TORONTO – Saying the company “stands in solidarity with our Black, Indigenous, and people of colour talent, colleagues, creatives, crew, and production and distribution partners,” Bell Media announced today a new Content Diversity Task Force in partnership with BIPOC TV & Film.
Comprised of content leaders from Bell Media’s news, sports, radio, digital, programming, production, marketing, and communications teams, the task force recognizes content decision-makers responsible for the stories told on its platforms and the talent who tell them need to be representative of its audiences, reads the press release.
Bell Media of course has extensive platforms able to amplify…
Continue Reading
$100 million backstop needed
By Greg O’Brien
OTTAWA – No matter what Canadian provinces and territories do to re-open the economy and get back to work, Canada’s independent film and TV producers won’t be mobilizing for one expensive reason.
“I have one word for you,” said Canadian Media Producers Association president and CEO Reynolds Mastin (above) in an interview, “insurance, insurance, insurance.”
Simply put, production companies can’t return to action without new agreements with their insurance companies over potential coronavirus impacts and so far, those companies “are not planning on extending Covid-19 insurance coverage in their new policies,” he said. “So, while we’ve…
Continue Reading
THE BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL announced today its 2020 Rockie Awards International Program Competition winners will be announced during a global livestream broadcast on YouTube on Monday, June 15 at 3 p.m. ET.
The virtual presentation will be hosted by three of the stars of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Baroness von Sketch Show, Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen. The awards ceremony will feature celebrity presenters and award winners from around the world. More than 128 nominees from 35 countries are competing for this year’s Rockie Awards.
Featured talent will include Niecy Nash (Mrs. America, When They See Us), Jason Priestley (Private Eyes,…
Continue Reading
TORONTO — Kidscreen, the trade publication for kids entertainment professionals, this week announced the launch of the Next Wave Mentoring Program, a three-month initiative to connect post-secondary animation and children’s media students with industry mentors who can help the new graduates launch their careers.
A select group of third- and fourth-year students from animation and film programs have been paired up with experienced mentors based on the type of work each student is interested in focusing on after graduation. Each matched pair will have three video calls over the next six weeks to discuss entry-level career planning, identify and develop…
Continue Reading
By Ken Kelley
COULD SOME OF CANADA’S rail lines and dormant ones which have become rail trails be important to helping unlock rural broadband connectivity in underserved parts of the country?
This was one of several ideas put forward during a panel discussion on the role of governments at Canada’s Rural and Remote Broadband Conference series, which moved to an online format due to the Covid-19 crisis.
Moderated by Cartt.ca publisher and editor Greg O’Brien, the panel of experts included representatives from provincial and local government, and two operators. The guests provided a broad scope of varying perspectives from regions that each…
Continue Reading
“We don’t fit their business model”
By Lynn Greiner
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES FACE UNIQUE challenges when it comes to establishing broadband connectivity. At Canada’s Rural and Remote Broadband virtual conference (CRRBC) on Monday, a panel of experts who are addressing those challenges talked about what they’re doing, the roadblocks they’re facing, and why they’re persevering.
Moderated by Kim Barrington, Rogers Communications’ director of operations, enterprise division and chairperson for the Rogers’ Indigenous Peoples’ Network, the panel included Sally Braun, general manager, Western James Bay Telecom Network, Lyle Fabian, president/owner, KatloTech Communications, Rob McMahon, associate professor of communication and technology, Continue Reading
TORONTO — After 30 years at Rogers Communications, Colette Watson (above) is stepping down as senior vice-president of television and broadcast operations for Rogers Sports and Media. Her last day at Rogers will be June 15, the company announced today.
“Colette has been an invaluable member of the Rogers team and a driving force behind industry change. Over her 30-year career, whether it was in cable, regulatory, or media, she consistently delivered under pressure, championed what’s right, and put the company first,” said Jordan Banks, president of Rogers Sports and Media, in the news release. “Faced with industry challenges,…
Continue Reading
By Greg O’Brien
OTTAWA – No one likes delay, especially when it comes to the auction of the wireless spectrum which will drive the primary advantages of 5G wireless technology.
Canadian wireless companies have been clamouring for access to 3500 MHz (3.5 GHz if you prefer) because the mid-band spectrum will deliver the speed and low latency so key to 5G’s future and all were anxious to get to this December’s auction and hit the gas on the next generation of wireless.
Then the coronavirus pandemic hit.
While company CEOs like Joe Natale (Rogers), Mirko Bibic (Bell), Darren Entwistle (Telus), and…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The Directors Guild of Canada says the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) established to help Canadian workers through the Covid-19 crisis must be extended beyond its current 16-week cut off.
While the CERB program runs until October 3rd, the 16-week cap on benefits means Canadians who stopped working during the initial coronavirus shutdown in mid-March will lose support on July 5th, DGC pointed out in a press release on Thursday
“3.5 million Canadians signed up for CERB in the first 7 days and most will be getting their last cheque this week,” said DGC president Tim Southam. “Some will…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Banff Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media today announced Super Channel as its founding industry partner.
The network joins Banff Spark as it welcomes the second cohort of women set to participate in the Banff World Media Festival’s exclusive entrepreneurial program supported by the Government of Canada’s women entrepreneurship strategy.
“With a strong mandate to champion diversity at its core, the program is designed to specifically empower women of colour, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, LGBTQ2+ women, and non-binary individuals. Across the first and second cohorts, 46% of participants self-identify as being from diverse communities,” reads…
Continue Reading
