TV/FILM/VIDEO:
Bell Media’s Super Bowl ratings for Sunday’s big game were down 39 per cent over 2015. The National Football League game, broadcast on CTV, CTV Two and TSN drew an average audience of 4.47 million viewers, down from 7.32 million on CTV in 2016. Bell is blaming the CRTC ruling banning simultaneous substitution of big-budget U.S. ads. Many Canadian viewers apparently opted to watch Fox instead.
Rogers has unveiled its plan for multi-platform coverage of The 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Hosted by late-night host James Corden, the awards will air live on Feb. 12 on City and online at Citytv.com/GRAMMYs. City will also host a GRAMMYs preshow on Facebook Live, in addition to offering a live stream of City Live at the GRAMMYs. On Rogers Radio, KiSS Radio (CKKS-FM) Vancouver’s Ara Andonian and Adele from CHYM-FM 96.7 Kitchener will host a one-hour GRAMMYs Radio special on Feb. 9 looking back at this year’s nominees. It airs at 7 p.m. on all Rogers Adult Contemporary stations, and again at 8 p.m. on all the company’s Contemporary Hit Radio stations. On Feb. 12, the one-hour GRAMMYs Radio special will air across all its Adult Contemporary stations, with live social media updates from each respective station. Rogers Media properties HELLO! Canada, FLARE and Chatelaine will also be live-tweeting the evening, in addition to other coverage.
A Tribe Called Red, Alessia Cara, Ruth B, and The Strumbellas are the latest acts confirmed to perform at the 2017 JUNO Awards. They join previously announced performer Shawn Mendes, who is nominated for five JUNO awards this year. The show airs live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on CTV and CTV GO on Sunday, April 2. Additional performer and presenter announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
Kew Media Group has acquired six entertainment companies and their combined libraries for $104 million, which will see the Toronto-based investment group create content hubs in Los Angeles, London, Toronto and New York. Kew will take 100 per cent ownership of Content Media Corporation, along with Architect Films, Bristow Global Media, Frantic Films Corporation, Media Headquarters Film & Television and Our House Media. Kew also takes over Content-controlled companies Aito Media Oy, Campfire Film & Television, Collins Avenue Productions, Jigsaw Productions and Spirit Digital Media Limited. Content’s management team will stay in place under CEO John Schmidt, who will join the Kew board, while Steven Silver continues as Kew CEO. The acquisition is expected to close in March.
Some cord-cutters in Ottawa are upset that TVO has decided to cancel its over-the-air broadcast outside of Greater Toronto. The public broadcaster announced last week it’s ending transmission in Ottawa, Belleville, Chatham, Cloyne, Kitchener, London, Thunder Bay and Windsor to save $1 million annually. An Ottawa man has started a petition asking TVO to continue over-the-air broadcasts in the region. Bob LeDrew, who uses a digital antenna to access basic channels like TVO, plans to deliver the petition to Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister Of Education Mitzie Hunter when it reaches 1000 signatures. TVO remains available for those paying for cable television. Most programming can also be accessed online.
TVO TeachOntario has received the 2016 Ontario School Library Association OSLA Award for Special Achievement. The online community for teachers is designed to support sharing, collaboration and knowledge exchange amongst Ontario educators with almost 7,000 registered users. TVO’s suite of digital learning resources includes TVO mPower, a creative online game that teaches fundamental K-6 math skills; TVO Homework Help, free online math tutoring by teachers; and TVO ILC, Ontario’s largest public high school and the province’s designated provider of distance education.
Mediatube Corp. and Northvu Inc. are appealing the dismissal of a $350-million IPTV patent infringement suit against Bell. The appeal, filed Friday, asks the Federal Court of Appeal to overturn the January ruling that dismissed its claim Bell Canada infringed its patent to create Fibe TV, after working with the company under a confidentiality agreement. In its grounds for appeal, Mediatube claims the trial judge made both legal and factual errors regarding the patent and its alleged use by Bell. It also says certain testimony and evidence should have been excluded from the trial.
Nine NFB films are set to air on Cuban state television. The National Film Board of Canada says the films include Spanish versions of documentaries and animated shorts, as well as one drama. The deal marks NFB’s first television licence with a Cuban broadcaster. It coincides with Canada’s participation in the Havana International Book Fair this month, where the same films will be screened on site.
Telefilm Canada is increasing feature film production and marketing financing for Indigenous talent to $4 million annually. The move follows Telefilm’s November announcement it would be instituting gender parity measures for feature film financing going forward. Executive Director Carolle Brabant says there is growing interest in Indigenous content, nationally and internationally. Telefilm will also create a jury process with Indigenous representation and has committed to hiring staff from Indigenous communities.
