GATINEAU – The CRTC disputed a central claim in Netflix’s submission to the Broadcast and Telecom Legislative Review panel which suggested the streaming platform had no reliable way to assess whether a movie was certified Canadian content in order to aid in discoverability.
In Netflix’s January 2019 submission, it said there is “no readily accessible database of certified Cancon that allows online services to electronically, and reliably, cross-reference content libraries” for the sake of including certified Canadian content in their search results. Netflix recommended the government or the industry create an electronically accessible database that online services can easily cross-reference…
Continue Reading
TORONTO — When it launched in spring 2019, Detention Adventure was CBC’s first-ever original kids scripted series for CBC Gem and filming of the second season will continue in the Greater Toronto Area until mid-February. Season twp (10×11) is once again directed by showrunner Joe Kicak, and will be available to stream on-demand via CBC Gem later in 2020.
In the second season, the Detention Adventure crew — Raign (Simone Miller, Snapshots), Joy (Alina Prijono, Odd Squad), Hulk (Jack Fulton, Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments), and Brett (Tomaso Sanelli, Titans) — must join forces once again. This time, their adventure has…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Made|Nous, the consumer-focused industry push to get Canadians to notice more Canadian content celebrates its first year this weekend.
It made its world premiere one year ago during Etalk Live At The Oscars on CTV and this Sunday a new promo will debut.
Research, according to the Canada Media Fund, demonstrates Made|Nous has had a positive impact. The Thursday press release says 48% of those aware of Made|Nous had an increased perception of Canadian content as a result of the campaign and 52% felt more favourable towards the term Canadian content. Additionally, 49% of those surveyed said they are…
Continue Reading
WATERLOO — CBC/Radio-Canada has renewed its agreement with broadcast video transport specialist Dejero as its primary field contribution solutions provider.
As part of this renewed multi-year agreement, announced Wednesday, Dejero will help CBC with its transition to IP-based infrastructure.
CBC is currently undertaking a major project to relocate the public broadcaster’s French services headquarters to the all-IP Maison de Radio-Canada (MRC) broadcast centre in Montreal, the release says. Upon completion later this year, the new SMPTE ST 2110-compliant MRC will be one of the most advanced, state-of-the-art IP broadcast facilities in the world, supporting CBC’s multiplatform and ever-increasing digital…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA — The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) released Tuesday a comprehensive study looking at the history of public funding granted to the CBC. According to its research, parliamentary funding for CBC’s operations has decreased by 36% since 1985.
The FRPC decided in mid-2019 to undertake the research project in preparation for the public broadcaster’s licence renewal proceeding this year. The 248-page study, titled An analysis of CBC’s financial history from 1937 to 2019: We tried to follow the money. Frodo had it easier, is based on financial and other data collected from 80 of the…
Continue Reading
Panel report targets foreign players, but Murphy urges caution
TORONTO – Doug Murphy said he appreciates the recommendations of the government-appointed panel tasked with reviewing Canada’s communications laws, but the Corus Entertainment president and CEO urged caution about the regulatory pressure it may add to Canadian broadcasters.
“It looks like this report is calling for even more regulation and more regulatory burden,” Murphy said in a phone interview on Friday. “What we cannot have happen here is more regulatory burden on the incumbent actors – that’s not acceptable.”
Murphy, like others, is still sifting through the 235-page report, released Wednesday, which contains…
Continue Reading
By Etan Vlessing
OTTAWA – Most people go to Netflix or Amazon Prime for their online TV fixes, but a host of niche streaming services like Britbox, Shudder and CBC Gem target those with more obscure or specific viewing tastes.
But as these boutique upstarts go up against online giants increasingly penetrating the Canadian market, some of their top execs gathered last week at Prime Time in Ottawa to talk about how to snatch market share from superstores like Apple TV and Disney+.
“Everyone is trying to be a giant. We don’t have to be everything for everybody. We have to be…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA — Responding to a procedural request for information from the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, the CRTC is now asking CBC/Radio-Canada to submit its total aggregate revenues for all of its online services, as part of the proceeding related to the public broadcaster’s licence renewal.
In a letter sent to the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting on January 28, the Commission notes it has sent CBC/Radio-Canada a letter requesting the information about aggregate revenues (subscriber and advertising) asked for by FCB for all CBC/Radio-Canada owned and operated audio and audiovisual online services. CBC/Radio-Canada has until February 4, 2020 to provide…
Continue Reading
By Christopher Guly
OTTAWA – After barely a day to digest, the Broadcast and Telecom Legislative Review panel report claimed centre stage during day one of the Canadian Media Producers Association’s 25th Prime Time conference in Ottawa on Thursday.
One day after releasing their report – 19 months in the making and which resulted in 97 recommendations – chair Janet Yale and fellow panelist Monique Simard provided some insight during a lunchtime appearance.
“Our job was to deliver recommendations on how to modernize the legislative and regulatory framework governing the communication sector in broadcasting and telecommunications,” said Yale. “We really thought about…
Continue Reading
By Etan Vlessing
OTTAWA – As Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and other U.S. streamers compete in Canada alongside local digital rivals Crave and CBC Gem, Bell Media president Randy Lennox and CBC president and CEO Catherine Tait on Thursday offered competing visions on how best to potentially structure TV deals with American streamers promising bigger budgets and global reach, while still protecting and fully exploiting their Canadian-nurtured IP.
During a Prime Time panel entitled “Canadian Broadcasting Beyond 2020,” Lennox and Tait talked of grappling with production financing tools and strategies dramatically morphing in the streaming era as American digital partners…
Continue Reading
