Strong wireless trend continues with Quebecor Q2

Quebecor Inc. continued the industry trend of steady gains in wireless this past quarter, with Videotron’s mobile phone revenues jumping to almost $150 million in the three months ended June 30. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

23% of Canadians say they’re likely to cut the cord: MTM

The percentage of Canadians who reported being either likely or very likely to get rid of their TV service stood at 23 per cent in the spring of this year, according to a Media Technology Monitor (MTM) report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Facebook to introduce new video platform

Facebook Inc. will launch a new feature for watching video on its social media site. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

CBS All Access expanding into Canada

CBS Corp. will launch its CBS All Access streaming service in Canada next year, the company said in a press release Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

CRTC calls for comments on VOD, discretionary service dispute tool

The CRTC is asking for feedback on whether it should add dispute-resolution provisions to its newly created Discretionary Services Regulations. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

Bell subs feel impact of ‘aggressive’ cable competition in Q2

BCE Inc. is hoping the second half of the year results in a boost for its internet business, after a second quarter that analysts called “surprisingly weak” and “softer than expected.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Broadcasters need mandated contributions: CMPA

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is disputing arguments made in an open letter published by three of Canada’s biggest private broadcasters that urged the CRTC not to reconsider its decision on Canadian program spending, This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Kodi add-on host prepping for legal battle

A Montreal man connected to a popular repository for Kodi add-ons, who was ordered by the Federal Court to submit to the search and seizure of his property following a claim by a group of telecoms, is fundraising to fight the lawsuit. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

CMF funding blockchain-based system for rightsholders

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is backing an initiative by Ontario public broadcaster Groupe Média TFO to implement technology that would allow it to more efficiently credit content and pay rightsholders. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Don’t reconsider CRTC licence decision: Bell, Corus, Rogers

The country’s biggest media companies are publicly firing back against calls from the creative and screen-based industries and politicians who want Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly to reconsider the CRTC’s decision to adjust the standards for required spending on Canadian content by TV providers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Bell files Part 1 against Super Bowl simsub order

With six months until kick off, BCE Inc. and its supporters are asking the CRTC to put a freeze on its decision to ban simultaneous substitution of American commercials on Canadian feeds of the National Football League’s championship game. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

BDU revenue losses accelerate to 2.1%: CRTC

Canadian TV providers’ revenues dropped 2.1 per cent in 2016 — a marked increase from the 0.1 per cent fall a year earlier, which was the first such decline in a decade. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Ethnic channel applicants get more time to apply

Prospective applicants looking to provide the country with a new multilingual, multi-ethnic channel have more time to put their ideas together, the CRTC announced Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

Mail-order antenna business guilty of false claims

The Competition Bureau has closed the book on an investigation after 15 years, concluding that the man behind a now-defunct mail-order business selling “a so-called TV antenna” was guilty of making false claims. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Péladeau criticizes CRTC for TVA licence changes

Quebecor Inc. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau is chastising the CRTC for its May 15 decision involving changes to the broadcasting licences of Quebecor’s TVA for increasing the company’s “regulatory burden” by imposing new licence conditions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

U.S. broadcasters look to resume retransmission row

A group of American TV stations seems to be renewing its efforts to put compensation for signals retransmitted in Canada back on the government’s agenda as it enters into renegotiations of its free-trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Rogers aims to improve churn, ‘reset’ enterprise division

Joe Natale, president and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc., reiterated his focus on the customer experience after the release of the company’s second-quarter earnings Thursday, suggesting it will be part of a formula that can help drive its postpaid wireless churn rate below one per cent. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

New CRTC vice-chair not afraid of tough issues: ISED PS

The CRTC’s incoming vice-chairwoman of broadcasting, Caroline Simard, has a thorough, analytical mind and is well equipped to tackle the big issues in her new role at the telecom and broadcast regulator, according to the innovation minister’s lieutenant. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Videotron facing patent infringement claim from TiVo

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is being sued for patent infringement by TiVo Inc. and one of its subsidiaries, on a claim that the Canadian telecom is unlawfully using its intellectual property after failing to renew licences that expired at the end of 2016. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Don’t move OMNI in channel line-up: Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. is asking the CRTC to mandate TV providers keep OMNI in the same space on their channel line-ups when the new OMNI Regional service replaces the existing local stations. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Cogeco reports higher revenues and profit in Q3

Cogeco Inc. reported stronger revenues and profits for its fiscal third quarter, the first earnings report since its acquisition of Harron Communications LP’s MetroCast assets in the United States earlier this week. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Cultural diversity improving on Canadian screens: report

The Canadian TV landscape gets poor marks when it comes to the representation and portrayal of Indigenous people and people with disabilities, but is generally better than it was in representing diverse populations, suggests a CRTC-commissioned study on cultural diversity in Canadian media. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

John MacDonald and Susan Schaefer to leave Corus

Two senior executives at Corus Entertainment Inc. are expected to leave the company by the end of summer, according to an internal note from CEO and president Doug Murphy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …

AI could help grow Canadian content: CMF

The acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) could contribute to the discovery and growth of Canadian content, according to a mid-year trend report by the Canada Media Fund (CMF). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Alaraby Television Network approved for distribution

The CRTC approved Tuesday an application by sponsor Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. to add Alaraby Television Network to its list of non-Canadian channels authorized for distribution. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

ADR files GIC petition over ignored emergency alert system

The federal cabinet should overturn a spring CRTC decision mandating wireless service providers establish a system for emergency alerts so that a Quebec-based emergency information service can participate in the proceeding, Avis de Recherche (ADR) argued in a petition to the governor in council. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …

Cogeco expands U.S. biz with MetroCast buy

Cogeco Inc. is again expanding its U.S. footprint, with the announcement Monday that it would purchase the remaining cable assets from Harron Communications LP’s MetroCast. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

CMF appoints two board members

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has made two new appointments to its board of directors. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE …

CRTC approves Polish-language TV channel

The CRTC has approved a music TV channel originating from Poland for distribution. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL Two …

Shaw, Quebecor OMNI applications expedited

The deadline for interventions in a pair of Part 1 applications to the CRTC from Shaw Communications Inc. and Quebecor Inc. has been changed from July 31 to July 14. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

STB data measurement complex task, group says

Activity by a working group tasked with studying the implementation of an audience measurement system via set-top boxes is slow, but steady, TV providers told the CRTC, with user privacy coming to bear as a top concern for those involved. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Shaw, Quebecor ask CRTC to drop dual OMNI obligation

Shaw Communications Inc. is asking the CRTC to allow it to take OMNI’s over-the-air (OTA) station out of its basic service package once OMNI Regional begins broadcasting. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

CRTC consulting on radio, TV broadcasting licences

The CRTC is asking for comment on renewals of licences held by 10 broadcasters. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

TMN Go to offer downloads

TMN Go, the TV-everywhere service from BCE Inc.’s media division, will begin allowing viewers to download content for offline viewing. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

More groups petition Joly to reverse CRTC licence decision

More creative groups are stepping up formal efforts to get the CRTC to reverse its licence renewal decision, which they say will negatively affect the production of Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Plan comes together for TV subs boost in Shaw Q3: Mehr

Shaw Communications Inc.’s increased TV and Internet subscription numbers in the year’s third fiscal quarter reflect a team effort to increase the company’s wireline business, president and chief operating officer Jay Mehr said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

WGC asks Joly to reverse CRTC licence decision

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has formalized its complaint against the CRTC’s recent TV licence renewal decision in the form of an appeal to Canadian Heritage asking it to reverse the ruling it says harms the production of Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

U.S. NAFTA consult targets CanCon, copyright, data rules

American companies and organizations took aim at Canadian cultural protections, the country’s copyright regime and expressed concern over any potential rules requiring domestic storage of data, when given the chance to provide feedback to their government on priorities to tackle in a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Corus sees revenue, profit boost in Q3

Corus Entertainment Inc. reported increases in both revenues and profit Tuesday, numbers that reflected its purchase of Shaw Communications Inc.’s media division last year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

CCSA leads lobbying after Hill visit

Last month’s deluge of Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members on Parliament Hill for the group’s third annual lobby day pushed the organization to the top of the telecom lobbying list for the second month this year, logging 49 communication reports in May. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Sam Sniderman takes on new role at Blue Ant

Sam Sniderman has been named global head of commercial affairs and production at Blue Ant Media Inc., effective immediately. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

Time Warner programming heading to Snapchat

Snap Inc. has teamed up with Time Warner Inc. to develop programming for the picture- and video-sharing app Snapchat, Time Warner said Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Advisory group named to drive CBC board appointments

OTTAWA — A nine-member panel has been charged with vetting potential appointees to the CBC/Radio-Canada board of directors, led by former TV journalist Tom Clark, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly announced Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Blue Ant names Alex Maldini VP of international sales

Alex Maldini is the new vice-president of international sales and acquisitions at Blue Ant Media Inc., the company said in a press release Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

Canadians watching more movies online: MTM

More anglophone Canadians are watching movies online, as the popularity of over-the-top (OTT) services continues, according to the latest Media Technology Monitor (MTM) report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

Stingray to double number of employees

Stingray Digital Group Inc. said in a press release Friday it is expanding its head office in Montreal and will hire another 400 employees in the next five years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Act now on copyright infringement ‘shakedown’ letters: Masse

The federal government shouldn’t stand idly by, awaiting the looming review of the Copyright Act, before taking action on copyright infringement notices that dupe alleged downloaders into ponying up unnecessary settlements to copyright holders, according to the NDP’s innovation critic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Blais pans, prophesizes in end-of-term speech

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais used what may prove to be his final address as head of the telecom regulator to issue recriminations for past practice and predictions for the future of the country’s cultural industries and the CRTC itself. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

CBC, CRTC still viewed as keepers of Canadian identity: study

Canadians rely heaviest on CBC/Radio-Canada and the CRTC to protect televised Canadian culture and identity, according to a new poll commissioned by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …

Indigenous Screen Office coming to Canada

A new office to support indigenous creators will open its doors, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly announced Monday at the Banff World Media Festival. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Joly notes creator ‘anxiety’ over CRTC licence renewal decision

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly acknowledged the “anxiety” members of the creative community are experiencing following the CRTC’s licence renewal decision, but didn’t give any hints as to if she might ease that discomfort during a Friday afternoon live-streamed interview with Huffington Post Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Bell to sell specialty channel to Wow in ‘strategic partnership’

BCE Inc.’s media division said Wednesday that it’s entered into an agreement with Wow Unlimited Media Inc. that will see Bell Media sell one of its specialty channels to Wow in return for $6.9 million of equity in the company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

‘Alternative video’ services more satisfying than pay TV: study

Non-traditional TV subscribers, such as those who use over-the-top (OTT) services, are more satisfied than those with traditional pay-TV subscriptions, a new J.D. Power survey suggested. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …

Thursday Night Football touches down at Bell Media

BCE Inc.’s properties have scored the broadcast rights to the National Football League’s Thursday Night Football games, Bell Media announced Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Canadian Film Centre, Bell Media team up for VR, AR project

The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and BCE Inc.’s media division have teamed up to develop virtual and augmented reality projects, the duo said in a Wednesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

CTV joins local news expansion parade

An additional nine local CTV stations across the country will begin airing an early evening newscast this fall, BCE Inc.’s media division said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

Rogers Media Sales signs with weather, food brands

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Tuesday its media sales division had signed two deals that “expand reach and deliver brand-safe, premium-content environments to advertisers.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

New TV, streaming offerings eyed to help stem piracy

TORONTO — Products like new streaming TV services and sports-focused TV-everywhere offerings will help the industry curb piracy, according to Stewart Johnston, president of BCE Inc.’s Bell Media studios and TSN. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Bloc MPs push heritage minister on CRTC licence decision

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is facing more calls to order the CRTC to review its licence renewal decision, this time from the Bloc Québécois. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

Rogers to expand CityNews nationally

Rogers Communications Inc.’s media division will be expanding its CityNews program outside of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area beginning this fall. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

Bell can’t limit TV customers to one custom package: CRTC

Allowing customers to only select TV channels à la carte after they’ve taken advantage of one 10-channel small package doesn’t comply with the CRTC’s pick-and-pay rules, BCE Inc. was told. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

CRTC calls for renewal of broadcasting licences for TV services

The CRTC has called for those holding TV service broadcasting licences that expire at the end of August 2018 to apply for their renewal. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …

NorthVu drops Bell IPTV patent case

NorthVu Inc. has abandoned an appeal it filed with MediaTube Corp. in a dispute with BCE Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

CRTC calls for radio, BDU licence renewal applications

The CRTC is asking for holders of both radio and cable and IPTV broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) licences that expire on Aug. 31, 2018 to apply to renew their licences. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

Canadian content finding home in Europe: report

Canada Media Fund (CMF)-supported content has seen a healthy export market in Europe, rivalling Canada’s number one export market in the United States, according to a new report sponsored by the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Joly ‘studying’ CRTC licence decision after criticism

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that she hasn’t yet decided whether to take any action regarding the CRTC’s May 15 licence renewal decision, following calls for the government to send it back to the commission. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Judy Gladstone to head Documentary Organization of Canada

The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) said in a press release Monday Judy Gladstone is taking over as its executive director. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Rogers targets gamers with new e-sports content, peering deals

Rogers Communications Inc. has begun marketing itself as the Internet service provider (ISP) of choice for gamers, acquiring exclusive e-sports content for its Sportsnet streaming service and entering into peering agreements with gaming platforms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Blue Ant buys Racat in int’l expansion move

Blue Ant Media Inc. has acquired Racat Group, with international assets that include production houses and mobile game developers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire …

CBC must collaborate with OTT competition: Lacroix

CBC/Radio-Canada’s president and CEO Hubert Lacroix said the Crown corporation’s competition comes primarily from over-the-top (OTT) services and that it must collaborate with them to bring CBC productions to an international audience. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Radio will fend of challengers with local content: Simpson

Radio will continue to thrive in a competitive environment because it remains a trusted source of local content, CRTC commissioner Stephen Simpson said in a speech to British Columbia broadcasters Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

CRTC to review pick-and-pay rollout in Oct.

The CRTC will hold a hearing on a number of broadcast distribution undertakings’ [BDUs] licence renewal applications starting on Oct. 16, which will include looking at how those providers put their pick-and-pay rules in place. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Licence decision could devastate Canadian production: WGC

A day after the CRTC released its decision on broadcast licence renewals for large ownership groups, three organizations representing the country’s production sector said they are concerned the new expenditure minimums could harm production of Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Bell’s Alt TV can ‘turn the tide’ against competitors: Canaccord

While the primary goal of BCE Inc.’s new television product is to tackle TV sub losses, it could also be used as an “offensive tool” against its cable competitors, according to Canaccord Genuity. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

David Sparrow elected national president of ACTRA

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) has elected David Sparrow as its national president for a two-year term. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …

Alt TV managed service, doesn’t violate CRTC rules: Cope

MONTREAL — BCE Inc. has launched a new TV product hoping to appeal to a segment of the market that’s less likely to subscribe to traditional TV, which independent consultant Peter Miller says could face regulatory challenges over tied selling and its classification as an IPTV service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Rogers’ OMNI gets temporary mandatory distribution

Rogers Communications Inc. will get a three-year window to run its new national ethnic channel before having to compete with other proposals for its mandatory carriage, the CRTC announced Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Competition commish completes review of AT&T-TWC deal

Despite not operating in Canada, the country’s competition watchdog has reviewed the proposed merger of AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc., and found no reason to act, according to the Competition Bureau. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

DHX shells out for Peanuts

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Peppermint Patty are joining Halifax-based DHX Media Ltd.’s stable of properties, as the company announced Wednesday its bid to acquire the Peanuts brand from an American management company.

The deal with Iconix Brand Group Inc. includes an 80-per-cent controlling interest in Peanuts and a 100-per-cent stake in Strawberry Shortcake for $345 million US, DHX said in a press release.

CCSA heads to the Hill to talk Wholesale Code, rural broadband

OTTAWA — The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) is hoping to build on what it calls a successful round of lobbying the federal government a year ago to have its concerns and ideas integrated into the rural broadband program.

CRTC headquarters closed due to flooding

The CRTC’s offices in Gatineau, Que., remained shut down for a second day Tuesday due to flooding in the area, according to the commission’s website.

Illegal streaming on Kodi boxes in 6% of households: Sandvine

A new report from broadband equipment maker Sandvine Corp. says about six per cent of households in North America “currently have a Kodi device configured to access unlicensed content.”

Overall ownership of the boxes sits at 8.8 per cent, the report said. It noted that because the boxes don’t come with any content, and it is up to the user to configure them, “it’s best to view Kodi as a piece of software in the same way that we think of web browsers and other media players.”

CBC privatization bill dies in House

A private member’s bill to privatize CBC/Radio-Canada met a decisive defeat Wednesday night, after members of Parliament voted 260-6 to send it to the legislation graveyard.

Digital platforms open to cultural diversity message: Joly

OTTAWA — Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said she found a receptive audience for her message of cultural diversity on digital platforms among the executives of the digital media giants she met on her recent trip to California.

AI, 5G, rural broadband funding in Ont., N.S. budgets

The Ontario government said it will support the latest technologies in the coming years, with funding for artificial intelligence and 5G networks included in its 2017 budget.

CRTC to launch women-in-production talks

The CRTC will explore the topic of generating more participation of women in media production, according to Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais.

Bell to launch new TV service to combat cord-cutting

BCE Inc. will introduce a new television service aimed at customers who have been turning away from traditional TV to online alternatives, president and CEO George Cope said on a conference call with analysts discussing the company’s first quarter earnings.

“On the IPTV side…[we’re] clearly seeing a maturing, as our footprint expansion is not as aggressive as it has been in the past, and absolutely seeing some of the … [over-the-top] substitution,” Cope said on the call Wednesday.

Shaw, Corus closing 3 community TV stations, shifting to Global

Shaw Communications Inc. and Corus Entertainment Inc. will close three Shaw local TV stations in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, and redistribute the annual funding to Global News stations in the same cities, the companies announced Wednesday.