is already available in “about 50” countries.

YouTube to host own Super Bowl halftime show

For the first time, Google Inc.’s YouTube streaming service is hosting a live Super Bowl halftime show of its own that will stream during the break of the NFL championship game on Feb. 1.

Hosted by Harley Morenstein, Montreal-based creator of the Epic Meal Time web series, the halftime show will be live-streamed on the same Ad Blitz channel on which YouTube hosts its Super Bowl-related content, such as pregame and halftime advertisements from major brands as well as behind-the-scenes footage and other extra content.

Sony to close Canadian stores

Electronics maker and retailer Sony Corp. is closing all of its Canadian stores.

Robin Powell, a spokesman for Sony Canada, said in a phone interview that all 14 Sony outlets in Canada would shut down over the next six to eight weeks. He would not provide a reason for the closures. There had been speculation mounting this week that Sony would take some drastic measures in response to disappointing financial results in recent years.

Powell said about 90 employees are affected by the closures.

Cogeco creating public WiFi hotspots from people’s homes

Cogeco Cable Inc. has quietly rolled out home spotting, or the use of multi-signal routers in people's homes to provide both private WiFi signals to residents and separate public signals to visitors or those in the vicinity, according to CEO Louis Audet.

Audet said in phone interview that Cogeco “started doing it in a modest way” a few months ago.

Small ISPs raise fuss over new Shaw wholesale price proposal

Small ISPs are speaking out against an “egregious” new pricing proposal from Shaw Communications Inc. for wholesale access to its Internet lines.

The Calgary-based incumbent introduced new prices for a new set of retail Internet plans on Jan. 6, and filed a CRTC application on the same day to update its rates for third-party Internet access.

Corus numbers up slightly, CEO announces retirement

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday its revenues in the three-month period ending Nov. 30 were $227 million, up from $226 million in the same period a year earlier.

It reported profits of $93.28 million, compared to $92.28 million a year earlier, according to a press release. Television profits made up $83.78 million of that number, up from $82.52 million last year.

Live sports, the lynchpin of traditional TV, making inroads to OTT

As new over-the-top (OTT) services continue to be launched both in Canada and the United States, online alternatives for live sports have also been increasing.

But in a world where live sports continue to be crucial for the traditional television system — and the kind of revenue only available through that system is necessary to pay for expensive sports rights — it seems companies will have to continue a balancing act between the two technologies.

Most seniors not adopting smartphones: survey

While a majority of senior anglophone Canadians have cellphones, a minority have smartphones, according to a new report from Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

The report, released Wednesday, showed 63 per cent of anglophone Canadians 69 or older had cellphones, compared to 88 per cent of those younger than 69. It found that 18 per cent of seniors had smartphones, while 72 per cent of non-seniors have such technology.

The report also said 20 per cent of seniors had tablets, compared to 46 per cent of non-seniors who had them.

TiVo OTA product gets full release in U.S.

TiVo Inc. said Wednesday it is widening availability in the United States of a PVR for capturing over-the-air programing, a product it released on a limited basis in the fall.

The TiVo Roamio OTA is meant for people who do not have a cable- or satellite-TV subscription but wish to have the same functionality as other TiVo devices for recording and finding their favourite shows, the company said in a press release.

TVA purchase of Vision Globale cleared

Quebecor Inc.'s broadcasting unit TVA Group said last week that its purchase of TV production company Vision Globale has closed following approval from the federal Competition Bureau.

TVA CEO Julie Tremblay said in a Dec. 30 press release that the acquisition "will enable us to diversify our revenue streams, which are heavily dependent on the advertising carried by our over-the-air television network."

Dish launches online TV service in U.S.

Dish Network Corp. is launching an over-the-top (OTT) television service that will allow subscribers to access 12 specialty channels for $20 US a month.

The U.S. satellite-TV service provider said in a press release Monday that the product, called Sling TV, will be available on TV sets, computers, tablets, smartphones and game consoles in the first quarter of 2015.

FCC expected to vote on net neutrality next month

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will vote on a net-neutrality proposal in February, the Washington Post and other news outlets reported late last week.

The Post said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told other commissioners before the new year that he intended to have a draft proposal ready for internal review next month and wished have a vote on the matter within weeks. The report noted that the FCC's monthly meeting that month is Feb. 26.

Company asks for distribution of HuffPost Live channel

Kosiner Venture Capital Inc. has asked the CRTC to approve HuffPost Live, a television channel operated by AOL Inc.’s Huffington Post, for distribution in Canada.

About 60 per cent of the channel’s programming would be in the news category, and about 40 per cent in the “Lifestyle/human interest/recreation / leisure and reality” category, said documents filed by Kosiner to the CRTC and posted on the regulator’s website Thursday.

CRTC decisions, new streaming services top TV agenda for 2015

It seems all eyes are on the two newest services in the Canadian TV industry.

This fall, the country’s biggest telecom and media companies launched streaming services meant to compete with Netflix Inc.’s, and how they end up performing in the coming weeks and months is “the thing that everyone’s watching,” said broadcasting consultant Peter Miller.

ISPs aspiring to launch TV services face uncertainty

Small Internet service providers looking to provide TV service should hold off on investment because of the uncertain future of the broadcast television market, according to 3Macs analyst Troy Crandall.

At the recent CRTC wireline hearing, representatives from the Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium, a trade group for small ISPs, told the commission that wholesale rates need to drop in order for their members to offer other services, including television, to customers.

CBC cuts local TV newscasts, adds French digital services

CBC/Radio-Canada is making changes to its news operations across Canada, cutting back on the length of its evening TV newscasts and introducing new French-language digital content.

The public broadcaster said in a Thursday press release that its 90-minute local English TV newscasts will switch to either a 60-minute or a 30-minute format, and that it will begin televising its local Radio One morning shows.

There will also be new “local hourly news breaks” on television throughout the day, CBC said.

Extent of TV piracy unclear, might be rising among youth

On Wednesday, the Australian government said it would allow the blocking of foreign websites that offer illegal downloading and streaming, the same day that the file-sharing website Pirate Bay was taken offline after a raid by Swedish police.

They’re only two of the latest headlines about an international issue that also affects the Canadian TV industry. But despite its high profile, the extent of the problem is, perhaps surprisingly, hard to detail.

Cogeco promotes two executives at U.S. subsidiary

Cogeco Cable Inc. said Wednesday that Richard Shea and David Isenberg will share the title of president at its U.S. subsidiary Atlantic Broadband, as of Jan. 1.

Shea will also be given the title of CEO on that date, and Isenberg will become chief revenue officer, Cogeco said in a press release.

The promotions are being done as Edward Holleran gets set to step down as CEO and president of Atlantic Broadband at the end of this year. Cogeco said Holleran will stay on part-time as vice-president of industry relations.

Sports, news push mobile-video viewing in Q3: Ooyala

Sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Wimbledon tennis championship helped push mobile video in the third quarter of 2014, with mobile and tablets views making up 30 per cent of all worldwide online video, according to the latest report from online video company Ooyala Inc.

The company said in the report that mobile views in the third quarter doubled from the same period last year and quadrupled since the same period in 2012.

ZoomerMedia in talks to buy Sun News: report

ZoomerMedia Ltd., the media company led by Moses Znaimer and that caters to the 45-years-and-older age group, is in talks to buy Quebecor Inc.'s Sun News Network, according to a report.

Website Cartt reported Tuesday that ZoomerMedia is currently in in an exclusive negotiating window for the news channel, according to two unnamed sources.

In October, Quebecor announced it was selling 175 English-language newspapers to Postmedia Network Canada Corp. for $316 million, including those within the Sun brand.

TV viewing down 25% among young U.S. adults: Nielsen

Nielsen Co. numbers show that viewership of traditional TV is dropping significantly among Americans 18 to 24.

Duncan Stewart, Deloitte Canada’s director of technology, media and telecom, noted on his personal blog the numbers show that while live and time-shifted TV viewing fell 4.6 per cent among all Americans over the past three years, viewing among those aged 18 to 24 dropped 24.7 per cent.

Early problems emerge with Shomi service

Some TV-industry analysts who are among the early adopters of Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi are detailing problems they've experienced with the streaming service in its first weeks.

Lisa de Wilde to join Telus board

Telus Corp. on Thursday said that Lisa de Wilde will join its board of directors on Feb. 1.

De Wilde is currently CEO of Ontario public educational broadcaster TVO and chairwoman of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).  Past roles for de Wilde include president of Astral Television Networks and a lawyer for the CRTC.

DHX reaches deal to buy Nerd Corps

DHX Media Ltd. said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to purchase Vancouver-based children's content producer Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc. for $57 million.

Halifax-based DHX, a broadcaster and producer of television programming, said in a press release that Nerd Corps is the creator of several popular children's shows, including Slugterra, one of the most popular programs on Disney XD in Canada and the United States.

Mandated wholesale access to FTTP wouldn’t deter investment: Shaw

GATINEAU, Que. — Shaw Communications Inc. on Friday took a different tack than other large Internet service providers that have spoken before the CRTC’s wholesale wireline hearing this week, endorsing mandated wholesale access for fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connections.

What happens to VOD in an OTT world?

The launch of new streaming services from Canada’s biggest TV providers adds yet another option for viewers who want to catch up on or try out a new show, raising the question of whether they will complement — or compete with — existing services like video-on-demand (VOD).

WWE Network, Sport Plus approved for distribution

A pair of non-Canadian TV services were approved for distribution in Canada by the CRTC on Wednesday, a professional wrestling channel and another specializing in Greek sporting events.

ACTRA lobbies federal politicians

Representatives of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) union are in Ottawa this week, trying to drum up federal-government support of Canada's cultural industries.

ACTRA said in a press release Wednesday that it wants "long term, stable investments" in production vehicles such as the Canadian Media Fund, Telefilm, the National Film Board and CBC/Radio Canada, along with "equitable tax treatment" for Canadian artists.

Videology bolsters Canadian staff

Videology Inc., the New York-based provider of video-advertising services, announced three appointments to its staff in Canada on Wednesday.

The company said in a press release that Peter Bates in now the senior commercial media account executive. He was previously business development manager at YuMe, a company that also deals with multi-screen video advertising, Videology said.

Greg Hopper has been made technical sales specialist, the release said, having come over from being media executive at MediaCom Canada.

Bell proposes $16M in benefits payments for Astral divestments

BCE Inc. has proposed to the CRTC that it pay $16 million in support for TV and radio programming in Canada in relation to divestments required as part of its purchase of Astral Media Inc. last year.

Telus offer could start holiday pricing battle: analyst

Telus Corp. has made the first moves in what could be a competitive fourth quarter as wireless carriers fight for holiday sales, an analyst said Monday.

Phillip Huang, a telecom analyst with Barclays Capital, said in a research note that Telus is the first major mobile provider to offer significant discounts.

Shomi teams with Twitter on marketing

Shomi, the online streaming service owned by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., said Friday it has partnered with Twitter Inc. for a marketing campaign.

Trio calls on government to reign in major telecoms

Three industry observers, including two academics, have released an open letter to senior government officials that seeks strong measures to temper the power of major players in the telecommunications industry.

The letter comes from Ben Klass, currently researching communications policy at Carleton University, Dwayne Winseck, a journalism and communications professor at Carleton, and CallNet Communications founder Mike Kedar.  It is addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, members of cabinet and CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais.

CRTC tells Cogeco to implement customer-transfer system

The CRTC said Thursday that Cogeco Cable Inc. must adopt an automated, cross-industry customer-transfer system for its television and Internet operations by the new year.

Bell Media cuts 80 jobs

BCE Inc.'s Bell Media division cut 80 full-time jobs, the company confirmed Thursday.

Bell Media said in an emailed statement that the operation, which includes CTV, CTV News Channel, TSN, and various other TV and radio properties, represents about 1.3 per cent of Bell Media's workforce.

"The difficult decision was made as the result of continued financial pressure in relation to the industry-wide challenging advertising market for radio and TV," the statement said.

Lacroix gets rough ride from CBC employees at annual meeting

MONTREAL — CBC/Radio-Canada employees grilled CEO Hubert Lacroix over cuts to the public broadcaster during its annual public meeting in Montreal Wednesday.

Radio-Canada journalist Charles Tisseyre, host of Decouverte, on stage as part of a panel discussion, said the cuts have meant delaying the science magazine show’s season premiere and showing more reruns.

Telus lobbies PM Harper on health

Telus Corp. communicated with high-ranking members of the federal government in October, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the company’s health-care operations, according to the lobbying registry.

The Oct. 2 contact was one of only three that Harper had with lobbyists in the entire month, the Lobby Monitor reported Wednesday. Telus executive chairman Darren Entwistle is the company official registered in the lobbying activity, though it does not necessarily mean he communicated directly with Harper. 

Shomi adds Disney content

Shomi, the new streaming service from Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., announced Wednesday that it had signed a content deal with the Walt Disney Co.

Under the terms of the deal, Shomi will offer a selection of Disney’s film library, as well as current and past TV shows from ABC and affiliated content holders, according to the press release. Shomi said the deal makes it the exclusive streaming provider of ABC’s popular current shows Scandal and Revenge.

TV-everywhere not on public’s radar: study

Canadian broadcast distributors need to do more to increase awareness and usage of their TV-everywhere products, according to Gord Hendren, president of Charlton Strategic Research, which produced a report on the subject.

Hendren said in a phone interview that the study found 47 per cent of respondents were aware of TV-everywhere as a concept, while 25 per cent of Canadians are using such services, across all Canadian TV providers. In comparison, the study found, 35 per cent of Canadians subscribe to Netflix Inc.’s service.

‘Weak’ advertising market here to stay: experts

Canada’s largest media companies take it as a given that the current market for advertising on traditional broadcast media is weak, but experts say broadcasting is shifting to a new normal as online advertising becomes the dominant platform for advertising.

Telus supports Bell complaint about GamePlus

Telus Corp. has filed a letter with the CRTC that supports BCE Inc.'s complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s online hockey streaming products.

MTS Classic TV phase-out hastened by CRTC rules

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.'s first generation of IPTV service was already on the way out, pushed aside by a more technologically advanced alternative the carrier started in 2009, but CRTC requirements for participation in a national alert system might bring about the demise of MTS Classic TV sooner than expected.

TVA Group to purchase Vision Globale

Quebecor Inc.'s broadcasting operation TVA Group said Thursday it has reached an agreement to purchase film- and TV-production company Vision Globale for about $118 million.

TVA said the transaction is subject to approval by the Competition Bureau.

BBM Analytics changes name to NLogic

The software and consulting subsidiary of Numeris has followed the lead of its parent company and dropped BBM from its moniker.

Bell, Cogeco execs say enterprise market weak

Executives from two of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies told the crowd at the Scotiabank Telecom & Cable 2015 Conference on Wednesday that the business of selling services to businesses is challenging their bottom line.

Yet both BCE Inc. chief financial officer Siim Vanaselja and Cogeco Cable Inc. CEO Louis Audet said weak growth in enterprise services is an industry-wide phenomenon that reflects continuing tepid growth in the overall economy.

CBC, Weather Network agree on content sharing

CBC/Radio Canada and The Weather Network announced a content-sharing agreement on Monday.

CBC and Pelmorex Media Inc.'s Weather Network said in a press release that, starting Dec. 8, national weather forecasts on CBC News properties would be done by The Weather Network meteorologists and on-air personalities.

The Weather Network, in turn, will get access to CBC's weather-related news content and footage, the release said.

Bell gets rights to Monty Python for streaming service

The video-streaming service to be launched by BCE Inc. has obtained rights to episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the company said Monday.

Bell said the streaming service, currently code-named "Project Latte," reached an exclusive deal with Eagle Rock Entertainment for all episodes of the show, which ran from 1969 to 1974.

BCE accuses condo developer of overcharging for access

BCE Inc. is having more problems with a condominium developer operating in Toronto that it has previously filed complaints about.

Regulating Netflix the least of CRTC’s concerns: Blais

The CRTC is concerned with “much bigger issues with greater ramifications down the road” than the question of whether it will regulate over-the-top (OTT) services like Netflix, CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said Thursday.

As the CRTC makes decisions on issues raised at the Let’s Talk TV hearing earlier this fall, “‘regulating’ Netflix is the least of our concerns,” Blais told the Vancouver Board of Trade in a speech, according to speaking notes provided by the CRTC.

Multi-screen Internet access growing: MTM

Five times as many Canadians now own the four principle media for accessing the Internet — computers, smartphones, tablets and Internet-connected televisions — than was the case in 2012, according to the latest Media Technology Monitor report.

The percentage of Canadians with those four screens is now at 17 per cent of all Canadian Internet users, said the report from MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada. More than 90 per cent of those who have access to four screens use the Internet on all of them.

Bell wireless data revenue jumps 24%

BCE Inc. on Thursday reported higher revenue and profit numbers for the third quarter as it added subscribers to its its wireless, Internet and TV businesses and saw a jump in mobile-data revenue.

The company said in a press release that overall revenue was up 1.9 per cent from a year earlier to $5.2 billion in the quarter, which ended Sept. 30. Net earnings were $600 million, up from $343 million in the third quarter of 2013.

Telus quarterly revenue tops $3B for first time

Telus Corp. on Thursday reported quarterly revenue that topped $3 billion for the first time.

OTT expected to cause Internet capacity crunch

Netflix isn’t the only game in town anymore.

Theresa Treutler leaving TVB

Television Bureau of Canada (TVB) president and CEO Theresa Treutler will leave the organization by the end of the year, the company announced Tuesday..

TVB said in a press release that her replacement hasn’t yet been named and that Treutler, who joined TVB in 2007, will stay until Dec. 31 “to ensure a smooth transition.”

Treutler said in the press release that deciding “to leave was not easy, especially when you love what you do. But it is right for me personally.”

Shomi streaming service starts Tuesday

Shomi, the online streaming service being offered by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., will launch Tuesday, the companies said Monday.

It will be available initially to TV and Internet subscribers of Rogers and Shaw, and both companies said in separate press releases Monday that their customers are being offered free trials for a month before the $8.99-a-month fee kicks in.

Mary Ann Turcke to head Bell Media sales

BCE Inc.'s Bell Media said Monday that Mary Ann Turcke was appointed group president of its media sales division for local TV and radio.

Rogers takes aim at youth with Vice partnership

When Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Guy Laurence wore a leather jacket to the announcement of his company's latest project —a $100 million joint venture with Vice Media Inc. —the unconventional outfit emphasized how the new partnership was aimed at appealing to a younger demographic.