The CRTC is seeking the opinion of Canadians about additional information provided by the large French- and English- language television groups as part of the reconsideration of decisions to renew their television licences. The CRTC will gather comments until Jan. 23. The new information can be consulted here. Canadians can share their views by filling out an online form.
CBC has revamped its CBC TV app, which now features a livestream of the public broadcaster’s 14 regional linear TV channels, alongside other content, as the network looks to keep pace with consumer viewing trends. By signing up with a free login, viewers can pick up where they left off watching shows on multiple devices. Those who want to stream content on-demand without ads can pay for a premium membership for $4.99/month, which also allows viewers to stream CBC News Network live. CBC says more than 1.1 million unique visitors used the CBC TV digital service in November. Check it out at cbc.ca/watch.
CBC has announced premiere dates for its winter 2018 season. New additions to the primetime schedule include legal drama Burden of Truth premiering Jan. 10, starring Kristin Kreuk as a big city lawyer who returns to her hometown; The Detectives, a true crime series that brings to life the real investigations of Canadian detectives, premiering Jan. 10; Allan Hawco’s new drama Caught, premiering Mon. Feb. 26; and dark comedy Little Dog, from Joel Thomas Hynes, which tells the story of a super-welterweight Newfoundland boxer and his haphazard quest for redemption, premiering Mar. 1. All episodes of Mike Clattenburg and Mike O’Neill’s dysfunctional family comedy Crawford, featuring an ensemble cast led by Jill Hennessy, will begin streaming on Feb. 2, for binge-viewing on the CBC TV app and cbc.ca/watch.
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and the Quebecor Fund have announced a new pilot partnership to promote the export of audiovisual projects produced in Québec. The partnership will support a maximum of five projects with the Quebecor Fund contributing a maximum of $300,000 and the CMF $100,000 to each selected project. Find the program guidelines here.
Archie Comics reboot Riverdale is estimated to have generated $60.4 million in combined spending over its two seasons of production in B.C. A report by Canada’s MNP LLP estimates Riverdale’s first season alone created 1,041 jobs, with total spending in the province of over $22.4 million. B.C. production crews and other labour received 75 per cent of the total B.C. expenditure, while the remaining 25 per cent was spent on purchases of B.C. goods and services.
Hollywood Suite will air The Carmilla Movie in its world television premiere during its month-long free preview. Based on the vampire romance web series Carmilla that has generated over 69 million views since its launch in 2014, Hollywood Suite will air Seasons 1-3 in an 18-hour marathon leading up to the film premiere on Jan. 3 on the Hollywood Suite 00s Movies channel (HS00).
HISTORY original series Vikings saw its Season 5 premiere watched by nearly half a million Canadians, reigning as the #1 entertainment specialty series of the night against all key adult demos. The premiere marked HISTORY’s biggest day in primetime this fall against all key demos and grew its overnight audience by 10 per cent amongst Adults 25-54, compared to last fall’s Season 4B premiere.
The Public Policy Forum is set to honour Michael Donovan and Mary Walsh, co-creators of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, at its PPF Testimonial Dinner in April. Donovan and Walsh join Mark Carney, Bank of England Governor; Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Richard Dicerni, former federal and Ontario deputy minister; and Quebec feminist journalist Francine Pelletier, who will receive the Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism. Rosemary Barton, co-anchor of CBC’s The National, will host the evening.
CTV has announced more names attached to its inaugural iHeartRadio Jingle Ball North broadcast on Dec. 17, which will tape at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre Dec. 9. Hailey Baldwin, Jason Ritter, Lamonica Garrett, O-T Fagbenie, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Shay Mitchell and Tom Ellis will take the stage as presenters, in addition to The Launch creator Scott Borchetta, Much Studios creators 4YallEntertainment, Much and E! host Tyrone Edwards, DJ Starting From Scratch, and others. They join Kelly Clarkson, who pulls double duty as host and performer in addition to previously announced acts Backstreet Boys, Cardi B, Fergie, Fifth Harmony, Noah Cyrus, Post Malone, Jessie Reyez, Ria Mae and Virginia to Vegas.
TVO series Hard Rock Medical returns for a fourth and final season with back-to-back episodes Jan. 2. Inspired by the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, the fictional drama brings to life the challenges of healthcare delivery in Northern Ontario. The opening episodes will be available to stream on tvo.org starting Jan. 3, with additional episodes posted each week.
The 54th annual Christmas Daddies Telethon raised more than $446,000 on Saturday during its seven-hour live broadcast on CTV Atlantic. Christmas Daddies includes four separate telethons: Halifax, Moncton, Prince Edward Island and Sydney, supported by local performers, anchors and reporters.
This year’s CTV Lion’s Children’s Christmas Telethon in Sudbury raised $236,436 on Dec. 3. Started in 1949, funds raised go to children in need in the Greater Sudbury area.
