The new app from NPR promises to learn from what you like and serve up a never-ending buffet of news and content. What’ll be the impact on local stations? Read the article HERE

Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Darren Throop as the 2015 inductee to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. Throop, the President and CEO of Entertainment One and a visionary within the entertainment industry for more than two decades, will be honoured for his achievements at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala, taking place on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto.

"I am truly delighted and deeply honoured by The Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame's welcoming recognition and to be among such talented and successful music industry pioneers and trailblazers," said Throop. "The talent in independent music in Canada is world-class, and it has been both a privilege and passion to work in this exceptional business."

"Darren Throop's strategic foresight and acute sense of business have made him a real powerhouse in the entertainment industry," said Neill Dixon, President of Canadian Music Week.  "Few have had the vision, skill and resolve to pursue the ventures and execute the acquisitions that he has and turn each of them into a success - not only commercially, but financially. His enthusiasm and dedication is refreshing and commendable and have earned him a great deal of respect from his industry peers. We are delighted to recognize him this year for everything that he has achieved and for what we are sure is still to come."

In a career spanning more than twenty years, Darren Throop has established himself as a leader in building and managing entertainment companies. At the helm of Entertainment One since 2003, he has developed the company into a leading independent entertainment content owner and distributor, and through corporate acquisitions and partnerships, has expanded the group's global footprint including all major English-speaking territories.

In 1991, Throop founded an independent chain of retail music stores, marking the beginning of his career in the entertainment industry. The next ten years would see him building and acquiring several music distribution ventures - including CDPlus.com and Records on Wheels - before becoming CEO of ROW Entertainment (ROW) in 2001.

As CEO of ROW, Throop diversified its operations through a series of acquisitions, including the purchase of Video One Canada - Canada's largest home entertainment company.  In 2003 he took the company public, then orchestrated the acquisition of Koch Records - North America's largest independent music label - and subsequently changed the company name to Entertainment One. With the company's comprehensive U.S. Canadian distribution network, Throop began aggressively acquiring the rights for specialty content. In 2007, to fund expansion into independent feature film distribution and rights ownership, he moved Entertainment One to London's Alternative Investment Market in a $200 million IPO.

Shortly after the listing, Throop took Entertainment One on a shopping spree, acquiring leading content producers and distributors around the globe. Stepping up to the main market of the London Stock Exchange in 2010, Entertainment One was confirmed as a FTSE 250 entrant in the FTSE UK Index Series in 2013.

From the company's headquarters in Canada, Throop now directs a talented cast of industry experts that share his vision of actively acquiring ownership of content rights for exploitation across all media platforms worldwide.  His success in creating one of the world's leading entertainment companies was recently recognized at the Grant Thornton Quoted Company Awards where Throop was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year.

Throughout his career, Throop has been a staunch supporter of the independent music scene. Today, eOne Music is the #1 independent music brand in North America.

Tricon Films and YTV begin production on series set in Toronto

(July 28, 2014 – Toronto, Canada) YTV is launching Mission: 4Count, an exciting new 8 x 30-minute reality series that takes viewers behind-the-scenes to follow the hot new pop band, 4Count, discovered and managed by media mogul Nick Cannon, as they prepare for stardom. Slated to air in October 2014, the series, produced by Tricon Films & Television, is starting production in Toronto. The group’s new single “California,” was serviced to Canadian radio today and is available now for purchase on all digital service providers. The video will premiere on YTV July 30 and go live on VEVO August 12.

“It’s great to be working with YTV on Mission: 4Count. It’s the perfect place for fans to get to know them,” said Nick Cannon. “The musicality of this group is off the charts and the stage is set for 4Count to rock the world.”

The series chronicles the members of 4Count, Aaron Scott, Ben Robinson and brothers Adam and Kieran Ackerman, who have left their homes in California to hone their musical skills in Canada. Sending the group on multiple missions, Nick gives the guys a boot camp on making it in the music industry with a relentless schedule of rehearsals, recording sessions and live performances. He’s brought a manager, Marty, on board to make sure the group gets to where they need to be, but who often ends up side-tracking Nick’s agenda with his own misadventures. Will 4Count pass the test and successfully complete their assigned missions in Canada, or will they be side-tracked by everything their new surroundings have to offer?

“YTV viewers will love seeing the band sing, dance and charm their way through Nick Cannon’s music missions,” said Jamie Piekarz, Director of Content, Corus Kids. “Adam, Aaron, Ben and Kieran are not only incredibly talented but have the dynamic personalities that kids will be drawn to and connect with.”

In anticipation of the launch of the series, 4Count will be featured in the YTV Summer Beach Bash special, airing on YTV on Saturday, August 23 at 6 p.m. ET/PT. Toronto fans can catch the band’s performance on Saturday, August 9 at the live event. For more details on attending YTV Summer Beach Bash, visit: http://www.ytv.com/spikepages/sugar-beach-promo/.

TORONTO, July 25, 2014 /CNW/ - SiriusXM Canada (TSX: XSR), the country's leading audio entertainment company, today announced that that Tom Petty Radio will return to SiriusXM on Friday, July 25 at 6:00 pm ET on channel 25.

Tom Petty Radio, the exclusive, limited-run channel, will feature music spanning Tom Petty's entire career, from his first album with The Heartbreakers up to their new album Hypnotic Eye, including personal stories from Petty and his bandmates in The Heartbreakers about each track on the new album. The channel will also feature songs Petty recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the Traveling Wilburys as well as live tracks from Petty's most recent tour. Listeners will also hear highlights from Petty's exclusive SiriusXM show, Tom Petty's Buried Treasure. Tom Petty Radio will air on SiriusXM's Classic Rewind channel through Sunday, August 3.

Tom Petty Radio, which previously aired for a limited time in 2013, will also feature an exclusive "Town Hall" with Tom Petty, during which Petty will sit down for an intimate Q&A session with a select group of SiriusXM listeners in Los Angeles.

Moderated by SiriusXM host Jim Ladd, "SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will air on Saturday, July 26 at 3:00 pm ET on Tom Petty Radio via satellite, channel 25 and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at siriusxm.ca.

"SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will feature Petty answering questions from fans about his career, including the release of their new album Hypnotic Eye, scheduled for release on July 29.

After the broadcast, "SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will be available on SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices or online at siriusxm.ca. Visit http://www.siriusxm.ca/ondemand for more info on SiriusXM On Demand.

Now in its eighth season, Tom Petty's Buried Treasure features the Grammy Award®-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, playing a set of rare and classic tracks from his private vaults, many vintage, with his informed and entertaining commentary. Tom Petty's Buried Treasure airs on Deep Tracks, channel 27, on Thursdays at 5:00 pm ET.

"SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" is part of SiriusXM's "Town Hall" series, featuring iconic entertainers and figures sitting down with studio audiences of SiriusXM listeners. Previous SiriusXM "Town Hall" specials have featuredBruce Springsteen, Billy Crystal, Roger Waters, Quentin Tarantino, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, KISS, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Ringo Starr, Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman, the surviving members of Nirvana, Gregg Allman, Usher and Tony Hawk.

July 25, 2014 / TORONTO, Canada - We are pleased to welcome Emmis Communications as a new Associate Member of the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA). Emmis joins other North American national broadcasters, regional networks, and specialty service broadcasters in defining, debating, and suggesting solutions to the issues and challenges broadcasters face, here in North America and around the world. We are also extremely pleased to have Emmis’ CTO – Paul Brenner – accept the role of Vice-Chair of NABA’s new and expanding Radio Committee (RC). Brenner will work alongside Chair Julie McCambley of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The NABA Board of Directors enthusiastically welcomes this new membership and RC Vice-Chair role. NABA’s Director-General Michael McEwen noted that:

Emmis Communications and Paul Brenner reflect the very best of innovation and adaptive strategies to a changing radio environment. Their participation in NABA brings to the RC and the Association wide experience and willingness to challenge traditional thinking. I am also delighted that Paul has accepted Julie’s invitation to be Vice-Chair. In working with our radio community Paul will bring his exceptional skills and leadership on the diverse challenges the industry faces.

In joining NABA and accepting the RC Vice-Chair role, Brenner remarked that:

The globalization of technology has forced companies to look well beyond country-by-country. By scaling up efforts across this large geographic region and array of organizations and talent, we are more likely to challenge each other and drive revolutionary change. We must rethink the ways of the past that focused on technology for technology sake or improvements to specific broadcast-related technology and strive to change perceptions of our medium. Think differently. Universal compelling content, whether aural, visual, analog, digital or hybrid solutions that blend bi-directional technologies are goals we should all aspire to accomplish together.

A big welcome to Emmis Communications and Paul Brenner from NABA.

CALGARY, July 25, 2014-Calgary's popular anchor and reporter, Cara Fullerton announced her departure from the broadcasting industry earlier today. After 14 years in television including 10 years with Global, Cara has decided to dedicate her time to pursue a career in health and fitness.

"I would like to thank Cara for her time and dedication to Global," said Chris Bassett, News Director for Global News, Calgary. “She's been a great team player and she will missed. We wish Cara all the best on her next adventure."

Beginning her career as a computer analyst, Cara switched gears in 1998 when she decided to pursue a new career in the broadcast industry. Graduating from NAIT in 2000 with a broadcasting diploma, Cara’s television career began. That same year, Cara landed her first job as a videographer in Grande Prairie, Alberta. In 2001, Cara joined CFSK Saskatoon, part of the Global Television Network.  Later that year,Cara pulled up stakes and headed for the East coast and a position as news reporter and weekend anchor at Global Television in Halifax. In November 2003, Cara decided to come home to Alberta  where she joined Global News Calgary. Most recently, Cara has been part of weekday mornings on Global Calgary’s Morning News and can also be found co-anchoring the Noon News Hour Monday through Friday.

"I've loved my time in broadcasting but am excited about the next chapter in my life," said Fullerton. “I would like to thank Global for helping build my career and lift my confidence so I can in turn help others."

Fullerton’s final on-air goodbye and last day with Global Calgary will be August 14th, 2014.

TORONTO (July 25, 2014) – Discovery’s DAILY PLANET returns for a landmark 20th season with its inaugural “Extreme Machines” Week, beginning Monday, August 25 at 7 p.m. ET through Friday, August 29. Ride shotgun with co-hosts Ziya Tong and Dr. Dan Riskin as Canada’s favourite science program jumps into an all-new season with innovative and cutting-edge machine marvels from around the globe! Discovery’s flagship hour returns stronger than ever – with the preceding 19th season ranking as the most-watched in the show’s history, reaching more than1.5 million viewers in the average week*. In addition, Discovery was the #1 Canadian Entertainment Specialty channel in the DAILY PLANET timeslot (Monday-Friday, 7-8 p.m. ET) among Adults 25-54, Adults 18-49, and Adults 18-34 (as well as Men 25-54, Men 18-49, and Men 18-34).

Highlights from DAILY PLANET’s “Extreme Machines” include:

The Alan Nursall Experience: Extreme Immersions
The veteran correspondent busts out with five incredibly dynamic immersions over five nights – featuring gold mining in Alaska, rock bouncing in Alabama, a fire-breathing ATV in New York … and a whole lot more!

Extreme Tractor
The most tricked-out tractors from the Carolinas come together to duke it out in an extreme tractor pull contest. DAILY PLANET captures all the smack talk…in a competition where horsepower is KING.

Hot Tub Racer
DAILY PLANET dives into a fully functioning and mobile hot tub – built into a 1969 Cadillac Coupe Deville – along with its Canadian engineers who dream of breaking speed records.

Manure Shredder
When you’re shredding manure – obstacles like ice chunks and logs can spell the end for some machinery … but not the CB1200! It’s designed to handle just about anything! To prove it Artex has already sent a small car through its claws and now they’re pushing it even further…DAILY PLANET style!

Digger
Thomas Dalla Piazza’s new high-tech baby could revolutionize de-mining operations around the world. That is, if it can survive a series of explosion tests performed by the Swedish Military with anti-tank mines!

Jet-Powered Football
DAILY PLANET spotlights the latest ridiculous creation from North Street Labs that will make anyone a star NFL quarterback – a jet-powered football! Will it fly? And is it even safe to catch? DAILY PLANET is there for the first toss.

Oculus Tanks
For Norway’s Combat Lab – Oculus Rift isn’t just the future of 3D gaming, it could be the future of military operations. DAILY PLANET rides inside a tank as Oculus Rift makes drivers feel as if they’re sitting in a transparent vehicle with a 360-degree view of the world.

Leipzig Stinger
DAILY PLANET follows a rookie German firefighter training with The Stinger – a vicious piercing nozzle on the end of a boom on Europe’s most modern fire truck.

TORONTO (July 24, 2014) – Canada’s Sports Leader today announced that award-winning journalist Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) will join TSN as the network’s Senior Correspondent. Known for his investigative reporting, Westhead will create original content that will be featured across TSN platforms: TSN, TSN Radio, TSN.ca, and TSN GO.

“Rick is a distinguished journalist and bolsters our team of reporters and Insiders,” said Ken Volden, Vice President & Executive Producer, Studio Production and News and Information, TSN. “As our Senior Correspondent, we’ll continue to let him uncover compelling stories from the sports world. We’re very proud to showcase his respected work across all of our platforms.”

"I've been watching TSN programming for nearly three decades. It's a privilege to join a broadcast team that is so clearly established as the industry leader,” said Westhead. “I plan to tackle issues nobody else wants to take on and offer up new perspectives on stories making headlines and the ones that are not on anyone’s radar.” 

Westhead joins TSN from the Toronto Star, where he served as one of the newspaper's foreign affairs writers in addition to covering sports business.

Throughout his 20-year career, Westhead has reported on a variety of sports issues – including exposing the inner-workings of the KHL, and most recently, the renewed unionization attempts in the CHL – for a slate of leading publications, among them the Toronto Star, Bloomberg News, Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, New York Times, and Saturday Night Magazine.

His extensive resume also includes contributing reports to Hockey Night in Canada, The Business of Sports TV, and sports radio, as well as covering major sporting events such as The Masters, the Olympic Games, the Stanley Cup, and the World Cup of Hockey.

Westhead has earned accolades for his foreign affairs work. Earlier this year, Westhead was part of a team that won the prestigious Project of the Year at the National Newspaper Awards. He was also honoured with the Toronto Star’s Reporter of the Year Award in 2007.

Westhead has reported in countries from around the world – from Afghanistan and Australia to Jordan and Japan – and lived in India from 2008-2011 as the Toronto Star’s South Asia Bureau Chief.

Throughout this career, he has interviewed key figures from the sports, entertainment, business, and political worlds, among them the Dalai Lama, Alicia Keys, and Malala Yousafzai.

TORONTO (July 24, 2014) – What didn’t kill him made him stronger – and a better driver! Back for another jet-setting season, Andrew Younghusband once again packs his passport and sets out on a terrifying and thrilling global adventure, tasked with learning to navigate more of the world’s worst driving cities – just as the locals do. Back with a six-city second season from Toronto’s Proper Television, original Canadian series DON’T DRIVE HERE returns to Discovery on Monday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Way outside of his comfort zone, Younghusband steers around unbelievable free-for-alls involving cars, bikes, pedestrians – and even animals – on white-knuckle rides in these bustling cities. For Season 2, Younghusband takes the wheel in Nairobi, Ho Chi Minh City, Port-au-Prince, La Paz, Rome, and Sao Paulo – but thankfully he’s not alone. Bold and incredibly skilled, Younghusband’s local guides teach him how to navigate and experience their city in a way no guidebook ever could. 

After a decade of steering CANADA’S WORST DRIVER and becoming a sideline expert in truly terrible Canadian drivers, Younghusband thought he’d seen it all. But that changed last year when he buckled into DON’T DRIVE HERE and experienced disastrous driving on an epic, global scale. Shifting gears – and perspective – Younghusband’s own skills are put to the test in the heart of each new pulsing metropolis as he learns to adapt to the local “road rules.”

Since he navigated Bangkok on a three-wheeled tuk tuk and the mostly unpaved roads in Ulaanbaatar last year, Younghusband knows what he’s in for and is up to the challenge, right? In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he makes hazardous deliveries just like a local – balancing more than 1,600 eggs and even live fish…on a scooter! In La Paz, Bolivia, Younghusband directs traffic in a zebra costume – this is actually an established traffic-control tactic! And in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where there are few ambulances, Younghusband finds one to drive – but instead of the usual four-wheeled van version, he discovers medical transport by motorcycle ambulance, complete with a backseat stretcher.

In each one-hour episode, Younghusband meets resident traffic experts to find out why driving in each city is so perilous in the first place. For one week, taxi drivers, truckers, and couriers of every description show Younghusband how to navigate and survive their city’s unique and formidable traffic chaos. From navigating in a rickety truck to making harrowing deliveries on scooters, Younghusband steers his way around the most daunting traffic in the world.

Highlights from the first episodes of DON’T DRIVE HERE include:

DON’T DRIVE HERE: “Nairobi”
Monday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Nairobi, Kenya, is East Africa’s largest city, filled with thousands of two-legged obstacles:  people! People in Nairobi walk on all major roads, wherever they want and alongside such contraptions as mkokotenis – massive handcarts that are pulled through thick, belching traffic. Traffic in Nairobi is dominated by matatus – huge, rickety buses that stop anywhere – if they can stop at all. Younghusband meets two people who were actually hit by matatus:  one is a one-legged bicycle courier who’s so fast that Younghusband can’t keep up; the other is a paraplegic who drives a hand-cranked tricycle. Add in the tipsiest bike bread delivery of all-time, a harrowing lesson on how not to get car-jacked, and a painful motorcycle crash, Younghusband’s week in Nairobi ends with a can’t-miss finale:  delivering a cow and six goats…in a truck with no brakes!

DON’T DRIVE HERE: “Ho Chi Minh City”
Monday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Home to more than five million motorbikes, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a veritable river of two-wheelers where drivers carry everything from windows and doors, to entire families on their scooters. Younghusband learns how to flow with the crowds, surviving crazy round-abouts, cyclos, trucks, jeeps – even sidecar motorbikes leftover from the war. He braves a Vietnamese market, selling live fish off the back of his bike, and – not to be outdone by a veteran local driver – he teeters precariously on a scooter as he delivers 1,600 eggs!

From Kenya and Vietnam, Younghusband then heads to “Port-au-Prince” (Sept. 8), where local authorities estimate that 98% of the city’s 400,000 motorcycles are used as taxis; “La Paz” (Sept. 15), where 55 accidents each day are attributed to drunk driving; “Rome” (Sept. 22), where teenagers can legally drive at age 14; and “Sao Paulo” (Sept. 29), which holds a 2009 World Record for traffic jams.

TORONTO | MONTREAL, July 24, 2014 – The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and CBC announced today that they have selected Cimoroni & Company to produce the Academy’s 2015 Canadian Screen Awards which will air live on CBC-TV on Sunday, March 1, 2015.

“Cimoroni & Company bring a formidable partnership in Dan Cimoroni and Rick Chisholm and their team to the 2015 Canadian Screen Awards,” says Academy CEO Helga Stephenson. “With a proven and exciting track record, we look forward to what their talents will bring to our annual celebration of the best in Canadian film, television and digital media – the screen industries that are with us every hour of every day.”

(July 24, 2014 – Toronto, Canada) Canada’s preeminent literacy organization, Frontier College, will receive a financial and literary boost this year for its annual Aboriginal Summer Literacy Camps, from Corus Entertainment and TD Bank Group. The focus of this year’s program is to help nourish the bodies and minds of young children in Aboriginal communities across the country. A 30-second spot for the camps will air on Corus TV channels for two weeks, beginning Monday, July 28. Click here to view the spot: http://vimeo.com/101337095.

TD has been a significant supporter of Frontier College’s Aboriginal Summer Literacy Camps, and this year will be donating an additional $100 000 to help facilitate the nutrition component of this program. Corus is donating books, materials and activities from the celebrated Franklin the Turtle series, created by author Paulette Bourgeois and illustrator Brenda Clark, through its publishing division (Kids Can Press) and its national philanthropic initiative, Corus Feeds Kids.

“The availability of literacy programs and initiatives can often be taken for granted. However, they are not always accessible to everyone,” said Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group. “TD is pleased to continue supporting Frontier College in their efforts to reach out to Aboriginal youth in communities across Canada, to encourage learning and a love of reading.”

Corus will also raise awareness about Frontier College’s Aboriginal Summer Literacy Camps through PSA support across its radio, television and online assets. 

“Corus is pleased to be teaming up with TD Bank Group on this literacy camp initiative with Frontier College through our Corus Feeds Kids program,” said John Cassaday, President and CEO, Corus Entertainment. “Corus is committed to supporting the healthy development and well-being of Canadian children, and we are delighted that, with this program, the beloved Franklin series can play a role in helping to cultivate a love of reading in communities across Canada.”

“Frontier College is proud of the success of the Aboriginal Summer Literacy Camps, which ensures that children continue to learn throughout the summer. We are grateful for the commitment from TD Bank Group and Corus Entertainment in sharing a vision for a bright and healthy future in these communities,” said Sherry Campbell, President and CEO, Frontier College.

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - July 24, 2014) - Shaw Communications Inc. (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR) and PGA TOUR star Graham DeLaet today announced a new program to support children's charities and the development of junior golfers at all levels.

As part of the Shaw Birdies and Eagles for Kids program, Shaw will donate $100 to the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation for every birdie and $500 for every eagle that Graham makes during the 2014 PGA TOUR season. Proceeds from the program will reinforce the DeLaet foundation's support for children's health and well-being, and junior golf programs.

This season, DeLaet has recorded more than 200 birdies and four eagles bringing Shaw's charitable donation total to over $20,000. DeLaet, who is ranked 31st in the world, is set to tee off this week at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open being played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in ile Bizard, Quebec from July 21-27.

"Graham and Ruby have shown such strong leadership by contributing to the health and well-being of children," said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications Inc. "We're proud to stand with them, and support their charitable efforts and worthwhile causes that will make our communities stronger."

"Shaw Birdies and Eagles for Kids cements an already successful partnership with Shaw," DeLaet said. "I'm excited to get out there, play my best and raise some money for children."

"Launching our Foundation was so important to Graham and I, as we felt it was the right time in Graham's career to give back," said Ruby DeLaet. "It is amazing to have partners like Shaw that support our efforts to truly make a difference in the lives of children."

Fans can track DeLaet's scoring and the growth of Shaw's donations by visiting Shaw.ca/golf and by following @ShawGolf on Twitter, which also features exclusive golf giveaways.

Long-time Toronto on-air presence Jeff Chalmers (Q107, 92.5 JACK-FM, Y108) has signed on with Newcap Radio’s boom 97.3 in Toronto as a summer freelancer. 

– Season 2 premiere delivers a cumulative average audience of 3.85 million viewers across Bell Media channels –

– Last night’s episode delivers 1.94 million viewers –

TORONTO (July 23, 2014) – After three weeks, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA continues to race ahead as the #1 program of the summer. Newly released final data from Numeris for the Season 2 premiere on July 8 reveals a 36% surge to 2.76 million viewers, confirming the series’ claim as the most-watched premiere of any series this summer, and the #1 Canadian premiere of the 2013/14 broadcast season. 

With seven airings of original and encore episodes across CTV, CTV Two, TSN, and TSN2, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA season premiere was watched by 6.54 million unique viewers, with a cumulative average audience of 3.85 million viewers across these channels.  

Last night’s episode drew 1.94 million viewers, up from a week ago. Overall, 3.3 million unique viewers watched the first international leg of the race, with the audience growing throughout the broadcast to peak at 2.4 million viewers when host Jon Montgomery revealed that Laura and Jackie were eliminated from the competition. For the third week in a row, the episode overwhelmingly won the night with total viewers and all key demos.

Last night’s episode will encore this week on TSN (Thursday, July 24 at 12 a.m. ET/ 9 p.m. PT and Friday, July 25 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT), TSN2 (Thursday, July 24 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT), and CTV and CTV GO (Saturday, July 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Sunday, July 27 at 5 p.m. ET/PT – and is also now available on demand at CTV GO. All-new episodes of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO.

Next Week:
THE AMAZING RACE CANADA stays in China as teams race to the new gambling capital of the world, Macau, where they get hot – and bothered (Tuesday, July 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO). A casino challenge deals a round of confusion, and desperation.

The eight remaining teams competing for the biggest grand prize in Canadian television history are:
Pierre and Michel – Twin Brothers, Montreal
Alain and Audrey - Dating, Montreal
Mickey and Pete – Best Friends, Muskoka, Ont.
Sukhi and Jinder – Siblings, Terrace, B.C.
Natalie and Meaghan – Teammates, Scarborough, Ont. and Calgary
Rex and Bob – Engaged, Ashburn, Ont.
Ryan and Rob – Co-Workers, Vancouver
Cormac and Nicole – Mother and Son, Winnipeg

The four premier sponsors for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are Air Canada, Chevrolet Canada, DQ Canada, and Scotiabank.

Commissioned by CTV, Season 2 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is produced by Insight Productions in association with CTV and with the support of Profiles Television Productions.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that it will host a meeting with telecommunications and broadcasting distribution companies to discuss the practice of charging additional fees to customers who wish to receive paper bills. The CRTC also released the results of its fact-finding exercise on these practices.

Based on information obtained by the CRTC, there is a wide variation in how companies approach paper bill fees. As of November 2013, 36 companies indicated that they do not charge any fees. However, 27 companies acknowledged that their fees range from $0.99 to $5.95 per month for paper bills. Certain companies provide exemptions to these fees, such as for customers who do not have Internet access, but there is no consistent practice across the industry.

The CRTC is concerned that the approach taken by the industry in the transition from paper to electronic bills may not have taken into account the specific circumstances of some Canadians. The CRTC is inviting representatives from communications companies to a meeting that will be held on August 28, 2014, at its central office.

The meeting will be lead by the CRTC’s Vice-Chairs of Broadcasting and Telecommunications. Participants will be expected to come up with a clear and predictable approach to paper bill fees, if any, as well as exemptions for any such fees. This will ensure that Canadians are able to make informed decisions.

Quick Facts

The CRTC has challenged the communications industry to come up with a clear and predictable approach that addresses consumer issues related to paper bill fees.

The CRTC will be hosting a meeting with telecommunications and broadcasting distribution companies to facilitate discussion on the practices related to paper bill fees.

The CRTC has released the results of its fact-finding exercise on paper bill fees.

Quote:

“We are concerned that not all Canadians have a reasonable choice when it comes to paper bill fees for communications services. We are challenging telecommunications and broadcasting distribution companies to come up with a comprehensive approach that will enable Canadians to make informed decisions. We are prepared to explore regulatory options if the industry fails to find an appropriate approach.”

– Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Associated Link

Results of the fact-finding exercise on fees for paper bills

Spending to Reach People on Their Devices This Year Will Eclipse Radio, Print.

Read the article HERE

The market for local television stations was bullish in 2013, driven by the growing political ad revenue and fees paid to those outlets by cable, satellite and telecommunications companies for the right to carry their programming. In 2013, about 300 full-power local stations changed hands for a combined price tag of more than $8 billion, as major companies — from the Sinclair Broadcast Group to the Tribune Company — dramatically expanded their local TV portfolios.

Read the article HERE

Moncton and Saint John centres part of Bell's strategy to improve customer service and invest in Canadian jobs

MONTRÉAL, July 23, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today announced the acquisition of 2 customer call centres in New Brunswick as part of its strategy to improve customer service and invest in jobs in Atlantic Canada and across the country.

"Delivering a better customer experience at every level is a core part of Bell's customer-focused investment strategy. These New Brunswick centres and other locations we've opened across Canada are essential to Bell's success in a competitive communications marketplace," said John Watson, Executive Vice President of Customer Operations for Bell. "We are pleased to welcome 700 more employees to the Bell team at these two New Brunswick locations, which join 5 other new Canadian call centres we've announced in the last 4 years."

Bell is acquiring call centres in Saint John and in Moncton and will dedicate both centres to serving its residential, wireless and small business customers. 

Since 2010, Bell has announced new call centres in Nanaimo, BC; Orillia, ON; and Laval, Rouyn-Noranda, and Saguenay in Québec.

The two sites will be operated by Bell's wholly owned subsidiary Nordia. For employment opportunities, please visitJobs@Bell or Nordia.ca