REVOLVING DOOR:
Michelle Séguin has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Groupe Média TFO. Séguin has been at TFO since June 2019, holding roles in finance, human resources, legal, and support to the board of directors. She was appointed interim CEO in May 2021. Franco-Ontarian and originally from Ottawa, the Chartered Professional Accountant has over 25 years of senior management experience in the public sector as Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Risk Officer at the Ontario Deposit Insurance Corporation, Chief Administrative Officer and Vice-President of Legal Aid Ontario and Director, Finance and Treasurer of the City of Oakville.
Brian Hemming is stepping down as Chair of JAZZ.FM91 (CJRT-FM) Toronto, effective March 31. Hemming, who is leaving for personal reasons to spend more time in his native Australia, has served as Chair since February 2019, leading the regeneration of the Board of Directors and the building of a new station management team. Catherine Mitro, currently Vice Chair, has been appointed by the Board of Directors to take over from Hemming. Mitro recently retired as a full-time professor in the Humber College music department and founded Humber’s Community Music School in 1980, working with musicians and educators to build the school’s reputation for innovative jazz education. Peter von Schilling, also a director, will step into the Vice Chair role.
Nigel Newlove has parted ways with Citytv Ottawa after a heated interaction with trucker convoy protestors circulated on social media. Dave Budge, Vice-President of News & Information, for Rogers Sports & Media, called the conversation “unprovoked and unprofessional” in an internal memo to employees. Newlove was the host of Nation to Nation on APTN prior to joining Rogers.
Ross McLaughlin, CTV Vancouver’s consumer reporter, has announced his retirement. The host of McLaughlin On Your Side, he’s been with CTV since 2015. Early on in his more than 35-year career, McLaughlin was an anchor and reporter at Global Edmonton for a decade, prior to heading to Seattle to host consumer investigations for KIRO TV. He’s also been an “On Your Side” reporter for ABC’s WJLA-TV in Washington, DC and NBC’s Atlanta affiliate WXIA-TV.
Brian Hagel has been named Director of Radio Sales for the Golden West Broadcasting network. He’ll also continue his role as Station and Sales Manager for the Fort Saskatchewan market, including Mix 107.9 (CKFT-FM), FortSaskOnline.com, and Golden West marketing agency, Homefield. Hagel has been with Golden West since 2017. He started his career with the company in 1992 as a swing announcer at AM 1190 (CFSL-AM) Weyburn, SK. Hagel has also held Sales Manager roles at JACK FM (CKCK-FM) Regina, UP! 99.3 (CIUP-FM) Edmonton, and Bell Media Edmonton.
Robbin Reay has parted ways with KiSS 105.3 (CISS-FM) Ottawa. Reay had been the station’s afternoon drive host for the last four years. She’s also done hosting stints at 97.5 Virgin Radio (CIQM-FM) London, ON, UP! 99.3 (CIUP-FM) Edmonton, and Sun FM (CHSU-FM) Kelowna, among other stations. David Cruise, who joined the station last September in middays, is now being heard in afternoons. Ryan Lindsay, who had been hosting afternoons alongside Reay since 2018, moves into the midday time slot.
Brent Albrecht is joining the morning show on Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto, alongside Carlin Burton and Josie Dye. Albrecht has been hosting “after work drive” from 5 – 8 p.m. and the Saturday show from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Aarti Pole has joined the CBC News Network lineup as host of weekday afternoon show, CBC Newsroom, airing from 1 – 4 p.m. ET. Andrew Nichols is now hosting The Early Rundown from 4 – 5 p.m. ET, leading into Power & Politics with Vassy Kapelos, who recently returned from maternity leave. Nichols will also host the 7 p.m. ET CBC Rundown, heading into Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa.
Fiona Odlum is joining CBC Manitoba after three years as a weather specialist with CBC Saskatchewan. Prior to joining CBC in 2019, Odlum held a similar role with Global Saskatoon. She’s previously worked in the Winnipeg market with Rogers, Corus and the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN).
Jasmine Bala is joining Global BC as a Content Producer. Currently a videojournalist and weekend anchor with CHEK-TV Victoria, Bala previously interned at Global BC as a Ryerson Journalism student. She went on to do a six-month stint with Global Lethbridge, before joining CHEK in late 2019.
Caroline Frolic, Sportsnet 650 (CISL-AM) Vancouver host and CityNews sports anchor, is the first woman to handle PA duties at Vancouver Canucks games and just the second woman to announce a full NHL game. She’ll be filling in for regular announcer Al Murdoch throughout the season. Frolic started her career with The New VR in Barrie in 2000. She’s also worked with theScore, H. Hawaii Media, and been a field reporter and host with the Vancouver Canadians baseball club.
Thor Diakow has left Vancouver Is Awesome (VIA) to join Translink as a Media Relations Advisor. Diakow joined VIA as its first video reporter a year ago after being caught up in layoffs at Citytv where he was a producer and host on Breakfast Television for 14 years.
Swin Chang has joined the CBC Kids content team as Executive in Charge of Development and Production, working with the independent production community to seek out, create and curate preschool and tween content for CBC TV and CBC Gem. Reporting to Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids, Chang will focus on development and acquisitions, and oversee production of selected projects and in-house preschool series. Most recently Director of Development for Alibi Pivotal Kids, Chang was previously Director of Development for Entertainment One Family and began her career at Family Channel, Disney XD and Disney Jr.
Gordon Loverin is joining B.C. public broadcaster Knowledge Network as Producer, Original Documentaries. An experienced storyteller from the Tlingit and Tahltan Nations in northwestern B.C., his credits include Beyond Human Power, recently broadcast on Knowledge, about new generations of Indigenous dancers connecting with their power through performance. He also co-created television series Kanata, and wrote, produced, and directed documentary Es Kime Ani for U.S. streaming service NativeFlix.com.
Kelly Boutsalis is joining TIFF as Associate International Programmer, Canadian Features, as the festival ramps up for an in-person edition for 2022. Boutsalis was most recently with CBC as lead producer of the public broadcaster’s Six Nations bureau. Former imagineNATIVE Executive Director Jason Ryle joins TIFF in a new role, selecting Indigenous-made films from around the world. Ravi Srinivasan rejoins TIFF in a full-time role as Senior Manager, TIFF Programming, contributing to programming of Canadian feature films and films from Southeast Asia. Leading the festival programming team will be Robyn Citizen, who started at TIFF in 2018 and has been appointed TIFF’s Director of Festival Programming & Cinematheque.
Saloon Media, a Blue Ant Media company, has promoted Betty Orr to Senior Vice President of Production, and appointed Pam McNair as Production Executive, and Elizabeth St. Philip as Senior Producer, as part of the company’s continued expansion. The personnel moves will see Orr take on an expanded executive role, and bring McNair and St. Philip, who have worked with the company on projects, including Canada’s Drag Race and 9/11 Kids respectively, to the production team in a full-time capacity. In her expanded role, Orr will continue to work closely with Managing Director Michael Kot to lead all aspects of Saloon’s production business. Previously serving as Head of Production, Orr joined Saloon Media when it launched in 2013.
Ryan Ladisa has been appointed VP of Sales for digital audio advertising platform, DAX, in Canada. Ladisa was previously with Media Monks as SVP of Growth for North America and prior to that headed Canadian operations for ad intelligence provider, GumGum.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Acadia Broadcasting has signed a letter of intent to acquire Q104 (CKQV-FM) Vermillion Bay, ON, and its repeaters in Kenora, Dryden and Sioux Lookout, from Golden West Broadcasting. Playing a Classic Hits format, Q104 provides continuous listening coverage along a four-hour stretch of the Trans-Canada (Highway 17) from Dinorwic to the Manitoba border. Golden West’s only station in Ontario, it’s owned CKQV-FM since acquiring Norwesto Communications in 2010 and also operates local news sites KenoraOnline and DrydenNow in the region. Chris Pearson, President of Acadia Broadcasting, said the opportunity to acquire the station and its repeater transmitters, will increase Acadia’s localized presence in Northwestern Ontario where it already has five FM stations including CKDR-FM Dryden, CJRL-FM Kenora, CFOB-FM Fort Frances, and CJUK-FM and CKTG-FM Thunder Bay. Read more here.
LISTEN: CJNE-FM The Storm and CITJ-FM Core Country in Nipawin, SK are up for sale. Owners Norm and Treana Rudock have spent two decades owning and operating the stations, but are now about to retire. They spoke with our publisher Shawn Smith on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast about serving a fast-growing community and following their passion. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
Learn more about the stations here. Those interested in speaking to Norm Rudoch, can contact him at 306-862-1395 or norm.cjne@sasktel.net.
JACK radio stations in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Medicine Hat, London and Halifax will once again flip to JILL for 24-hours in honour of International Women’s Day on Tuesday, March 8. JILL will feature female artists all day with the station re-imaged with female voice talent. The Rogers Sports & Media brand is also bringing back JILLith Fair featuring live tracks from a number of female artists from 6 – 8 p.m. local time. Additionally, listeners will hear on-air testimonials from the women of Rogers on what IWD means to them and inspirational messages from women who own, operate and run businesses in their local communities.
NOW Country 104.7 FM (CIUR-FM) Winnipeg midday host Morgan James (aka MJ) will host an International Women’s Day special on March 8. Heard from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST, the three-hour show will be dedicated to women artists with a spotlight on Manitoban and Canadian artists.
iHeart has launched a new interactive Talk Back feature on the iHeartRadio app in the U.S. that allows radio and podcast listeners to record up to 30 seconds of audio and send it directly to the host. Talk Back is integrated with the proprietary iHeartRadio CMS (content management system). The recordings are available to use on-air within about 10 seconds of being sent.
Spotify has officially introduced Car Thing in the U.S., which enables listeners to play their music and podcasts quickly using “Hey Spotify” voice commands, as well as taps, turns, and swipes. Announced last April and unveiled in a limited release last fall to Spotify Premium users, the device is available to purchase for $89.99. It requires a Spotify Premium subscription plan along with a phone with a mobile data connection.
Rogers Sports & Media has unveiled its Canada’s Next Great Podcaster contest, running across its radio and television brands. Open until March 25, Rogers will award $10,000 and production of eight episodes, as well as a two-year website domain supplied by GoDaddy. The contest is open to residents of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, who reside in the listening range of a participating station.
Screen Time, a new TVO podcast that delves into how the technological revolution has outpaced research about what’s healthy for children, debuts March 10. Co-produced by TVO and Antica Productions, the six-episode podcast is hosted by Beaverbrook Chair of Media, Ethics & Communication at McGill University, Taylor Owen, and technology journalist Nicole Edwards. The podcast explores topics like screen time and brain development, online games as virtual playgrounds and the impact of social media on mental health in teens.
Overstory Media Group’s (OMG) Capital Daily podcast, focused on stories in and around Victoria, BC, published its final episode on Feb. 25. OMG says the daily podcast is evolving to a series format focusing on special investigations and reports and will reemerge in a new format. Podcast lead Jackie Lamport and producer and interviewer Martin Bauman are still with the organization. OMG says Lamport will continue to bring podcasts to life in other communities with several shows in development, while Bauman will continue his work with Capital Daily.
SiriusXM has launched a new podcast with Hope Solo, the World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist goalkeeper. Hope Solo Speaks, debuted across all podcast platforms March 2. SiriusXM says Solo will bring the same energy and passion she displayed on the soccer pitch to the microphone as she discusses a variety of topics, including her fight for women’s rights and gender equality, motherhood and family, changing trends in sports and more. She’ll be joined by guests from athletes to artists and influencers. New episodes will drop every Wednesday on the SXM App and other major podcast platforms. Hope Solo Speaks will also air on SiriusXM’s dedicated soccer channel, SiriusXM FC (channel 157).
Daniel Paulin (aka Danny Zzzz), evening host on GIANT FM (CIXL-FM) Niagara, has made it through to the next round on NBC’s America’s Got Talent: Extreme. On this past Monday’s show, Paulin – a magician, illusionist and escape artist – performed a death defying act, escaping after being shackled and placed in a box suspended 140 ft. in the air, with just 60 seconds to spare before the box dropped to the ground. The on-air host and producer started his career with 97.7 HTZ-FM (CHTZ-FM) St. Catharines.
LISTEN: Amanda Cupido is the new Director for Talk and Talent at AM640 (CFMJ-AM) Toronto. She joins the Sound Off Podcast to talk about News/Talk radio’s move toward storytelling and multi-platform and the growth in podcasting as radio news outlets take notice. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
SIGN OFFS:
Lawrence Morgenstern, 61, on Feb. 27. Getting his start in comedy in the Canadian stand-up scene in the early 1980s, Morgenstern made his foray into television appearing in several comedy specials. He surfaced as a sketch performer on Open Mike with Mike Bullard in 1997 and went on to become the show’s head writer from 1998 – 2004. He also wrote for series including The Crowd Funder Show (2013), HouseCapades (2006), and the CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival (2007/08). Morgenstern received two Genie Award nominations over the years. More recently, he had been co-hosting weekly radio show Hump Dump Live, alongside comic Glen Foster, heard on Funny 820 (CHAM-AM) Hamilton.
TV & FILM:
Russia Today (RT), Russia’s state-owned television network, has been removed by Canadian cable providers including Bell, Rogers, Shaw and Telus, and faces sanctions on Facebook and Twitter. The moves follow an edict handed down by Russia’s communications regulator banning media outlets from describing the country’s attack on Ukraine as an “assault, invasion, or declaration of war” with each offence carrying a fine of five million rubles or USD $60,000. Bell announced Sunday it would no longer provide carriage for the channel, with Rogers, Shaw and Telus quickly following suit. Facebook parent company, Meta, has also restricted Russia Today with the channel no longer able to run ads or monetize on the social platform globally. It’s among the steps the company says it has taken, including establishing a special operations centre staffed by native Russian and Ukrainian speakers, who are monitoring the platform around the clock. Twitter is adding labels to tweets that share links to Russian state-affiliated media websites. Read more here.
VMedia has added Ukraine24, the leading 24/7 TV news channel from Ukraine, to all Basic and Premium packages offered by VMedia TV, as well as the core package of its RiverTV OTT service. toober, a Toronto-based live television app designed to connect viewers to specialty television from around the globe, is also carrying a number of Ukrainian channels at no charge. For the foreseeable future, toober is making a lineup of Ukrainian channels available that include: 1+1 International, Pershiy Natsionalniy (First National), 5 Kanal (Channel 5), UATV, Espresso TV, and Kyiv TV. Ethnic Channels Group Limited (ECGL) has also made Pershiy Natsionalniy (First National) and 5 Kanal (Channel 5) available to existing partners, including all Canadian BDUs, IPTV and OTT partners, free of charge. Pershiy Natsionalniy and 5 Kanal are currently available on Bell Fibe, Telus, Comwave, and VMedia. Read more here.
The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), in collaboration with APTN, has released a report aimed at setting guidelines for assessing claims to Indigenous identity for institutions that provide funding, grants, and other opportunities for Indigenous people. The Building Trust and Accountability: Report on Indigenous Eligibility in the Indigenous Screen Sector is aimed at developing policy recommendations and a framework for Indigenous-specific funding in the screen industries. The report was commissioned after hearing from the Indigenous screen community that leadership was needed to come up with a consistent approach to eligibility in the sector. It follows last year’s much-publicized cancellation of CBC Indigenous sci-fi series Trickster after controversy over the legitimacy of director/co-writer Michelle Latimer’s claims of Indigenous ancestry. Participants in all aspects of the project stressed that family lore or distant ancestry is not a legitimate means by which to claim Indigenous identity for funding. Read more here.
Corus Entertainment will launch the Magnolia Network – Chip and Joanna Gaines’ joint media venture with Discovery, Inc. – in Canada, starting March 28. Curated by the home renovation power couple, Magnolia Network is a rebrand of DIY Network Canada and will feature a slate of original series like Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines, Restoration Road with Clint Harp, The Lost Kitchen, Family Dinner, Homegrown, and The Johnnyswim Show. Fixer Upper, which Corus says has reached an estimated 16 million viewers during its run on HGTV Canada, also comes to Magnolia Network as well as a reboot of the Gaines’ series Fixer Upper: Welcome Home. Corus is the first broadcaster outside of the U.S. to launch the channel, which will be offered in a national free preview, March 28 to May 31. Read more here.
The Canadian Paralympic Media Consortium (CPC), including primary broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada, has announced broadcast details for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, March 4-13. All events featuring Canadian athletes will be available for live streaming on Paralympic.ca, CPC’s YouTube channel, cbc.ca/beijing2022, Radio-Canada.ca/jeux-paralympiques, CBC Gem, and the Radio-Canada Sports and CBC Sports apps. Events will also be available on-demand on Amazon Prime Video. Live TV coverage begins on CBC/Radio-Canada on March 4 at 6:30 a.m. ET with the Opening Ceremony, hosted in English by Scott Russell, and in French by Marie-José Turcotte and Benoît Huot. CBC’s weekend coverage will air in the morning, daytime, and late night slots, while weekday shows will air Monday-Friday at 3 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. local. Four-time Paralympic medallist Summer Mortimer will join Russell in-studio for the Opening and Closing ceremonies and regular check-ins on daily shows, while Camille Chai will host the daily 1 p.m. ET weekday show from Beijing. CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux and Radio-Canada’s Jean St-Onge and Jean-Patrick Balleux will be on the ground in Beijing. Broadcast partner AMI will offer regular coverage of key competitions, with Sportsnet re-broadcasting CBC’s coverage every morning on Sportsnet One.
CBC has renewed original series Run The Burbs, Son Of A Critch and Strays for their second seasons on CBC and CBC Gem. The series join CBC’s 2022-23 comedy slate alongside Sort Of from Sienna Films and Sphere Media, which the public broadcaster also recently announced would return to CBC and HBO Max for a sophomore season. Additional CBC renewals will be announced this spring.
Boat Rocker is co-producing a limited scripted series about the life of iconic artist Jean-Michel Basquiat with Shamier Anderson and Stephan James’ Bay Mills Studios. The project will see James (If Beale Street Could Talk, Homecoming) play Basquiat in the limited series, set in 1980s New York City, showcasing his rise from obscure graffiti artist to Neo-expressionist painter. James and Anderson have a first-look deal with Boat Rocker with James also starring in Boat Rocker’s co-production of Zak Penn’s (Ready Player One, Free Guy) TV adaptation of Hugh Howey sci-fi novel Beacon 23 via Spectrum Originals and AMC. Anderson stars in Boat Rocker’s hit sci-fi drama Invasion for Apple TV+, which was recently renewed for a second season.
Amy Ignatow’s middle-school book series The Popularity Papers is being adapted for the screen by Aircraft Pictures and Toronto prodco WexWorks Media. Centred around two best friends on a mission to crack the popularity code by conducting a series of social experiments, the half-hour show has been greenlit by Corus Entertainment’s YTV, with BBC Studios to handle co-financing and international distribution. Production is set to take place this spring in Toronto and Hamilton. Corus acquired a majority stake in Aircraft Pictures earlier this year.
Food Network Canada’s spring lineup includes the return of Corus Studios’ Project Bakeover, Big Food Bucket List and Fire Masters. Added to the schedule are ultimate cake design series Cakealikes, new daytime series Be My Guest with Ina Garten and high-stakes culinary competition The Julia Child Challenge. Rounding out the schedule are new seasons of Spring Baking Championship, Top Chef, and Tournaments of Champions.
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC have revealed the first round of confirmed artists set to perform at the 2022 JUNO Awards Broadcast, hosted by Simu Liu. The first in-person JUNO Awards since 2019, this year’s open-air event will feature performances from Arkells, pop punk icon Avril Lavigne, Montreal musician Charlotte Cardin and acclaimed singer, songwriter and poet Mustafa. The remaining performances will be announced in the coming weeks. The show will be held at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage on Sunday, May 15 and broadcast and streamed live across Canada on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.
BritBox, the subscription streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV, will be bringing the 75th EE British Academy Film Awards to the BritBox audience in Canada. The BAFTAs will be available for streaming in Canada on March 13, live with the UK. Rebel Wilson will host this year’s ceremony from London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall.
Destination Toronto is celebrating the release of Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red, a coming-of-age story by Toronto-native, and Oscar-award winning director Domee Shi. Streaming March 11 on Disney+, Turning Red – the first solely female directed Disney and Pixar feature film – tells the story of Meilin Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky teenager, living in Toronto, torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Sandra Oh provides the voice of Ming, her overbearing mother, while Mississauga-born actress and star of Never Have I Ever, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, lends her voice as one of Meilin’s best friends. The film showcases key Toronto landmarks and highlights an array of cultures and people living in the city.
Knowledge Network’s first ever original animated series Luna, Chip & Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go will premiere April 4. The new series for children, aged 3-6, will be available to stream for free across Canada on the Knowledge Kids app and KnowledgeKids.ca. Set near the fictional town of Eagle Creek, the series is inspired by the natural beauty of the Pacific West Coast. Five new episodes will be released each week for the first three weeks in April, followed by regular new episodes dropping throughout the rest of the year. Every episode includes an original song, which will also stream on the Knowledge Kids platforms in short music videos, encouraging kids to sing along.
CineFAM has launched the Women of Colour Content Creators Database to kick off International Women’s Month. The goal of the Content Creator Database is to enhance the visibility of Women of Colour in the film industry from directors and content creators to writers, actors and animators. If you identify as a WOC filmmaker or creator, you are encouraged to fill out an application.
Super Channel and the Canadian Film Fest (CFF), an indie-spirited festival dedicated to celebrating Canadian filmmakers, have partnered on a third edition of the Canadian Film Fest Presented by Super Channel. Beginning March 22, the festival will run Tuesday to Saturday for two consecutive weeks, presenting 10 feature films and 28 short films as part of a virtual festival experience. The festival kicks off with the world premiere of Tehranto (dir. Faran Moradi) and closes April 2 with director Valerie Buhagiar’s Carmen.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
The CRTC will require digital platforms exceeding a certain annual revenue threshold in Canada to submit to its Annual Digital Media Survey. The survey, which collects data on the broadcasting activities of licensed broadcasting undertakings, as well as some exempt ones, will now include audio services with total annual revenues for the previous broadcast year in Canada exceeding $25 million and audiovisual services exceeding $50 million. Among other things, the survey asks for subscription and advertising revenues, subscriber numbers, and royalty payments to Canadian artists and content creators. Survey responses for the 2020-21 broadcast year must be filed by June 30.
TSN has expanded its TSN 5G View immersive experience to Winnipeg Jets home games. Fans in the designated Winnipeg Jets broadcast region with a TSN subscription and a Bell 5G device can use the tech to get up close to every shot, assist, save, and hit with zoom, pause, rewind, and slow motion, as well as nearly 360° replay capabilities. Fans watching live coverage of Winnipeg Jets games can also see the game in new ways through TSN 5G View integrations in the network’s live game broadcasts. Eighty time-slice cameras have been installed around the bowl of the arena at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre, along with fibre connectivity, dedicated servers, and a specialized control centre. TSN 5G View also continues to be available for TSN’s live regional hockey coverage of Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs home games, as well as Toronto Raptors home games.
The Tyee is now a non-profit. Launched in 2003, the B.C.-based journalism site was originally backed by investors as a for-profit, but as revealed by the publication has never done so. Moving toward a not-for-profit model for the last few years, The Tyee is now operating under the guise of the Tyee Independent Media Society, with Peter Klein, Michelle Hoar, Melody Ma and Deblekha Guin making up the new board of directors that will oversee its governance. The Tyee says non-profit status is a key step toward enabling charitable funding.
thestar.com has begun featuring sports betting and wagering content in a dedicated section. Created by the NorthStar Bets content team, it’s part of an omnichannel advertising and marketing services arrangement with Torstar Corporation. Following the launch of the NorthStar Bets gaming platform, thestar.com will feature additional betting content, including daily picks and videos.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Bell has acquired EBOX, an internet, telephone and television service provider based in Longueuil, Qué. Bell will maintain the EBOX brand and operations. Under its umbrella, Bell says EBOX will benefit from the resources and scale necessary to support the growth of the business. After 25 years leading EBOX, M. Jean-Philippe Béïque and M. Dominic Letourneau are both stepping away from the business. EBOX will continue to operate on a standalone basis, based in Longueuil, with existing operations continuing under the leadership of Isis Thiago De Souza, VP and General Manager, EBOX.
TekSavvy Solutions has filed a disclosure with the federal Integrity Commissioner, seeking an investigation into CRTC Chair Ian Scott. The filing alleges Scott held numerous ex parte meetings with incumbent telecom lobbyists during regulatory proceedings concerning pricing of internet and mobile services, including a private meeting with Mirko Bibic, CEO of Bell, who were photographed at an Ottawa bar in December 2019. While Scott was questioned in February by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology (INDU), TekSavvy contends that he misled the committee, since he clearly broke key federal rules, including the CRTC’s internal ethics protocols, the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, and the rule of law (a regulator in a quasi-judicial role cannot avoid the appearance of bias while having one-on-one social engagements with a friend with an active file before him). TekSavvy also suggests Scott tried to conceal his own misconduct after the fact.
Quebecor has chalked up another win in its fight against piracy with a Federal Court decision sanctioning two Québec City companies. Technologies Konek and Coopérative de câblodistribution Hill Valley have been found to have infringed on TVA Group’s copyright by illegally redistributing the TVA and TVA Sports channels. According to Quebecor’s court filing, Konek was behind the design of the so-called “Konek box” which allowed hotel room TVs to retransmit television channels. Quebecor says it became aware of Konek’s activities in early 2020 when some of its Videotron hotel clients terminated their contracts to do business with the Québec City-based company, which was redistributing TVA Group channels, to which it held no rights. Read more here.
Quebecor reported its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2021, including Quebecor Media. Revenue for the year was $4.55 billion in 2021, up $236.6 million (5.5%) from 2020, while revenues for Q4 were $1.18 billion, up $37.1 million (3.2%). The Telecommunications segment grew its revenues by $112.4 million (3.1%) and its adjusted EBITDA by $11.3 million (0.6%) in 2021, despite a $12.6 million unfavourable one-time variance in 2020. Videotron increased its revenues from mobile services and equipment ($73.2 million or 8.0%), Internet access ($70.0 million or 6.2%) and wireline equipment ($52.3 million or 34.5%) in 2021. Advertising revenues from the TVA Network and specialty channels were up for the fourth consecutive quarter, driving an increase of approximately $24.3 million (16.5%) in TVA Group’s revenues in Q4. The higher revenues partially offset an increase in content costs, including at TVA Sports because of the late start to the 2020-21 NHL season, and significant investments in Q4 2021 to face increased competition from proliferating consumer offerings.
The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation has announced this year’s recipients of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. The laureates of the 2022 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are Quebec film and television pioneer Fernand Dansereau; VisionTV founder Rita Shelton Deverell; composer/producer David Foster; author Tomson Highway; and choreographer Linda Rabin.
LISTEN: In Metro Vancouver, ongoing protests have been coming to the media outlets themselves with rotating “Media is the Virus” rallies held outside CTV, Global, CBC and Citytv. Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast talked to CTV Vancouver news director Ethan Faber about the realities of what it’s like to be a beat reporter right now, how we got here, and the struggle to return to civilized discourse. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
PromoSuite and Aptivada have partnered to create an integration between Aptivada’s contesting platform and PromoSuite Next and PromoSuite Mail products. The integrations will help shared clients increase efficiency and eliminate duplication. The solution injects Aptivada’s contest entrant information directly into PromoSuite’s winner database, which then enables stations to use PromoSuite Next to manage the prize fulfilment process including remotely generating winner release and W9 forms. Additionally, the winner’s data would be available within PromoSuite Mail for inclusion in future email campaigns.
ADVERTORIAL: In this Alamy case study, Strike Digital dives into how to use stock imagery in film production. Filmmaker Rob Kluger discusses how Alamy enables Strike to produce a variety of trailers for producers with all sizes of budgets as an affordable option that doesn’t negate high production value. Read more here.
