By Steven James May
TORONTO – Nearly two years after its switch to digital TV, the American broadcasting industry has turned its attention to some of the new potential digital can deliver.
When the American presenters rolled into Eaton Theatre at Ryerson University Tuesday for SMPTE Toronto’s meeting on Canada’s upcoming digital television transition, their enthusiasm for the ATSC and ATSC Mobile TV digital television standards was palpable.
With the U.S. digital television transition well behind them, speaker Jerry Whitaker, vice president for standards development at ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) reminded everyone that his organization continues to offer grants…
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TORONTO – Jeffrey L. Orridge is the executive director of sports properties for CBC Sports, the ‘pubcaster said Monday. Starting April 4th, he will be responsible for overall sports broadcasting strategies including partnerships and rights acquisitions.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeffrey to CBC," said Kirstine Stewart, EVP of CBC English Services, in the announcement. "He is an exceptional sports executive with a strong background in rights negotiations and strategy development and implementation. He’s grown a number of highly recognizable sports brands and has a strong reputation for partnership building both within and among organizations in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds….
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TORONTO – CBC has announced plans to fete both the 50th anniversary of its iconic documentary series The Nature of Things and the 75th birthday of its host, Dr. David Suzuki.
On March 13, at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), CBC-TV will air the world broadcast premiere of Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie in which the Canadian scientist, educator, broadcaster and activist delivers a ‘last lecture’, or what he describes as "a distillation of my life and thoughts, my legacy, what I want to say before I die." The film interweaves the lecture with scenes from the places and events in…
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MONTREAL – Superior Court Justice Claude Larouche must remove himself from an on-going defamation case involving Quebecor Media head Pierre Karl Peladeau, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday.
Peladeau’s defamation suit against Sylvain Lafrance, VP of Radio-Canada, was filed after Lafrance was quoted in a 2007 article saying, "This guy (Pierre Karl Peladeau) walks around like a hoodlum and is about to derail one of the world’s most successful television broadcasting systems." According to a report in the Montreal Gazette, Lafrance was referring to a decision by Quebecor-owned Videotron to suspend its payments to the Canadian Television Fund (now the…
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OTTAWA – Look for a number of new TV stations from the likes of Rogers and the CBC to hit the Canadian airwaves.
The CRTC approved five applications from Rogers this week for national, English-language Category 2 channels. Specifically:
– The Competition Channel, which will air reality-based programming, including competition-based reality and do-it-yourself makeover programs;
– Contessa, which will feature programming on relationships, lifestyle, beauty, trends and style, and focus on the interests and needs of working women aged between 25 and 54 years;
– Epic TV which plans to show classic television programming;
– Luxury Living featuring all things that can bring a…
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TORONTO – CBC News is on-the-move with the launch of a new mobile app on Tuesday.
The CBC News Mobile App, available for download on iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices, provides real-time access to breaking news, local news and weather; tools to help users share information, pictures and video with CBC News and others; and, customizing technology that allows individuals to shape and package how and what they view on their device.
"Whether it’s at their desks or on their devices, Canadians want real-time access to the news and information that matters to them. CBC News is putting that power at their fingertips,…
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TORONTO – One of hockey’s best-known personalities has renewed his contract with Hockey Night in Canada through the 2011-2012 NHL season, the CBC has confirmed.
Don Cherry will continue to team up with host and longtime partner Ron MacLean on the popular segment Coach’s Corner, which will air on Saturday nights and throughout the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The terms of Cherry’s contract were not disclosed.
“We’re delighted to announce that the venerable hockey icon Don Cherry has signed on for another season and will continue to provide hockey’s liveliest and sometimes provocative commentary,” said Kirstine Stewart, EVP of CBC English…
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OTTAWA – Three major actors in the Canadian broadcasting sector say they are bullish on the future of the system in the face of new technologies and changing consumer TV viewing behaviour.
CBC/Radio-Canada, Astral Television Networks and Shaw Media said they have taken steps to ready themselves for new consumer content consumption behaviour resulting from new mobile technologies and other emerging platforms. They noted they did this even in the face of a significant advertising downturn resulting from the global financial recession.
During a panel moderated by former Global TV News anchor Kevin Newman, representatives from the three companies…
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OTTAWA – The jury is still out on whether the iPad and other tablet devices will irreversibly alter the current Canadian broadcasting environment, but there are signs, even within the seven months since Apple’s iPad was introduced in Canada, that mobile video viewing habits are beginning to transform.
According to research done by CBC/Radio-Canada, a healthy chunk of Canadians are already using devices that allow for time shifting, including 4% who watch TV from a playback device like a DVR. As well, 3% of Canadians already have an iPad, the research indicates.
Mark Allen, director of strategic analysis in CBC’s…
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TORONTO – The Television Bureau of Canada Thursday announced its 2011 board of directors.
Rita Fabian, executive vice president of sales and marketing for CTV conventional and specialty, will continue as chair, while Errol Da-Ré, senior vice president of sales at Shaw Media, will remain vice chairman. Mitch Dent, executive vice president of TV sales at Rogers Media, will continue as secretary, and Lori Legault, vice president of national sales at Shaw Media, will fulfil the role of treasurer. Along with TVB President, Theresa Treutler, the above form the board’s executive committee.
Completing the board of directors are: Sally Basmajian (vice…
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