Since that time two companies, the station appeared to be sold for $1, first to Shaw Communications and next to Bluepoint Investments, but in both cases the deals fell through which will result in the station shutting down tonight.
In the first case, it appears Shaw was never serious about buying the station and only made a tongue in cheek offer during CRTC meetings in early July. The second offer, which collapsed last night, did not proceed after Bluepoint learned that Canada’s satellite TV companies weren’t willing to carry the station’s signal.
“I have talked with Alan Cruise, the general manager of CKX-TV Brandon, and we agreed it was in the best interest of everyone, including the employees, to get on with life, close immediately and pay out severances.” said Ivan Fecan, chief executive of CTV Inc. He went on to say the station would shut down following Friday’s supper-hour newscast.
The station employed 39 people.
| CRTC finds Rogers guilty in Super Channel dispute |
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| Monday, 21 September 2009 |
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 In a broadcasting decision handed last Friday, the CRTC has found Rogers Cable guilty of failing to promote Allarco Entertainment's Super Channel in a manner comparable to Super Channels chief rival in Eastern Canada, The Movie Network (TMN).
The federal regulator ruled that Rogers had violated section 9 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations which is supposed to prevent cable and satellite companies from exclusively marketing one competing station over anyone.
The purpose of section 9 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations is an attempt by the CRTC to stop cable and satellite company's from getting into backroom deals that would lead to the cable or satellite station marketing one station or another.
The Commission finds that Rogers has subjected Allarco to a disadvantage, first, by not including Super Channel in its VIP Ultimate with Movies package or in any other similar package, and second, through the significantly lesser marketing efforts used by its CSRs to promote Super Channel as compared to those used to promote TMN/HBO Canada/MoviePix. In the Commission’s view, Rogers’ conduct falls short of affording Super Channel comparable distribution. |
Broadcaster, 9/18/2009
CRTC to Hold Public Hearing on Local TV
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will consult the public on the implications of implementing a compensation regime for the value of local television signals, further to a request from the Government of Canada.
The CRTC will conduct a public hearing on this matter in December 2009, during which it will take into account:
- The impact of a compensation regime on consumers, and in particular,
its impact on affordable access to a variety of local and regional
news, information and public affairs programming.
- How the application of such a regime would impact the various
components of the communications industry as it adapts to the new
digital environment, and in particular, the implications on current
and emerging business models.
In accordance with section 15 of the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC will submit a report to the government after the conclusion of the public hearing.
Further details on the December hearing will be made available shortly.
Local TV News Under Seige - Journalists Discuss the Issues
Across Canada local television stations today face harsh economic realities. Stations are going dark, others are on life support, and still others are moving their news programs to new times and experimenting with new formats to try to keep their audiences. Local TV news is the heartbeat of most communities, reporting what matters to local residents and businesses. A panel of leading TV managers, anchors and reporters will debate the crisis facing local television news.
This candid discussion of the issues facing television journalists takes place on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Ryerson University, 80 Gould Street, Room RCC 204 .
THE PANEL:
*Adrian Bateman - Managing Editor, CTV Windsor
*Farah Nasser - Anchor/Reporter, CITY
*Sophia Hadzipetros - Managing Editor, CBC Toronto
*Mike Katrycz - News Director, CHCH Hamilton
The moderator for the evening will be Omar Sachedina, Anchor/Reporter at CP24.
The event is presented by RTNDA Canada and Ryerson School of Journalism. with special thanks to the Broadcast Educators Association of Canada.
Across Canada local television stations today face harsh economic realities. Stations are going dark, others are on life support, and still others are moving their news programs to new times and experimenting with new formats to try to keep their audiences. Local TV news is the heartbeat of most communities, reporting what matters to local residents and businesses. A panel of leading TV managers, anchors and reporters will debate the crisis facing local television news.
This candid discussion of the issues facing television journalists takes place on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Ryerson University, 80 Gould Street, Room RCC 204 .
THE PANEL:
*Adrian Bateman - Managing Editor, CTV Windsor
*Farah Nasser - Anchor/Reporter, CITY
*Sophia Hadzipetros - Managing Editor, CBC Toronto
*Mike Katrycz - News Director, CHCH Hamilton
The moderator for the evening will be Omar Sachedina, Anchor/Reporter at CP24.
Broadcaster, 9/4/2009
CHEK-TV Saved From Closing
Employees at Victoria, B.C.-based CHEK-TV secured an eleventh-hour deal to buy the local TV station. CHEK-TV, which launched on air in 1956, was set to be closed Monday.
Following marathon negotiations, the employees and a group of investors bought CHEK-TV for an undisclosed nominal price, Canwest Global indicated.
"Many dedicated individuals on both sides of the table came together and the result is that it has preserved jobs and service in the community," Canwest Global president and CEO Leonard Asper said.
"One week ago, we thought that this station was going to close and today we have a result that is beneficial for all parties," he added in a statement.
Canwest Global is to provide leased space and support services to ensure a smooth transition for CHEK-TV as the employees and investors group secure regulatory approval to assume the broadcast license.
The current broadcast license expired on August 31, and negotiations between CHEK-TV investors group and Canwest Global went into overtime as the current owner sought to ensure the employees could finance the purchase and succeed on their own.
The employee-driven bid for CHEK-TV included around $2.5 million raised to secure new programming and run the local TV station after Canwest Global stepped away.
Ontario Women’s Conference Report 2009 - Jacqueline McIntosh
On April 26th to 28th The Eight Biennial Ontario Region Women’s Conference was held at the Deerhurst Resort. The theme this year was Taking Strides, Organizing For Change.
The conference was opened with the Ontario Women’s committee members quickly discussing some of the work and campaigns they have been working on since the last conference. It was a pleasure to see such a large number of women at this conference. The most to attend since the conference began in over 17 years.
It was wonderful to have the first guest speaker of the conference the newly elected NDP leader Andrea Horwath. She provided words of wisdom for the women when they decide to become active in their community, municipal council and political parties. She urged women to continue the ongoing fight to ensure issues such as child care and violence against women. So that this would get the attention of the governments which it deserves.
Each delegate was asked to choose one of the four workshops that were offered: Getting Our Message Out, Accommodating Members, Organize and Helping Workers Adjust in Difficult Times.
I had the pleasure of taking The Organizing and Helping Workers Workshop. It shows how needed this workshop is during this time in our country and throughout the world.
Statistics show that marginalized women, women of colour and new Canadians are workers who deserve respect and rights at a workplace. National Representative Josephine Petcher did an introduction to organizational issues in the workplace.
We also covered in the one day workshop how CEP has an organizing model and the 10 key elements you have to have for it to be successful.
The four different phases of an organizing campaign
Beginning a campaign/Choosing targets
Campaign planning
Benchmarks
Conducting a probe
Forming an Organizing committee
The role of the committee
All of the workshops were timely especially the labour adjustment workshop. With all of the recent downsizing, closures and surplus staff affecting members, the delegates found this very informative.
The first part of the course was taught by Pam Frache, OFL Education Director. She conducted an open discussion on adjustment strategies for laid off workers. As we are the initial support for our members, the group talked about the importance of assisting our members through the signs of layoff or plant closures. Members were also helped to navigate through the bureaucracy of EI.
Adjustments Committees and Action Centres take on a variety of tasks to assist affected members from dealing with the emotional effects of layoffs, knowing their options, resume writing, interview skills, searching for jobs and information on retraining and financial counselling. These centres can bring in outside services, organize community wide strategic planning and connect with other local groups.
Discussion of how the costs of these centres are shared with the groups involved and the Adjustment Advisory Program of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and University. Also, how language bargained into contracts can improve and expedite a centres creation. As well as how peer staffing can be a successful factor in adjustment committees.
The second part of the course was taught by Trish Blackstaffe, commissioner at the Canada Employment Insurance Commission. In this portion, we had an open discussion on the timelines, qualification, responsibilities, durations, benefit rates and problems with the Canadian Employment Insurance system. The group discussed EI provisions around Work Share programs and negotiating agreements with employers to prevent layoffs and plant closures.
Members of the workshop were in the process of facing layoffs and relocation. The pertinent information provided in this workshop along with the sharing of knowledge and experiences were timely. The group left feeling more informed, confident and supported with the assistance provided through the workshop when going through a job loss.
Our very own Karlene Nation once again stole the show giving delegates a brief introduction to a successful public speaking workshop. Rosemary Bahr, Editor of CALM provided the delegates with information of how to get the message out to the media. Also, ways to ensure the information gets the attention of both the print and broadcast media outlets.
On Tuesday April 28th the Day of Mourning was recognized with tributes to those workers injured or killed on the job. Delegates read poems honouring workers which were followed by a moment of silence. Bouquets “forget them-nots” were placed on the tables recognizing that we need to mourn for the dead and fight for the living, as all workers have a right to a safe workplace.
At all women’s conference’s, a raffle is held in support of a women’s shelter. Over two hundred gifts were raffled raising $2096.00. Thanks to the Ontario Region, many locals, employers, committee members and staff for their help. The Ontario Region matched that amount for a total donation of $4192.00 which was given to Community House in London, Ontario.
This conference was informative, empowering and a terrific experience that I and all the delegates won’t forget.
Total Solidarity,
Jacqueline McIntosh
Online Petition Calls For End of CRTC
A petition calling for the dissolution of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, says the regulator has become a burden on the Canadian public, and should be replaced with a new regulator.
The original online petition, at dissolvethecrtc.ca, was started by Mike Lerner, a 23-year-old Ottawa software company employee, who says he's frustrated by a decision to allow Bell Canada to institute usage-based billing on its wholesale Internet customers.
The petition reads, in part:
"The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunicatins Commission was created for the purpose of ensuring broadcasting and telecommunications systems serve the Canadian public and ensure that Canadians have a wide variety of options to create and view works of media or communicate across the country and the entire world. We, the undersigned, believe that the CRTC has become a burden on the Canadian public and are failing to perform their duties in the interest of the Canadian public and that of a fair and unbiased telecom policy."
A spokesperson for the CRTC declined to comment on the petition.
The petition has more than 2,500 signatures at last count. Lerner intends to deliver the petition to Heritage Minister James Moore, who is responsible for the CRTC, if it reaches 10,000 signatures.
The CRTC has come under fire from many sides recently, including consumers and providers of media services.
Television providers like Bell and Rogers, for example, have encouraged consumers to express their anger to the CRTC over a 1.5-per-cent increase in their bills, set to take effect on Sept. 1. The new charge is inteneded to help broadcasters pay for local programming in small communities.
The Commission stated that on average, subscribers paid $3.57 more per month in 2008, an increase of 7.2% over the previous year. It said the increase can be explained by higher monthly fees, a greater consumption of pay and pay-per-view services, and consumers upgrading to digital or high-definition television services.
The CRTC has recently reported that revenues from Internet services increased by 9.4%, growing from $5.7 billion in 2007 to $6.2 billion in 2008. In 2008, the number of residential Internet subscribers increased by 5.6% to 9.8 million, or 74% of all Canadian households.
The CRTC notes that the majority of Canadians favoured faster Internet services, as 52% of all households subscribed to a broadband service that offered speeds of at least 1.5 megabits per second.
Teachers' to Purchase CTVglobemedia Stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Erol Uzumeri, Senior Vice-President, Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment department of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, today announced Teachers' agreement with CTVglobemedia
Inc. to purchase the multimedia company's remaining 7.7% stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
This will boost Teachers' ownership in MLSE to 66%. "MLSE has proven
itself an excellent investment for us over the years," said Mr. Uzumeri, who
noted that Teachers' acquired its initial interest in the company in 1994.
"Our increased investment in MLSE reflects our confidence in the
organization's long term success on and off the field of play."
Commenting on the sale, Ivan Fecan, President and Chief Executive
Officer, CTVglobemedia Inc. and Chief Executive Officer, CTV Inc. said, "CTV wishes to thank MLSE for driving the growth of the company and helping us exit profitably. The time is right for us to exit and redeploy the proceeds from this sale to pay down debt."
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Closing will occur once league approvals have been obtained.
Lawrence M. Tanenbaum, the President of Kilmer Sports Inc. and Chairman of MLSE, continues to be the second largest shareholder of MLSE with a 20.5% stake. Mr. Tanenbaum purchased the first half of CTVglobemedia Inc.'s former ownership position in a transaction that closed earlier this year.
In February of this year, CTV Television Inc. said it had put CKX-TV in Brandon up for sale and that it would close the station at the end of August if a buyer couldn’t be found by the end of March.
