| 29 July, 2010 | Last updated 15 hours 17 minutes ago |
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Having Trouble Logging In?Self-administered benefits funds a new normal for broadcasters, CMPA warns July 28, 2010 - 5:46pm — Simon Doyle
OTTAWA—The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) says it is concerned about an emerging trend in which broadcasters are moving away from making contributions to independent, third-party benefits funds. Instead, they are directing programming benefits into their own “self-administered” funds. In 2009, Rogers Communications Inc. submitted an application to the CRTC seeking to amend the tangible benefits arising from its acquisition, in 2006, of the Biography Channel from Shaw Communications Inc. and A&E Canada for $5 million. In a broadcasting proceeding at the commission, parties are now commenting on Rogers' application. Rogers accuses Torstar of asking commission to 'subsidize its business' July 27, 2010 - 4:56pm — Jonathan Migneault
Rogers Communications Inc. said at a CRTC hearing Tuesday that Torstar Corp. is asking the commission to “subsidize its business” in a dispute over the carriage of Torstar’s ShopTV channel. “Torstar has come to this hearing seeking the equivalent of mandatory analogue carriage on all of Rogers’ Class 1 [cable] systems,” Pamela Dinsmore, vice-president of regulatory affairs at Rogers, told the commission. “Essentially, it is asking the commission to order Rogers to subsidize its business.” Industry players voice support for CRTC community radio policy July 26, 2010 - 7:50pm — Jonathan Migneault
It’s not so often that such a range of parties agree with a CRTC regulatory decision. But organizations and companies as diverse as Rogers Media, Astral Media Inc. and the National Campus and the Community Radio Association (NCRA) tell The Wire Report that they are pleased with the commission’s regulatory policy for the community radio sector, issued last week. “This is recognition of the importance of the sector and it’s recognition that the Canadian Radio Fund is a good place to put money,” Shelley Robinson, NCRA executive director, said in an interview. New wireless entrants look to U.S. carrier for AWS-compatible iPhone 4Canada’s new wireless entrants could offer the popular iPhone 4 if American carrier T-Mobile can convince Apple Inc. to create a version of the device that functions on their networks--but analysts say new entrants won’t necessarily want to carry the handset. The iPhone 4 will be Apple’s first smart phone to be immediately available with Canada’s three incumbent wireless carriers, Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp. and Bell Canada, when it is launched Friday. “I don’t think there’s a competitive advantage between Bell, Telus and Rogers when it comes to the iPhone,” Dvai Ghose, a telecom analyst with Canaccord Genuity, told The Wire Report. Canada left out of ITU Broadband Commission July 23, 2010 - 4:18pm — Stefan Dubowski
Canada may not have a representative on the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Broadband Commission for Digital Development, but experts say Canada could still play an important role. In an effort to reduce the international “digital divide”—the barrier between those who have access to broadband services and those who don’t—the ITU and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) earlier this year created the Broadband Commission for Digital Development. The commission aims to study strategies for worldwide broadband rollout, and how broadband can improve healthcare, education, safety, and other services in poor countries. CTV says profits from spectrum auctions should help finance digital transitionOTTAWA—A portion of the revenues from the upcoming 700 and 2500 MHz spectrum auctions should go to assisting broadcasters in the digital transition, CTVglobemedia says. In a submission to the federal government’s consultation on the digital economy, CTV said that the government's demands on broadcasters--through the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting and the freeing up of spectrum for mobile broadband use in the 700 and 2500 MHz bands--is coming at a great cost to broadcasters. “Consequently, given that the Government is supporting the expansion of broadband throughout Canada, it would also be appropriate for the Government to support broadcasters’ conversion of their transmitters,” CTV wrote in its submission. Shaw proposes $203-million benefits package for Canwest deal July 22, 2010 - 6:49pm — Simon Doyle
OTTAWA--As part of its $2-billion purchase of Canwest Global Communications, Shaw Communications Inc. has proposed a $203-million “tangible benefits” package to the CRTC to ensure a public benefit from the deal. But in the company’s proposed benefits package, Shaw says it wants to include spending on digital television transmitters and an outstanding $95 million in tangible benefits leftover from the 2007 Canwest-Aliance Atlantis deal. “I can’t say I’m surprised they’re trying to get a bit of a bargain that way,” Gregory Taylor, a broadcasting expert in Montreal who is currently conducting research for Ryerson University, said in an interview. Commercial radio stations to contribute more to community radio: CRTC decision July 22, 2010 - 6:12pm — Jonathan Migneault
OTTAWA—More money will be coming to the campus and community radio sector through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC), the CRTC announced Thursday in a new regulatory policy for the sector. Under the new policy, commercial radio stations that make more than $1.25 million in revenues per year will allocate 15 per cent of their annual Canadian content development (CCD) contributions to the CRFC. “We didn’t get everything we asked for, but I’m happy with what we did get,” Melissa Kaestner, executive director of the CRFC, told The Wire Report. Game developer calls on feds for more effective tax incentives July 21, 2010 - 6:18pm — Jonathan Migneault
OTTAWA—Canada’s video game industry employed more than 14,000 people and generated $2 billion in retail sales in 2009, but some smaller game developers say the federal government should offer more tax breaks to support the industry. Battlegoat Studios, a small PC strategy game developer in Ancaster, Ont., made a submission to Industry Canada’s digital economy consultation in which it said the treatment of the creative industries, through public policy and tax incentives at the provincial level, should be extended at the federal level. “The [Ontario] provincial government has really stepped up and has been very strong. So when you look at it from a provincial standpoint, I believe we get pretty equal treatment compared to the film industry,” George Geczy, co-founder and co-owner of Battlegoat Studios, said in an interview. Digital strategy needs focal point at cabinet table, say experts, industryOTTAWA—Industry Canada's portfolio is too broad and the government needs a focal point in cabinet to lead its digital economy strategy, say industry insiders and experts. “The starting point for any digital economy strategy is leadership. Canada needs digital leaders, including a chief technology officer and cabinet-level attention to the issue,” Michael Geist, Canada research chair of Internet and e-commerce law at the University of Ottawa, wrote in a submission to the government’s consultation on the digital economy. “The not-so-secret reality of the Industry Minister portfolio is that it is simply far too large to give all the issues under its mandate the necessary attention. Manufacturing, automotive, telecom, foreign investment, competition, consumer affairs, Statistics Canada, intellectual property, scientific research and dozens of other issues all fall under the same umbrella.” Telus loses court battle over CRTC decision on government services contract July 20, 2010 - 5:29pm — Simon Doyle
OTTAWA--In a Federal Court of Appeal decision Tuesday, Telus Corp. lost a bit of ground in its continuing fight over a CRTC decision that the company says will put a chill on the enterprise market’s interest in government services contracts. CRTC decision 2009-85, issued in January 2009, allowed Bell Canada to continue to charge for network services on a government contract that Telus had won because the transition wasn’t complete. Bell previously had an agreement through Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to provide services “vital to national security” to the Department of National Defence, but in June 2007, Telus was awarded the $213 million services contract. CRTC should have power to investigate, monitor net neutrality, says Directors GuildOTTAWA--The CRTC should have the funding and powers necessary to investigate and monitor network neutrality, the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) says in a submission for Industry Canada’s digital economy consultation. “[W]e recommend that the government require, and allocate funding for, the CRTC to monitor network neutrality internally, and to investigate issues that may arise from time to time,” the labour organization’s submission said. The DGC said non-discriminatory access to Canadian content is important as more professionally produced material makes its way online. New governor general Johnston could be 'spokesperson' for digital issues, say colleaguesDavid Johnston, Canada’s next governor general, could make digital issues one of his top priorities, his colleagues say—but it’s unlikely he’ll take positions on controversial issues like copyright. “We’ll have a very eloquent governor general who can really highlight a lot of issues related to both digital [issues] and education ... That bodes very well for both those areas, simply because they have a spokesperson who knows them in such great detail,” Tom Jenkins, executive chairman and chief strategy officer of Open Text Corp. and Johnston’s friend, told The Wire Report in an interview. Jenkins has collaborated with Johnston for more than a decade through partnerships between his company and the University of Waterloo, where Johnston has been president and vice-chancellor since 1999. Johnston also served on OpenText’s board of directors from 2002 to 2004. Collectives, radio stations preparing for battle over new reproduction right exception July 19, 2010 - 4:25pm — Simon Doyle
OTTAWA--A major copyright fight between broadcasters and rights holders is taking shape over a seemingly innocuous provision in the Conservative government’s Bill C-32, which proposes to repeal a line of the Copyright Act and give radio stations a new exception for the reproduction of sound recordings. Copyright collectives say they plan to fight the proposal, which if passed, will cost rights holders more than $20 million annually. Members of one of the major affected copyright collectives, CMRRA/SODRAC Inc. (CSI), say they want the proposal removed from the bill. Bell, Telus expected to launch competitive discount plans: UBSBell Canada and Telus Corp. are expected to launch mobile plans to match Rogers Communications’ Inc.’s upcoming Chatr wireless brand, says a new research note by UBS Investment Research. Bell operates secondary wireless brands Virgin Mobile and Solo Mobile, and Telus offers Koodo Mobile. Rogers offers Fido and has plans to launch a discount brand, Chatr, this summer. Bell and Rogers could offer new discount plans through their secondary brands, but so far the companies are mum on any potential business plans to compete with Chatr. |
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