UK-based CK Talent Management announced last month the opening of a Canadian division and the appointment of veteran Canadian entertainment executive Lowell Schrieder as division director.
Based in Toronto, the Canadian division of CK Talent Management “will focus on discovering, developing, and representing top-tier talent from across the country,” reads a CK Talent press release. “With Schrieder’s leadership and CK’s global network, this expansion promises to elevate Canadian talent to new heights in the entertainment industry and exposing their talents to the rest of the world.”
In addition to the UK and now Canada, CK Talent has operations…
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By Connie Thiessen
Skywild Pictures is the new Toronto-based scripted television and film prodco, founded by writer and executive producer Travis Farncombe and TV executive/producer Angela Jennings.
Jennings, who’ll serve as president, will oversee the company’s stakeholder relations and corporate development, in addition to managing creative, financial and legal strategies, and daily operations. The veteran executive has produced over 700 hours of content, including series like MasterChef Canada, Canada’s Got Talent, and Luxe Listings Toronto. For the past decade, she’s been with Scott McGillivray’s MEM, most recently as president.
Farncombe (A Translator, 13 Minutes) will hold the title of CEO. Rounding out…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Industry Canada’s new fee structure for spectrum below the 10 GHz band is contrary to the challenges facing the Canadian economy, the trajectory of mobile wireless prices, and out of touch in relation to peer countries, the largest wireless service providers are arguing.
Earlier this month, the department changed how it would charge for those spectrum fees in certain low and mid bands. Instead of the existing annual base rate with a multiplier based on MHz held and population served, the department has opted instead for a three-rate fee system that applies discounts to an annual base rate…
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The Disability Screen Office (DSO) announced Wednesday it is leading Canada’s first-ever multi-year study on the participation of people with disabilities in the Canadian film and TV industry and the barriers they face in the labour market.
The DSO initiative is financially supported by Accessibility Standards Canada’s Advancing Accessibility Standards Research Program and the Canada Media Fund’s Sector Development Support program, as well as contributions from the Shaw Rocket Fund, Ontario Creates, Creative BC, Bell Fund and PictureNL. The DSO is partnering with Quebec-based equity organization Coalition MÉDIA and has commissioned creative industries research firm Nordicity to…
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Bell Media announced Wednesday it is strengthening its existing partnership with Montreal-based Sphere Media by acquiring a majority stake in global content distributor Sphere Abacus, through its parent company Sphere Media International.
Bell Media currently owns a minority stake in content producer Sphere Media. The acquisition of Sphere Abacus “serves as a launchpad for Bell Media’s content distribution expansion, combining the strength of the two companies to accelerate growth and capitalize on new opportunities,” says a Bell Media press release announcing the transaction, which is expected to close in the coming weeks.
As part of the acquisition, UK-based…
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The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and France’s Union Syndicale de la Production Audiovisuelle (USPA) announced Tuesday a joint delegation of producers from Canada and France that will participate in a dedicated mission to explore coproduction opportunities for drama and documentary projects.
“The initiative aims to strengthen bilateral connections between French and Canadian producers, with a focus on the development of new English-language television series across genres,” reads a CMPA press release.
The delegation of producers will travel first to the Series Mania festival being held this week in Lille, France, and then head to Paris, where participants will meet with…
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Corus Entertainment announced last Friday it has completed an agreement to amend and restate its credit agreement dated Oct. 24, 2024, extending the maturity date to March 20, 2027.
The credit facility has been amended to, among other things, increase the maximum amount Corus may request as an advance on a revolving basis to $75 million, remove certain requirements to use excess cash to repay the outstanding amounts on such advances, and fix the interest rate per annum equal to the two-year Canada interest rate determined on March 17, 2025, plus 4.75 per cent, explained a March…
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By Moyra Rodger, CEO of Magnify Digital, a boutique digital agency specializing in online marketing strategy, advertising, and training for the screen media industry
A new wave of Canadian patriotism is emerging in response to U.S. tariffs, making this the perfect moment to focus on what truly matters—our stories. More than ever, Canadian content must reach audiences at home and abroad.
Securing the future of Canadian content means moving beyond a system that prioritizes production and treats audience engagement as an afterthought. Both legacy and digital-first producers need a unified approach to capturing and sustaining audience attention. If we fail to…
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By Connie Thiessen
Telus, in collaboration with NVIDIA, has announced plans to build a Sovereign AI Factory, a secure facility promising to provide supercomputers and software needed to train AI, while keeping data safe within Canada’s borders.
The telco says the factory, which will leverage its high-speed fibre-optic network, will give Canadian businesses and researchers access to cutting-edge technology to develop smarter AI products, streamline operations and stay competitive.
NVIDIA’s latest Hopper- and Blackwell-based supercomputers will power the AI Factory. Telus plans to deploy NVIDIA’s latest-generation graphics processing units (GPUs), following NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) Reference Architectures and software stack, at its data…
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CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) announced Wednesday the three participants for the third year of the CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst program.
This program is “the only accelerator program in Canada that is focused on elevating senior writers who identify as Indigenous, Black or People of Colour to showrunner status through hands-on and personally tailored experiences in prep, on-set and post that empower and elevate skills and knowledge base,” reads a CBC press release.
The participants for the third and final year of the program, now…
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