Convention, CRTC and Telecom News In Brief

The Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) 2018 Convention wrapped up Tuesday night in Vancouver with the annual awards gala. Recognized this year was retired Global BC Technical Services manager Phil Keeling (Retirement Award); Stu Buck, Senior Director of Broadcast Systems, DTS, Inc. (Ambassador Award); and Marco Auriti, Chief Engineer at Touch Canada Broadcasting LP in Edmonton (Spirit Award). The event was emceed by JRfm (CJJR-FM) Vancouver morning co-hosts Clay St. Thomas and Karen Daniels. Next year’s convention is set to take place in Calgary.

James Cridland, Sherry O’Neil, Chris Pearson, and Troy ReebThe Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) Connection/18 Conference happens Nov. 8. Among this year’s highlights, radio futurologist James Cridland will moderate a panel entitled “Is Canadian radio fit for the future?” with panelists Sherry O’Neil, director, cairns oneil strategic media inc.; Chris Pearson, president, Acadia Broadcasting Limited; Geoff Poulton, president, Vista Radio; Troy Reeb, SVP, News, Radio & Station Operations, Corus Entertainment; and Susan Wheeler, VP, Regulatory Media, Rogers. Find the full conference schedule here.

The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel has decided to extend the deadline for submissions to its Call for Comments until Jan. 11. Find more info here.

The CRTC Communications Monitoring Report for 2018 has been released revealing that the average monthly wireless bill in Canada is $70.11. Based on the prices of basic television, basic wireline telephone, internet and wireless (unlimited voice & SMS and 5GB of data) the average, nationwide monthly reported price for the four services combined in 2017 was an average of $207 – 1.6 per cent lower than in 2016. The report says the decrease is attributable mainly to lower average prices for mobile services (specifically, plans that include unlimited voice and SMS, and 5GB of data) across Canada as well as lower internet service prices in the North. Across Canada, except in the Atlantic provinces, average prices decreased slightly or remained constant from 2016 to 2017. The most notable decrease was in the North, where average combined prices decreased by 16 per cent. In the Atlantic provinces, the average combined price increases were largely attributable to a number of providers now offering internet service at minimum speeds higher than 25/3 Mbps, thereby raising the reported price of services meeting these speeds. Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan continued to report the lowest average combined prices. Average combined prices in urban centres ranged from $161 in Quebec to $265 in the North.

BCE Inc. has released its Q3 financial results reporting 3.2 per cent growth in consolidated revenue; 2.2 per cent higher adjusted EBITDA and net additions of 266,000 total broadband wireless, Internet and IPTV subscribers, an increase of 41.5 per cent. Total wireless net additions amounted to 178,000, with growth in wireless revenue of 5.9 per cent and 4.5 per cent in adjusted EBITDA. Broadband Internet and IPTV market share grew with 88,000 net additions, up 8.7 per cent. Wireline revenue growth accelerated to 1.9 per cent on improved organic residential and business top-line results. Net earnings grew two per cent to $867 million; net earnings attributable to common shareholders increased 1.4 per cent to $814 million, or $0.90 per common share; adjusted net earnings of $861 million were up 4.5 per cent, driving a 5.5 per cent increase in adjusted EPS to $0.96.

TVA Group recorded net income attributable to shareholders in the amount of $14.0 million or $0.32 per share in the third quarter of 2018, compared with a net loss attributable to shareholders of $15.3 million or a loss of $0.35 per share in the same quarter of 2017. Third quarter operating highlights included $16,710,000 adjusted EBITDA in the Broadcasting & Production segment representing an unfavourable variance of $3,192,000 due primarily to a 30 per cent decrease in TVA Network’s adjusted EBITDA and an 11 per cent decrease in the adjusted EBITDA of the specialty channels. The company recorded $8,531,000 adjusted EBITDA in the Film Production & Audiovisual Services segment representing an unfavourable variance of $1,313,000 due to lower soundstage and equipment rentals and visual effects. That was partially offset by increased post-production profitability and the addition of mobile unit rental activities. TVA Group’s market share was up 1.0 points year-over-year, largely because of the strong performance of its specialty channels, particularly LCN, which gained 0.7 points.

Xplore Mobile has introduced “Rollover” in Manitoba, allowing customers to rollover their unused data from the previous month. The wireless division of New Brunswick-based Xplornet Communications recently launched by welcoming about 20,000 mobile customers transferred from Bell MTS, as a result of an agreement with the Competition Bureau. Xplore Mobile will start welcoming new customers on Nov. 14. Three Xplore Mobile retail locations in Winnipeg and Brandon are now open, with three more opening this week.

CBC/Radio-Canada has shared its latest Environmental Performance Report, highlighting the public broadcaster’s “green” scorecard covering the period from April 2017 to March 2018. The latest report marks the 10th anniversary of CBC/Radio-Canada environmental reporting. The public broadcaster says over the past decade, it’s recycled 1,450.2 metric tonnes of e-waste and 926.8 metric tonnes of scrap metal; decreased air emissions by 45.5 per cent; and reduced carbon dioxide emissions in fleet vehicles by 35.3 per cent, equivalent to 1,164 passenger vehicles driven for one year. The report is available online at cbc.radio-canada.ca/green.

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