The Weekly Briefing

REVOLVING DOOR:

Lucy van Oldenbarneveld is leaving CBC Ottawa with her final turn as co-host of the local supper-hour newscast on June 30. van Oldenbarneveld arrived in Ottawa in 2003 and initially worked as a writer and host on CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning. She’s also worked abroad as a reporter for Deutsche Welle in Germany, and in China, in addition to a stint with CBC Whitehorse. She’s been the host of CBC News at 6 since 2006, most recently alongside Adrian Harewood.

Francois Vaillant is Dejero’s new senior technical product manager. Vaillant joins Dejero from CBC, where he spent the last 15 years at the helm of innovation and standards, last serving as Executive Director of Engineering Solutions. Having led CBC’s IP transformation, which began in 2017, Vaillant is recognized as a pioneer of IP implementation and heavily involved in the development of IP standards. In his new role, he’ll support Dejero’s product management team by collaborating with customers to solve existing challenges, develop strategies that take advantage of evolving technology, and help shape the company’s roadmap, including next generation mobile transmitters and cloud solutions. 

Warren Ross has joined Netflix as the streamer’s Counsel, Labour Relations. Ross was previously a lead negotiator with the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), starting in 2011, most recently serving in the role of Vice-President, National Industrial Relations and General Counsel.

Manon Brouillette, the former President and CEO of Videotron, has been appointed to a newly-created role as Verizon Consumer Group’s Chief Operating Officer and deputy CEO. Brouillette left Videotron in Oct. 2018 after 14 years with the company.

Nanci MacLean has joined MBS Equipment Canada, a leading provider of lighting equipment, service and support to the film and television production industry, as VP, Studios & Sustainable Production Services. MacLean was formerly VP, Bell Media Production and President of Pinewood Toronto Studios. Up until this past January’s round of executive layoffs at Bell Media, she’d been with CTV and Bell in various roles for 21 years.

Tyler and Lynch (aka Tyler Middleton and Chris Lynch) have been picked up to helm afternoon drive on CFOX Vancouver after parting ways with 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) in March where they’d been hosting the morning show since 2017. They step in for Jeremy Baker, who is set to join former CFOX and Jack 96.9 (CJAX-FM) host Charis Hogg on The Peak morning show, starting this summer. 

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Getting fired during a pandemic sucked, but it made getting hired during one even sweeter.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining @CFOXvan with my best friend starting this Monday! The 2-6 Thing w/ Tyler & Lynch. Every weekday.

Excuse me while I go throw out my alarm clock. ⏰ pic.twitter.com/vI47qDtJjd

— Tyler Middleton (@TylerOnAir) June 3, 2021

Mark Sutcliffe has announced he’s retiring from daily radio. The host of Ottawa Today on CityNews Ottawa (CIWW-AM), Sutcliffe previously took a step back from doing his daily four-hour mid-morning talk show to host a one-hour noon version in late 2019. Sutcliffe has been on-air for two decades with previous stops at 580 CFRA and Rogers TV, in addition to 15 years as a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen. He also currently hosts CPAC’s Today in Politics pod, Digging Deep with Mark Sutcliffe, and chairs small business peer advisory group, TEC Canada.

Max Collins has left CBC Radio Vancouver after a year and half as an associate producer. Collins, who works as an audio editor and producer for Kelly&Kelly and Vocal Fry Studios, was the executive producer behind the award-winning Dragged Out Podcast, exploring Vancouver’s drag scene.

Melody Rose has joined Hot Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM), one of Acadia Broadcasting’s newly-acquired Halifax stations, where she’s hosting middays. The former C100 (CIOO-FM) morning show co-host was caught up in layoffs at Bell Media last November. 

Tanya Vee (Lawrence), the longtime traffic manager at Stingray Edmonton, is back on-air at 96.3 The Breeze (CKRA-FM) as the voice of weekend mornings. Vee, who has previously been heard delivering weekday afternoon traffic and as a fill-in host, takes over the 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. timeslot Saturdays and Sundays.

Claire Fenton is joining the CityNews/News 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver digital team in mornings. Fenton has been a producer with Global BC for the last five years.

Nikki Gill has joined Overstory Media Group as Director of Content. Gill was most recently Managing Editor at Post City Magazines, where she oversaw the editorial team in the execution of eight monthly community magazines covering local news, arts and culture, food, fashion, and more. Gill is also one of the co-founders of Didihood, a collective encouraging South Asian women to enter the creative industries.

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) has announced its new slate of board members elected for the 2021-23 term. They include Eilís Quinn (Quebec), Cecil Rosner (National rep), Omayra Issa (Saskatchewan), Fatima Syed (National), and Jason Markusoff (Alberta). CAJ board member Susana Mas is stepping down from her national representative seat for personal reasons, which will be filled by Olivia Bowden, the candidate with the third-highest number of votes, until the end of Mas’ term in 2022.

RADIO & PODCAST:

Numeris has released the Spring PPM ratings, covering the 13-week period covering March 1 to May 30, 2021. 

Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to CBC Radio One delivering a 15.5% share A12+ (down from 16.0%). Taking the #1 spot with women 25-54 is CHUM-FM delivering a 12.6% share (up from 7.9%). boom is back on top with men 25-54, posting a 12.1% share (up from 11.1%). Q107 leads the way for M18-34 with an 15.7% share (down from 20.0%). Despite some unusual results in recent books, F18-34, CHFI-FM is in front with 20.1% (down from 24.6%).

Vancouver: CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 13.3% share of hours tuned (down from 13.9%). Jumping up to take the top spot F25-54 was Z95.3, posting a 12.2% share (up from 11.3%). CFOX holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 12.1% share (up from 11.2%). The FOX is also well out in front for M18-34 with a 20.0% share of hrs. tuned (down from 25.8%). When it comes to women 18-34, 104.3 The Breeze is #1 with a 19.1% share.

Edmonton: UP 99.3 sweeps in to take #1, A12+, posting a 9.2% share of hours tuned (up from 8.4% in the last book). NOW! Radio holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 13.6% share (down from 13.9 %). Sonic tops the list for M25-54 with an 11.9% share (up from 11.7%). For M18-34, Sonic also leads the way posting a 20.8% (down from 21.5%). NOW! led F18-34 delivering a 17.9% (down from 22.8%).

Calgary: CBC Radio One leads the way A12+ with a 19.9% (up from 20.8%). 101.5 Today Radio takes #1 with F25-54 delivering a 10.1% share (down from 11.8%). For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 9.5% (down from 9.9%). 101.5 Today Radio takes top spot for M18-34, delivering a 17.9%. Country 105 steps out front for F18-34 posting a 12.9%

Montreal: CHMP 98.5 FM is #1, A12+ (Franco), with a 23.0% share (up from 20.4%).  For A12+ (Anglo), CJAD 800 is #1 with a 29.9% (up from 29.8%). 105.7 Rythme is tops with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 (Franco), delivering a 16.3% share (down from 17.2%). For F25-54 (Anglo), The Beat 92.5 is out in front with a 31.1% share (down from 32.3). For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5 FM is on top at a 21.0% share (up from 16.8%). For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM is #1 at 22.6% (down from 23.1%).

Find David Bray’s full breakdown here.

Numeris’ Spring Radio Diary Release uses data collected from Aug. 31, 2020 to May 2, 2021 (continuous measurement). 

Ottawa-Gatineau: CBC Radio One is out in front (again) delivering a 16.8% share A12+ (up from 15.8% in Spring 2020). The New Hot 89.9 grabs the #1 spot with women 25-54 delivering a 12.2% share (down from 12.9% in Spring 2020). CBC Radio One holds the #1 spot for males 25-54, posting a 9.3% share (down from 10.7%). CHEZ 106 leads the way for M18-34 with an 8.4%. For F18-34, Hot 89.9 leads, posting an impressive 18.9% share.

Winnipeg: CBC Radio One grabs the #1 spot A12+ with a 16.7 % share of hours tuned (up from 13.9% in Spring 2020). Top spot for F25-54 goes to QX104 with a 12.8% share (up from 11.3% in Spring 2020). In a very significant change, there is a three-way tie for top spot for M25-54 listeners, a 9.7% share for Power 97, 680 CJOB and CBC Radio One. QX104 heads the list for M18-34 with an 11.9%, followed by 92.1 CITI at 10.6%. For F18-34, the favourite is QX104 at 15.2%.

Halifax: CBC Radio One takes #1, A12+, posting a 21.5% share of hours tuned (up from 18.5% in the Spring 2020 book). MOVE 100 (formerly C100) takes top spot for F25-54, delivering an 18.1% share (down from 18.2% a year ago). As usual, Q104 tops the list for M25-54 with a 22.6% share (down from 26.5% last Spring). For M18-34, Q104 leads the way with 28.2%. When it comes to women 18-34, Move 100 takes top spot posting a 28.7% share.

Hamilton: For originating stations, KX 94.7 leads the way for A12+ with a 7.0% (down from 7.4% in the Spring 2020 book). K-Lite is popular with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 10.9% share (down from 12.1% last spring). For M25-54, Y108 remains on top with an 18.0% (down from 10.0%). Y108 also takes top spot for M18-34 delivering a 10.1% (down from 16.4% a year ago). KX 94.7 stays out front for F18-34, posting a 13.2 % share.

Victoria: CBC Radio One is #1 for A12+ with a 21.7% share (down from 20.4% in the Spring 2020 book). Ocean 98.5 is tops with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering an 18.3% share (up from 13.2% a year ago). For M25-54, The Q! is on top at 19.4% share, followed by The Zone with 17.7%. For M18-34, The Q leads with 27.0%.  Virgin Radio is #1 with F18-34, posting a 17.5%. Read David Bray’s full summary here.

Evanov Communications is banking on HD technology to help alleviate growing sound quality and interference issues plaguing the AM broadcast band. The company has begun testing IBOC (In-band on-channel) HD technology on CHLO, its heritage multicultural station serving Greater Toronto, becoming the first AM station in Canada to utilize the tech on the AM band. Right now, there are just a handful of stations in North America using IBOC HD on the AM band, including WGY 810AM New York. Many others broadcast as a sub-channel of their FM sister station or FM repeater, but not on the AM band itself. Carmela Laurignano, Evanov’s VP Regulatory Affairs, sees the move as necessary to maintain AM radio’s relevance. Read more here.

Telefilm is behind a new six-episode podcast interview series with Canadian film and TV icons,  entitled Maple Popcorn. Produced by The Brand is Female and hosted by Marriska Fernandes, featured guests include Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy, Bad Blood), Mary Galloway (Supernatural), director Thyrone Tommy (Mariner, Avalanche), and writer and Black Screen Office co-founder Clement Virgo.

99.3 County FM’s (CJPE-FM) 2021 Radiothon exceeded its goal raising $70,505 in four days for the Prince Edward County not-for-profit community radio station. The station, which relies on donations and grants for one third of its operating budget, set out to raise a minimum of $53,000. General Manager Craig Mills says response from residents and businesses was overwhelming with 111 volunteers involved in the Radiothon production, including the 45 musicians who generously donated their time. The station has also launched a new downloadable CD – Songs of Light from the Shadow: A Musical Snapshot of the Pandemic  – featuring 17 homegrown artists, available at 993countyfm.ca.

Kolter Bouchard, the co-host of afternoon drive on 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto, alongside Meredith Geddes, has announced he’ll be taking the summer off to undergo a stem cell transplant. Bouchard, 30, announced in October he’d received a diagnosis of Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  

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My lymphoma resurfaced a couple months ago, but thanks to my medical team, I’m back in remission. Next step: a stem cell transplant to finally crush the cancer for good. I’ll be taking the summer off to let my immune system recover and then we’ll hang again this fall! pic.twitter.com/lSjs0tOBd8

— Kolter Bouchard (@koltertalks) June 8, 2021

LISTEN: Vinny Barrucco is on the latest episode of the Sound Off Podcast. The Montreal morning host has done most of the day parts on Montreal radio, currently heard on Virgin Mornings, alongside Shannon King and Adam Greenberg. Barrucco covers how he nearly left Montreal on a few occasions, how the Quebec star system towers over Canada’s, and gets into some Habs talk. (Bruins and Leafs fans might want to skip over this episode and listen in July). Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

WATCH: CHOM 97.7 Montreal has released a five-minute short offering a behind-the-scenes look at newly-minted Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Famer Terry DiMonte’s last day on-air May 28, capping a more than four-decade career in broadcasting. Watch “Terry’s Last Dance” here. 

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You tuned in live for @TerryDiMonte‘s last show on CHOM, now here is some behind the scenes footage from that special morning. Watch: https://t.co/hfgXATcrzC

— CHOM 97 7 Montreal (@CHOM977) June 7, 2021

FEATURE: Veteran programmer Sean Ross of Ross on Radio is out with a new blog post on pop radio’s uneven recovery from shifting pandemic listening habits and how having more hits is possible with a change in mindset. Read his latest here.

SIGN OFFS:

Cam Cathcart, 83, on June 5, unexpectedly at home. Cathcart spent 25 years with CBC as a reporter, foreign correspondent, producer, and on-air host. As foreign correspondent he served in Washington and at the UN, covering a wide range of stories from Watergate to the 1976 Presidential Election. After returning to Canada, he was News Director at CBC-TV Toronto for four years, before returning to BC in 1985 and co-hosting CBC network show “The Best Years.” Cathcart was appointed head of the International Press Centre for the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games and went on to work with CKST, CKNW and CJNW as an announcer. He joined Stanton Associates as a media trainer in 2002. Among other volunteer endeavours, Cathcart chaired the Vancouver Remembrance Day Committee at Victory Square and held the honorary rank of Major in the B.C. Regiment (DCO). 

Gino Belmonte, 61, on May 29 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. After graduating from the University of Toronto, Belmonte started his career as a media buyer with Foster Advertising before moving into broadcast media research. Belmonte joined Rogers Media in 1998 as Director of Research, Television. In 2012, he founded his own consultancy, Belmonte Insights. He joined thinkTV Canada as Director of Research in 2018. 

Peter “Joe” Kobluk, on May 26. Kobluk began his radio career in 1942 as a student announcer with CJAT Trail in 1942. He became a full-time announcer in 1944 and rose to the position of General Manager in 1960 and Managing Director in 1965. Kobluk left CJAT in 1976 and joined the corporate office of the Trail Kootenay Savings Credit Union where he stayed into his 80s.

Rick Rice, 87, on May 17. Rice started his career as a cameraman for the CBC, following his graduation from Ryerson’s Radio & TV Arts Program. Over the years, Rice worked on programs from arts to news and live sports in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto, eventually becoming producer and director of “The National” and “Hockey Night in Canada.” Among his career highlights was the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble. Rice and his late wife Joanie, who met working at the public broadcaster, retired to Victoria in 1989. 

TV & FILM:

Sportsnet is set to unveil a new, state-of-the-art NHL broadcast production studio this fall to be located at Rogers Campus in Toronto. The move will see the network’s entire production operation consolidated under one roof, which it says will facilitate more integration across platforms and sports properties. The new studio will encompass multiple set areas with moveable pieces, two brand new control rooms with IP-based audio and video, high-tech monitor walls with ‘always-on’ display, real-time data integration, LED lighting, and virtual set extension capabilities. Sportsnet says it will be leveraging those technology enhancements to produce new content and provide advertising partners with more customizable opportunities for branded integration. Read more here.

CTV’s line-up of new series landed for CTV and its suite of specialty channels for the 2021/22 schedule includes The Wonder Years from Oscar-nominee Lee Daniels; emotionally-driven drama The Big Leap, starring Scott Foley and Teri Polo; and The Cleaning Lady, a drama about a doctor who becomes a cleaning lady for the mob. Also bolstering CTV’s fall line-up is new drama series Queens, starring music icons Brandy and Eve as members of a reunited ’90s pop group; soapy drama Our Kind of People, also from Lee Daniels and based on the critically-acclaimed book. Mid-season, CTV has confirmed Pivoting, a new comedy starring Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Maggie Q, about three women taking stock of their lives following the death of their best friend; and Maggie, starring Rebecca Rittenhouse, a romantic comedy about a psychic who gets a glimpse of her own future. CTV Sci-Fi Channel expands its Star Trek offering, which already includes Star Trek: Lower Decks (returning Aug. 12), Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Picard, with the pick up of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds starring Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, and animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy. Also coming to CTV Sci-Fi is horror drama Chapelwaite, based on the Stephen King short story, Jerusalem’s Lot, and starring Adrien Brody and Emily Hampshire. CTV Drama Channel adds crime drama Leverage: Redemption, debuting July 15. CTV Life Channel also lands an exclusive one-hour special from Jamie Oliver, made for a Canadian audience.

Citytv’s 2021/22 original programming lineup includes Canada’s Got Talent, Bachelor in Paradise Canada, and The Bachelor After Show (hosted by KiSS 92.5’s Deepa Prashad and Daryn Jones), as well as the return of Hudson & Rex for a fourth season. On OMNI Television, private detective Michelle Chang (Selena Lee, Forensic Heroes IV, Once More) is back on the case as Blood and Water: Fire & Ice, the original Chinese-Canadian drama, returns for a third and final season, premiering June 13. In partnership with Access Reelworld, Citytv has also announced Level UP, a new mentoring initiative which provides on-the-ground set experience to emerging BIPOC writers and directors. This year’s program sponsors are Hudson & Rex producers Shaftesbury and Pope Productions, who will welcome successful applicants to their set and writers room. Click here for info on how to apply.

Citytv’s fall schedule includes 17 returning shows and special events, as well as new series Law & Order: For the Defense and new-to-Citytv Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 23 of Law & Order: SVU also joins the schedule, along with heartfelt drama Ordinary Joe. Among the network’s new and returning shows are: American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Black-ish, Duncanville, Kenan, Mr. Mayor, and Young Rock.

Corus Entertainment’s 2021/22 lineup of premium specialty programming, joins its previously announced slate of 35 Canadian originals renewed and greenlit for its specialty portfolio. As the home of Peacock Original series in English Canada, this fall action comedy MacGruber debuts, starring and executive produced by Will Forte, as well as Dr. Death, inspired by the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch and starring Canadian actor Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, AnnaSophia Robb, Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin. Two series based on best-selling novels join the lineup including Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, based on the third novel in the Da Vinci Code series, and One of Us is Lying, based on the novel of the same title by Karen M. McManus. The full slate of Peacock Original unscripted and reality titles includes the Real Housewives Mash-Up (wt), which whisks away an all-star franchise cast from their respective cities; The Real Housewives of Miami (in development), Below Deck: Down Under, showcasing the upstairs/downstairs of an Australian-based super-yacht, and Ex Rated with Andy Cohen, a series aimed at empowering singles with insight on how they can improve their romantic experiences.

Global’s 2021/22 programming lineup features new pick-ups, including CSI: Vegas, the sequel to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation with William Petersen, Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham reprising their roles. NCIS heads to the Aloha State in NCIS: Hawai’i starring Vanessa Lachey as the first female lead in the long-running franchise. From executive producer Dick Wolf comes FBI: International. In addition, new Global Original Family Law debuts on the network’s fall primetime lineup. Shot and set in Vancouver, the 10-episode, one-hour drama stars an all-Canadian cast including Jewel Staite, Victor Garber, Zach Smadu and Genelle Williams. Also joining Global this fall is Ghosts, a new single-camera comedy based on the breakthrough British comedy of the same name from New Girl‘s Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. 

Global’s summer lineup kicks off with the Season 2 premiere of original medical drama Nurses, scrubbing in for 10 new episodes beginning June 21. Also in June, Global adds wildlife comedy series When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren on June 24, a one-hour unscripted comedy series that looks at the lighter side of the natural world. In July, Big Brother is back for a 23rd season with a special 90-minute premiere July 7. Beginning July 11, the series airs Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Following the Big Brother premiere, Season 5 of Global original hit series Private Eyes premieres July 7 at a special time 9:30 P.M. ET/PT. Moving to August, Global adds newly-acquired scripted drama Fantasy Island to its lineup beginning Aug. 10, a reimagining of the legendary series with a contemporary twist. 

Big Brother Canada will return for a 10th season. Produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company) in association with Corus Entertainment and Banijay, the greenlight comes following Season 9 which delivered the reality competition series’ most diverse cast ever, with Tychon Carter-Newman making history as its first Black winner.

Cameron Pictures, CBC, and NBCUniversal International Studios, confirm that production is underway on the sophomore season of buddy-cop drama Pretty Hard Cases. Filmed in and around Toronto, this season features 12 one-hour episodes, set to premiere in winter 2022. Starring Meredith MacNeill (Baroness von Sketch Show) and Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is The New Black), joining the cast for Season 2 is Sonja Smits (American Gods/Eleventh Hour), K.C. Collins (Clarice/The Strain), and Ben Bass (Rookie Blue/Burden of Truth).

CBC’s Heartland has begun filming Season 15 in Alberta. Produced by Dynamo Films and SEVEN24 Films, the new season will premiere Sunday, Oct. 17 on CBC and CBC Gem. The longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian television history, the first episode of Season 15 will celebrate the 225th episode of the series. Heartland can also be viewed on Netflix globally, as well as UPtv Faith & Family and Hulu in the U.S., among more than 119 countries. Filming locations for Season 15 include Calgary, High River, Millarville, and Longview, AB.

The National Arts Centre (NAC), in partnership with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation and Vérité Films, has announced a one-hour television special on CBC/Radio-Canada that will celebrate the 2021 laureates of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. With the continuing uncertainty of the public health situation, this year’s celebration will be broadcast on CBC Television, ICI TÉLÉ, CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV on Nov. 26. The bilingual broadcast, produced by the National Arts Centre with Vérité Films, will be led by an artistic team that includes award-winning executive producer Virginia Thompson and director Joel Ivany, co-creator of Messiah/Complex. The show will be filmed in locations across the country and internationally.

TVO premieres original From Earth To Sky for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, the inspiring story of an accomplished collective of Indigenous architects driving a movement as climate change threatens the planet. Audiences are invited to follow these seven diverse North American artists: Tammy Eagle Bull, the first Native American woman architect (Oglala Lakota Nation, South Dakota); Wanda Dalla Costa (Saddle Lake First Nation, Alberta); Alfred Waugh (Chipewyan of the Fond Du Lac Band, Denesuline Nation, Sask.); Brian Porter (Oneida Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River, Ont.); Daniel Glen (Crow Tribe); Patrick Stewart (Killerwhale House of Daaxan, Nisga Nation, BC), and Douglas Cardinal, the first Indigenous architect in North America (Siksika, Blackfoot, Calgary). 

Women in View has released its sixth On Screen Report documenting women’s employment in Canada’s publicly-funded screen-based media. Since the last survey was issued in 2019, gender parity initiatives have improved gender stats, but not racial representation. The report finds that women – especially Black women, Indigenous women and Women of Colour – remain significantly under-employed on Canada’s film and television productions. The data shows gender equity initiatives had a strong impact particularly in the roles of director and writer. From 2017-19, there was a 23% increase in the number of TV episodes directed by women at CBC bringing women’s share of directing at the public broadcasters to 60%. Overall, the percentage of women-directed TV episodes rose from 2017’s 27% to almost 50% in 2019, even though women’s share of directing work at Bell and Corus – where similar gender parity initiatives were not adopted – remained quite low. Despite the increase in gender equality commitments and initiatives, it did not have a significant impact for all women. Of the 43% of women in key creative TV roles in 2019, only 6.44% were Black women & Women of Colour and only 0.94% were Indigenous women. 

LISTEN: Pre-Covid, Manitoba’s film and television industry was booming. Ian Dimerman of Inferno Pictures is hoping to get some of that momentum back with the opening of Big Sky Studios later this year – a full service production hub located on a nine-acre property that was formerly the headquarters of fashion mogul Peter Nygard. Dimerman, who is in the midst of production on forthcoming CBC and BET+ series, The Porter, in Winnipeg, joined us to talk about what he terms “his love letter to the industry” which he hopes will cement Manitoba’s future as a production centre. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) has announced its Master Classes, set to take place during the virtual festival June 14 – July 16. Featuring talent and creatives from hit series It’s a Sin, David Makes Man, Transplant, Moominvalley and Sort Of as well as exclusive screenings for Family Law and Blindspotting, BANFF’s Rockie Awards Roundtables will also feature creators, executive producers and producers behind this year’s nominees including Alone, Love on the Spectrum, Filthy Rich and Homeless, The Last Ice, Noughts + Crosses, I May Destroy You, About Sex, El Presidente and more. Find the full agenda here.

The CRTC has approved a request from Stingray Group allowing it to transition its English-language discretionary service, Stingray HITS, into a French service. The commission has imposed a new condition of licence requiring that French-language video clips make up at least 50% of all video clips broadcast by the service each broadcast year and that all other programming elements, including advertising, station identifiers and all other content be in French. 

Stingray Group has partnered with Shaw to make its Stingray Music TV app available to all Shaw TV IPTV customers across Western Canada. Shaw TV customers will have access to 2,000 professionally-curated channels in over 100 genres including pop, rock, hip-hop, indie, country music and more at no extra cost, with the app inviting users to combine up to three filters amongst Activity, Mood, Theme, Genre and Era to return a tailored selection of corresponding channels to choose from as well as additional suggestions. Users can also personalize their music experience by saving their favourite channels in My Music. The Stingray Music TV app is accessible through Shaw TV voice remote.

Liquid Media Group has signed a letter of intent to acquire Filmdab, Inc., which operates as Filmocracy, a B2B2C film and festival streaming platform. Under the terms, Liquid would acquire Filmocracy for up to 1.25-million shares. Filmocracy must achieve revenues totalling up to US$66M to trigger three of the four equal tranches. Filmocracy combines technology for hosting live events with a streaming platform where Filmocrats can watch movies and attend virtual film festivals around the world for one monthly subscription. Previous clients include the American Film Market, the Television Academy, the American Society of Cinematographers, and festivals like San Diego International, Paris International Film Festival, and the Bahamas International Film Festival. Vancouver-based Liquid also intends to acquire iGEMStv,  a curated platform of content recommendations that includes movies and series not found in the massive libraries of the larger streaming platforms.

Hot Docs’ Independent Cinema Relief Fund has raised $72.9K – surpassing its goal by 240%. Launched prior to this year’s Hot Docs Festival, the fund will provide financial relief to independent film exhibitors across the country forced to suspend operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. All 29 cinemas that applied for funding will each receive a $2,500 grant, with an additional $2,500 donation to be made to the Toronto Restaurant Workers Relief Fund. 

CTV and TSN will host UEFA EURO 2020 coverage, June 11–July 11, with complete live coverage of every game, pre-game shows and post-game analysis and opinion. TSN wraps up the action every matchday with a 30-minute UEFA EURO 2020 highlight show, along with a Match of the Day encore in primetime. CTV delivers Saturday and Sunday matches throughout the tournament. TSN’s coverage is hosted by Luke Wileman alongside TSN soccer analyst Steven Caldwell, former Canadian Men’s National Team captain Julian de Guzman, and Canadian Women’s National Team star Janine Beckie. The tournament, postponed from summer 2020 due to the pandemic, takes place across 11 countries (England, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Denmark, Italy, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Scotland), 11 stadiums, and 24 teams looking to be crowned European champions. The complete broadcast schedule is available here. 

TSN delivers complete coverage of the 47th COPA AMERICA, taking place live from Brazil from Sunday, June 13 through to the final on Saturday, July 10. Delayed by a year due to the pandemic, South America’s championship tournament opens with Brazil facing Venezuela. Find the network’s complete broadcast schedule, here.

Family Channel has the Canadian premiere of HBO Max Original series, Baketopia on June 14, the new baking competition show from the creators of Craftopia. Cookbook author and YouTube sensation Rosanna Pansino hosts, tasking three different bakers in each episode with challenges to create trendsetting treats in a larger-than-life baking wonderland.

 

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA: 

APTN News is the winner of this year’s RTDNA Canada President’s Award, the highest honour bestowed by the association to acknowledge individuals and organizations who have brought recognition and distinction to electronic and digital journalism in Canada. Darrell Bricker, Ipsos’ Global Chief Executive Officer and Sean Simpson, VP, Public Affairs, received the 2021 RTDNA Bill Hutton Award of Excellence. Formerly known as the “Friend of RTDNA Canada Award” the award was renamed in 2009 to honour the late Bill Hutton, RTDNA Canada’s first president and is given to individuals or organizations who have shown a true commitment to RTDNA and the betterment of journalism in Canada. Find the full list of RTDNA National winners here and its Local News Award winners here.

The Atlantic Journalism Awards (AJAs) have announced the 2020 Gold and Silver winners. Among them, Radio-Canada Acadie in Moncton claimed Best Information News Radio Program for Émission spéciale: la tuerie de Portapique en N.-É., while VOCM St. John’s News at Noon won Best Radio Newscast. Garrett Barry of CBC St. John’s won Best Video Journalist with Best Television News Broadcast resulting in a tie for Gold between Le Téléjournal Acadie Édition (Radio-Canada Acadie) and CBC PEI’s Compass. View/listen to all of the 2020 finalists here.

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), and the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) are among 30 signatories to a letter that ran this week as a full-page ad in The Hill Times, Toronto Star and Le Journal de Montréal urging swift passage of Bill C-10. The appeal comes as the Liberals moved to limit committee study of the bill on Monday, which passed 181-147 with support from the Bloc Quebecois. The rare tactic to shut down committee work – that would have seen the bill amended clause-by-clause – hasn’t been used in two decades and comes amid ongoing concerns about Bill C-10’s freedom of speech implications following removal of a clause that exempted user-generated social media content from its purview. In the meantime, ACTRA National has enlisted a raft of Canadian celebrities to endorse its efforts from Kim’s Convenience star Jean Yoon to Murdoch Mysteries’ actor/director Yannick Bisson.

Google has spoken out on what it calls Bill C-10’s “unintended consequences.” “If Bill-C10 rules were to go into effect as currently written, people would be seeing suggestions not based on their personal preferences or even what is most relevant, but what the government decides is ‘Canadian,’” writes Jeanette Patell, Head of Public Policy, YouTube Canada. “The rules around what is considered Canadian content are complex and it is very difficult to qualify. This stands to impact all creators but we are especially concerned about the impact on new and emerging creators as they will be up against players who have been following these rules for decades.” The digital giant also notes that Canadians “punch above their weight” on the platform with over 90% of watch time of Canadian content coming from viewers outside of Canada. 

The CRTC is inviting comments until Sept. 1 on whether there is a need for a three-digit number, such as the 9-8-8 three digit code in the U.S., for a national mental health crisis and suicide prevention service. The CRTC is examining the advantages, challenges and costs associated with the deployment of a three-digit number. 

CBC/Radio-Canada has unveiled its new 2021–26 environmental strategy, Greening Our Story. The public broadcaster says the five-year plan will see it take a leading role in advancing sustainable production practices in the media industry, actively eliminating waste and carbon emissions from production workflows. Among its commitments are to measure the carbon footprint of 100% of its in-house productions using albert, a tool that calculates the carbon emissions of productions.

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Deployment of SXM-8 confirmed pic.twitter.com/3RHYWqU7qS

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 6, 2021

Sirius XM’s newest satellite was launched into space Sunday, June 6 via the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The SXM-8 satellite, built by Maxar Technologies for Sirius XM, is the second of two radio satellites launched by SpaceX for the satellite radio provider to replace outdated counterparts currently in orbit. SXM-8 will carry 8,000 watts of content to radio subscribers across North America and the Caribbean.

Ross Video has acquired Miami-based Primestream. Known for its Media Asset workflow solutions that enable the capture, production, management and distribution of media assets, Primestream counts Microsoft Studios, Verizon Media, USC Annenberg School of Journalism, Nordic Entertainment Group, RSI (Radiotelevisione svizzera), and the NFL Network among its customers. Primestream supports a range of workflows for live-feeds and file-based content – from HD to 4K and VR/360 – enabling users to streamline editing, newsroom metadata logging, control room playout, and seamlessly share, edit, review and approve content prior to either broadcasting live, automate on-demand play-out, or publish to a range of OTT platforms. The acquisition – Ross Video’s seventeenth since 2009 – takes the Ross employee headcount over the 1,000 threshold with the Primestream portfolio and teams led by President/CEO Claudio Lisman and EVP Namdev Lisman, along with the company’s R&D and technical support teams, to all transition over to Ross. Ross will look to blend its Streamline media asset management solution with Primestream products over time, to create a fully converged graphics and production asset management platform. 

Seervision, a developer of AI-assisted camera automation software for creative storytelling, has named Applied Electronics as its lead Systems Integrator in Canada. The Seervision Suite enables storytellers to capture broadcast quality shots where camera coverage is limited and enhances live video production capabilities, offering features like adaptive tracking that can be used to autonomously follow the action on stage and keep the talent in the right frame. Based in Zurich, Seervision is a growing ETH startup with 28 employees.

Vizrt, a provider of software-defined visual storytelling solutions (SDVS) for media content creators, has released the next version of Vizrt Live Production, offering a complete cloud-based production solution for everything from traditional programming to live event streaming. The solution combines Viz Vectar Plus, Viz Engine, Viz Trio, and Viz Mosart into a single cloud-deployable solution, encompassing switching, real-time graphics, video, and production automation. Vizrt Live Production is the first production system in the world to fully exploit all the latest NDI® (Network Device Interface) capabilities, including connectivity across both WAN and LAN networks, running onsite and in the cloud on the same sync, audio-over-IP integration with digital audio systems, and the ability to bring in any camera with a browser as a source, from anywhere in the world.