Topic 'Re: And now a message from our dark overlords' in forum 'Canadian Broadband' - dslreports.com

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:50:58 EDT

anon posted : The weather must be a bit too warm for Mirko's golfing. I am kinda of surprised that his little black book would have an open spot.

>Maybe Mirko will state they will create 500 million jobs
So every person in Canada regardless of age will get 16+ unpaid intern "jobs"(TM) working for ~~BCE~~ BHell past eternity as a punishment for their sins.

Take my money now! Where do I sign up? :P

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:51:33 EDT

anon posted : Blog post at the Montreal Gazette by their techno-writer:

Guy can never get an interview with Bell about anything. All of a Bell calls him out of the blue to set up an interview w/ the regulatory VP. They want to get the message out that Bell is great and how this deal will be the best thing since sliced bread for Canada.

Bell getting nervous about Astral opposition
»blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/0···osition/

Today, newspaper sites around the country have been buzzing with news about a new proposal by Bell to put up an $80 million fund.

But this fund was announced way back in April, when Bell first announced its intention to purchase Astral Media for $3.4 billion.

Why are we re-hearing about this now?

Well, it seems the country’s largest telecom company, and the largest media company is getting a bit hot under the collar as opposition gathers to its proposed purchase, which will be the subject of hearings in Montreal next month.

Today, the company issued a press release to re-announce the $80 million fund, which in Bell’s defence received scant coverage by the media when the Astral deal was announced.

How nervous is Bell about this new opposition campaign? To give you an idea, as a reporter I often have difficulty even reaching the company’s PR spokesperson with a question. When I do, I often just get a carefully crafted paragraph with the company’s official position emailed to me just in time for deadline, and no occasion to actually interview a human being.

Yesterday for the first time I can remember, a PR agent for Bell called me minutes after my web story was posted and offered me an interview with one of the company’s top executives – regulatory affairs VP Mirko Bibic.

With a new CRTC chairman at the helm, and an increasingly hostile dialogue building between Bell and its competitors, it should make for excellent theatre at the CRTC hearings.

lol too funny. can't wait to see what Bell has to spew in this interview.

Maybe Mirko will state they will create 500 million jobs, donate a billion dollars to charity, send each person in Canada a voucher for 2$ off their Bell internet (sent just before the 5$ price increase), and the economy will never again hit a depreesion. But only if Bell can buy Astral.

Can't wait to see the giggles.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 20:34:17 EDT

anon posted : They are about the only ones. But it's no longer the same people there. That Anthony guy from the Consumers Union made some following, but the new person who replaced him? Haven't even seen them say/do much, or anything.

That Anthony guy had a passion for this stuff. The current person seems M.I.A.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:40:17 EDT

anon posted : >In Quebec it barely got any french coverage at all.
>No heavy swingers in French QC.

»www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story···bec.html
>Bell Canada Inc. is facing another challenge to its internet throttling practices as Quebec's consumer watchdog, L'Union des consommateurs, has filed a class-action lawsuit against the company.

Surely that L'Union des consommateurs would make some local news and lobbying?

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 08:12:01 EDT

anon posted : I'll disagree a bit with that. In English Canada a few years back the copyright thing and the throttling thing was a big thing. You had some big names writing about it and all english media.

In Quebec it barely got any french coverage at all. And only a few months after the fact. Even the english media made note of this and wrote of this. Even Geists website makes note of this. Even the videotron forum here reflects this.

I can see a couple (Bell videotron cogeco) writing the laws of the land. No heavy swingers in French QC.

Would it be better? It could. But I don't see it happening with the money they have versus no information to the french public.
English Canada versus French Canada is night and day on these matters and in regards to public information.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:45:45 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by PQ Depot :

PQ also promised to get their own CRTC if they get elected.

Scarey stuff.

What ?

QRTC ?

Why not ?!

It might set a better example for the original one !

One thing on which I think we can agree :

Yes, Quebec does some things differently, but they DO look out for their consumers' rights better than any other province.

And that has happened regardless of WHICH party formed the gov't.

Kinda makes me a bit homesick.

--

We have only 2 things about which to worry :
(1) That things may never get back to normal
(2) That they already HAVE !
-
START Forum »Start Communications
Or you can still use Canadian Broadband.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 20:35:37 EDT

anon posted : PQ will fight Bell's $3.38B purchase of Astral Media
»www.montrealgazette.com/news/wil···ory.html

This should be no surprise to anyone. Reminds me of when the PQ came out swinging in favour of Videotrons vision of copyright reform a couple of years ago.

We know who funds who.

PQ also promised to get their own CRTC if they get elected.

Scarey stuff.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 22:50:13 EDT

InvalidError posted :

said by anakin:

My guess is they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Corruption is everywhere in this country.

One of the conditions to the purchase is regulated rates for Bell's new acquisitions. Depending on how the CRTC sets those rates, the rate hike panic may turn out to be baseless.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 21:13:28 EDT

CanadianRip posted :

said by anakin:

You're assuming they (the CRTC) lacked foresight. My guess is they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Corruption is everywhere in this country.

True but if you push with that kind of statement you will quickly be ignored and marginalized. If you come at it from the perspective of giving them the benefit of the doubt. You now force to rationalize their position, rather than simply dancing around your baseless conjecture.

The DSLR community would be far better served by avoid the issue operating and thinking that the CRTC is working in the public interest and policy direction. It's only when you force yourself to think in that manner that you can anticipate their potential responses (excuses) for fucking it up so bad.

Once you know how they will likely respond you can have follow-up questions ready to demonstrate how inept they are.

For example, my history is foggy on this is spotty but I believe at one point one of the major telegraph operator owned a newspaper and the telegraphs necessary to transmit storey's from news bureaus. It was soon discovered that allowing them to own both content and distribution was a dangerous monopoly that had criminal elements to it. All the way to fixing elections.

Now one could pose the question, that of course the CRTC having done its due diligence had already reviewed this historic AntiTrust case since it was so relevant, and is avoiding the same fate by using "X" preventative measures.

The more likely response is, "what are you talking about, we're not familiar with this". In which case you get to educate them on one of Histories most relevant monopolies and the damage it did to society. Repeating itself almost exactly 100 years later.


Although I responded directly to a person, this is a common sentiment and the response is more of a general one to anyone writing into the CRTC with this type of sentiment

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:31:32 EDT

anon posted : Yeah. The CRTC always have the mind set that "Bigger is Better" and only the 'Big Guys" would invest. The smaller players are only there as an illusion that they are "doing their jobs" and there are "Competitions" in the "Free market".

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:05:05 EDT

elwoodblues posted : TVA, owned by QMI, does quite well on its own in Quebec, they're threatened by a larger bell, so yeah its self preservation, the rest, sour grapes for not locking up content in the first place.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:57:34 EDT

travisc posted : This is all sour grapes, because the complainers don't have enough content to be part of the "I screw you, you screw me, we all screw the customer" game played by Bell, Rogers and Shaw.

It's important to note that Rogers and Shaw aren't complaining about the Astral purchase, because they are very much part of this game. The game involves these three major players agreeing to significant wholesale rate increases for the channels each of them own, knowing that it all falls out in the wash for their bottom line. Rogers will pay more for TMN, but will charge Bell more for Sportsnet and their other content. Shaw will do the same. Each side happily signs the contracts. This leads to companies like Telus, Cogeco and independent cable companies being faced with large increases and being told that the increases are market rate, because (choose two) Bell, Rogers and Shaw signed on. Not having enough valuable content of their own, the smaller companies are forced to sign on with no help from the CRTC and the customer takes it in the ass. This just happened with the binding arbitration between Bell and whatever the group of smaller providers called themselves.

We all lose in the end. Cogeco, Videotron and the rest of them surely don't have pure motivations, but at least the result of what they're trying protects us in some small way.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 09:17:21 EDT

dillyhammer posted :

said by anakin
You're assuming they (the CRTC) lacked foresight. My guess is they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Corruption is everywhere in this country.
[/BQUOTE :

+1

Mike
--
Cogeco - The New UBB Devil -»[Burloak] Usage Based Billing Nightmare
Make The Switch - »openmedia.ca/switch

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:34:53 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by anakin:

You're assuming they (the CRTC) lacked foresight. My guess is they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Corruption is everywhere in this country.

+1 :huh:

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:16:03 EDT

anakin posted :

said by CanadianRip:

How the CRTC allowed the CTV acquisition in the first place, without seeing the glaring conflicts of interest just demonstrates what a lack of foresight they have.

You're assuming they (the CRTC) lacked foresight. My guess is they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Corruption is everywhere in this country.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:33:36 EDT

CanadianRip posted : The first mistake was to let Bell own ANY channels. They're making this mistake across the border by letting ComCast own Content as well.

How the CRTC allowed the CTV acquisition in the first place, without seeing the glaring conflicts of interest just demonstrates what a lack of foresight they have.

Don't hold your breath if you're waiting for them to admit to the massive blunder.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:41:45 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by milnoc:

They hypocrisy behind all of this is simply hilarious! :D

It could completely change the meaning of that old soul song 'What is Hyp' [What is Hip - Tower of Power - 1970's]

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:00:25 EDT

milnoc posted : They hypocrisy behind all of this is simply hilarious! :D

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:27:16 EDT

El Quintron posted :

said by Davesnothere:

But my Ferengi senses were tingling at the opportunity to use the 'dagger' line, and I simply couldn't resist.

I know what you're saying... I figured out a clever comparison yesterday and I've been dying to use it.
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Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:14:44 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by El Quintron:

....I was implying that they're always screwing us anyways....

:p

Yes, absolutely.

Though since my switching to START cable, Cogeco only has the head in. :o

But my Ferengi senses were tingling at the opportunity to use the 'dagger' line, and I simply couldn't resist.

Sometimes, I think up stuff ahead, and wait for the moment of optimum impact.

But that one just popped into one of my cortexes, and begged me to say it ! :D

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:18:16 EDT

El Quintron posted :

said by Davesnothere:

The only trouble is that they are fighting over the dagger which will eventually spill OUR financial blood and spell OUR demise ! :o :huh:

True dat! The point was simply that while they're busy screwing each other they're not screwing us. I was implying that they're always screwing us anyways....

:p
--
Support Bacteria -- It's the Only Culture Some People Have

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:15:18 EDT

Davesnothere posted :

said by El Quintron:

said by HeadSpinning:

Oh, I agree that their motivations are NOT what they say, and they're against consolidation simply because they're not the ones doing it.

Not withstanding that, Bell will be in a position to drive up per end subscriber charges for ALL players, the difference being is that THEY get to keep the money when a subscriber is on Bell OR Cogeco OR Eastlink OR XYZ independent cableco.

Basically, it will become less important to Bell who you buy your TV from - they profit regardless.

Very well said,

I'd also argue it's much better that they're at ~~their own~~ each other's throats rather than mine for a change.

I agree with both of you.

The only trouble is that they are fighting over the dagger which will eventually spill OUR financial blood and spell OUR demise ! :o :huh:

--

We have only 2 things about which to worry :
(1) That things may never get back to normal
(2) That they already HAVE !

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:08:12 EDT

anon posted : El Quintron, We're next :/

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:00:42 EDT

El Quintron posted :

said by HeadSpinning:

Oh, I agree that their motivations are NOT what they say, and they're against consolidation simply because they're not the ones doing it.

Not withstanding that, Bell will be in a position to drive up per end subscriber charges for ALL players, the difference being is that THEY get to keep the money when a subscriber is on Bell OR Cogeco OR Eastlink OR XYZ independent cableco.

Basically, it will become less important to Bell who you buy your TV from - they profit regardless.

Very well said,

I'd also argue it's much better that they're at their own throats rather than mine for a change.
--
Support Bacteria -- It's the Only Culture Some People Have

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:15:16 EDT

IamGimli posted :

said by HeadSpinning:

Oh, I agree that their motivations are NOT what they say, and they're against consolidation simply because they're not the ones doing it.

Actually, PK Peladeau is one of the ones doing it. He's just not as successful at it as Bell.

His Quebecor Inc. company owns Videotron (internet service, cable TV distribution, wireless phone, movie rental/distribution), Sun Media, Sun News, QMI Media, TVA (one of the two main private TV networks in Quebec), TVA Publications (70 magazines), Musicor (record production company), Distribution Select (record distribution company), Archambault (record retail and web store), 16 book editing and distribution companies, CEC, the largest editor of school books in Quebec.

Plus they have plans to buy an NHL team and establish their own, new, sports TV channel.

BTW none of this, except the French newspaper/magazine business, was actually built by Quebecor. PKP has just preyed on successful Quebec companies, brought them to their knees by organizing deliberate attacks against them, only to buy them off at their lowest and gutting them of what made them successful to begin with only to keep their well-respected name.

In other words, he's trying to be Bell. Except Bell is better at it than he is.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 09:24:50 EDT

anon posted :

said by HeadSpinning:

Bell will be in a position to drive up per end subscriber charges for ALL players, the difference being is that THEY get to keep the money when a subscriber is on Bell OR Cogeco OR Eastlink OR XYZ independent cableco.

Basically, it will become less important to Bell who you buy your TV from - they profit regardless.

You explained it well.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 08:36:24 EDT

HeadSpinning posted : Oh, I agree that their motivations are NOT what they say, and they're against consolidation simply because they're not the ones doing it.

Not withstanding that, Bell will be in a position to drive up per end subscriber charges for ALL players, the difference being is that THEY get to keep the money when a subscriber is on Bell OR Cogeco OR Eastlink OR XYZ independent cableco.

Basically, it will become less important to Bell who you buy your TV from - they profit regardless.
--
MNSi Internet - »www.mnsi.net

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:10:15 EDT

anon posted : Their purpose, if you read it, is not the Canadian public like the websites pretends to be about. It's about their million dollar shareholders.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:12:19 EDT

plebel posted : They're definitely out to protect their own interests rather than those of the consumer. Nevertheless, they're correct about the extent of media concentration in this country. One thing that would go a long way to resolving this problem is the separation of delivery and content providers. Structural separation has been discussed many times on these forums. Unfortunately the government and the CRTC don't seem to see any problem with the way things are going. I was going to suggest this in the SayNoToBell online petition, however it won't allow any editing of the message. That's sneaky. I suppose they want to control the message to better suit their purposes. I'll write my own message, thank you very much.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:21:53 EDT

The Doctor posted : The message as merit but they are not doing it to protect us.
If its allowed it will cause all these cableCo's to actually try to compete and they fear that like the plague.

Bell should not be given this much power over content but that ship as sailed long ago.

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:04:58 EDT

HeadSpinning posted :

said by Ahh droool :

Pierre! Think you can lower my bill by 30$? oh.. oh yeah, I forgot. You are the only cable provider and have a monopoly control in Quebec. Silly me...

Are these people really ones to talk?

They're not exactly shining examples of competitive forces at work, but the message still has merit.
--
MNSi Internet - »www.mnsi.net

Re: And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:34:24 EDT

anon posted : So this is a CableCo "Spy vs Spy" website... Rogers is not on the list.

Not sure who the actual good guy(s) are as they are all corporations that milk Canadians.

And now a message from our dark overlords

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:13:28 EDT

anon posted : New Corporate Canadian website!

»www.SayNoToBell.ca

Brought to you by:

Louis Audet
President and CEO
Cogeco Cable Inc.

Lee Bragg
CEO
Eastlink

Pierre Karl Péladeau
President and CEO
Quebecor Inc.

I find it funny that Pierre Karl Péladeau is giving me this warning as I pay more than anyone else in Canada for shitty cable service:
WARNING: Letting one company control so much TV programming in Canada could be dangerous to your wallet. Click here to find out how.

Pierre! Think you can lower my bill by 30$? oh.. oh yeah, I forgot. You are the only cable provider and have a monopoly control in Quebec. Silly me...

Are these people really ones to talk?