By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – We’re going to have to wait a little longer to learn more about the next steps in the legislative process following the publication of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) panel report.
In its first public meeting after the 2019 election, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage invited representatives of the panel to brief the committee members on its report, which is actually called Canada’s Communications Future: Time to Act, issued on January 29th. Many are also calling it the Yale report.
In its appearance at the committee today, the panel’s chair, Janet Yale and panel…
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MONTREAL — Quebecor today publicized the intervention it filed with the CRTC, asking to appear at the public hearing into CBC/Radio-Canada’s licence renewal in May, where it will argue the public broadcaster needs to be given a clear public service mandate.
In a news release issued Monday, Quebecor says it agrees with the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel report that CBC/Radio-Canada should be “animated by a public purpose and not a commercial one.”
Among the questions Quebecor would like raised during the public hearing are the following:
Is it desirable for the public broadcaster to be driven by a…
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TORONTO — A $35-million class action lawsuit has been filed against Toronto-based reality TV production company Insight Productions. The suit is seeking damages stemming from alleged employment standards violations.
Insight Productions is best known for producing Canadian versions of shows such as Amazing Race, Big Brother and CBC’s Battle of the Blades.
The lawsuit filed in Ontario Court on Friday by law firm Cavalluzzo LLP claims Insight owes hundreds of workers unpaid overtime, vacation pay and holiday premiums because of contracts that did not comply with Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. The suit was filed on behalf of current and former employees…
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By Greg O’Brien
GATINEAU – “Our initial capital budget for this coming year… was about $220 million. We’ve cut $60 million out of that. We’ve laid off people.”
This was part of the response from Eastlink CEO Lee Bragg when asked by CRTC commissioner Christopher MacDonald of the possible impact of a mandated mobile virtual network operator regime. Bragg said the fear of such a decision – coupled with the recent third party internet access decision on the wired side where Bragg says CRTC-set rates are below-cost and which it is fighting on many fronts – pushed the family-owned company…
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TORONTO — The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) announced Wednesday it has appointed industry veteran Michelle van Beusekom to the role of executive director.
Van Beusekom brings more than 25 years of experience in documentary to the national non-profit association. Most recently, she worked as executive director of the National Film Board of Canada’s English program where she led the editorial and creative direction, operations and finances for five production studios across Canada.
“Documentary has never been more popular and it has never been so underfunded. There is no one better than Michelle to advocate for a genre that has brought…
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TORONTO — The Bentway skate trail under Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway will remain open for a longer skating season thanks to a new partnership with CBC Sports.
The announcement was made Wednesday and will mean that instead of closing on February 17 as planned, the 220-metre, figure-eight-shaped skate trail will stay open until March 22.
In celebration of the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, taking place March 16-22, CBC Sports will bring its exclusive coverage of the event to The Bentway. In addition to a musical playlist presented by CBC Music during skate hours, visitors will be able to enjoy…
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TORONTO — CBC is partnering with NBCUniversal International Studios on a new original drama series called Lady Dicks that is currently in pre-production and will begin shooting in Ontario this spring.
The buddy cop drama series (10×60) is produced by Cameron Pictures in association with CBC and NBCUniversal, and stars Meredith MacNeill, left (Baroness von Sketch Show), and Adrienne C. Moore, right (Orange Is The New Black). Critically acclaimed director, Holly Dale (Batwoman, Mary Kills People) will direct the premiere episode.
Co-created by Tassie Cameron (Mary Kills People, Ten Days in the Valley, Rookie Blue, The Robber Bride) and Sherry White…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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