Bravo takes chance on Toothpaste short opera follow-up and interactive

Media | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Already flying high on critical praise for its forward-looking approach to digital enhancements for its youth-oriented MuchMusic TV station, CHUM Ltd. will next year take a creative chance on attracting a new audience to interactive content for its arts TV station Bravo! Next spring, Toronto-based Marblemedia will begin a...

Xenophile continues to explore ITV with awards shows, ReGenesis

Media | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Xenophile Media partner Patrick Crowe says two successful tests of its interactive television technology during the Genie and Gemini awards shows could pave the way for deals with bigger content holders in the U.S. The company used Bell ExpressVu LLP’s OpenTV satellite platform last fall to enhance the broadcast of...

CNM Short Takes

Media | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Sequel for Grande Ourse to see illico componentThe sequel to Reeves Interactive’s Grande Ourse series, l’Héritière de Grande Ourse will launch on CBC French-language television on January 6, this time with an interactive game for Vidéotron illico subscribers. The ITV component was funded with a grant from the Fond Vidéotron. The illico piece is being produced with Net Communications, in-house at Vidéotron. The...

CNM People

Media | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris has joined OneSTOP Toronto Inc. as its chairman (CNM, Oct. 6/04). Colette Frappier has joined the Alliance numériQC as its new communications coordinator, replacing Pascale Cleroux. CHUM Ltd.’s board of directors has been joined by Catherine Tait, formerly president and COO of Salter Street Films. She is currently president of Duopoly Inc., and also serves as a director on the...

CNM Editorial

Media | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.One overlooked consequence of last week’s Federal Court of Appeal decision exempting MP3 players from the private copying regime is the extent to which the ruling drives yet another wedge between copyright owners and the music labels. The decision caps off a year that saw the two groups at odds over ringtones, mechanical reproduction rights and, now, the level of compensation owed on digital downloads made for private uses.   The music labels have reason to cheer the decision. They are well on their way to having downloading from peer-to-peer networks conclusively declared illegal. A new right of making available will almost certainly be a part of any copyright reform package, and it’s unlikely now that downloads to a device such as a PC or iPod will be deemed legal. Both the up- and downloading will be frowned upon, and the decision should make it easier for the labels to pursue large-scale music...

Science, history producers in discussions to coordinate their conferences

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

Organizers of the annual science producers’ conference and those of the history producers’ congress are in talks to try to resolve a turf battle, and perhaps to somehow coordinate the two events that are running next year on two different continents. This year, the two conferences were held back-to-back in Toronto,...

Look TV programming to be offered to consumers in mobile environment

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

Unique Broadband Systems Inc. (UBS) and Look Communications Inc. are planning to deploy a mobile broadband network in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor, with which they will beam Look TV programming to mobile devices. UBS chair and CEO Gerald McGoey tells Canadian Communications Reports that there will be 80 channels of...

Broadcasters want regulation in digital transition; distributors say consumer is king

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

Broadcasters and distributors have different priorities as television transitions to a fully digital environment, according to the comments of veteran industry players on a panel at last week’s fourth annual conference of the Canadian chapter of the International Institute of Communications (IIC)....

CCR Editorial

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Now, that the CRTC has bowed to political pressure and loosened its protectionist policies with regard to foreign-owned, general interest third-language TV channels, it must ensure that its safeguards are adhered to. The commission must enforce the tiering rules that it has established, and it must be...

CASST working with European counterparts to curb TV piracy in Canada

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

A coalition in Canada fighting satellite TV signal theft is working with other organizations around the world to mount a battle here for federal government support to prevent the country from becoming a worldwide base dealing in the crime. Canada’s Coalition Against Satellite Signal Theft (CASST) is working with the...

CCR People

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

Edward Rogers has had his employment contract as president and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc. extended to June 2008 from December 31, 2006. The extension was granted at a December 15 meeting of the company’s board of directors.  Barry Baptie, Reginald Bird and Janice MacKinnon have been named to the board of directors of VCom Inc., the company that has purchased Image Wireless. Baptie has held senior positions...

CRTC ditches “competitiveness” test for foreign-owned third-language TV channels

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

 Bowing to intense pressure from top-level politicians and ethnic communities complaining they are forced to turn to the black market for access to a diverse range of programming in their native languages, the CRTC has thrown its protectionist policy out the window and opened the digital...

Friends calls on Canadian Heritage to ensure that majority of any extra public funding given to CBC goes to regions

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

 The broadcast watch group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is calling on Canadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla to ensure that if the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is given more money that the majority of it should go toward enhancing its regional TV programming. Friends wants at least 80% of...

CCR Editorial

Media | 12/20/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Now, that the CRTC has bowed to political pressure and loosened its protectionist policies with regard to foreign-owned, general interest third-language TV channels, it must ensure that its safeguards are adhered to. The commission must enforce the tiering rules that it has established, and it must be vigilant in ensuring that the foreign channels coming into Canada also make their programming available to their Canadian counterparts. As a result of their ruling, the CRTC may find itself acting as an arbitrator in disputes over programming. For example, already RAI International – which should be eligible to enter Canada under the new rules – is making it hard for Canadian-owned Italian/Spanish specialty TV channel Telelatino to acquire its programming.  For the sake of Canada’s ethnic broadcasters, the CRTC should come to a decision quickly on these disputes and use its powers under the...

Federal Court of Appeal rules private copying regime is constitutional, but MP3 players now exempt

Media | 12/17/2004 5:00 am EST

Special Update, Friday, December 17, 2004  Note: Due to the fast-breaking nature of this story, the December 16, 2004 issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA has been moved from the Decima Reports front page. To access Issue #22, please use the “CNM Archives” link to the left.The Federal Court of...

Tomorrow Starts Today program sees surprise one-year extension before budget

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Canadian Heritage has given another year of funding certainty to arts groups in renewing this week $192 million in support for the arts under its Tomorrow Starts Today initiative, a portion of which goes to new media players. The program was due to expire at the end of the fiscal 2004-05 year.  Canadian Heritage...

CNM Editorial

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Tomorrow, it appears, doesn’t just start today, but the day after that, and then again the day after that, and the day after that. The ongoing saga of the Tomorrow Starts Today funding program has become an unnecessary drama that leaves one of Canada’s most important economic engines, its cultural...

Copyright veteran Knopf sees reason for concern in WIPO reform direction

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Pessimism is growing among those opposed to Canada’s apparent moves to implement the controversial World Intellectual Property Organization’s Internet treaties, with Canadian Heritage pressing forward to introduce legislation to that effect by this spring (CNM, Dec.6/04). Critics of that copyright reform, and of...

Private copying regime irrelevant to satellite radio debate: Pfohl

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Regulators don’t need to look to copyright law to impose anti-hacking conditions on yet-to-be-licensed subscription digital radio services, nor should they wait for their U.S. counterparts to finish a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) process on the matter before adopting made-in-Canada rules, argues the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). CRIA recently made the comments in response to arguments advanced by applicants vying for subscription radio licences. CRIA lawyer Richard Pfohl tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that writing anti-circumvention measures into the licence conditions doesn’t have to wait for the FCC, nor for a case related to Canada’s private copying regime to...

Renegades’ electronic marketing pitch offside, Privacy Commissioner decides

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

One of Canada’s leading Internet lawyers has sacked the Ottawa Renegades’ marketing department. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has ruled that the Canadian Football League (CFL) club violated Michael Geist’s privacy when it twice sent him promotional spam. On January 21 of this year, the Renegades sent an...

Hardly “Harsh”

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

You were wrong to say that I had "harsh" words for the Balanced Copyright Coalition ("BCC") in respect of recent copyright activity.  I have only respect for the BCC, and not only because I was a founding father of it. I am disappointed that there has not been time for the BCC to have taken on the full potential of a broadly based corporate, academic, creator and user coalition and that I have not...

CNM Q&A

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Toronto-based Decode Entertainment has seen a flurry of activity in recent weeks. The company has recently begun development on a new original game engine for the Nintendo DS system and has launched an ITV application in conjunction with its Be The Creature property for users of Vidéotron Ltée’s...

CNM Short Takes

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Apple deal first for CSI joint copyright collectiveCanadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA) executive director David Basskin tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that the licensing deal that made the introduction of Apple Corp.’s iTunes into Canada possible was a first of sorts for the collective. The deal was struck with a joint organization of the CMRRA and its French Canada counterpart, the Société du droit de...

CNM People

Media | 12/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Scot MacDonald has left Technology PEI Inc. as director of investment to join Charlottetown-based Cellar Door Productions as VP of business development.  Newly named as special counsel to Canada’s Commisioner of Competition is Randall Hofley, or Stikeman Elliott LLP. He will be taking a leave of absence for the duration of his appointment. Hofley is well-known in copyright law circles, and worked most recently with...

CCR Update

Media | 12/10/2004 5:00 am EST

Friday, December 10, 2004 Third-language policy notice expected this week from CRTCThe CRTC is expected to release a notice outlining its proposed new policy for foreign-owned third-language specialty channels as early as this Thursday. The CRTC is under considerable pressure from the government, including Canadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla, to allow more foreign-owned third-language broadcasters into Canada (CCR,...

Digital copyright reform looks certain as debate on new legislation set for February

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

All signs point to legislation being ready for debate in the House of Commons by February on the contentious issue of Canada’s international digital copyright obligations, and changing the Copyright Act to ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet treaties. The trends are encouraging for...

CNM Bell Fund

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

 WEBReGenesistv.com  ReGenesis Extended Reality Game Developed and designed by Xenophile Media, ReGenesis Extended Reality Game is one of the most ambitious convergent concepts developed on behalf of a Canadian drama series, an emerging new online gaming genre called Extended Reality.  The network of sites is a companion to the ReGenesis television series, produced by Shaftesbury Films.  ReGenesis Extended...

Satellite radio hopefuls have much work in marketing their services: Decima survey

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Despite a high profile CRTC licensing hearing and extensive media coverage, a small percentage of adult Canadians are aware that domestic satellite radio services may be made available in this country, according to a new survey by Decima Research Inc. This suggests the Canadian groups vying to offer satellite radio services across the country will have their work cut out for them in marketing and selling their services – at least initially. Given the strong growth in subscriptions to satellite radio south of the border, however, the Canadian market could unfold in much the same way once Canadians learn more about the service and its benefits and features. Earlier this month,...

CNM Short Takes

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

ClarificationsA brief item in the November 16 issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA incorrectly stated that Macromedia was responsible for the software development behind the CBC ZeD nomination for an Emmy award. The software development was performed by New Toronto Group. We apologize for the error.   The November 16 issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA online was initially posted without including a full-length article about the...

CNM People

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Heidi Bonnell, formerly press secretary to Brian Tobin and then a vice-president at Hill & Knowlton, has joined Rogers Communications Inc. as a director of government relations. No announcement was made of the appointment, but Bonnell recently registered as a federal lobbyist in connection with her new position.   Aaron Rallo has joined Vancouver-based PhotoChannel Networks Inc. as CTO and VP of technology....

Ad-based approach to boosting drama gets lukewarm reception at CAB confab

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

A new advertising-based incentives program designed to boost the production of original Canadian TV drama is being criticized by some private broadcasters despite the fact that it lets them off the hook by not imposing expenditures (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-93). The policy, released last week by CRTC chair Charles...

CNM Editorial

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. The provision of $3 million in new funding to the Canadian Film Centre, and a broader mandate for the TELUS Broadcast and New Media Fund is excellent news for an industry currently in limbo with regard to finding the cash to mount new media and convergent projects (see story in this issue). Though the...

ACTRA calls on federal government to direct CRTC to regulate Cancon spending

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is demanding that the federal government intervene and tell the CRTC to implement spending requirements for the conventional broadcasters in wake of a recent decision that offers only incentives for the airing of Canadian TV drama (see article in this issue). Reiterating its call for more stick and less carrot, ACTRA national executive director Stephen Waddell says the CRTC in releasing its ads-based incentives program for Canadian drama has "failed to listen to the creative community which is dying out there." ACTRA wants the government to use its authority under section 7(1) of the Broadcasting Act to issue a...

Commission adopts modified U.S. test to define program-related ITV content

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Cablecos are cheering a CRTC decision that limits the amount of interactive television content that broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs) must carry from broadcasters. On November 4, the commission issued Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-82, which sets out a regime for ITV that forces cablecos and satellite DTH carriers...

Broadcasters push case for more compensation for out-of-market carriage

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

When a camera crew from Midwest Broadcasting showed up in Cold Lake AB to cover an air show, people there asked why they even bothered coming since the program wouldn’t reach many viewers because the channel wasn’t on satellite. That was a story Midwest VP of finance Glenda Spenrath recounted during a session at the...

CCR Short Takes

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Quebec court decision on grey, black TV market appealedThe federal government has launched an appeal of the October 28 decision on signal theft in which a Quebec court declared that certain provisions of the Radiocommunication Act are contrary to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (CCR, Nov. 8/04). "The federal government appeal will clarify this issue for the benefit of all stakeholders, including producers, actors,...

ExtendMedia builds ITV application for MTS DSL televison service

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS) has announced what it says is the first business-on-demand interactive television (ITV) service in Canada, a virtual channel offered to its DSL TV customers promoting events at the recently-opened MTS Centre. The service, developed in collaboration with Toronto-based ExtendMedia and with...

CCR People

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Wayne Clarkson has been hired as executive director of Telefilm Canada. He takes up his duties in January 2005. He has been executive director of the Canadian Film Centre since 1991, and has previously served as founding chair and CEO of the Ontario Film Development Corp. and as the first executive director of the Toronto International Film Festival. He was also a member of the Banff Television Foundation board of...

CCR Newsmakers

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Canadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla committed to maintaining government funding to the Canadian Television Fund "as it is or more," and stated that the CRTC’s policy restricting the entry into Canada of foreign-owned third-language channels must changed. In a speech on November 29 at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention, she also noted that the current government would give a more detailed...

CCR Editorial

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. A policy shift signaled by Canadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention in favour of welcoming further numbers of foreign-owned third-language broadcasters (see Newsmaker) is dangerous and should be reconsidered. The federal government appears ready to...

TELUS Corp. moves fund to Canadian Film Centre with $3-million investment

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Though exact details won’t be revealed for months, the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) says a $3-million investment by TELUS Corp. will help it strengthen its activities across the film, new media and television sectors. The investment was announced November 24, and sees TELUS’ broadcast and new media fund fall under the...

Macromedia expanding Canadian operations

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

Content applications company Macromedia is steadily expanding its presence in Canada as the company finds increased traction for its fast-growing portfolio of projects. The company has recently expanded to 10 people in its Toronto offices, and is hoping to find new office space to house its sales operations in this country. Though the Canadian market has lagged behind Macromedia’s U.S. home base, country manager Ray Miller tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that some of its products, such as the Breeze online collaboration tool, have enjoyed recent success in Canada, and that participation by the company in local user groups and communities is helping spread the word about the company’s tools. Macromedia has been on an acquisition tear of late, acquiring new companies and titles, and...

CBC sees emerging digital services reorganized under head Galipeau

Media | 12/06/2004 5:00 am EST

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has reorganized its new and emerging content channels, and put the most interactive under a single administrative umbrella. Late last month, the newly-minted executive director of digital programming and business development for CBC’s English-language services, Claude Galipeau, told...

CCR Update

Media | 11/25/2004 5:00 am EST

Thursday, November 25, 2004   Diginets planning month-long free preview in JanuaryThe digital channels are planning a month-long free preview this January under the marketing tagline “31 Days of Great TV.” There will be a web site and accompanying TV spots for the national campaign aimed at building awareness of the digital channels first launched in September 2001 and thereafter. All of the major...

CRTC releases regulatory framework for iTV services, but grey areas still remain

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

The CRTC has adopted a modified version of the United States’ WGN criteria to define what interactive television (iTV) content is program-related, but an executive at Pelmorex says there are still many grey areas. Paul Temple, senior VP of corporate development at Pelmorex – which started the CRTC process by applying...

Rogers fighting for parity with DTH in distributing out-of-market Canadian signals

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Rogers Cable Inc. is lashing out at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) over its push to treat them differently than direct-to-home satellite TV distributors when it comes to compensation for time-shifted signals. "We are seeking parity with DTH," Rogers Cable VP of regulatory affairs Pamela Dinsmore...

CCR Short Takes

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

CRTC agrees to allow Fox News, NFL Network into CanadaThe CRTC on November 18 granted the U.S. cable news network Fox News and the football TV channel NFL Network permission to be distributed in Canada on a digital basis (CCR, April 22/04). The commission determined that the two U.S. services were not partially or totally competitive with any Canadian pay or specialty channels in keeping with current regulatory rules. In comparing Fox News to the Canadian specialty news channels, CBC Newsworld and CTV Newsnet, the commission found, "...While all of these services offer coverage of major world news stories of the day, Fox News offers little or no Canadian coverage. CTV Newsnet and CBC Newsworld, both of which have high Canadian content requirements, provide coverage of many Canadian news events from various parts of the country throughout the day. The commission also notes that Fox News is not a program supplier to either of Canada’s licensed, English-language, specialty news services..." The CRTC also determined "that the...

CCR People

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Michael Scott has been named as executive producer of the National Film Board’s Prairie Centre, based in Winnipeg. He has been Western Centre animation producer since rejoining the NFB in 2002, and he will continue these duties in his new position. He first began working for the NFB in 1966, but left in 1989 to work in the private sector.  Guy Beauchamp, former Vidéotron ltée president and COO, has been named as...

CCR Editorial

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. The CRTC should grant Rogers Cable its requested licence amendment with regard to the distribution of out-of-market signals, despite the objections of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB). Cablecos have been forced to offer timeshifted channels in digital in order to remain competitive with...

CRTC inside wiring ruling likely to help Bell ExpressVu crack tough MUD market

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

A Rogers Cable executive contends that a recent CRTC decision on inside wiring will mean that landlords will be forced to wire their own buildings, while rival Bell ExpressVu counters that the decision will knock down barriers for new competitors offering TV services in the multiple unit dwelling (MUD) market. Mirko...

Satellite radio hopefuls have much work in marketing their services: Decima survey

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Despite a high profile CRTC licensing hearing and extensive media coverage, a small percentage of adult Canadians are aware that domestic satellite radio services may be made available in this country, according to a new survey by Decima Research Inc. This suggests the Canadian groups vying to offer satellite radio services...

Rabinovitch questioned by committee as he seeks reappointment as CBC head

Media | 11/22/2004 5:00 am EST

CBC president and CEO Robert Rabinovitch vowed that the public broadcaster would expand its regional services when he appeared this week before a House of Commons standing committee determining whether he should be granted an extension of his tenure. Rabinovitch appeared November 15 before the Standing Committee on Canadian...

Video games are artistic and deserve Canadian support: proponents

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

The creation of original intellectual property in video games development is critical to the industry’s success in Canada, and the government has an important role to play in nurturing firms creating titles outside the mainstream of licensing and sequels, attendees to the Montreal Games Summit in Montreal November 3 and 4...

CNM Short Takes

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Heritage Committee brings back copyright reform agendaThe Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has retabled its report on the copyright reform process that died with the ending of the last Parliamentary session. The committee had suggested an aggressive fall deadline for preparing legislation dealing with, among others, making changes to the Copyright Act to ratify Canada’s World Intellectual Property Organization...

CNM People

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Claude Galipeau has been appointed to the newly-created position of executive director of digital programming and business development at the CBC. This is a new programming and business division for CBC’s English services. Galipeau will oversee the continuing growth and development and new and established digital programming and services, and fostering business development activities for all CBC platforms. At the same...

Telefilm committed to partnership with multimedia sector: Bélanger

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

  On November 3 at the Montreal Game Summit, Telefilm Canada chair Charles Bélanger spoke of the agency’s commitment to new media, though he provided no hint when the Canada New Media Fund might return to operation from its current new funding hiatus. The following is the text of his speech.I’d like to begin first of all by sincerely thanking Alliance NumériQC for having invited me to the Montréal Game Summit, an event which proves beyond a doubt that we are living in a world that is constantly re-inventing itself. A world in which we Canadians, Quebecers and Montrealers have a major role to play. I was very pleased to learn, recently, that Wired magazine has identified...

Music industry sees reason for caution in introduction of digital radio services

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

The Canadian recording industry is asking the CRTC to proceed carefully in licensing new digital radio services due to worries that the technology could exacerbate its current digital piracy woes. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) warns that the subscription radio ventures being proposed before the...

Alliance wants piece of new Télé-Québec dollars earmarked for digital content

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Quebec new media coffers could be boosted to the tune of $2 million to $3 million a year if the province’s main lobby group is successful in a proposal to earmark some of Télé-Québec’s budget for interactive content. Quebec City is currently studying how the province’s main educational TV broadcaster might be put...

SNAP spinoff inks deal with Rogers for wireless video content

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

A new Rogers Wireless/CHUM Ltd. white label phone cell phone offering will come bundled with new a video content service developed by a spin-off from one of the country’s leading new media production shops. The service, by start-up QuickPlay Inc., will aggregate CHUM and other video content from sources including CBC and...

ITV Media Experts, Vidéotron launch interactive advertising technology

Media | 11/16/2004 5:00 am EST

Montreal-based ITV Media Experts and Vidéotron ltée have announced a new service offering to launch in the summer of 2005 that will bring long-form interactive advertising on an on-demand basis to the cableco’s digital TV customers at the press of a button. The system, similar in some ways to the now-defunct-in-Canada...

CCR Update

Media | 11/12/2004 5:00 am EST

Thursday, November 12, 2004   Cogeco, The Movie Network launch SVODAstral Media’s The Movie Network (TMN) and Cogeco Cable announced November 11 that they have launched a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service. The Movie Network OnDemand will be available to the cableco’s TMN subscribers in Ontario, who will have instantaneous and unlimited access to more than 70 movies and TV series at no extra charge on channel 208. New movies will be added every week, and a completely new lineup will be introduced every month. Cogeco said the SVOD service would be available to 91% of homes in its territories in Ontario by the end of November. It began on November 1 in Burlington, Oakville, Action, Fergus, Georgetown, Mitton, Waterdown and Halton. On November 10, the service area expanded to Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, the Niagara area. On November 16 it will be enlarged to Kingston, North Bay, Peterborough and Cornwall, and on November 23 to Windsor, Chatham, Leamington, Smiths Falls, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Parry...

Quebec court ruling on satellite TV theft was “unsound,” says lawyer McKenzie

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

A lawyer actively involved in fighting the grey and black satellite TV signal market in the courts says the judge in a recent Quebec court ruling "seems to be confused." Bill McKenzie, a senior partner with Crawford, McKenzie, McLean, Wilford, Anderson & Duncan LLP, goes as far as to...

English-language Al Jazeera would change perception of channel: TV producer

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

A senior program producer with Arabic news channel Al Jazeera thinks that the launch of an English-language version of the service next year will aid its entry into Canada. Establishing the international English-language version of the channel that has caused controversy for airing tapes of Osama Bin Laden will also allow...

Ferns puts Banff behind him, and moves into pitching, producing and training

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

A decision to forge ahead with the News World event in Dublin, Ireland was likely the downfall of the Banff Television Foundation, says its former president and CEO. Pat Ferns tells Canadian Communications Reports that a toe-to-toe competition with the European Broadcasting Union and its competing event was a doomed fight...

Achilles focusing on international coproduction, connecting Canadian TV

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

Achilles Media principal Robert Montgomery plans to focus the upcoming Banff Television Festival on international cooperation and coproduction, as well as connecting the Canadian industry. "I’ve been in Los Angeles twice in the last month. We know it’s important to have a lot of international people who do business...

History producers in midst of forming board to advise on next conference

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

Questions arose of possibly merging with the science producers’ conference as Achilles Media attempted to set the stage for the formation of an advisory board to oversee the next World Congress of History Producers. Achilles Media principal Robert Montgomery said that organizing the history congress provides a...

CCR Short Takes

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

Rajotte calls for carriage of FOX News in CanadaEdmonton-Leduc MP James Rajotte on November 1 during Question Period in the House of Commons called on the Liberal government to allow all Canadians access to the FOX News Network. Rajotte said it’s a "blatant double standard" that MPs can watch the channel at any time on the Parliamentary closed circuit television system, but ordinary Canadians cannot see it....

CCR People

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

Mark Prior has been named as president of Comweb Group Inc. He is the founding partner of Entertainment Partners Canada (EP Canada) and its predecessor company Bulloch Systems. He maintains his role as president of Comweb Film Capital Corp. As well, Kevin Gordon has been appointed as president of EP Canada. He has been with the company since 1979, most recently serving as senior VP. Robert Bruce has been appointed as CFO...

Broadcasters, cablecos split on issue of omnibus HD channels

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is opposing an application by Star Choice and Cancom to offer six omnibus channels providing high-definition (HD) programming from various Canadian and non-Canadian sources. On the other hand, the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) sees value in the proposal,...

CCR Editorial

Media | 11/08/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. One positive outcome of Quebec court judge Danielle Côté’s ruling this month that declared two sections of the Radiocommunication Act illegal because they violate Canadians’ freedom of speech is that it should finally put front and center Charter of Rights issues in the ongoing TV piracy debate. When the Supreme Court ruled in April 2002 that black and grey market satellite TV were illegal based on the wording of the statute, it made clear that in making its decision, it had not ruled on the constitutional questions raised by the respondents in the case against Vancouver-based satellite dish dealer Richard Rex and his Cam-Am Satellites business. Before the Supreme Court, Cam-Am attempted to fight its battle on the constitutional front in addition to how the Radiocommunication Act should be interpreted.  The Supreme Court ruled that if the respondents wanted to argue the Charter issue, they would have to do so...

CNM Bell Fund

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

WEBhttp://www.11somerset.com/ http://www.telequebec.tv/11somersetzonehautevitesse.sympatico.msn.ca/Accueilsoon at: http://speedzone.sympatico.msn.ca Produced by Trinome Inc. TVCHUM/Newnet, Saturday 7 p.m.Télé-Québec, Saturday/Sunday, 11:30 am Funded by the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund and others, 11somerset.com plunges users into the universe of the supernatural, where they play the role of detective in...

CNM People

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

Kevin Goldstein has been pomoted to director, regulatory affairs, at CHUM Ltd. Goldstein will continue to play an important role in CHUM’s day-to-day dealings with the CRTC, and in all matters relating to regulatory issues, policies, licence renewals and applications.  Marlene Catterall has been elected as chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.  Photochannel Networks has...

Renew Canadian Culture Online program says national coalition of producers

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

  The following is an October 7 letter sent by Canadian producers and associations to the Canadian Heritage minister. Dear Minister Frulla: As the newly formed Coalition of Canadian New Media Associations, we are writing to convey the importance of renewing the Canadian Culture Online Program (CCOP) beyond the...

Apple announces arrival in Canada of iTunes despite lack of licence agreements

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

Apple Corp. has announced that it intends to launch its Apple iTunes online music store in Canada in November. The announcement, made October 26 in San Jose as part of the launch of iTunes in several countries in Europe, is surprising since negotiations with the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA) have...

CNM Editorial

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Canadian NEW MEDIA has written frequently about the importance of lobbyists in the policy-making process. An informal search of the federal lobbyist database for individuals using some derivative of “broadcast” in their documents shows dozens of active registrations, working on issues ranging from third-language programming, new broadcasting licences, changes in Canadian content rules and others. Aside from the heads and VPs of the different trade associations, there are dozens of government relations people working on broadcast and cultural issues from firms that read like a road map to a very small block of Ottawa real estate: firms such as Sussex, Wellington, and Earnscliffe (named after the residence of the British High Commissioner) have names that evoke the cozy place professional lobbyists enjoy on Parliament Hill.  Finally, amid the high-priced lawyers and well-connected former bureaucrats, the new...

Ad hoc producers coalition presses demands in Ottawa for fund renewal

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

The federal government will likely find it easier to acquiesce to the requests of Canada’s new media sector as those companies benefit from the help of a professional lobbyist and the loose coalition of regional associations formed recently shows signs of becoming a more powerful voice on Parliament Hill. The as-yet...

Databases at issue in Globe and Mail freelancer’s fight

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

The copyright industry continues to feel the effects of the watershed Théberge and CCH Supreme Court of Canada decisions as a body of cases continues to build on the subject of electronic content. The latest decision, by the Court of Appeal for Ontario and handed down on October 6 sees the court cite both cases in denying...

Culture and commerce meet during lively CCOP briefing session in Toronto

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

Culture met commerce at a recent briefing event held in Toronto for senior Canadian Heritage officials and organized by the Canadian Film Centre, with the end result that some producers in the audience left expressing concern that too much focus was being placed on artist rather than audience. At the McLuhan International...

CNM Short Takes

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

Molson launches new online radio stationMolson Canada has launched a new online streaming music service dubbed "Junction Radio" on its iam.ca site. The service is being powered by IcebergRadio.com, and offers five channels of tunes: current alternative, hip hop "hot", alternative, active rock and top 40. A spokesperson for Molson says the site is aimed at younger beer drinkers, those of age to 24. A...

Quebec court rules anti-satellite-theft provisions unconstitutional

Media | 10/29/2004 4:00 am EDT

A Quebec court has ruled key restrictions in the Radiocommunication Act against decoding satellite signals and the sale or possesion of circumvention devices unconstitutional, though it has suspended that declaration for one year. Justice Danielle Côté, in a 100-page decision handed down from the Court of Quebec on...

Apple to launch iTunes in November

Media | 10/26/2004 4:00 am EDT

Apple Corp. has announced that it intends to launch its Apple iTunes online music store in Canada in November. The announcement, made today in San Jose as part of the launch of iTunes in several countries in Europe, is surprising since negotiations with the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA) have not been concluded, and there is no...

Cogeco, CCTA, CCSA file for leave to appeal CRTC decision granting change of carriage

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s cable industry hopes to challenge a CRTC decision that changed the carriage status of three specialty channels on the grounds that the regulator overstepped its jurisdiction and didn’t follow proper procedure. On August 25, Cogeco Cable Inc. and the Canadian Cable Telecommunications...

Small operator Mountain Cable faces unique challenges in introducing VoIP

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

As a smaller-sized cableco, Mountain Cable in Hamilton insists that it faces unique challenges in introducing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, particularly in spreading capital expenditures over fewer subscribers than larger TV distributors. But Pat Kiely, director of business operations and development at...

CRTC can’t change policy on third-language services in middle of game: Ethnic Channels

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Canadian-owned Ethnic Channels Group has big plans to eventually bring 30 third-language channels into Canada, but a wrench could be thrown into its scheme if the CRTC makes policy changes. The commission is currently reviewing its approach to granting foreign-owned third-language services into the country, with both a Canadian Heritage-appointed panel (CCR, Oct. 7/04) and the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Commission (CCTA) calling for a liberalization of the one-channel-per-genre policy (CCR Update, Oct. 15/04).  "It (a policy change) will hurt our business tremendously. It will hurt any Canadian ethnic broadcaster out there - in fact, any Category 2 broadcaster today. In our...

Ad industry supports CCTA proposal to run paid advertising on U.S. specialty channels

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s advertising industry is lending its support to a proposal by cablecos that commercial advertising in Canada be sold on U.S. specialty TV services such as CNN and A&E. Robert Reaume, VP of policy and research at the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA), says that the proposal...

C-band spectrum virtually unuseable, reverts back to government of Canada

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada’s decision to reclaim allotment C-band spectrum doesn’t affect the country’s primary satellite operator, says an executive with the firm. Paul Bush, VP of broadcast and corporate development at Telesat Canada, explains that the spectrum was virtually unuseable and so its repatriation by the government...

CCR Short Takes

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Cogeco registers net gain in basic TV subs, digital TV on riseCogeco Inc. registered its first net increase in basic TV customers since 1998, adding about net 3,200 basic customers in fiscal 2004 to reach a total of 823,855. It added 16,211 digital terminals in the fourth quarter ended Aug. 31, 2004 to reach a total of 823,855, and its Internet subscriber base rose by 5,190 to a total of 245,026. In fiscal 2004 ended...

CCR People

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Bruce Anderson has been named chair and CEO of Decima Inc. Decima Reports, the publisher of Canadian Communications Reports, is one of three wholly-owned subsidiaries of Decima Inc.  Bell ExpressVu president Tim McGee has left the company to "pursue other interests," according to an internal memo that thanked him for his service. His last day was October 1. He will not be replaced as Robert Odendaal, who...

Animation, not just TV drama, in need of government support, says Hirsh

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

  Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. CEO Michael Hirsh is calling for government support for not only Canadian drama, but also Canadian animation. He made the plea in his address delivered September 23 at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in Ottawa. Below is an excerpt from his keynote address. …Although the industry has gone through several lean years lately, Canada is still an Animation Nation…(A) major driver of the growth and development of animation in this country was the licensing of Teletoon, Canada’s only all animation network, to a consortium of Cinar, Family Channel, Nelvana and YTV. The network first aired in 1997. With a commitment to spend 47% of the prior...

CCR Editorial

Media | 10/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.The CRTC should not be pressured by political forces to change its decision on RAI International. It made the right choice in denying RAI entry into Canada, under existing CRTC policy, because it was deemed competitive with Canadian-owned specialty TV service Telelatino. As Ethnic Channels Group owner...

CNM Update

Media | 10/18/2004 4:00 am EDT

Monday, October 18, 2004   NAD Centre strengthens video game programThe National Animation and Design Centre (NAD Centre), Montreal, has updated its design and 3D animation for video games course in response to the identified need to allow students more time to produce their projects. The training has been extended by eight weeks to 48, beginning with the winter 2005 program. Tuition fees will increase, as a...

CCR Update

Media | 10/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

CCR Update October 15, 2004  CCTA calls for a more liberalized approach to foreign third-language channels in CanadaThe Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) on October 13 called for the CRTC to authorize more non-Canadian third-language channels for distribution in Canada. The cable organization said the addition of more third-language channels will promote diversity. The CCTA asked the CRTC to adopt...

CCR People

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

John Cassaday, president and CEO of Corus Entertainment Inc., has been nominated for election to serve on SYSCO’s board of directors. He will stand for election at the company’s annual meeting on November 12.  Pat Ferns has created his own company, Ferns Productions Inc. He plans to engage in international and Canadian financing of projects from his base in Victoria BC. In addition, he will deal with “people...

CAB calls for CRTC to reject cable industry’s bid to sell ads on U.S. cable channels

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

  The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is strongly urging the CRTC to reject a proposal by the cable industry to sell commercial advertising in Canada on U.S. specialty TV services, such as CNN and A&E. The CAB tells the CRTC that approving the proposal would grant cablecos a new...

CCR Editorial

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. It’s time for the cable industry to step up to the plate and improve their community TV channels as a way to counter the aggressive competitive moves made by Bell recently in the TV distribution business. The BCE conglomerate is intensifying competition in the TV business on a number of fronts. Bell...

Bell ExpressVu targeting cable analog customers for second wave of growth

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

Bell ExpressVu LP is taking dead aim at acquiring current analog cable subscribers with new user friendly channel packaging and lower entry-level pricing, as well as new dual tuner receivers. The company has simplified its channel lineup, introduced the new Digital Standard TV channel package priced at $25 a month, and is...

Telesat concerned satellite capacity won’t be available to Canadian broadcasters

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

Concerns are being raised that adequate satellite capacity might not be available for Canadian broadcasters and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV providers from Ciel Satellite Communications after that company last month won a satellite slot licence. Ciel Satellite was awarded the 129 degrees west orbital position on...

Consumer interest should be considered in new third-language channel policies: panel

Media | 10/08/2004 4:00 am EDT

A Canadian Heritage-appointed panel is recommending a new regulatory framework specific only to third-language channels that would do away with the current one channel per genre regulation. "…The current rules seem to suggest that no general purpose third-language programming provided by a non-Canadian service will be allowed. This was described as a restriction that was unduly broad and did not take into account the significant interests of the third-language audience," reads Integration and Cultural Diversity, a report issued September 27 by the three-member panel on access to third-language public television services. "A second consequence of the current rules is that...