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OTT, Radio / Television News

Amazon Alexa users can livestream Sunday’s Junos

TORONTO — For the first time, Amazon customers in Canada will be able to use their Alexa devices to livestream the Juno Awards show, which will broadcast live from Saskatoon on Sunday, March 15 starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and will be hosted by Alessia Cara. Through an integration with CBC, the music award show’s host broadcaster, Alexa users will be able to use their devices to view or listen to a livestream of the Juno Awards. There will be both a video livestream available on Alexa devices with a screen, and an audio livestream available on Echo… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Broadcasters lobbying on junk food marketing

By Ahmad Hathout OTTAWA – Rogers Media and Corus Entertainment have renewed their lobby registrations with a topic once thought passed its best-before date: junk food advertising restrictions. In 2016, Senate Bill S-228 was introduced as an amendment to the Food and Drugs Act with the goal of severely restricting the ability of advertisers to market unhealthy food and drinks to children in an effort to fight obesity. Rogers, Bell and Corus began lobbying on the issue, with the latter warning that severely limiting TV advertising of these types of products from between 6 and 9 a.m. and 3 and 9… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Makeful crowns first Landscape Artist of the Year winner

TORONTO — Blue Ant Media’s Makeful TV announced the winner of the first season of its Landscape Artist of the Year Canada series is Nelson Cheng, one of the 50 wildcard walk-on artists who participated in the competition along with 18 professional and amateur artists. Landscape Artist of the Year Canada premiered Sunday, February 16 exclusively on Makeful TV during the channel’s eight-week free preview running from February 3 to April 5 across Canada. Hundreds of artists applied across the country to take part in the series and 18 were chosen to portray some of Canada’s most iconic landscapes. In addition,… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, OTT, Radio / Television News

Guilbeault, Péladeau, Tait, Scott, Ille to headline IIC Canada

OTTAWA – The Canadian Chapter of the International Institute of Communications last week announced its keynote speakers for IIC Canada 2020, to be held April 20-21, at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa. The big names are: Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage Monika Ille, president and CEO, APTN Grace Koh, U.S. representative and head of delegation to the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 Pierre Karl Péladeau, president and CEO, Quebecor Ian Scott, CRTC chair Catherine Tait, CBC president and CEO Details of IIC Canada plenary sessions are also now available on the IIC Canada website. The session subjects… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

CBC Sports commits to gender-balanced coverage

TORONTO – In recognition of International Women’s Day, CBC Sports said Friday it will commit to gender-balanced coverage of sports and athlete stories in its original content. “In addition to the weekly broadcast of Road To The Olympic Games, this commitment will be reflected through digital streams, online articles at cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app, and social media content, and seen in on-air personalities, writers, producers and new hires,” reads the press release. According to research provided by Canadian Women & Sport, only 4% of sports programming on Canada’s national networks feature women’s sport. The announcement comes following the launch… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Sarah Polley is ACTRA’s 2020 National Woman of the Year

TORONTO — In celebration of International Women’s Day this Sunday, ACTRA announced Wednesday its 2020 National Woman of the Year award recipient is actress, director and producer Sarah Polley. Since 2010, ACTRA bestows this honour annually on an ACTRA member who excels in both her artistic and advocacy achievements, says the news release. “Sarah Polley has made a real difference in the way performers and artists are treated and respected in this country,” said ACTRA president David Sparrow, in the news release. “From her continued support and activism for everyone in our entertainment industry, to inspiring us throughout her successful… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

James Durie to head scripted for Cineflix Media

MONTREAL — Cineflix Media announced Monday it has appointed James Durie (pictured) to the newly created role of head of scripted for Cineflix Rights, the company’s U.K.-based distribution division. The announcement comes as the company increases investment across its drama production and distribution business, the news release says. Durie is joining Cineflix from Miramax, where he was vice-president of sales for the EMEA region, across the company’s TV, feature film and library businesses. In his new role at Cineflix Rights, Durie will be responsible for leading the distributor’s global strategy for sales, pre-sales, acquisitions and co-productions of scripted content. Durie will… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Atomic Cartoons powers Thunderbird’s revenue growth

VANCOUVER — Thunderbird Entertainment Group announced Friday its Q2 2020 and year-to-date financial results, reporting $14.3 million in revenue for the quarter and $31.3 million in revenue for the six months ended December 31, 2019. These represent increases of $2.7 million and $5.3 million, respectively, over the comparative periods of fiscal 2019. In its news release, Thunderbird attributed the majority of the revenue increase to growth in its Atomic Cartoons kids and family division. The company’s consolidated net losses were $1.4 million and $500,000 for the second quarter and first half of 2020, respectively. However, this is an improvement over… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, OTT, Radio / Television News

English SVOD subscribers outnumber TV customers, according to MTM report

OTTAWA — According to CBC’s latest Media Technology Monitor (MTM) report the number of English-speaking Canadians who subscribe to streaming services now surpass the number who have traditional pay-TV subscriptions. “The majority of Anglophones continue to subscribe to paid TV services such as cable, satellite or fibre optic TV. However, for the first time, SVOD subscriptions like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have surpassed paid TV subscriptions. They now sit at 72% and 69%, respectively,” reads the news release. Cable remains the most common type of TV service subscription in the Anglophone market, serving 33% of Anglophone households, according to the… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

No longer TV, radio and digital; it’s about content, audience and business as CBC restructures

Jennifer McGuire, Fred Mattocks, Doug Broadfoot depart TORONTO – The CBC’s Barbara Williams, executive vice-president of English services, unveiled a sweeping new strategy for the public broadcaster in a note to staff on Thursday, accompanied by a company-wide town hall to announce and explain the changes. A number of senior people have new roles, as you’ll read below, and three long-serving CBC veterans, general manager of local services Fred Mattocks, head of news Jennifer McGuire, and senior director, production services, media operations, Doug Broadfoot, are leaving. “Today is an important day at CBC,” said Williams in her note to staff. “With your… Continue Reading