Liquid Media Group has signed a letter of intent to acquire global subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, iNDIEFLIX. Focused on “edutainment” and supporting social impact films, Seattle-based iNDIEFLIX – led by CEO and Co-founder Scilla Andreen – has expanded into the live event space and also operates a foundation to support its vision. iNDIEFLIX joins other SVOD properties under the Liquid Media Group umbrella, including Reelhouse, which helps independent filmmakers monetize following their festival run, and Slipstream, focused on curated action/adventure content. Last week, Liquid announced a partnership with millennial-focused Insight TV that will see content from the Liquid library distributed across its network, reaching 400 million households in 53 countries. The two companies are also collaborating on the development of a new FAST (Free Advertising Supported TV) channel. Read more here.
The National Media Awards Foundation has announced the nominees for the 6th annual Digital Publishing Awards. The Globe and Mail is a finalist in 17 categories, ranging from Best Personal Essay to Innovation in Digital Storytelling, while CBC News received eight nominations. CBC Podcasts dominated Best Podcast: News & Politics, picking up four nominations in that category and a fifth for Best Online Video: Mini-Doc. Other multiple nominees include Radio-Canada (11), The Narwhal (10), and The Walrus (7). Find the full list of finalists here. The foundation will host a virtual celebration on June 11 at 4 p.m. ET, livestreaming the winners reveal on Facebook and its website.
LISTEN: Farhan Mohamed of new independent digital news publisher Overstory Media Group (OMG) joins Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about OMG’s investment model and vision for the future of community journalism, and shares his own personal lessons learned from a decade in digital media. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
Indiegraf Media has opened applications for a new grant program aimed at supporting the growth of BIPOC-led news startups in Canada. With funding from the Facebook Journalism Project, the BIPOC Media Growth Program will provide $25,000 grants and support to six Canadian media projects owned or led by BIPOC journalists. The program marks the launch of Indie Capital, an initiative providing grants and flexible financing to promising independent news outlets. Indiegraf says with major growth in independent journalists striking out on their own over the past year, many struggle to access seed capital and rely on personal savings, taking on significant financial risk before reaching sustainability.
Kayla Grey is hosting a new bi-weekly digital series for TSN. The Shift with Kayla Grey powered by Dell XPS launches May 13 and will be available on a dedicated TSN.ca hub. The series is a mix of news, short features, panel discussions, and interviews with a focus on Canadian stories and discussions at the intersection of sports, life, and culture. Grey will also serve as the series’ co-Executive Producer.
Qello Concerts by Stingray, which features full-length concerts and music documentaries, has launched on the Libby app. Powered by OverDrive, Libby allows readers to access free digital content from libraries and schools and is available in 90% of public libraries in North America. Qello Concerts by Stingray is part of the new Databases & Streaming Media services launching on Libby this week.
BBTV has announced the creation of its NFT Division, which will launch Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) with content creators across Entertainment, Music, Sports, Esports & Gaming verticals. BBTV’s first NFT will be with Grammy-winning music producer Zaytoven, who has worked with artists like Drake, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty Rick Ross, Usher and Keyshia Cole. He is also widely credited for curating the signature sound of Gucci Mane, Future and Migos. Leveraging its creator IP and relationship with creators, Vancouver-based BBTV says it plans to take tokenized fan experiences to the next level through a combination of NFTs, exclusive fan engagements, and merchandise offerings.
