OTTAWA — The two vacant commissioner spots at the CRTC have been filled, with the announcement Thursday by Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault that Ellen C. Desmond (pictured, left) has been appointed as commissioner for Atlantic Canada and Nunavut, and Nirmala Naidoo (right) as commissioner for Alberta and Northwest Territories.
Desmond is filling the vacancy left when former Atlantic Canada and Nunavut commissioner Christopher MacDonald’s five-year term ended June 16. Naidoo is taking over from former Alberta and Northwest Territories commissioner Linda Vennard, whose term expired in May. Each new commissioner will serve a five-year term.
Desmond, of New Brunswick,…
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TORONTO — CBC today announced its annual battle of the books, Canada Reads 2020, is set to take place from Monday, July 20 to Thursday, July 23, following its postponement in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ali Hassan, host of CBC Radio’s Laugh Out Loud, returns for his fourth year as host of Canada Reads, moderating the debate between five Canadian panellists who will champion Canadian books that speak to the theme, “One Book to Bring Canada Into Focus”.
The Canada Reads 2020 debates will be broadcast each day at 11 a.m. (11:30 NT) on CBC Radio One, livestreamed at…
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By Brad Danks
TIME IS RUNNING OUT. Last month I set out the reasons why I agreed with the Yale Report that it’s time to regulate the Internet. However, there is much more to like in that report, such as the recommendations which would bring the digital platforms into the Canadian regulatory system – and why government must take action as soon as possible.
The number of digital platforms entering Canada increase in number and size by the day. They are accelerating the decline of the conventional Canadian broadcasting system that supports our culture and production industry. It’s very likely…
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TORONTO — The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) has asked the federal government for targeted funding to convert 50% of temporary and precarious workers at CBC to full-time staff.
The funding request was made by CMG CBC/Radio-Canada branch president Kim Trynacity during a 40-minute meeting with Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, said the union in a release.
“Many of the temporary employees are Black, Indigenous and people of colour,” Trynacity told the minister, according to the news release. “Converting so many temps to full-time will make the corporation more reflective of Canada, and go a long way to repairing a damaged…
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TORONTO — In response to recent events which have raised awareness of system racism in Canada and beyond, CBC/Radio-Canada announced today it will accelerate progress on its diversity and inclusion plan launched in 2018.
“We recognize that systemic racism exists in Canada and within many of its institutions, including its national public broadcaster. We are committed to combating racism in all its forms, to removing structural barriers and practices that result in discrimination at CBC/Radio-Canada, and to improving our workplace culture in tangible, concrete ways,” said Catherine Tait, president and CEO, in the public broadcaster’s news release.
“We know these…
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GATINEAU — The CRTC public hearing into CBC/Radio-Canada’s broadcast licences renewal will take place January 11, 2021 in Gatineau, the CRTC announced Monday. The hearing, originally scheduled for May 25, was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Because the hearing will occur after CBC/Radio-Canada’s current group of licences is set to expire on August 31, the CRTC Monday renewed the public broadcaster’s licences for another year until August 31, 2021. This includes all of CBC/Radio-Canada’s English- and French-language television and radio programming undertakings. The Commission is also extending the distribution orders for CBC News Network, ICI RDI and…
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8,800 applications were submitted
TORONTO – The CBC announced Friday 119 original Canadian projects have been selected to receive immediate support through The CBC Creative Relief Fund, exceeding the initial commitment with $2.2 million in development and production funding confirmed across three programming streams.
The announcement says 99 projects have been selected for development funding and 20 for production funding, including 51 projects (43%) from self-identified Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) creators. The fund was launched in April in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to provide at least $2 million in urgently needed development and production funding…
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TORONTO – It’s been a while in the works, but Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, Rogers Sports & Media, and Quebecor Media have announced an agreement in principle to adopt a common set of advanced advertising audience segments, thinktv announced today.
Thinktv member companies are joining forces to adopt a shared set of 19 audience segments for advanced advertising on linear television. It’s not the full integration of Corus’ Cynch platform (which Rogers already uses and which Corus has been trying to get Bell on board), but it’s a good start. Please click here for the breakdown and explanation…
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By Etan Vlessing
CANADA’S INDIENET GROUP of independent TV stations on Thursday skipped their traditional public presentation to national ad buyers in Toronto, and went virtual with a streaming pitch.
Besides touting a fall 2020 programming slate packed with the usual mix of local news coverage, sim-sub U.S. shows, classic shows, game shows and movies, the independent option to Canada’s bigger broadcast groups talked up helping brand marketers make quick changes and decisions around their media buying plans this year as Covid-19 crisis has put the country’s media and advertising businesses on hold.
“I’m sure you will all join me in hoping…
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Including two that won’t cost a cent
By Greg O’Brien
CAL MILLAR DOESN’T want to kick the federal government while it is scrambling hard to keep Canadians healthy and our economy upright. However, broadcasters need more help and Millar and his fellow broadcasters have some ideas.
The president of Channel Zero (owners of CHCH, Rewind and Silver Screen Classics) is genuinely thankful for what the federal government has already done for broadcasters, and the country, in trying to manage an unprecedented health crisis that has decimated the economy while we all tried, and try, to do the right things to make sure…
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