The Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released two new reports: Cord Cutting and The World of Online Video. Key findings from the Cord Cutting report include that the majority of Canadians still have a paid TV subscription such as satellite, cable and fibre optic. However, one quarter of Canadians are forgoing their TV subscription and opting to get their video and TV entertainment from off-air TV signals or online sources. MTM says one in seven Canadians is now a “Cord Cutter” – someone who has had a paid TV service in the past, but no longer subscribes. Canadians aged 35-49 and those with children under 12 are most likely to have cut the cord. More than a fifth of TV subscribers also told MTM they are either very likely or somewhat likely to disconnect their service sometime in the next 12 months. Key findings from the The World of Online Video report include that the vast majority of Anglophones (close to 90%) are now watching a service like YouTube, Netflix, and Crave. While computers remain the most popular way to watch internet video, smartphones are a close second. Over two in three Anglophones watch TV content online with the internet-connected TV set identified as the most popular screen, likely tied to the use of OTT services.
CBS Stages Canada, a 260,000 square-foot studio space located in Mississauga, has opened. The multi-use production facility includes six soundstages, production offices, support facilities and auxiliary services for large-scale television and film production. The new facility will provide additional production space for CBS Television Studios’ expanding slate of TV series, which now number over 70. CBS series currently shooting in Toronto include Star Trek: Discovery, In The Dark, and the Charmed and Nancy Drew reboots.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) original documentary No Vacancy: Vancouver’s Housing Crisis has been selected as a finalist in the Representation of Disability – Non-Scripted category at the MIPCOM Diversity TV Excellence Awards. The MIPCOM 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Programme features industry experts and major talent who are speaking out to not only create more opportunities for diverse talent, but to demonstrate the positive impact of diversity across the global media landscape. In its third year, the programme includes high-level networking events and the awards gala honouring inclusive content from around the globe. The ceremony will take place Oct. 14, in Cannes. No Vacancy: Vancouver’s Housing Crisis can be streamed on demand on AMI.ca or by using the AMI-tv app for iOS and tvOS.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has announced that Season 3 of its award-winning series Employable Me will premiere Oct. 23. The six-part documentary series features job seekers determined to show that having a physical disability or neurological condition shouldn’t make them unemployable. Each one-hour instalment features two job seekers who are blind, partially sighted or have a neurological condition such as Tourette Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder as they embark on a journey to possible employment. Among the companies participating in Season 3 are The Second City, La Prep, Myplanet, Sobeys, Mindshare and JOIN (Job Opportunity Information Network).
Allan Hawco (Frontier, Republic of Doyle) has landed a recurring role on Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Starring alongside John Krasinski, Hawco will play the character of “Coyote” in the show’s second season which premieres globally on Friday, Nov. 1.
CTV, in partnership with Gusto Worldwide Media, is rebooting Cook Like A Chef for its new lifestyle brand CTV Life Channel. Production begins later this month in Ottawa with a cast of Canadian chefs, including Kate Ardington, former personal chef to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Derek Dammann, head chef of Montréal’s Maison Publique; Natalia Machado, host of One World Kitchen; and Craig Wong, owner of Patois restaurant in Toronto. The series is slated to debut in early 2020. CTV says the revival of Cook Like a Chef, which originally aired from 2001-05, stays true to its initial creative with some modern updates. The first season consists of 20 half-hour episodes, in which an expert chef focuses on a single ingredient and deep dives into cooking techniques, tips, and tricks to give home cooks confidence in the kitchen.
CTV, in association with Project 10 Productions and SEVEN24 Films, has started production on Season 2 of JANN, set to join the network’s mid-season schedule in early 2020. Currently filming in Calgary, Season 2 consists of eight, half-hour episodes, up from its six-episode first season. Starring award-winning Canadian singer, songwriter, broadcaster, and author Jann Arden as a fictionalized version of herself, Season 2 guest stars will include singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan as herself, actress Elisha Cuthbert (The Ranch, Happy Endings, 24), and singer, host, and actress Keshia Chanté.
Triumph: Lay It On The Line, the first-ever documentary about the Canadian rock power trio, is currently in production. The Crave Original Documentary is being produced by Banger Films, in association with Revolver Films. Banger is inviting fans to a special event that will be filmed for the documentary on Nov. 16 in the Greater Toronto Area that will offer fans the chance to interact with artifacts and iconic props from the Triumph legacy and the band themselves. Fans interested in attending should contact the producers at TriumphEvent@bangerfilms.com.
Crave has announced the panel of judges that will preside over Season 1 of its new original series Canada’s Drag Race. They include actor and activist Brooke Lynn Hytes; Canadian actor and model Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman; and model, runway coach, and America’s Next Top Model mentor Stacey McKenzie. ETALK correspondent Traci Melchor is also joining the series as the show’s “Squirrel Friend,” making house calls, testing the queens with some challenges, and providing a dose of reality when needed. Weekly celebrity guest judges will also join the panel.
PIPPO, a new non-verbal series based on the comedy of former Cirque du Soleil clown/performer, Pippo Crotti, is in production in Italy. PIPPO is a co-production between Italian company Pippo Crotti Productions and Canadian distributor-come-production company, And Now Global. The first season will feature 12 half-hour-episodes, each comprised of comedy shorts. And Now Global will be taking the series to MIPCOM for pre-sales and additional investing partners.
Distribution360 (D360) heads to MIPCOM with a growing portfolio of kids & family programming and several long-running lifestyle series in the home and food genres. On the French-language content side, D360 has also reached a volume deal with Montreal’s Zone3, in addition to launching new content for marblemedia, GAPC Entertainment and Little Scooter Media. Among the shows on its kid’s slate, D360 is debuting Subito Texto (309 x 30’), a long-running scripted tween series revolving around five students running a school newspaper; and Brigade Animo (130 x 15’) a kid’s wildlife series. The distributor has also acquired French-language preschool series Es-tu prêt? (40 x 2.5’) and the narration-only STEM & magic series ScienceXplosion (45 x 3.5’) which is available with both French and English tracks. From marblemedia, All-Round Champion (11 x 60’) is the sports competition series that sees top youth athletes compete in each other’s sports to ultimately crown the best all round athlete; the show is the first English-language adaption of NRK format award-winning format, Best i mest.
Bell Media’s The Harold Greenberg Fund, in partnership with the Northwest Territories Film Commission (NTFC), Nunavut Film Development Corporation (NFDC), and the Government of Yukon’s Media Development Unit have announced the HGF/Territories Shorts Program. The new funding initiative is designed to finance narrative short films from filmmaking teams across the three territories, showcasing their creative visions and furthering the careers of writers, producers, and directors as they develop their skills. Three recipients, one from each territory, will each receive a total of $20,000 to support production of short and impactful standalone films. The initiative marks the first time all three territories have been brought together under one funding program supporting filmmaking. The deadline for applications is Nov. 6. More info here.
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (JPBG) unionized employees in Kamloops have reached a new four-year deal. Ratified by members of Unifor Local 1010 on Sept. 25, the deal brings all three JPBG television stations – CFJC-TV Kamloops, CKPG-TV Prince George and CHAT-TV Medicine Hat – under one agreement. It includes wage increases of 1.75 per cent per year and increases in vacation time, among other provisions.
CBC Sports and the International Swimming League (ISL) have partnered to provide broadcast and streaming coverage of the world’s first team-oriented professional swimming league, with the initial meet happening Oct. 5–6 in Indianapolis, Indiana. CBC Sports will offer live streams of every meet throughout the ISL season on cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app, as well as broadcast coverage as part of weekly staple Road to the Olympic Games on CBC and CBC Gem. Viewers can add schedule reminders of CBC Sports’ live coverage directly to their mobile devices through the ROKT Calendar tool.
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