The BC Association of Broadcasters (BCAB) conference is underway this week in Kelowna. Thursday evening marks the 71st Annual President’s Dinner & Awards Gala, sponsored by FACTOR. Hosted by Global BC’s Chris Gailus & Sophie Lui, the evening will include performances by Buckman Coe. Tuesday’s annual golf tournament at Kelowna Springs saw the team of Vista Radio’s Gary Russell and Corus Entertainment’s Bruce Shepherd and Rob Brimacombe come out on top.
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) will hear appeals from both Bell Media and the National Football League (NFL) on the CRTC Super Bowl simsub ban that allows U.S. channels to air American commercials in Canada during the game. The court’s website says it will consider whether the CRTC has jurisdiction to make and order dictating the content of a single program for distribution by cable and satellite providers under s. 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act. The court won’t expedite hearing of the appeal, which Bell had asked to be scheduled for the fall.
The Competition Bureau has launched a market study into the broadband sector that will look at ways to foster more competition leading to lower prices and more choice for Canadians. The deadline for interventions and requests for interviews is Aug. 31. The bureau plans to publish its final report in Spring 2019.
Cogeco Media, CBC Edmonton, Global News, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star and The Vancouver Sun are finalists for the 2017 Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism. Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will host the Michener Awards ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 12 where the winner will be announced and two Michener-Deacon Fellowships will be presented.
RTDNA Canada’s 2018 National Conference is approaching May 25-26 in Toronto. This year’s event will explore the value of journalism, as both a business and a profession, and how public trust can be regained. Conference panels include sessions looking at New Content Models, Managing Opinion, and The Future of Wire Services. Find the full agenda here.
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) will honour Ronan Farrow with its Special Citation for his New Yorker investigation exposing sexual harassment and assault allegations against disgraced Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. The honour, awarded on a discretionary basis by the CJF, will be presented at the annual CJF Awards in Toronto at The Fairmont Royal York on June 14. Farrow will be celebrated alongside New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, previously announced to receive the CJF Special Citation, for their separate investigations into Weinstein and the worldwide impact of their stories.
