Problems that left Rogers Cable Inc customers last week complaining about breakdowns in their online services are just glitches that won’t hinder long-term growth of Internet via cable, according to a senior analyst at the Yankee Group in Canada.

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Canada is sticking to its original game plan for rolling out digital television, despite a U.S. decision this month to use a standard that many critics insist is flawed. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dismissed the need for further testing of the 8-VSB transmission system on Jan. 19, reaffirming an earlier decision that denied a request to authorize the European standard for the U.S. market.

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Satellite radio made a big splash at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show, and depending how the Canadian government responds to these new "death stars", both the receivers and the service could arrive on this side of the border.

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The CRTC ensured new players were added to the field in licensing new specialty channels but as one case study shows, getting an independent channel launched on digital cable and DTH can be a difficult seduction.

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Heritage minister Sheila Copps decided to waive foreign ownership guidelines that would have prevented Vivendi Universal from purchasing Seagram Ltd, after concluding that the company’s $300-million benefits package warranted an exception to the restriction. Under the Foreign Investment Guidelines, foreign takeovers of Canadian-controlled film distribution firms are technically prohibited, although the minister does reserve the right to grant approval if there are net benefits to Canada (CCR, July 6/00).

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Government spending on culture hit $5.7 billion in 1998/99, ending four consecutive years of decline, according to new Statistics Canada data. In constant dollars, government spending was up 2.3% from 1997/98, the first real increase since 1990/91. Culture includes everything from broadcasting and museums to parks.

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After five years of technology testing, regulatory tinkering and program classifying, broadcasters and distributors are finally ready to rollout a nation-wide system that enables parents to block out violent or sexually explicit programming. Starting March 1, parents that subscribe to DTH or digital cable, or have a V-chip enabled TV or external terminal, will be able to use a Canadian classification system to ensure their children only watch programs suitable for their age group.

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