OTTAWA – It took three years to produce and then five months to decide that the Senate Committee’s Final Report on Canadian News Media will, in essence, be shelved.
As reported in June by Cartt.ca, Senators made a number of recommendations to government on how to improve news and information getting to Canadians – not to mention the CRTC and CBC (come to think of it, some of those topics have been front-and-centre at the TV Policy Review hearings that began November 27th, but we digress…).
For example, to stem the effects of mega-mergers, the Competition Bureau should…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Organizations representing many persistent voices opposed to Canada’s 1999 over-the-air television policy – along with a rare cameo by the Ontario Culture Minister – took the stage Monday for Day 6 of the CRTC’s review of this policy.
The unions and guilds appearing for English and French writers and actors, and for English directors and crew, almost all requested a mix of re-regulation and new rules for conventional broadcasters – a distinct contrast to many broadcasters, who last week called for fewer rules and greater access to revenues.
In what was described as the “first appearance in…
Continue Reading
NEXT WEEK IN OTTAWA, TV broadcasters will tell their regulator, the CRTC, that they want fewer rules and more ways to make money. They will raise the alarm about how difficult it is these days to make money from traditional advertising because of all of the competition for eyeballs coming from new-fangled media, like the Internet, pay TV, and cell phones. They will plead for measures to help them climb back from merely profitable to very profitable.
And they may well get their way. After all, they have powerful friends in Ottawa. In fact, the minister responsible for broadcasting…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Parliament’s Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has decided it won’t wait for the federal government to take the lead on an official review of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
On Monday, according to a CBC.ca story, the committee – led by NDP Heritage critic and committee member Charlie Angus – passed a motion to review Canada’s public broadcaster.
Through much of the summer of 2006, much speculation bounced around that Heritage Minister Bev Oda would initiate such a review herself, but that didn’t materialize.
Click here for the full story.
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Saying she was "among friends", former CRTC commissioner and Canadian Women in Communications chair (and current Minister of Canadian Heritage) Bev Oda spoke openly Thursday night in Toronto about the current state of the broadcast and telecom market.
The Minister was speaking at CWC Toronto’s fall gathering at the Bravo! Rehearsal Hall.
During her informal presentation, Oda acknowledged that there is much uncertainty, many questions and areas where no one knows how broadcasting and telecommunications is going to evolve over the next few years. Instead of fear and trepidation, the industry stakeholders should look at the wonderful…
Continue Reading
VANCOVUER – The 80th edition of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters annual convention will feature an impressive roster of keynote speakers, including B.C. premier Gordon Campbell, CRTC chair Charles Dalfen, Rick Hansen Foundation, president and CEO Rick Hansen; Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, and many others.
The line-up of musicians performing at various times during the three days includes Colin James, Melissa McClelland, Delhi2Dublin, Alpha YaYa Diallo, Daniel Lavoie and Sarah McLachlan.
This year’s convention is booking up quickly, says the CAB, so if you haven’t already registered, it is encouraging members and others…
Continue Reading
I’VE GOT A BIT OF A SOFT spot for the CBC because when you grew up where I did, the CBC was it.
Apologies to CTV’s Northern Ontario precursor, MCTV, but when I think of old shows from my youth, it’s most often the CBC that springs to mind. Like sooo many of my fellow Canadians, when I think of the Ceeb, I invariably recall many frigid Saturday evenings inside watching Hockey Night in Canada: Me and my father sitting down with a big bowl of warm, greasy, salted popcorn. I usually fell asleep right after Peter Puck during the…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Discovery Channel put the pedal on the floor Monday for the launch of its Star Racer media campaign.
In a Discovery Channel first, the channel developed one-of-a-kind multi-platform sponsorship opportunities for Mazda, Castrol and Edge Active Care, integrating the brands into every aspect of the production – including television broadcast, broadband and online executions.
Premiering Tues., October 24 at 10 p.m., Star Racer explores the world of auto racing, searching for a fearless driver who wants to become the fastest driver on the circuit. With a judging panel that includes racing icon Paul Tracy, the winning driver…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The New Democratic weighed in on the CRTC’s TV Policy Review on Monday.
According to a press release from the party, Heritage Critic Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) and MP Peggy Nash (Parkdale High Park) held meetings with key players in Toronto’s film and television industry, although it did not say whom they met with.
"The message from industry is clear: the Federal Conservatives need to step forward with firm commitments and targets to stop the bleed off of jobs from English Canada’s television and film industry," says the press release.
Angus and Nash held meetings in Toronto…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – At a ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the government of Canada signed amendments to an agreement with the Government Spain on cinematographic relations
This document replaces the original 1985 co-production agreement and includes television productions as a new area of co-operation between the two countries. The new agreement will support expanding cultural relations with Spain and provide Canadian and Spanish producers with enhanced opportunities for collaboration in both film and television, says the press release from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
"Canada’s new government is pleased to strengthen the audio-visual industries in…
Continue Reading
