Says closure of federal Office of Consumer Affairs will exacerbate financial challenges
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has publicly apologized to its former executive director and general counsel, Geoff White, for comments PIAC made to the CBC following a March 2026 Marketplace special, “What’s Wrong with your Rights?”, and a related online article.
In Marketplace’s one-hour season finale, White took part in a debate on the state of consumer protection in Canada, saying: “The baseline rules to protect consumers are weak. The institutions overseeing their development are hounded constantly by lobbyists and…
Continue Reading
By Connie Thiessen
Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is launching his own production company alongside his former chief of staff, Katie Telford.
Unveiled at the Toronto International Film Festival, the pair described their new venture “Hope & Hard Work” in an announcement as a “multidisciplinary media and entertainment enterprise dedicated to developing and producing engaging stories across film, television, audio and live experiences.”
The prodco’s initial slate includes an adaptation of Closer by Sea from Canadian television writer, author and producer Perry Chafe, known for co-creating Republic of Doyle and Saint-Pierre.
Trudeau and Telford will also serve as executive producers on television series, Detective…
Continue Reading
Blue Ant announced Thursday that all five seasons of its hit comedy series Kim’s Convenience has been sold to and is now streaming on NBCUniversal’s Peacock service in the United States.
“The deal builds on the company’s multifaceted relationship with Peacock, which has included original productions, the launch of the Love Nature streaming channel and acquisitions of Blue Ant-distributed programming, while expanding the partnership further into premium scripted content,” a press release said. NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation.
Kim’s Convenience follows the misadventures of a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store in Toronto. It was produced by Thunderbird Entertainment, now part…
Continue Reading
Rogers announced Wednesday it is adding exclusive Sportsnet+ content to Rogers Xfinity TV packages at no additional cost, including more than 150 NHL games.
This includes Monday Night Hockey, which starting with the 2026-27 NHL season is exclusive to Sportsnet+, as well as more than 100 additional matchups and other exclusive sports content.
Starting Sept. 29, Rogers is adding three new digital channels with the exclusive content to Rogers Xfinity TV packages that have Sportsnet. Customers do not need to take any action and can use their voice remote to find NHL games, Rogers said in a press release.
“Rogers…
Continue Reading
CBC/Radio-Canada announced last week its revenue decreased by 5.6 per cent to $113.9 million in the first quarter of its 2026-2027 fiscal year, compared to the same three-month period a year prior.
CBC attributed the quarter’s revenue drop to lower TV advertising revenue as a result of softening demand and market competition. The public broadcaster also said revenue was affected by Q1 timing shifts, as advertiser spend moved to major sporting events.
Government funding recognized in CBC/Radio-Canada’s income this quarter, which ended June 30, increased by 4.6 per cent to $341.6 million, which CBC said was consistent with…
Continue Reading
Rogers will sublicence rights to NHL games in French to Quebecor in a 12-year deal beginning this season.
Quebecor’s TVA Sports will broadcast up to 350 regular seasons games, including 32 Montreal Canadiens games and the exclusive rights to playoff games in French. It’s an extension of rights it held in the past.
“Premium sports content such as NHL hockey and Montréal Canadiens games is a unique vehicle for bringing together mass live audiences,” Quebecor President and CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau said in a press release. “It is a strategic asset that continues to grow in value in a rapidly changing…
Continue Reading
ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is calling for urgent action from the Canadian government to bolster support for the country’s film and television industry — including implementing the CRTC’s 15 per cent Canadian programming expenditure requirement for online streaming services, which the government recently asked the regulator to review.
The performers union is calling on the government to bolster domestic production with stronger, predictable financial support for Canadian producers, stories and creative talent, as well as diversify internationally by attracting more productions and investment from markets around the…
Continue Reading
CBC on Wednesday announced 13 new participants for AccessCBC: A CBC Initiative for Creators with a Disability, a national program providing pre-development training, mentorship and financing support for creators with disabilities.
For its fourth edition, AccessCBC will support seven participants across four projects selected for the scripted comedy/drama and kids streams, plus a participant for the podcast stream assigned to the CBC podcast Sickboy, and three unscripted projects from five creators across the country.
CBC is once again collaborating with the Disability Screen Office (DSO) for the fourth iteration of the AccessCBC program. Award-winning…
Continue Reading
TVO Media Education Group (TVO) announced Monday the appointment of Ron Ahluwalia as the Ontario public broadcaster’s vice president of strategy, effective Aug. 24.
Reporting to TVO CEO Pary Bell and serving as a member of TVO’s executive leadership team, Ahluwalia will be tasked with helping to shape TVO’s organizational strategy, planning and governance “in support of its mandate to inspire learning that changes lives and enriches communities,” said a TVO press release announcing his appointment.
Ahluwalia will work closely with the CEO, board and executive leadership team to help “translate TVO’s public mandate and leadership priorities into…
Continue Reading
In keeping with its new policy announced last October, the CRTC on Monday renewed the licences for almost all Canadian radio services for indefinite terms, effective upon the expiry of their current licences.
“Conditions of service are no longer tied to a licence or its term,” the CRTC reasoned. “As such, the renewal of licences for indefinite terms would not interfere with the Commission’s ability to implement future policy determinations arising from the ongoing audio policy review, or any other future proceedings.”
The broadcasting regulator had said last fall the introduction of indefinite licence terms…
Continue Reading
