TVA Group Inc. announced a second quarter loss of $5.7 million ($0.13 per share) up from $2.6 million ($0.06 per share) in the same quarter of 2015. TVA Sports channel’s advertising sales suffered because the Montreal Canadiens did not make the playoffs. The magazines acquired from Transcontinental drove revenue for that division upward. However, revenues for the company’s Film Production & Audiovisual Services suffered due to lower than expected major Hollywood production volume.
marblemedia has teamed up again with TVO, City Saskatchewan, Knowledge Network and The Jim Henson Company on a live action preschool comedy, Opie’s Home. It is a spin-off of Hi Opie and features signature Henson-style puppetry. The Hamilton-based production, which stars Oscar-nominated Canadian actor Graham Greene, will premiere in 2017.
CBC TV is committed to airing the latest Stratford Festival HD productions. The next will be Hamlet on Aug. 28 and The Adventures of Pericles on Sept. 4. Starting next year, the productions will be available for download through iTunes and Google Play in Canada. The commercial free broadcasts are part of a plan to document all Shakespeare’s plays over the course of a decade.
CBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympics will be missing veteran sportscaster Steve Armitage. He was scheduled to provide commentary for swimming and diving for what would have been his 16th Games as a broadcaster, but he has stepped away as a precautionary measure after being recently diagnosed with chronic heart failure.
Five Canadian filmmakers will present their first feature films at the Venice International Film Festival, which will be held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10 in Italy. Karl Lemieux, Vincent Biron, Patrick Boivin and brothers Carlos and Jason Sanchez with all have their feature films screened.
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is looking for applications for the 2016 edition of the Telefilm Canada Marketing Mentorship Program. The 20-week mentorship is aimed at new and mid-level marketing professionals to give them exposure to the screen-based entertainment sector and corporate promotion. Selected CMPA members will receive $6,500 towards the trainee’s salary. Apply here before the Aug. 29 deadline.
TSN will be the exclusive broadcaster for the World Junior Summer Showcase featuring live coverage of all Team Canada games. The tournament includes the world’s elite U-20 hockey players facing off in a series of matchups. Calling the games are host Gord Miller and TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.
HBO has renewed Real Time With Bill Maher through 2018, with season 15 scheduled for 2017 and season 16 scheduled for 2018.
