CCR Short Takes

CRTC asks for comments on allowing RAI into CanadaThe CRTC has put out a call for comments on a proposal by Rogers Cable Communications Inc. to add Italian public broadcaster RAI International to the list of foreign-owned TV stations eligible for digital carriage in Canada (Broadcasting Public Notice 2005-20). Rogers submitted its request on February 23 (CCR Update, Feb. 7/05). Comments are due on or before April 4. TQS seeks licence amendment to increase advertising time TQS Inc. and its affiliates have applied to the CRTC for a licence amendment that would allow them to increase the number of minutes of advertising per hour in exchange for airing more homegrown TV drama (Broadcasting Public Notice 2005-21). The proposed amendment is to implement the ads-based incentive program for French-language Canadian drama released by the CRTC (CCR Update, Feb. 7/05). Global banking on success of Lonestar with another diginetGlobal Television Network Inc. has received a licence for the Category 2 digital specialty TV channel called Lonestar II, apparently hoping to leverage the success of its existing western channel, called Lonestar (Broadcasting Decision 2005-85). In applying for the diginet licence, Global said it would build on and extend the Lonestar brand with a second channel dedicated exclusively to the broadcast of programs with a country and western theme. The authorized programming categories for Lonestar are the same as those for Stampede, a diginet licensed to Craig Media. Achilles Media announces dates for new media conferenceAchilles Media announced March 7 that the international interactive media festival, nextMEDIA, will be held June 10-12 in Banff, just prior to the Banff World Television Festival (CCR, Feb. 25/05). "The buzz about nextMEDIA returning is contagious," said Achilles Media CEO Robert Montgomery in a media release. "With the new location and date in Banff, it’s a must-attend. The connection with the television festival is a natural but next goes beyond convergence. It’s going to be creative and provocative, but at the same time practical." TVA launches French-language financial digital TV channelTVA Group launched the French-language business and finance diginet ARGENT on February 21. The channel will be available free to digital TV subscribers until the end of 2005. It is on channel 92 on Vidéotron and Cogeco, on channel 128 on Bell ExpressVu, on channel 536 on Rogers, and on channel 759 on Star Choice. The channel can also be accessed over the Internet on the Webfin ARGENT web site. CRTC extends again deadline for comments on HD issuesThe CRTC has extended for a third time the deadline for comments on a proposed framework for the licensing and distribution of high-definition (HD) pay and specialty services (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-58-3). The new deadline is April 21. The extension was granted at the request of Alliance Atlantis Communications, Astral Media Inc., CHUM Ltd., CTV Inc., Global Television Network Inc., Corus Entertainment Inc., and Rogers Communications Inc. Shaw Communications sent a letter to no avail to the CRTC opposing any further extensions to the deadline. The CRTC also extended to the same date the deadline for comments on the request by the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) for the addition of HD Net and Discovery HD Theater to the list of foreign-owned services eligible for digital distribution in Canada (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-61-3). April 21 is also the new deadline for submitting proposals for the establishment of rules to govern the distribution of specialty services on the basic service of fully digital cable TV undertakings, and on a framework to guide the migration of pay and specialty TV channels from analog to digital (Broadcasting Public Notice 2005-1-1). Mountain Cable gets video-on-demand licenceHamilton ON-based Mountain Cablevision Ltd. has been awarded a licence to operate a regional English-language video-on-demand (VOD) service consisting mostly of feature films (Broadcasting Decision 2005-86). The VOD licence covers the areas of Byng, Caledonia, Cayuga, Dunnville, Hagersville, Jarvis, Mount Hope, Townsend and parts of Hamilton ON. Mountain said that along with movies, other programming such as action, drama, sports, animation, comedy and adult programming would be included on its VOD service. The VOD service must be launched before March 1, 2007, unless an extension has been granted by the CRTC. Film and TV production at $934.5 million in OntarioDomestic and foreign film and TV spending in Ontario increased 7% in 2004 to $934.5 million from the $874.1 million recorded in 2003, according to statistics released by the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC). "While the industry has not fully recovered from a difficult 2003, we hope that the worst is finally behind us. Recent tax credit improvements aimed at improving Ontario’s competitiveness should make it even more attractive for productions to choose Ontario," noted OMDC chair Marcelle Lean.

CCR Short Takes

Broadcast | March 11, 2005

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