WE’VE ALL HEARD THE conventional wisdom which says live sports is one of the last remaining mass audience attractions for linear TV – and that it will help retain a large chunk Canadian households opting for a subscription TV service.
Indeed, according to a new report from Winnipeg’s Communications Management Inc., TV companies and some streamers believe this in their bones, as evidenced by massive increases in spending on sports rights the past few years.
In fact, with the myriad ways sports is delivered, “the many emerging options for the delivery of video programming to consumers has also increased demand, with…
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Once described by CBC as “the Forrest Gump of Canadian pop culture”
PETERBOROUGH, ON – Canadian entertainment lawyer, TV producer, songwriter and author Stephen Stohn has been named chancellor of Peterborough’s Trent University.
Stohn’s appointment as Trent's 12th chancellor was approved by the University Senate on March 12, making him the second alumnus to hold the position in the institution’s 55-year history.
After graduating from Trent in 1969 with a B.A. in Philosophy and Economics, Stohn began his more than 50-year career in the industry as a performing artist and songwriter, before becoming a television producer. A 14-time Canadian Screen Award (formerly…
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TORONTO – Former MLSE exec Joe Gottfried is joining CBC/Radio-Canada as director of sales and marketing, Sports & Olympics.
With over 20 years of media experience, Gottfried has an extensive knowledge of the sports and entertainment media industries. He joins the public broadcaster from MLSE where he was director media sales & integration – global partnerships.
The addition of Gottfried to CBC & Radio-Canada Media Solutions will be a key factor in delivering the best Olympic experience possible to partners and to Canadians at Tokyo 2020, and beyond, reads Friday’s announcement.
“Joe is a solutions provider. His 20+ years in media sales, encompassing…
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TORONTO – Principal photography is underway for the third season of CBC and Netflix’s Anne with an E which is adding an Indigenous storyline and characters.
After an extensive cross-Canada search, Anne with an E producers cast 12-year-old Kiawenti:io Tarbell, a Mohawk from Akwesasne, to portray Ka’kwet, an independent, resilient Mi’kmaq girl who befriends Anne. As a result of an open-call search across Canada, 230 candidates auditioned in person or via tape for the role, with shortlisted actors invited to an acting workshop in Toronto where Tarbell was chosen by the producers and casting team. Other new Indigenous cast members include…
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OTTAWA and GATINEAU – The CRTC is joining forces with Canada's big public and private-sector broadcasters in an effort to help more women to play leading roles in the Canadian film and television production industry.
On Friday, also International Women’s Day, the Commission shared some details from its recent Women in Production Summit held last December. In addition to CRTC chair Ian Scott and broadcasting vice-chair Dr. Caroline Simard, attendees included Rick Brace, president, Rogers Media; France Lauzière, president and CEO of TVA Group Inc.; Randy Lennox, president, Bell Media; Doug Murphy, president and CEO, Corus Entertainment; Josh Scherba, president, DHX…
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TORONTO – Shaftesbury has tapped former CBC exec Dylen Postnikoff for the newly expanded position of global brand strategy VP.
Postnikoff will lead the marketing and communications strategies for Shaftesbury’s premium entertainment properties. She will be responsible for cultivating and serving the company’s global audiences while expanding its content footprint, focusing on audience awareness, audience loyalty, and increasing engagement by building on existing global fandoms, and tapping into passionate audiences to create deep and dynamic new ones. She will also oversee merchandising and licensing for all of the company’s titles which include TV series Murdoch Mysteries, web series/feature film Carmilla, the anthology series Slasher and upcoming TV drama Hudson & Rex.
Most recently, Postnikoff was…
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TORONTO – Accolades continue to pour in after the passing of Canadian television producer and philanthropist Sandra Faire, who died on February 27 in Toronto. No age or cause of death was provided.
Faire began her lengthy career at CBC where she produced a number of award-winning shows, including Rita and Friends and Anne Murray's Family Christmas, plus many variety specials celebrating Canadian artists and culture.
"Sandra stands out as a beacon of our industry, a formidable force in the creation of some of Canada's finest productions”, said CBC/Radio-Canada president and CEO Catherine Tait, in a statement. “She will be missed."
Faire was…
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TORONTO – When it comes to favourite TV channels, CTV is the lone Canadian traditional TV brand standing in the way of Netflix as the global streamer continues to gain prominance among Canadian viewers, according to a new study from Toronto’s Solutions Research Group.
The company’s Top TV Brands Wave II report is part of its ongoing syndicated Digital Life Canada research and shows CTV currently retains the top TV brand title on an overall 12+ population basis, now followed by Netflix, Global, CBC and TSN, in that order. Netflix was fourth last year while CBC dropped from second to…
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VANCOUVER — Thunderbird Entertainment announced the award-winning novel The Marrow Thieves by Métis author Cherie Dimaline will be adapted for television through a collaboration with TV writer and producer Jennica Harper.
The series will be produced by Thunderbird Entertainment’s scripted division with Dimaline and Harper set to executive produce alongside Alexandra Raffé and Ivan Fecan, who is Thunderbird’s executive chair of the board.
“The Marrow Thieves is a chilling and insightful story that challenges us to think about our common humanity, and the type of world we want to live in. We are honoured to work with Cherie and Jennica in…
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OTTAWA — A new Media Technology Monitor (MTM) report reveals 85% of online Canadians have some level of concern regarding the impact of fake news on the world around them.
MTM, a research product of CBC/Radio Canada, released Wednesday its latest Sneak Peek Report, which provides technology trend information, is based on telephone interviews with 8,000 Canadians and is released twice annually.
Gen Zs, those aged 18 to 29, reported a higher level of concern (89%) regarding the impact of fake news than other generations. Gen Ys (aged 30-38) and Boomers (55-73) reported the same level of concern (85%) as…
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