TORONTO – Corus Entertainment today eliminated 83 positions as part of an overhaul of its content and television division which will see producer Nelvana folded into the television division and a new lifestyle, drama and movies group is created.
This morning’s release sets out the changes as follows
* Nelvana Studios will be folded into the Corus Television division
* Nelvana Enterprises, a separate business unit that will focus on leveraging Corus’ intellectual property internationally, will be created.
* A new lifestyle, drama and movies portfolio for the Television division highlighted by the amalgamation of Movie Central, W Network, CMT and SCREAM into one integrated portfolio.
* Movie Central’s operations will be moved from Edmonton to Corus’ Toronto broadcast centre
“In an evolving world of new content delivery options, this new structure allows us to strengthen our connection with our audiences across all platforms while delivering on our company’s strategies and business objectives,” said John Cassaday, president and CEO, in a press release.
Through Treehouse, YTV, TELETOON, Discovery Kids Canada, Nelvana and Kids Can Press, Corus Entertainment is Canada’s largest broadcaster and content creator for kids. “Today’s kids are far more media and tech savvy than previous generations and are demanding the content they want on the platforms they choose,” added Cassaday. “With a more integrated approach Corus can build its renowned brands and invest in more new media initiatives like Treehouse On Demand, TreehouseDirect and our top-ranked kids entertainment sites, YTV.com and teletoon.com.”
Nelvana Studios will be integrated into the new Kids portfolio. Scott Dyer becomes executive vice president, general manager, kids, reporting to Paul Robertson, President, Corus Television. Dyer had been EVP production and development for Nelvana. He will now be responsible for overseeing YTV, Treehouse, Discovery Kids Canada, and Nelvana Studios.
This move focuses development activity, ensuring that Corus is creating content that meets the programming needs of its broadcast networks. The new structure will also maximize new platform efforts, an increasingly important segment of the kids portfolio, and create brands with outstanding international potential. In his new role, Dyer will also be the Corus conduit to programming executives at Teletoon, and Nelvana Studios will continue to provide content to meet that network’s unique needs, says the press release.
Nelvana Enterprises will focus on broadcast sales, new platform opportunities and consumer products licensing for all Corus brands internationally. Doug Murphy becomes president, Nelvana Enterprises, reporting to John Cassaday. He had been EVP business development for Nelvana. Murphy’s new division will focus on creating international opportunities for Corus, including new networks, new distribution platforms and new partnerships.
“Recent deals such as our video on demand services with Comcast U.S. and British Telecommunications, and the Corus partnership with NBC, Ion, Scholastic and Classic Media to launch the new U.S. kids network Qubo, are excellent examples of the value of our content in international markets,” said Cassaday. Nelvana Enterprises will operate out of Toronto, Paris and Shannon, closing its offices in the U.K. and Los Angeles.
Susan Ross becomes EVP and GM of the lifestyle, drama and movies portfolio. Reporting to Robertson, Ross, who was EVP of Corus specialty channels, will be responsible for Movie Central, W Network, CMT and Scream. “Creating a new lifestyle, drama and movies portfolio allows Corus to maximize program buying efficiencies across these high-growth assets and focus on integrated strategies for movie acquisitions and investments, as well as website and other new platform plans, including SVOD, VOD and high-definition rollouts,” said Robertson.
Andrew Eddy, currently VP and GM, Movie Central, takes on the role of VP, program strategy and investment. Reporting to Ross on Movie Central programming, Eddy will also report to Robertson and be responsible for equity film investments, programming operations, industry relations and special projects.
Movie Central will, of course, continue to be the western pay TV provider but based in Toronto. “Consolidating our management and operational teams into one location ensures a more integrated and cost-efficient means of achieving our strategic objectives,” said Robertson.
All appointments are effective today. "Corus expects all changes resulting from the new organizational structure to be completed by January 2007. The Company confirmed that 83 jobs will be eliminated as a result of the new organizational structure," adds the press release.
