TV/FILM/VIDEO:
Ride Television Network, Inc. (RIDE TV) will be added to the list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution in Canada. Launched in the U.S. in 2014, the cornerstone of the Texas-based network’s programming is live, championship equestrian sports while also offering original children’s programming, documentaries and reality shows for the rural lifestyle markets.
ICYMI: thinkTV has posted marketing professor Mark Ritson’s talk from FFWD Ad Week in Toronto – Swinging the Media Pendulum Back to Neutral: The Underestimation of TV, the Overselling of Digital, and the Way Forward in 2017. Ritson is currently the adjunct professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School and a visiting professor at Singapore Management University. You can watch Ritson’s talk here.
TVO has announced it will continue to transmit free broadcast signals across eight over-the-air transmitters in Ottawa, Belleville, Thunder Bay, Chatham, Cloyne, Kitchener, London, and Windsor. TVO had previously announced a plan to decommission the transmitters, which would have resulted in an annual savings of $1 million required by TVO to meet its current financial targets. After concern expressed by viewers, the Government of Ontario has agreed to flow an additional $1 million to TVO to ensure continued transmitter operation.
Rogers Media is halting community cable TV production at its Toronto facility, resulting in the elimination of 10 positions. Rogers says it will continue to meet its CRTC commitments using independent community producers. As a result of the CRTC review of local and community television, Rogers and other companies can now shift some funding from community cable programming to news programming on local conventional stations.
Ian Hanomansing has made BuzzFeed’s list of the 50 Hottest News Anchors in the World, clocking in at number 24. The CBC News anchor was the only Canadian to make the cut. Top spot went to FOX5 New York City’s Mike Woods, who is known for presenting the weather forecast shirtless.
The Weather Network and French counterpart MétéoMédia have announced the launch of a daily Allergy Outlook. Launching initially in BC, where seasonal allergies typically begin in February, the outlook will roll out across Canada in March. Available at theweathernetwork.com, meteomedia.com and Flonase.ca, it will deliver a visual look at the risk of pollen, mold and air quality information every day for nearly 11,000 locations across Canada.
Super Channel has acquired the rights to popular U.S. sports franchise Legends Football League (LFL) and its weekly LFL Football Night. The LFL will make its Canadian broadcast debut on April 22 at 9 p.m. ET (SC1) and serve as the flagship franchise to a new sports programming sub-brand, Super Channel SPORTS. The exclusive three-year deal will make Super Channel SPORTS the home of LFL Football Night through the 2019 season. In addition to the LFL, the channel will provide subscribers with other sports-related content including live sporting events, documentaries, specialty shows and biographical movies.
