Search Results for: Canadian Heritage

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Canadian creators sought for Latin American trade mission

OTTAWA – Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is inviting participants from Canada’s creative industries to join him on trade mission to Latin America in February. In a statement Monday, Canadian Heritage said that the entrepreneurs selected to take part in the mission will be able to explore potential business opportunities in Mexico, Colombia and Argentina and build a network of key buyers, suppliers and contacts. The initiative, part of the Creative Export Strategy, will help to strengthen Canada's commercial, cultural and diplomatic relations with Latin America through activities that include a business matching program, information sessions and networking events.  Delegates will also meet… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Heritage gets new deputy minister and associate deputy minister

OTTAWA – While ISED looks a model of stability, Canadian Heritage has seen in the recent months a new minister, Pablo Rodriguez (July 18, 2018) two new Parliamentary Secretaries (August 31st) and announced today a new deputy minister, Hélêne Laurendeau starting October 9th (coming over from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs) and a new associate DM, Isabelle Mondou, starting on starting October 22nd (moving over from the Privy Council Office. The previous DM, Graham Flack is going to become DM at the Department… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Joly out as Heritage Minister; industry welcomes Pablo Rodriguez – and there’s a new Minister of Digital Government

Look for a more focused Heritage leader OTTAWA – Pablo Rodriguez, MP for the Montreal riding of Honore-Mercier, was named Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism Wednesday as part of a cabinet shuffle announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Rodriguez takes on the portfolio from Mélanie Joly, who was shuffled over to become Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, a new role that was reportedly pulled together from parts of other cabinet ministers’ portfolios. The reporters and other folks who regularly follow Ottawa say that this is a demotion for Joly. According to the Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

BANFF 2018: NBCU honcho talks international expansion, urges Canadian broadcasters to work better together

BANFF – Kevin MacLellan, chairman, global distribution and international for NBCU, today sat in conversation with Barbara Williams, EVP and COO of Corus Entertainment, and gave a tour de force account of where he sees the business going and where Canada fits in. NBCUniversal was honoured as the company of distinction this year. MacLellan, 51, started as a producer and grew up in Brooklyn when that ‘hood wasn’t yet cool. He was the youngest of eight children in an Irish Catholic family where his dad made ends meet by installing AT&T phones. Probably his biggest break came with the harsh and… Continue Reading

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“All players benefitting from the Canadian broadcasting system” should help fund it: CRTC report

OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC proposed some new tools and regulatory approaches Thursday designed to support the production and promotion of Canadian audio and video content. The report, Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada, is meant to aid the Feds’ pending overhaul of the Broadcasting and Telecom Acts by offering “important context and policy options”. “This report does not set out specific timelines or predictions, nor does it attempt to prescribe policy”, reads the introduction.  “Rather, it comes to conclusions on the types of change needed to the legislative and regulatory frameworks given the likely market… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Could emergency alert prompt more Canadians to vote?

TORONTO – Canadian entrepreneur and broadcaster Evan Kosiner wants the Feds and the CRTC to use the National Alert Aggregation & Dissemination System (NAAD System) to urge Canadians to vote in their upcoming provincial and municipal elections. In a statement Wednesday, Kosiner said that he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly and the Commission asking them to “use their power” to promote civic engagement. "If due to government bureaucracy it doesn't fall into the "emergency" category, the innovator in me suggests it perhaps it could be conveniently another test day that happens to mention to "Get out… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

APTN, NFB partner to boost involvement of Indigenous Peoples in Canadian film, TV

WINNIPEG – The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and APTN have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together to strengthen relations with Indigenous Peoples and creators in the Canadian audiovisual industry. The two organizations said Thursday that agreement will allow them to pool their respective efforts and expertise to implement various protocols, programs, training and other initiatives, such as promoting and utilizing archival materials in the NFB’s Indigenous collection; jointly developing best practices around hiring, training and retaining Indigenous employees; and sharing audience-data analysis and research. “The NFB and APTN have a long history of working together. This… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Why the Canadian broadcast industry is “in a death spiral”

TORONTO – The Canadian film, television and print production industry “is in a death spiral” that only government action can halt, several experts agreed at a digital media conference held Saturday in Toronto. The former Harper government, current Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, the CRTC and private broadcasters came in for heated criticism for failing to give content producers the tools to fight the falling advertising which print publications have been seeing – and the flight of viewers from conventional television to Netflix, Facebook, Google and others. There were no shortage of solutions offered, but speakers on a film and TV panel… Continue Reading

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Minister Joly to dish on the state of the Canadian screen-based industries at Prime Time in Ottawa

OTTAWA – Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will once again return to Prime Time in Ottawa (PTiO) for a sit down with CMPA president and CEO Reynolds Mastin on the state of the Canadian screen-based industries. This will mark the third time that Minister Joly has attended the annual confab.  The 23nd edition of PTiO will take place January 31 to February 2, 2018 at The Westin Ottawa. “Canadians are fiercely proud of our creators and creative industry professionals,” said Minister Joly, in a statement.  “I am delighted to join industry leaders here at Prime Time to discuss how we can… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

MIPCOM: Netflix’s Canadian strategy? Just follow the money, to kids

CANNES – Heritage minister Mélanie Joly in late September surprised the industry by unveiling a $500-million agreement with Netflix to make Canadian content that was light on deal-points, including how much the U.S. streaming giant currently spends north of the border. To understand cash-rich Netflix's Canadian ambitions, just follow the money. "They already spend at that level, maybe more," Michael Hirsh, CEO of WOW! Unlimited Media, said of Netflix's $100 million a-year pledge for Canadian content. He should know. Netflix was a major buyer of Hirsh's kids TV content when he helped run DHX Media, and WOW! recently sold Netflix the… Continue Reading