Cable wants CRTC to stop CTV campaign

Well, the fighting and bickering continue between CTV and the cable companies. Now cable is demanding that the CRTC bring CTV’s multi-media campaign to an end. Later on in the story, it notes that the CRTC has signalled it wants the two sides to go to a mediator to resolve the argument over carriage fees [...]

More bloggers being sued for defamation

The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of  lawsuits filed against US bloggers has jumped from 12 in 2003 to 106 in 2007. Bloggers take note: New Media is subject to the same laws as MSM, including defamation and copyright. Also note this is a US article; in Canada we don’t have shield laws [...]

CTV launches multi media campaign for carriage fees

Under the banner “save local tv”, CTV has launched an ad campaign and website (link below) to further its argument that over-the-air broadcasters (primarily it and Global) be allowed to charge the same fee to cable and satellite subscribers that the specialty, digital channels charge, like TSN and Discovery. This would level the playing field [...]

Quebecor folds Canoe into Sun papers

Quebecor announced today in a news release replete with corporate jargon that Canoe is moving into the Sun newspaper chain. From this will emerge synergies, multidisciplinary teams, launching from multiple platforms and so on. I wish they just admitted they had a bad model and are working to fix it. As for launching from multiple [...]

MSM fall for Wikipedia hoax

An Irish student put a phony quote in  Wikipedia obit on Oscar-winning composer Maurice Jaure to see if any MSM would use it. They did in droves and most (but not all) have apologized. The point? To reinforce the notion that MSM and the blogosphere should check the facts before logging on to one site [...]

Another option for CanWest

The Aspers are apparently in talks with three groups of investors, who would solve CanWest’s debt problems for an equity share in the company (which means the Aspers would bring in the investors as partners.) And an Australian group would take its Australian net off CanWest’s hands, but likely at a vulture price. One of [...]

A legal take on Twittering in court

The Law Times has an interesting take, very supportive, on the recent Ottawa decision to allow blogging and twittering during a trial in Ottawa (as well as a link to the site that will allow you to follow the reporters’ comments.) Apparently the privilege is not just for journalists; any observer can join in, though [...]

Victoria Times Colonist suspends summer Monday editions

The TC announced Saturday it is suspending its summer Monday editions effective June 22, following the lead of the National Post. In a related manner, CanWest’s debtors and bondholders have given CanWest another extension on its debt, I believe till May 22, as all parties try to figure out how to get their debts paid [...]

NY Times hikes price, whacks union

The daily copy of the New York Times has gone up one third, to US$2, in an effort to offset ad losses. Hmmm, paying for content; what a radical notion. Expect to see this coming to Canada soon, particularly by CanWest and the Sun chain.
Subscriptions/single copy sales have traditionally been a money loser. The main [...]

New media allowed in courtroom, with conditions

Reporters won the right in an Ottawa trial to blog and text during the trial of the Ottawa mayor accused of influence peddling (he has pleaded not guilty and the trial goes before a judge only.) The judge accepted the media’s arguments that it’s not much different than a reporter leaving a trial to phone [...]