TORONTO — Demonstrating the pent-up demand for the return of live sports, a total of 10.7 million viewers tuned in last Saturday and Sunday to Sportsnet for the resumption of the NHL and NBA seasons, according to the Rogers-owned sports broadcaster.
Beginning on Saturday at noon ET/9 a.m. PT, Sportsnet aired more than 33 hours of live sports coverage across its TV channels, CBC, Citytv, the Sportsnet Radio Network and via stream on SN Now and NHL Live.
Scoring a 19% audience share, Sportsnet’s coverage garnered a combined average minute audience (AMA) of 821,000 viewers on Saturday and Sunday. Overall, in…
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MONTREAL — Bell Canada launched today its new Bell Streamer, an all-in-one 4K HDR streaming device included with all new Bell Alt TV Premium subscriptions. Alt TV is Bell’s app-based live TV streaming service.
Powered by Android TV, the compact Bell Streamer device (6.5 cm x 6.5 cm) offers TV customers in Ontario and Quebec one-stop access to Alt, Crave, CTV, Fibe TV, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, DAZN, hayu, CBC Gem, ICI Tou.tv, Tubi and others.
Bell Streamer also offers access to thousands of apps via Google Play, and features a remote control with one-button access to Google Assistant (for voice…
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TORONTO — The six-part docuseries Enslaved, featuring actor and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson (pictured with investigative journalist Afua Hirsch), will premiere on CBC TV, CBC Gem and the Documentary Channel in October, Canada’s public broadcaster announced Tuesday.
The series about the transatlantic slave trade sheds new light on 400 years of human trafficking from Africa to the New World. Based on a DNA test identifying his ancestral tribe, the series traces Jackson’s personal journey from the United States to Gabon for his induction into the Benga tribe, providing rare and unprecedented access to secret ceremonies and local customs.
Using…
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OTTAWA — Almost four in five English-speaking Canadians (77%) now subscribe or have access to at least one over-the-top streaming service, according to a new from the CBC’s Media Technology Monitor (MTM). For French-speaking Canadians, that number is 68%.
Among Anglophones, Netflix remains the most popular OTT service by a large margin, with two-thirds (67%) of English Canadians subscribing or having access to it, according to the survey. Almost half (49%) of Francophones subscribe or have access to Netflix.
The MTM study examines how Canadians engage with OTT services, differences among key demographics, and the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on…
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TORONTO — CBC announced Monday it has launched an expanded Being Black in Canada website featuring the stories and experiences of Black Canadians, highlighting narratives that matter to Black communities including news pieces, individual successes and historical content.
The website showcases profiles, opinion pieces, video, audio and a wide breadth of content across all areas of the CBC, including news, documentaries, arts and other programming.
“I am excited by the opportunity of this website, which will undoubtedly play an important role in helping us move forward. Being Black in Canada offers a window into the struggles while celebrating the culture and achievements…
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By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – The CRTC team involved in the co-development of a new Indigenous broadcasting policy said it could use a government-commissioned panel report to guide its process, according to a confidential document released to this publication.
The undated document highlights several areas from the report by the broadcasting and telecommunications legislative review panel, released in late January, “which could help guide its own work, particularly where they prove consistent with issues discussed during early engagement sessions.” The three-phase review began in September 2019 with the engagement sessions and will be followed by a public consultation process and then…
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Amazon and Pinterest actually saw YoY growth
WHILE THE CANADIAN media market continues to struggle with unprecedented decreases in advertising revenue, June was a little better than May, according to Standard Media Index.
The company’s data shows June saw an 11% improvement in dollars invested in ad spend over May. “June ad spend was down by (only) 38% YoY, in comparison to a 49% YoY drop in May,” said the company’s June report on the Canadian market. The data covers all media types, media owners and product categories.
“Not surprisingly, the vast majority of publishers have experienced significant decreases in revenues due…
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TORONTO – CBC Gem users can now watch Olympic Channel TV on the streaming service, the two entities announced today – officially one year before the opening of the next Summer Olympics.
A 24-hour digital livestream showcasing the Olympic Games all year round, Olympic Channel TV offers access to Olympic sports and athletes from around the globe, with original programming, documentaries, gold medal performances and memorable moments from the Olympic Games, says the release.
The new channel will be available on the free Gem service.
“This new channel is the perfect companion to CBC Sports’ Road to the Olympic Games programming,…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – The Community Media Advocacy Centre, a non-profit organization comprised of academics, lawyers, policy consultants and community media practitioners wants more information from the CBC placed on the public record in advance of its delayed licence renewal proceeding.
It is a regular intervenor in CRTC processes and filed its procedural request on July 22nd.
On February 8, 2020, the group sent a procedural request to the CRTC, asking the Commission to “order the CBC to release all Annual Cultural Census reports it has compiled since it first started preparing them in the first quarter of 2018. CMAC further…
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TORONTO — CBC’s original legal dramas Burden of Truth and Diggstown have been renewed for new seasons, the public broadcaster announced today.
Season four of Burden of Truth (8 episodes x 60 minutes) will start production in Winnipeg later this summer, while season three of Diggstown (8×60) will start filming in Halifax in early 2021.
“Both Burden of Truth and Diggstown look at the legal world through a distinct lens by highlighting systemic corruption, injustice and discrimination in the legal system, including anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism,” said Sally Catto, general manager of entertainment, factual and sports at CBC, in the Continue Reading
