TORONTO – Quebecor will transform Sun TV into a new “hard news/straight talk” English specialty channel called Sun TV News for television audiences tired of “being exposed to dry news”, said Quebecor president and CEO of Pierre Karl Péladeau in Toronto on Tuesday morning.
In his widely anticipated announcement, Péladeau said that the new channel will be loosely based on the company’s French-language all-news specialty service LCN, which saw its ratings more than triple when it moved toward that formula three years ago. Sun TV News will replace the company’s struggling, Toronto-based over-the-air Sun TV station.
"Far too many Canadians are tuning out completely or…
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BANFF – The Canadian Film and Television Production Association announced today it is now the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).
The change was made “to better reflect the multi-screen world and the future of our industry,” according to the press release.
“The global shift towards digital technology and new forms of distribution means we have to change with the times,” said Norm Bolen, president and CEO. “The new name embraces the opportunities for our members to create new partnerships and expand into the international market place.”
The new name also adheres to a tradition within the organization to update itself as technology…
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BANFF – CBC TV has greenlit a $9 million movie of the week about cowboy Sam Steele that is currently at the script stage.
Tentatively called The Life of Sam Steele, executive producer Chris Knight said that he was eager to get ahead with the story of “an iconic Canadian,” who was once a Mountie on the Prairies and farther North.
The cast is not complete, but Knight is hoping that Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland will take the lead.
The film will shoot in Alberta, which is putting in some of the money, as is the Canadian Media Fund, tax credits,…
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SEATTLE, WA – CanWest Global and the CBC have signed on with Comcast subsidiary thePlatform to manage their on-line video efforts.
In a recent blog post, thePlatform said that it will provide CanWest with a scalable on-line video solution for its television and newspaper assets, including 18 specialty channels and the GlobalTV network, and CBC with an on-demand video and audio portal for broadcast TV, film clips, and webisodes from numerous Canadian and global content producers.
Other Canadian clients include Rogers for its Rogers On Demand Online initiative, and Corus Entertainment for its Treehouse TV, YTV and W Network entertainment portals.
White-label video management and…
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EVEN THE NON-SPORTS fan will know there’s a bit of a soccer tournament about to begin in South Africa this weekend. And yesterday was press release day on the TV front.
In Canada, the CBC is leading the coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with broadcast across multiple platforms, a World Cup CBC mobile app – and the third place and final games are to be available in 3D for the dozens (?) of fans who have new 3DTVs.
After CBC sent out it’s announcement, so did Shaw Cable, Telus, Shaw Direct, Cogeco, Rogers…
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WITH THE GENRE protection afforded existing specialty news channels having been set aside by the CRTC last summer, it was only a matter of time until a company put together a proposal for a new national news service to compete with the likes of CBC Newsworld, CTV News Channel and others.
According to a report in the Globe and Mail and from Canadian Press, Quebecor Media is getting behind the former communications chief for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Kory Teneycke, with an impending application to the CRTC for a license to operate a new, national news channel.
The report said the channel…
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OTTAWA – CBC/Radio-Canada says that it’s found a way to save money and cut its carbon footprint at the same time.
The pub ‘caster is accelerating the replacement of incandescent TV production lighting with the more efficient and flexible LED (Light Emitting Diode) in its various studios. LED lighting has been widely accepted by the entertainment industry for lighting effects and set lighting, mainly because of its flexibility. The light source reduces power consumption, has a longer bulb life and a single light source can generate a variety of colours
“This is innovation at its best,” said president and CEO Hubert…
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TORONTO – Rogers seems to be taking full advantage of its new programming alliance with CBC.
Less than a week after announcing the partnership, Rogers said that it will offer CBC’s coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup live and in replay across all of its various platforms. Its World Cup offerings include:
– Free, live-streaming and catch up of the tournament broadcast by CBC in English with a variety of matches available in French, Spanish and Italian, plus scores, schedules, game highlights, team and player previews on its broadband portal Rogers On Demand Online;
– Catch up and replay tournament action…
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TORONTO – CBC’s digital channel bold will launch in high definition this Friday, just in time for its coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
All 64 matches from the world’s most-watched sporting event will air in high def on bold HD (as well as on CBC Television, Radio-Canada Télévision, and their respective websites) from June 11 to July 11, including 8 exclusive live games on June 22, 23, 24 and 25. In addition to its World Cup coverage, bold HD will continue to air performing arts, drama and comedy series, some of which will be in…
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TORONTO – The CBC has rolled-out its revamped CBC News Express broadcast service in five major airports across Canada – including the busiest, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport – using home-grown technology
The service is powered by Capital Networks’ (Markham, Ont.) Audience digital signage solution, which lets CBC present its latest video content and live data feeds for up-to-the minute local and national news, weather, business and sports.
The platform will allow CBC to deliver its News Express service to more airports and more public spaces in the near future. CBC has been delivering its journalism to an ever-widening range of new…
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