Shaw earnings rise, TV subs decline

Shaw Communications Inc.’s second quarter earnings released Thursday showed gains in both overall revenue and profit, though a decline in TV subscribers was noted, as was a dip in revenue from its media business.

The company said in a press release that net income for the three months ended Feb. 28 was $222 million, up from $182 million one year earlier. Revenue for the quarter was up two per cent to $1.27 million.

Bell, CBC denied relief on local-programming quotas

The CRTC on Wednesday said it had denied requests by both BCE Inc.’s Bell Media division and CBC/Radio-Canada to calculate local-programing hours for their conventional TV stations differently.

Both are generally required to have 14 hours a week of local programing in metropolitan areas, and seven hours a week in smaller communities, in English-language markets, the CRTC notice said.

VMedia offers cloudy version of IPTV

George Burger wants to give Canadians a more streamlined television experience, yet analysts say the high-tech Internet-protocol TV offerings from his VMedia Inc. might have limited appeal.

The IPTV service from VMedia now includes a cloud-based PVR, the company announced last week.

OMNI troubles could be ominous sign for other conventional TV: Pelley

GATINEAU, Que. — Other conventional television stations in Canada could soon be affected by the same factors that have led to a “financial crisis” for Rogers Communications Inc.’s OMNI multilingual ethnic television stations, Rogers Media president Keith Pelley said at a CRTC hearing Tuesday.

Pelley told commissioners that both Rogers’ City TV and OMNI stations are facing “very serious financial challenges” due to “rapidly” falling advertising on conventional television.

Anglos more likely to cut cords than francophones: study

Anglophone Canadian are more likely than francophones to be considering cutting the cord from paid-television services, and the availability of pick-and-pay services in Quebec could be a factor, said a study released Tuesday.

A report from Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, said 16 per cent of respondents to surveys last fall who subscribe to TV service are thinking of giving it up. Among anglophones that figure was 19 per cent, compared to eight per cent among francophones, the report said.

More cuts expected at CBC, meeting Thursday

More job cuts are expected at CBC/Radio-Canada as CEO Hubert Lacroix is scheduled to address all employees at a town hall meeting Thursday, according to a report by the Financial Post.

TV cord cutting on the rise: report

An annual report from Convergence Consulting Group Ltd. says Canadians are increasingly moving away from television subscriptions, and the trend is accelerating this year.

The report’s summary, on the company’s website, said that TV subscriptions in Canada were up by about 2,000 in 2013, down from a gain of 37,000 the year before.

CRTC approves third-language niche channels

The CRTC announced Monday it has approved national broadcast licences for two third-language niche television channels from the same company.

Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. was granted a licence for a channel called South Asian Food TV, which it said would be aimed at Canada’s Hindu-speaking population, and for a channel called Travel XP Canada, also to be broadcast in Hindi.

CRTC questions service providers in mobile-TV case

The CRTC has sent out a series of questions to be answered by telecommunications service providers at the centre of a complaint over undue preference in providing mobile-TV services for flat fees.

DHX Media buys Degrassi creator Epitome

DHX Media Ltd. said Thursday it is has bought Epitome Pictures Inc., the Canadian television producer best known for its Degrassi franchise.

DHX, based in Halifax, said in a press release it will pay about $33 million for Epitome, with $19.5 million paid in cash and the rest in stock.

CRTC consulting on DHX-Bell deal

The CRTC said Thursday it is consulting on an application by DHX Media Ltd. to acquire four former Astral Media Inc. children’s TV channels from BCE Inc.

CRTC’s consumer focus not at odds with industry: Blais

GATINEAU, Que. — The reviews the CRTC will be holding over the coming year, which include proceedings covering wholesale access to wireless and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, the future of television and commercial radio, could set the direction for the CRTC over the next decade, said CRTC Chairman Jean Pierre Blais.

One Ottawa-area radio station approved, another denied

The CRTC on Wednesday denied one application while approving another from the same company for new radio stations in small communities just west of Ottawa. 

The denied station would have been located in Carleton Place, Ont. The applicant, My Broadcasting Corp., proposed a format of adult contemporary music aimed at people aged 25 to 54, the CRTC said in a notice on its website.

Videotron launches Illico iPhone streaming app

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron unit said Thursday it has launched a new app that allows users of Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4 or 5 access content through its Illico program for online video content.

It noted in a press release that this launch coincides with the recent availability of iPhones on Videotron’s mobile network, though the Illico app works on phones with any carrier.

Videotron’s MYtv launch delayed by year

A complaint against Quebecor Inc. subsidiary Videotron Ltd.’s French-language community channel MAtv is holding up the launch of its English-language equivalent, MYtv.

Peggy Tabet, Videotron’s senior director of broadcasting and regulatory affairs, said in a phone interview Monday that the launch of the channel will be delayed about a year after the initial launch date, which had been planned for this June.

TSN makes Al Banks group director of sales

BCE Inc.’s TSN sports specialty network on Monday said longtime executive Al Banks has been appointed its group director of sales.

At this position, Banks will report directly to Nathalie Cook, TSN’s vice-president of sales and brand partnerships, the network said in a press release.

The release said Banks has been at TSN for 16 years, in which time he’s held a number of senior management roles.

CRTC approves cricket specialty channel

The CRTC said Monday it has granted Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. a broadcasting licence for a specialty channel focusing on cricket.

Online video watched by 3 in 4 anglo adults: MTM

More than three out of every four anglophone Canadian adults are consumers of online video, according to report released Thursday.

Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, said 76 per cent of respondents in a survey last fall indicated they had watched video online within the previous month. That was up from 73 per cent who answered this way a year earlier and 69 per cent two years before.

Rivals must collaborate on ‘TV everywhere’ offerings: Bell exec

As Canadian television providers have rolled out their TV-everywhere strategies, aimed at fighting off over-the-top (OTT) competition by making content easier to access online, customers can be forgiven if they’re left somewhat confused.

Telus, MTS add Sun News to channel lineup

Telus Corp. and Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. have fulfilled their regulatory obligations by adding the Sun News Network to their TV-service channel lineups.

Viacom, Google settle copyright lawsuit

Google Inc. and Viacom Inc. have settled a copyright lawsuit relating the uploading of content owned by the latter on Google’s YouTube platform, the company’s said in a joint news release issued last week.

Terms of settlement were not disclosed.

“This settlement reflects the growing collaborative dialogue between our two companies on important opportunities, and we look forward to working more closely together,” the companies said in the release issued on March 18.

Marguerite Pigott to join CMPA

The Canadian Media Production Association said Marguerite Pigott will become its vice-president of outreach and strategic initiatives.

The CMPA said in a press release Thursday that Pigott will start her position in early May and work in Toronto.

The association said Pigott is currently head of creative development for Allarco Entertainment Inc.’s Super Channel and also sits on the board of the Ontario Media Development Corp. 

Blue Ant Media goes international

Blue Ant Media Inc. has officially launched its international distribution arm, the company said this week.

The Toronto-based distributor of television content said in a press release Thursday that its new division is called Blue Ant International, and it will be using the upcoming MIPTV conference in Cannes, France, to raise awareness about its new business.

French photography channel approved by CRTC

A French-language, photography-focused documentary channel has been approved by the CRTC, the regulator announced Thursday.

The channel, Le réseau de la photographie (RDP) will broadcast feature-length and short films about photography, as well as films that have won an honourable mention for photography at a festival, according to a CRTC release. It will also include other photography content such as coverage of photography festivals or exhibits, photography workshops and films that were shot on DSLR cameras.

NHL should focus on digital coverage, new Canadians: study

A research group studying the demographics of Canadians who follow the National Hockey League said Rogers Communications Inc., which has exclusive national rights to NHL broadcasts as of next season, should focus more attention on using digital pathways to viewers and reaching out to new Canadians.

Solutions Research Group (SRG) said in a release that 56 per cent of Canadians aged 12 or older follow the NHL on television, online and on social networks. That proportion was 59 per cent for those born in Canada and 48 per cent for those born outside the country.

TMN Go now available for Android devices

The Movie Network said Thursday that its TMN Go app is now available for smartphones and tablets running on Google Inc.’s Android software.

The network, which is owned by BCE Inc., said in a news release that the app is for devices that run on Android 4.0 or later versions.

TMN Go had already been available for Apple Inc.’s iPhones and iPads, Samsung Electronics Co.’s Smart TVs, Blu-ray players and directly from its website, the network’s news release said.

U.S. TV subs fall for first time: SNL Kagan

Pay-TV subscriptions in the U.S. fell for the first time last year, according to a report by SNL Kagan.

“While seasonally driven quarterly declines have become routine for industry watchers, the annual dip illustrates longer-term downward pressure even as economic conditions gradually improve,” the research firm said in a press release Wednesday.

According to the report, cable, satellite and fibre-TV providers lost a net 251,000 subscribers in 2013.

Shaw introduces online closed captioning

Shaw Communications Inc.’s media division on Wednesday said it has become the first private-sector Canadian broadcaster to offer closed captioning for television programming accessed online.

It said in a press release that closed captioning is available for more than 1,300 online episodes of its shows that air on Global and its specialty channels. It said the function can be turned on by clicking the CC button during video playback.

Canadians willing to pay for more TV choice: survey

A majority of Canadians taking part in a survey, for which results were released Tuesday, said having more choice and control over what they watch on television is an “excellent” or “good” idea.

Google brings Chromecast to Canada, launches Android Wear

Google Inc.’s Chromecast device — which allows users to play video and audio files on their televisions while controlling the content and playing options through their mobile devices or computers — is now available in Canada, Google said Tuesday.

Bell Media releases 2 news-channel apps

BCE Inc.’s Bell Media division on Tuesday announced the release of two new applications that will bring live breaking news video to smartphones and tablets.

Apps for CTV News Go, featuring content from the national news service CTV News Channel, and CP24 Go, based on Toronto TV station CP24, are now available for Apple Inc.’s iPhones and iPads, and smartphones and tablets powered by Google Inc.’s Android software, Bell said in a news release Tuesday.

Availability of VOD content doubled last year, CRTC data shows

The availability of video-on-demand (VOD) titles doubled across Canada’s eight largest TV providers between 2012 and 2013, the CRTC said on Monday, from 44,535 titles available from all eight providers in 2012 to 87,567 in 2013.

The data, which the CRTC posted to its website, shows that BCE Inc. had the biggest increase in the number of total titles, increasing its library sixfold from 2,263 titles in 2012 to 12,293 a year later.

CRTC approves Oui TV

The CRTC said Monday that Oui TV has been approved as a foreign channel for distribution in Canada.

An online posting from the commission said it is a 24-hour French-language service featuring drama and comedy programming. The channel originates in the U.S. and its programming is sourced from African countries such as the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.

The Canadian sponsor for the channel is Soundview Entertainment Inc., the CRTC said.

One in five downgraded TV services in last year: survey

One in five Canadians surveyed by U.S. research firm Parks Associates said they downgraded their TV service over the last year.

A report from the company said 20 per cent of Canadian households, out of 1,500 with broadband Internet that were part of its online survey late last year, said they had downgraded their TV service within the last 12 months to something cheaper.

Quebecor reports higher profits, revenue up slightly

Quebecor Inc. reported higher fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday on revenue that was slightly higher than a year earlier.

Overall revenue for the fourth quarter was $1.12 billion, up 0.5 per cent from a year earlier, Quebecor said in a press release.

Net income was $43.4 million, up from $7.1 million a year before, the company said. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $68 million, up from $52.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Applications aim to bring Spanish, Hungarian channels to Canada

BCE Inc. has applied to the CRTC to add the Spanish channel Canal Antena 3 Internacional to the list of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution in Canada, while Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. has applied to add the Hungarian-language Duna World to the list.

Report criticizes Cancon, ownership regs, funding in entertainment industry

Regulating entertainment content that’s increasingly coming from online sources, funding mechanisms to promote productions and foreign-ownership restrictions in the broadcasting industry are among the targets of a new report from the Fraser Institute.

Canadian policy-makers should “reconsider the major instruments that have long been used to promote the growth of the domestic entertainment industry,” the think-tank said in a report announced Wednesday.

TSN launches online streaming app

BCE Inc.’s media division on Wednesday announced that online streaming of TSN content is now available to those who subscribe to the channel through TV service from either Bell or Rogers Communications Inc.

Bell Media said the service is available on the TSN Go app for Apple Inc.’s iPhones and iPads as well as devices running on Google Inc.’s Android software, and content can also be streamed online from computers.

Bell files second complaint for condo access

BCE Inc. has filed a complaint alleging that a Toronto condo building is not allowing it to offer TV services, a month following a CRTC decision that said Bell should be able to provide telecommunications services in the building.

One Caribbean Television approved for distribution

The CRTC said it has approved One Caribbean Television for distribution in Canada.

In notice Monday, it said the channel was a “24-hour 100% English-language general interest channel with programming focused on news, events, weather, entertainment and lifestyle of the Caribbean region and its people, whether they are living in the Caribbean or elsewhere.”

The CRTC said BCE Inc. had submitted the application to add the station to the list.

Stroumboulopoulos to centre Rogers’ NHL ‘dream team’

Rogers Communications Inc. on Monday named George Stroumboulopoulos as the next host of Hockey Night in Canada, which Rogers takes over production of next season.

Stroumboulopoulos, currently host of CBC/Radio-Canada’s George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, is taking over the role held right now by Ron MacLean, who will continue hosting Coach’s Corner, along with Don Cherry, during the Saturday night broadcasts, Rogers said in a press release. MacLean is also slated to host the new Hometown Hockey Community Celebration on Sunday nights.

Pierre Karl Péladeau resigns after PQ announcement

Pierre Karl Péladeau has resigned from a number of Quebecor Inc. board positions following news that he intends to run as candidate for the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in the upcoming provincial election in Quebec.

A press release from Quebecor on Sunday said Péladeau had quit that morning as vice-chairman and a board member of Quebecor, and chairman and a member of the boards at Quebecor Media and TVA Group.

Shaw lobbying activity spikes in recent weeks

There were 18 communications between Shaw Communications Inc. and the federal government within the last month, for which company CEO Brad Shaw was listed as the lobbyist, according to the federal lobbyists registry, including one involving Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The recent filings show 18 communications starting Feb. 13 with officials at Canadian Heritage, including one with Harper on March 5, and the most recent one on Friday with officials from the Department of Finance.

Mobile TV not undue preference, promotes Canadian content: Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc.’s mobile-TV service upholds the Broadcasting Act by making Canadian content available and is not an undue preference, the company told the CRTC Wednesday.

Telus, Rogers customers get preferred treatment on Radio-Canada platform

CBC/Radio-Canada announced Thursday that will be adding a subscription-based section to its ICI Tou.tv streaming platform, and a partnership with Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. will give postpaid subscribers to services of those companies free access to the new content.

Radio-Canada said it will add a section to its French-language, multi-platform video service, Tou.tv, called Extra, which will include about 400 exclusive titles for premium customers while a further 1,200 titles will remain free.

CBC at ‘forefront’ of digital media: CRTC’s Hutton

OTTAWA — CBC/Radio-Canada has been at the vanguard of changes the broadcasting industry has faced due to the emergence of digital media in recent years, Scott Hutton, the CRTC’s executive director of broadcasting, told a Senate committee on Wednesday night.

Telco-based TV penetration closing in on satellite: MTM

The market share for television services provided by telephone companies in English Canada has nearly caught up with that of satellite, said a report from CBC/Radio-Canada’s Media Technology Monitor.

MTM said in a report released Tuesday that the proportion of respondents in a fall survey of anglophone Canadians who said they subscribe to a TV service provided by an incumbent, wireline phone company, such as BCE Inc.’s Bell or Telus Corp., is 18 per cent.

CTV averages 6.12M viewers for Oscars

The Canadian broadcast of the Academy Awards Sunday night attracted an average of 6.12 million television viewers, said BCE Inc.’s CTV network, which had the broadcast rights to the awards show.

In a press release put out Monday, CTV said it was the most watched entertainment show since the 2011 Oscars, and that a total of 14 million people tuned into at least part of this year’s awards show. 

Disney signs first major OTT deal with Dish Network

Dish Network Corp. announced a deal with Walt Disney Co. that will bring content from some of the most popular channels in United States, including worldwide sports leader ESPN, to over-the-top streaming services for the first time.

ACTRA, CMPA among organizations opposing Aereo

Canadian groups including the actors’ union ACTRA, the Canadian Media Production Association, and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) have joined in filing a brief in a U.S. Supreme Court case concerning Aereo Inc.’s TV service.

U.S. studios and broadcasters are challenging Aereo’s usage of dime-sized antennas to pick up TV programming without a licence, Barry Sookman, a partner with McCarthy Tetrault in Toronto and one of the co-authors of the brief, said in a blog post Monday.

Canadian TV subs fall for first time

A compilation of 2013 year-end data from Canada’s major telecommunications companies verifies suspicions that it was the first year on record in which TV subscriptions in Canada declined.

CRTC idea could violate net neutrality: experts

A question posed by the CRTC in its review of television services, focusing on exempting over-the-top (OTT) services from Internet data caps, could have implications on net neutrality, according to some industry experts.

Rogers’ analog customers could lose some channels

Rogers Communications Inc. customers who are on an analog cable service are losing some of their channels as the service provider phases out what remains of analog signals of certain services.

The company said any customers affected can fix the situation by requesting a free digital adapter from Rogers.

CRTC amends requirements for ethnic, third-language TV

The CRTC has amended its regulations on linkage and distribution requirements for Canadian ethnic and third-language specialty channels.

TVA Group profits, revenue down

TVA Group Inc., the broadcasting and magazine publishing arm of Quebecor Inc., on Friday reported declines in profits and revenue for the last quarter of 2013.

TVA said in a press release that net income in the fourth quarter was $8.3 million, down from $8.8 million a year earlier. Revenue was down 5.5 per cent to $120 million from $127 million in the same quarter of 2012.

CRTC consulting on mandatory emergency alerts

The CRTC is consulting on amending its rules to make it mandatory for the broadcasting industry to distribute emergency alert messages.

Bell Media makes Oscars free on CTV Go app

BCE Inc.’s media subsidiary will make the live broadcast of the Oscars free on its CTV Go service.

It normally requires viewers to have an account with a participating TV service provider, Bell Media said in a release Thursday, adding it would lift that requirement “as a special showcase of the app and its content.”

Shaw launches on-demand viewing of History

Shaw Communications Inc. said Thursday it has launched a mobile app and upgraded the website for its History channel to allow its subscribers on-demand viewing of almost 300 hours of programming.

Shaw said in a press release the History Go application is available for users of Apple Inc.’s iPhones and smartphones powered by Google Inc.’s Android software. The on-demand service can also be accessed at history.ca.

CBC chief asks for support, flexibility from government

OTTAWA — The CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada told a Senate committee Wednesday night that he has never asked for “one dollar more” of public money but that the public broadcaster needs government support.

Hubert Lacroix told members of the Senate’s transport and communications committee, in a hearing dealing with challenges faced by the CBC, about some of the pitfalls the public broadcaster is facing, such as cuts to government funding and the loss of broadcasting rights to NHL hockey as of next season.

Bell Media extends support of TV training course

BCE Inc.’s Bell Media announced Wednesday it was making a $930,000 investment into the NSI Totally Television training course to keep the program going for another seven years.

The course matches writer/producer teams with executives at major Canadian networks, bringing them together to hone a pitch in pursuit of a development deal with broadcasters.

The institute’s website says the program has been in place since 2002.

CRTC approves Viewers Choice request to revoke satellite licence

The CRTC said in an notice on its website Tuesday that it has consented to a request from Viewers Choice, a pay-per-view service owned by BCE Inc., to revoke its broadcast licence for carriage on satellite TV services in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

An application from Viewers Choice, provided by the CRTC, states as a rationale for the request: “Bell Satellite TV and Shaw Direct satellite TV both offer their own direct to home pay-per-view services.”

CBC says 15M tuned into men’s gold medal hockey game

About 15 million people in Canada tuned in to at least part of the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game on Sunday, which had an average audience of 8.5 million throughout the contest, CBC/Radio-Canada said.

In a press release issued Monday, CBC said the audience for the game, which saw Canada triumph over Sweden, peaked at 12 million at around 9:19 a.m. ET as the game came to a close.

CBC said the gold medal game captured 90 per cent of Canada’s English-viewing audience while it aired between 7:10 and 9:19 a.m. ET. 

Disney launches cloud-based movie service in U.S.

Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday announced the launch of a cloud-based movie service called Disney Movies Everywhere to consumers in the United States.

It’s available as an free application for Apple Inc.’s iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, or by signing up online.

Disney said in a press release that the service “enables consumers to discover, purchase, manage and watch movies from Disney, Pixar and Marvel at home and on the go.”

Canadians prefer iPhone for second screen, Blackberry for news tweets

Canadians overwhelmingly use Apple Inc. iPhones as a second screen when watching television, and despite vanishingly small market share, those with BlackBerry Ltd. smartphones account for nearly one-sixth of second screen use during news programs, according to research on Twitter traffic from social TV ratings company Seevibes.

The iPhone was the most popular second screen, according to the data, accounting for 43 per cent of all Twitter traffic relating to television in the Canadian market in December 2013.

Bell not licensing content to OTT service is undue preference: complaint

Leiacomm, a company that plans to launch an over-the-top TV service in Canada, has filed a complaint against BCE Inc.’s Bell Media subsidiary for refusing to license its content to the service.

In a Part 1 application submitted to the CRTC Feb. 9 and made available on its website Friday, Leiacomm owner Howard Rabb said that the company has been attempting to reach an affiliate agreement with Bell Media in order to distribute its networks, specialty channels and on-demand programming on Leiacomm’s OTT service.

Variety on television must be preserved, says Bell’s Crull

OTTAWA — Industry executives disagreed about the best way to give consumers more choice as they discussed the CRTC’s ongoing review of the television system during a panel discussion at the Prime Time conference on Thursday.

Louis Audet, president and CEO of Cogeco Cable Inc., said customers are demanding more TV-packaging flexibility, while Kevin Crull, CEO of BCE Inc.’s Bell Media subsidiary, quoted Henry Ford, stating that “if I had asked consumers what they wanted, they would have told me a faster horse.”

Two Urdu-language channels approved for distribution

The CRTC said Wednesday it has approved two Urdu-language channels, Business Plus and Zaiqa TV, for distribution in Canada.

The CRTC said the application to add the station was received from Soundview Entertainment Inc.

The commission said Soundview described Business Plus as a 24-hour news channel featuring business-oriented news and analysis, while Zaiqa TV is a niche food channel featuring Pakistani chefs.

Cancon should be on all screens: Blais

In response to a question on Twitter about whether the CRTC will regulate Canadian content on all screens, CRTC Chair Jean-Pierre Blais said that “it’s important for Canadian content to be on all screens.”

Blais made the statement on Wednesday during live chat about the CRTC’s ongoing review of the television system.

U.S. broadcasters file trade complaint against Canada

The U.S. Television Coalition, which represents U.S. television stations whose signals are retransmitted in markets across Canada, has asked the Office of the United States Trade Representative to place Canada on its priority watch list.

The group said in its document to the office that it wanted Canada placed on the list “in recognition of its unfair and discriminatory treatment of imported digital broadcast signals and programming from American television stations.”

Phase 2 of CRTC TV review asks about OTT regulation

The CRTC is asking Canadians for feedback about Canadian content in online television services and their adherence to programming standards in an online questionnaire released Tuesday as part of Phase 2 of its review of television services in Canada.

In a section about online programming, the CRTC asks respondents whether they would be willing to pay extra to have more Canadian programming available within online services, and in order to have online services provide closed-captioning and adhere to programming standards.

Quebecor files complaint against Bell Fund

Quebecor Inc.’s media division has filed a complaint against the BCE Inc.-supported Bell Fund, claiming it had three TV projects that were unfairly turned down for funding last year.

DHX Media reports tenfold increase in earnings

DHX Media Ltd. on Thursday reported net earnings for its last quarter that were about 10 times what it made one year earlier.

The Halifax-based producer and licenser of television content said in a press release that net earnings came to $2.8 million in its second fiscal quarter that ended Dec. 31. That was up from $287,000 a year earlier.

Revenue was up 15 per cent from a year before to $30.4 million, the company said, fuelled largely by 42 per cent spike in revenue from it proprietary productions.

Comcast to buy Time Warner Cable

Comcast Corp. is acquiring Time Warner Cable Inc. for $45.2 billion deal US in stock, the companies said in a press release Thursday.

The deal combines the two largest cable companies in the United States, Bloomberg said in a report Thursday.

The combined company will be headed by Neil Smit, president and CEO of Comcast’s cable division, the release said.

Rogers putting Gord Cutler in charge of NHL coverage

Rogers Communications Inc. said Thursday that Gord Cutler will become senior vice-president of NHL production, starting next week.

Rogers said Cutler will oversee all on-air production aspects of Sportsnet’s National Hockey League coverage, including national and regional games, all playoff games and the Stanley Cup final.

Bell Media to open production offices in Vancouver, Winnipeg

BCE Inc.’s Bell Media division said Wednesday that new regional production development offices will soon open in Vancouver and Winnipeg.

The company said the Vancouver office will open Feb. 17 and serve development communities in British Columbia and the territories, while the Winnipeg location will open March 3 and serve Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Apple could launch new set-top box this year: report

Apple Inc. is planning to launch a new Apple TV set-top box and is negotiating with Time Warner Cable Inc. as a potential partner, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

Time Warner, as well as other potential partners, would add video content to the set-top box service, the news service reported, quoting anonymous sources.

Bloomberg said that the company aims to have the new Apple TV box for sale by the Christmas holiday season, though it could introduce it as early as April.

Hockey broadcast costs cut into Rogers’ profit

Rogers Communications Inc. reported lower fourth-quarter profits on Wednesday, and attributed some of the decline to costs associated with broadcasting more hockey games.

The company reported net income, adjusted for non-recurring items, fell to $357 million from $448 million. That was partially due to “incremental costs associated with broadcasting significantly more hockey games compared to last year,” Rogers said in a press release.

Give CBC more flexibility, von Finckenstein tells Senate committee

Regulatory oversight over CBC/Radio-Canada should be loosened, former CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein told the Senate standing committee on transport and communications on Tuesday.

The CRTC should “seek greater flexibility from government in terms of oversight in order to compete in the modern, hyper-competitive media environment,” he said.

Von Finckenstein said CBC’s status as a Crown corporation means it is “encumbered” by “all the onerous reporting and approval requirements that entails.”

Cogeco, CHCH implement geo-specific advertising

Cogeco Cable Inc. and Channel Zero Inc.’s CHCH TV said Tuesday they made Canadian television history last week by being the first in the country to offer localized advertising.

The companies said advertisers will be able to have their promotions seen only by specific subsections of a channel’s viewer audience, based on where they are.

CBC Olympic coverage to hit YouTube

CBC/Radio-Canada said Thursday it reached licensing agreements for coverage of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games with Quebecor Inc. subsidiary Videotron Ltd., Telus Corp., Google Inc. and the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance.

Wireline data gains ‘highlight’ of Q4: BCE’s Cope

BCE Inc. CEO George Cope called the company’s wireline data revenue growth the “highlight” of its fourth-quarter results, released Thursday.

“From my perspective, the highlight of the quarter is the data revenue growth in wireline of four per cent,” Cope said in a conference call with analysts.

Wireline data revenue came in at $1.51 billion during the quarter, BCE said in a press release, driven by services to businesses and higher residential revenue from Internet and television customers. 

Newfoundland’s NTV approved for small-market funding

The CRTC said Tuesday that CJON-DT, a television station in St. John’s, N.L., operating under the brand NTV, has been approved to receive support from the Small Market Local Production Fund (SMLPF).

The CRTC noted that, in its application, the station’s owners, Newfoundland Broadcasting Co. Ltd., said it previously could not receive SMLPF funding because it served a market with a population of more than 300,000 people. It said that since shutting down a rebroadcasting transmitter in July, its market is now below that threshold.

Weather Network to expand to U.K.

Pelmorex Media Inc. said Wednesday it is expanding its Weather Network brand into the United Kingdom.

The Oakville, Ont.-based company said in a release that establishing the Weather Network U.K. marks the second phase of its international expansion strategy that started with last’s year acquisition of Eltiemp.es, a Spanish weather service on multiple platforms.

"We believe there is an opportunity for a focused company with deep weather expertise to establish a strong presence in the U.K.," Pelmorex CEO Ron Close said in the release.

Rogers releases NHL content plans

Rogers Communications Inc. said it will be keeping the Hockey Night in Canada brand alive on Saturday nights, and using 13 different channels to broadcast up to seven different games on those evenings.

CBC could go non-commercial, Senate committee told

A non-commercial CBC/Radio-Canada should be considered, Ian Morrison, spokesman for watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, told the Senate standing committee on transport and communications Tuesday.

Super Bowl attracted 8 million viewers: BCE

This year’s Super Bowl attracted an average audience of eight million people in Canada, making it the second-most watched Super Bowl ever in the country, BCE Inc. said Monday.

The company said in a release, citing data from BBM Canada, that viewership was split between its CTV network and its French-language sports channel RDS at 7.3 million and 610,000, respectively.

TSN gains additional Major League Baseball rights

BCE Inc.’s TSN said Monday it has secured the Canadian rights for national coverage of Major League Baseball games for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights in a deal that will last until 2021.

The specialty sports broadcaster said the new deal would triple its current volume of coverage to more than 75 games a year. It noted in a press release that it already had rights to ESPN’s Sunday night MLB games, and has now added the Walt Disney Co.-owned broadcaster’s Monday and Wednesday baseball programming.

CRTC writes to distributors about simultaneous substitution

The CRTC has written letters in recent weeks to four television distribution companies, urging them not to blame the commission for simultaneous substitution and telling them it’s the responsibility of distributors and broadcasters to ensure substitutions are “done correctly.”

The CRTC’s website shows letters dated Friday were sent to BCE Inc., Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron and SaskTel.