CNM Short Takes

IBDG approved for Category 2 specialty service licenceIBDG Inc.’s application for a Category 2 digital specialty television service licence has been approved by the CRTC – Broadcasting Decision 2002-343. The licence allows IBDG to proceed with its plans to test interactive technology used to conduct market research. The service, dubbed Response TV, was allowed by the commission despite objections by Northern Response (International) Ltd. that the name was similar and potentially confusing. Northern Response operates in the television and tele-shopping industry. IBDG has 36 months now to get the service up and running (CNM, Nov. 15/01 and CNM Update, Jan. 16/02). TELUS gets producer support for BDU and contribution bidTELUS Communications Inc., which has applied for regional broadcast distribution licences covering British Columbia and Alberta, has seen several supporting letters by Western Canadian producers sent to the CRTC in support of its bid. As part of its application, TELUS has also asked that the commission approve the TELUS Broadcast and New Media Fund as eligible to receive Canadian programming contributions (CNM, Oct. 3/02). Several letters, which appear to have been filled in from a template, praise the company’s fund as the only provincial source of assistance in B.C. for the production of new media projects. Letters along this line were received from: The Wired Woman Society, Persistence Pictures Inc., Mystique Films Ltd., Monro Communications, Leboe & Grice Multimedia, and Genesis Communications Corp. (president Robert Nichol).Not everyone agrees, however. The Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association says the benefits associated with TELUS’ application are unclear. Extension of the fund to Alberta, it says, doesn’t come with additional monies for a pool that’s already oversubscribed and improperly targeted. "Unless it is made clear that the proposed BDU contributions to the Telus Foundation significantly benefit Alberta independent producers, we would not support Telus’ proposal to allocate 20% of the 5% of the gross revenue to this end." The issue, which was to have been heard at a November 18 public hearing, has been put on hold as the commission seeks further information on some unidentified aspect. Edmonton R&D unit to stay open in iKnowledge takeoverThe six-person, Edmonton-based R&D unit of iKnowledge Inc. will remain operational after that company is purchased by Massachussets-based Avid Technology Inc. The takeover was announced October 29. iKnowledge provides tools to help content managers publish to the web without the intervention of technical staff (CNM, Apr. 5/01). iLoveTV wins synchronization deal for full television seriesToronto-based iLoveTV Inc. has won a deal to apply its web synchronization technology to Ecostream’s new series, Eye on the Earth. The 13-26 episode series will use iLoveTV’s SynchroCast system to drive web content to users on their PC on a real-time basis, and also to provide their own feedback. Ecostream is currently in negotiations with unidentified television networks to broadcast the series. ICANN meeting to be held in Montreal hosted by CIRAThe Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) will host a meeting of the body that oversees the Internet, ICANN, from June 22 to 26 next year. Sponsorship opportunities are available. More than 600 delegates will attend. "It will attract Internet governance professionals representing government, business and public interests from around the globe. This meeting will put the .ca domain in the spotlight. It will also demonstrate Canada’s commitment to the stability of the Internet," says CIRA chair Maureen Cubberly in a media release. Further information is available at www.icannmontreal.ca. Innovation strategy proceeds apace with national summitIndustry Canada says that since February it has organized 34 regional summits and 80 sectoral consultations to hear the views of over 5,000 Canadians on the issue of the innovation agenda. It has cost $7.5 million thus far, leading to a National Summit on Innovation to be held in Toronto on November 18-19. The summit will focus on five themes, including improving the market performance of Canada’s research and development, learning, an inclusive and skilled workforce, the regulatory environment, and strengthened communities. VertigoXmedia self-declares as winner in mid-term electionsMonteal-based VertigoXmedia is giving itself a pat on the back for its role in bringing viewers televsion coverage of the U.S. mid-term elections. The company’s on-air graphics tools were used by CNN, ABC, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, and Time Warner Cable stations in New York, Albany, Raleigh, Charlotte and Austin. Says Xmedia’s VP of business development Maria Porco in a media release: "At such times we are pushing the envelope in terms of the quality and quantity of real-time data and broadcast graphics used to properly cover an important election. It enables Vertigo to provide our clients’ viewers with a better understanding of fast-breaking news events. The combination of Vertigo’s automation software platform and leading-edge graphics experience resulted in a net reduction in equipment and labour costs for our clients and a final result which is superior to anything done in the past." Radio-Canada posts Sarbakan games to web siteRadio-Canada.ca has posted a new series of games created by Quebec City-based Sarbakan Inc. The games, STUDIO 42 de La Fureur, Wizz and La foire aux mystère, are designed to complement television broadcasts of the shows. Last year, complementary Radio-Canada TV sites received more than 500,000 visits per year. Baccalieu Trail celebrated on Industry Canada-funded siteIndustry Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy has funded a new site devoted to the heritage of Newfoundland’s Baccalieu Trail to the tune of $14,400. The site contains information about the past 400 years of history of the region, as well information about a pre-historic Dorset settlement on Dildo Island. PwC tech forecast updatedPricewaterhouseCoopers has issued a second volume to its Technology Forecast: 2002-2004. The update focuses on trends in information technology infrastructure that are expected over the next three years, including the increasing evolution of the Internet toward a "global networked computing utility, replacing computing as we know it today." See www.pwcglobal.com. Ebay, Ontario firms team up to help charities at ChristmasEbay Canada, working with OnTarget, TakingITGlobal and Making IT Work for Volunteers, have teamed up to launch a holiday fundraising campaign for Canadian charities. The group is now looking for volunteers interested in participating. The campaign lets charities work with Ebay’s online auction system to conduct fundraising auctions. Volunteers will receive special training from Ebay, with support from OnTarget and Making IT Work. Volunteers must be at least 19-years-old and live in the Greater Toronto Area. More information is available by contacting OnTarget program director Mark Jones at mjones@getontarget.ca. ZAQ to sell online media business to Mamma.comZAQ Inc. is selling its focusIN Specialty Web Network to Mamma.com Inc., wholly owned by Intasys Corp. (CNM, Nov. 9/99). ZAQ is exiting the online media business to direct all of its resources to its interactive marketing technology platform ZEGO. The transaction is expected to close before the end of November. CinemaNow to face competition from top titles on MovielinkAnalysts are cautiously optimistic about a new movie download service launched on November 11 dubbed Movielink and owned equally by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. The consortium will offer titles for US$1.99 to US$4.99 available for watching an unlimited number of times in one 24-hour period over 30 days from download. A key point to note is that the service will offer real box office hits. Canadian NEW MEDIA has written extensively about the Lions Gate Entertainment subsidiary CinemaNow, which has been receiving significant consumer interest. It, however, offers a slate of lesser-known films, and it will be of interest to see how the initiative competes with the big box office offerings of MovieLink (CNM, March 7/02). And, she fits in the glove box...A new three-year, multi-million-dollar advertising campaign for DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group featuring Celine Dion will have an online component launching in early 2003.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | November 14, 2002

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