REVOLVING DOOR:
Mary Anne Lavallee, Postmedia’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer is stepping down after 11 months in the role and nine with the company, effective Oct. 6. John Bode will be appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. A member of Postmedia’s Board of Directors since 2018, Bode was formerly Chief Operating Officer at ReaderLink Distribution Services, Chief Financial Officer at Tribune Publishing and serves as a Director on McClatchy’s Board of Directors. He’ll step down from Postmedia’s Board to assume the role, working closely with Lavallee to ensure a smooth transition.
Binder Sajan, former Legislative Bureau Chief for CTV Vancouver, is now the Deputy Director of Communications for the Office of the Premier in B.C. Sajan had been reporting for CTV since 2015.
Carlyle Fiset is joining Julie Atchison on CTV London’s 6 p.m. newscast, taking over the anchor chair from Reta Ismail, who will continue to report for the station. Fiset has been with CTV London for the past year after previously working for CTV News as a videojournalist and anchor in Edmonton.
Jennifer Basa has announced she’s stepping away from the broadcast industry and CTV London. Basa had been with CTV since 2021, first in New Brunswick, before joining the London bureau 11 months later. Prior to that, she was a videojournalist with Global Kingston.
Adel Ahmed is joining CTV Edmonton as a multimedia journalist and anchor. Ahmed arrives from CFJC Kamloops where he’s been a reporter since January. Prior to that, he worked with Stingray’s stations in Lloydminster as a news and sports reporter.
Irem Koca is joining CPAC as a producer on Prime Time Politics. Koca arrives from the Toronto Star where she’s been an Ottawa-based reporter for the past year. Prior to the Star, she was a broadcaster in Turkey, working with Reuters and CNN Turk, among other outlets.
Community reporter @MrMichaelNewman signed off for the last time on Global News over the weekend. But this isn’t goodbye, Michael. It’s farewell and best of luck on your next adventure from all of us at Global BC. pic.twitter.com/cGqEKj9ntG
— Global BC (@GlobalBC) September 5, 2023
Michael Newman, who has been a community reporter at Global BC since 2018, has signed off from the station. Newman has established his own business as a mindfulness meditation facilitator, offering guided meditation workshops and mindfulness consultation to businesses and not-for-profit groups.
Kabi Moulitharan has left Global Saskatoon for Global Edmonton. Moulitharan has been with Global since 2021 when he started as an intern with Global Toronto. He’d been a digital broadcast journalist with the Saskatoon bureau for the past year.
Stacey Brotzel is joining Daryl McIntyre as co-host of the 630 CHED Edmonton morning show, starting Sept. 25. Brotzel has been a fill-in host and producer with CBC Edmonton for the past two and a half years. She formerly hosted the local edition of CTV Morning Live, alongside Rob Williams, from 2012-20. Prior to that, she spent 15 years as a reporter and anchor with A-Channel and Citytv in the market.
Angela Sterritt has parted ways with CBC Vancouver after more than a decade as a reporter and host. The host of CBC podcast Land Back, Sterritt’s book Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls, was published earlier this year by Greystone Books.
Mary-Jean Cormier has been announced as the permanent host of CBC Radio One’s Superior Morning, which kicks off local weekday programming in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. Cormier has been with CBC since 2000, working with the public broadcaster in both Ontario and British Columbia.
Phil Evans has been upped to Operations Manager, in addition to retaining his Marketing & Promotions Manager duties, at Durham Radio’s Wave 98.3 (CIWV-FM) Vancouver. Geoff Poulton, who has held the title of Vice-President, BC Operations since the station’s launch last year, is stepping away from the role to relocate to Victoria to be closer to family.
Robyn Crawford is stepping into the position of Assistant News Director at CityNews 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver. Crawford has been a producer and anchor with the station since 2021 and more recently had been upped to Managing Editor. Prior to CityNews, she worked as a reporter and anchor with Corus Entertainment’s 980 CKNW and AM 730 (CKGO-AM).
Victor Findlay is joining the TSN 690 (CKGM-AM) Montreal broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer for Montreal Canadiens games. In addition to calling Canadiens and Ottawa Senators games for TSN, Findlay has been heard on the Champions Hockey League. He’s also called games for the IIHF U18 World Championships, Memorial Cup, and covered hockey at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, among other events. His first Habs game on TSN 690 will air Sept. 25.
Carly Kincaid has joined Border Broadcasting’s 102.7 Lake FM (WLYK-FM) Kingston, licensed to Cape Vincent, New York, in afternoon drive. A freelance voiceover talent, Kincaid has previously been heard on UP! 99.3 (CIUP-FM) Edmonton and 93.1 The One (CJLD-FM) Leduc, AB, among other stations.
Tim Dinesen has joined Cogeco as Senior Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), based at head office in Montreal. In addition to consulting work, Dinesen has held CTO roles at Xplornet and the North American Tower Corporation (NATC). He also held various positions at Bell over a decade, leaving in 2011 as VP, Technology & Operations.
Sheri Somerville is the new CEO of the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA), effective Oct. 10. Somerville succeeds Jay Thomson, who is retiring after leading the organization for the last seven years. She previously served as CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that, she founded and was Principal and Chief Counsel at Pure Symmetry Public Relations, and held previous roles as the Executive Director of the Association of Consulting Engineers (NB), Natural Gas Advisor at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Director at MT&L Public Relations, and Canadian Director of Communications for Michelin North America Canada.
Christina Fon, formerly Vice-President/Executive Producer at Rezolution Pictures is joining Shaftesbury as VP, Strategic Partnerships and Scripted Content. Based out of Montreal and Toronto, Fon will be part of the Shaftesbury creative team that will source and develop a new slate of content and seek broadcast and distribution partners to finance those projects. Most recently, she was executive producer on CRAVE/APTN/Fremantle original series Little Bird, which has been picked up for broadcast on PBS this October.
Solange Attwood is leaving Blue Ant Media where she’s been EVP, International, overseeing Blue Ant’s distribution arm since 2014, to launch her own production business. Attwood will remain with Blue Ant until the end of November.
Jo Redfern has joined Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (WSS) in the newly-created role of Managing Director, Kids. Redfern is tasked with expanding the company’s footprint in the kids’ media business with a focus on the recently-announced Future Chicken, an eco-initiative for kids combating climate doomism and empowering them to make a difference. Redfern is based at the company’s headquarters in Vancouver with day-to-day oversight of the kids’ content team. With a career spanning two decades, Redfern started as Marketing Manager for the Peppa Pig franchise and has since held key Brand and Marketing positions at Disney and BBC.
Kevin Suh has joined WildBrain CPLG, the licensing arm of the Halifax-headquartered children’s entertainment provider, as it launches a new location-based entertainment (LBE) business to drive opportunities for WildBrain franchise and partner brands like Peanuts and PLAYMOBIL, with an initial focus on Asia Pacific (APAC). Based in Los Angeles, Suh was formerly President of Themed Entertainment & Consumer Products at Paramount Pictures and a senior executive at the Motion Picture Association of America. Evi Sari joins the WildBrain CPLG senior leadership team in China as VP of Location-Based Entertainment. Based in Shanghai, she’ll drive regional opportunities for WildBrain’s franchise brands, including Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Inspector Gadget and In the Night Garden, as well as third-party brands. She was previously VP of Location-Based Experiences at Paramount (ViacomCBS), responsible for building partnerships to develop the franchises of Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV and CBS into real-world experiences in Asia.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Numeris has released PPM ratings for the 13-week period from May 29 to Aug. 27. In Toronto, CBC Radio One leads listening, A12+, delivering an 11.5 % share (down from 12.6%), followed by CHFI-FM with 11.0% and Q107 with 10.6%. CHUM-FM comes out on top with Women 25-54 with a 12.6% share (up from 11.2%). For Men 25-54, CityNews 680 leads with 9.5%, while Q107 climbs to 9.4%. In Vancouver, 980 CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 14.5% share of hours tuned (up from 12.5%). Taking the top spot for F25-54 is 94.5 Virgin Radio with a 19.0% (down from 19.2%) share. CKNW holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 13.9% share. In Edmonton, UP! 99.3 takes #1, A12+, posting a 9.6% share of hours tuned. 102.3 NOW! Radio holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 16.9% share (down from 18.2%) and is also #1 with M25-54 with an 11.1% share. For Calgary, XL 103 leads the way, A12+, with a 11.1 share. 90.3 AMP Radio is popular with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54, delivering a 12.3% share. For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 14.2% (up from 12.9%). In Montreal, CHMP 98.5 FM is #1, A12+ (Franco), with a 21.0% share (down from 23.5%). For A12+ (Anglo), CJAD 800 is #1 with a 26.5% (up from 23.7%). For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM-FM is #1 at 18.9% (up from 17.2). Read David Bray’s full breakdown here.
The CRTC has approved an application by Four Senses Entertainment for a broadcast licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Squamish. Owned by Robert Wilson, the licensee of 101.5 FM (CKEE-FM) Whistler, and the estate of his late business partner Barry Duggan (10%), the proposed station would operate at 99.7 MHz (channel 259A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 2,449 watts (maximum ERP of 5,000 watts). Four Senses proposes to operate the new station within an Adult Album Alternative (Triple A) format, broadcasting 126 hours of local programming each week. Of those hours, 50 would be devoted to spoken word programming, including weather, traffic, news and community-centric outdoor recreation information. The station proposes to broadcast 40% Canadian music selections, higher than the 35% required. Four Senses also proposes to devote at least 15% of its musical selections to Canadian emerging artists, above the 5% expectation for commercial stations.
The CRTC has approved an application by Harvard Broadcasting to amend the broadcast licence for 95.7 CRUZ FM (CKEA-FM) Edmonton, by deleting the mainstream rock station’s condition of service to air 15% content category 3 (Special Interest Music). Harvard’s application argued that the financial struggles the station has encountered since its launch in 2010, directly stem from its inability to offer a coherent music format due to obligations relating to content category 3 music. Harvard’s application indicated the change was necessary to increase listenership and profitability to ensure the station’s viability.
Jeff Woods’ presence on 94.9 The Rock (CKGE-FM) Oshawa has been expanded to include Saturday evenings. In addition to being heard noon – 6 p.m. on Classic Rock Sundays, 94.9 The Rock has become the newest affiliate of Woods’ syndicated Records and Rockstars, kicking off this Saturday at 6 p.m. with a two-hour special.
Hot Docs has unveiled the lineup for its eighth annual Hot Docs Podcast Festival, returning to Toronto’s Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Oct. 19-22. Showcasing the best in non-fiction audio storytelling, this year’s program features four full days of live podcast events. This year’s festival will also offer a two-day Creators Forum, an opportunity for established and emerging podcasters to meet, exchange ideas, and fuel innovation. Among the festival highlights, Tom Power will host a live version of Q with special guest Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene; Jesse Brown, Jonathan Goldsbie, Arshy Mann and Mattea Roach take the spotlight for Canadaland’s 10th anniversary; and Terry O’Reilly hosts a live episode of Under The Influence.
CIRA (Canadian Internet Registration Authority), which manages the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians, has launched What’s up with the internet? – a new podcast series looking at the good, the bad and the ugly that make up the internet. Hosted by journalist Takara Small, the podcast will explore pressing internet issues including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and smart tech, starting with the state of Canadian broadband and affordability, online accessibility, safety and more across six episodes. The pod will also feature commentary and guest interviews from computer scientist Dr. Timnit Gebru, technology writer Paris Marx, and federal Rural Economic Development Min. Gudie Hutchings.
The Sonar Network has picked up Season 2 of Happy to See Me, hosted by Survivor 41 winner Erika Casupanan. The first Canadian and first Filipino winner of Survivor, as well as the first woman to win in seven seasons, Casupanan is on a mission to inspire anyone who feels like an underdog to chase their dreams. Tackling self-doubt and championing the need for representation, she welcomes guests from pop culture, social media and reality TV. Second season guests include Kristie Bennett (Survivor Australia Winner), Alexandra Duggan (The Traitors Australia Winner), and Sharleen Joynt (The Bachelor U.S. and host of Bachelor in Paradise Canada). Before reality TV, Casupanan had a decade-long career as a speechwriter and public relations pro, including spending four years as Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications at Kijiji Canada.
LISTEN: Buzz Bishop, a former mainstay at CKZZ-FM Vancouver through its incarnations as Z95.3, Crave and Virgin Radio, Bishop has been heard in Calgary since 2009, currently in mornings on XL103 (CFXL-FM), alongside new co-host Samantha Stevens. In this episode of the Sound Off Podcast, he and Matt Cundill talk about radio adventures, some of the greatest programmers and promotions, and Buzz shares some tips for repurposing content in 2023. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
SIGN OFFS:
Kuljeet Kaila, 46, on Sept. 10. Kaila had been a fixture on both radio and TV in Metro Vancouver since the late 1990s after graduating from both Columbia Academy’s TV and radio program and the journalism program at Langara College. She started her broadcasting career in 1998 as a reporter and anchor with News 1130 (CKWX-AM). In 2001, she joined Shaw Cable in Vancouver as an anchor and producer, moving on to CHEK-TV Victoria in 2004. She returned to Vancouver in 2006 as a traffic reporter for 94.5 Virgin Radio (CFBT-FM), Z95.3 (CKZZ-FM) and CISL 650, before joining Shushma Datt’s Sp!ce Radio (CJRJ-AM) as a morning show host in 2010-11. She did a stint with CTV Vancouver as a weather anchor, prior to joining CBC Vancouver last year. In addition to her work in broadcasting, Kaila appeared in numerous commercials and television and film projects. She also pursued a passion for event planning and DJing under the banner of her own company, KJ Media. Read more here.
Timothy Knight, 85, on Sept. 6. Born in the UK and raised in South Africa, Knight left school at age 17 to follow his calling as a reporter. In South Africa, he worked for the Natal Mercury, the Sunday Express and the Rand Daily Mail, before crossing the border to work with Zambia TV. He went on to cover two wars as a foreign correspondent with United Press International in the Congo and then moved stateside to work in New York with ABC TV and Radio, NBC-TV, and PBS. Knight won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement for ABC documentary “LSD: Trip to Where?” in which he infamously dropped acid with Timothy Leary. He went on to produce and report on his own vasectomy operation for NBC and was the network reporter assigned to cover the Brooklyn bank hostage-taking later portrayed in the feature film, “Dog Day Afternoon.” After a decade in the U.S., he joined CBC’s The National as a producer, going on to serve as lead trainer for a decade for CBC’s TV journalists. After 15 years with the public broadcaster, he founded Tim Knight + Associates, coaching communicators in Canada, the U.S., Jamaica, Mauritius, Spain, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ghana and South Africa. Following the end of apartheid, he returned to South Africa to resume journalism training there, helping the South African Broadcasting Corporation transition from state to public media. He received a 2012 Innoversity Angel Award for playing “an outstanding role in making the media more accessible to persons with disabilities, Aboriginal media professionals, and people of colour.”
TV & FILM:
The 2023 Indiescreen Award winners include Québécois producer Nancy Grant and up-and-coming filmmaker Anam Abbas. Handed out annually by the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and recognizing outstanding independent Canadian film producers, Grant – the co-founder of Montreal-based Metafilms – was named the recipient of the Established Producer Award, which comes with a $20,000 cash prize. Her latest feature film, Simple Comme Sylvain (The Nature of Love), directed by Monia Chokri, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and had its North American premiere at TIFF. Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Abbas is the winner of the 2023 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award. Her latest project, In Flames, also premiered at Cannes and screened at TIFF. Read more here.
The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has announced the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award long list, highlighting up-and-coming directors to watch out for this festival season. This year’s list includes: Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant (Humanist Vampire Seeks Consenting Suicidal Person), Ariane Louis-Seize; Soleils Atikamekw (Atikamekw Suns), Chloé Leriche; Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun, Banchi Hanuse; Gabor, Joannie Lafrenière; In Flames, Zarrar Kahn; Hey, Viktor!, Cody Lightning; I’m Just Here for the Riot, Asia Youngman & Kathleen Jayme; The Queen of My Dreams, Fawzia Mirza; With Love and a Major Organ, Kim Albright; Coaching While Black, Alex Eskandarkhah; and Seagrass, Meredith Hama-Brown. Read more here.
The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and IATSE have reached a historic, national agreement to represent script coordinators working in the Canadian film and television industry. WGC says a trend towards smaller writing rooms in recent years has resulted in those in the entry-level position handling more tasks than was previously the norm, from creative duties like script polishes and consultations, to administrative labour including copy editing, formatting, and distributing scripts. The agreement acknowledges concerns about the potential for vulnerable workers – especially those from underrepresented communities – to be exploited in the position, which is often temporary. Under terms of the new agreement, individuals working in the writers’ room whose duties are primarily administrative will fall under IATSE’s jurisdiction. Those whose duties are primarily creative in nature, will fall under the WGC’s jurisdiction. Read more here.
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) has released a report examining the range of professional development programming options for media producers in Canada. It found that while there is an abundance of high-quality programs available, the variety and volume of programs can make it difficult for individual producers to identify training opportunities that best meet their needs. Analyzing over 200 programs, the research found the majority of professional development programs offered in Canada are aimed at individuals in the very early stages of their careers, with over 50% of programs analyzed found to be centered on mentorship and internship opportunities.
APTN, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation are joining forces to produce a 90-minute special marking the third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The public gathering will be broadcast live across the country from Parliament Hill Sept. 30. Hosted by Charles Bender and Madeleine Allakariallak, Remembering the Children will include dialogue in English, French and Indigenous languages. The live gathering will be broadcast on APTN and made available to all Canadian broadcasters, including AMI-tv, Blue Ant Media, The Canadian Press, CBC, CHCH TV, Citytv, CPAC, CTV, CTVNews.ca, CTV News app, Global News, Hollywood Suite, Inuit TV, Knowledge Network, OutTV, Radio-Canada, Super Channel, TV5 and Uvagut TV. In addition, APTN will broadcast a full weekend of special programming to honour residential school survivors, beginning Sept. 30 and airing across APTN channels.
Prime Video has announced the premiere date and released the trailer for new Canadian Amazon Original documentary Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, based on the life and career of legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs—or, as he’s more commonly known by fans, Mr. Dressup. Launching on Prime Video on Oct. 10, the doc tells the origins and history of Canada’s favourite children’s show, which built a legacy of kindness, patience, inclusiveness, and creativity across 4,000 episodes over 29 years on CBC. With never-before-seen footage and interivews, the documentary explores Coombs’ early days working with Fred Rogers, his creative collaboration with puppeteer Judith Lawrence (voice and creator of Casey and Finnegan), the struggles to fund the iconic series, and finally, Coombs’ second act touring college campuses. The documentary is produced by marblemedia in association with Hawkeye Pictures and the CBC.
TVO Original Charlotte’s Castle, premiering Sept. 26, profiles a group of tenants who fear their homes in a downtown Toronto heritage building will soon disappear if they don’t put up a fight. The new documentary spotlights those impacted by Canada’s housing crisis, with the building at the centre of the documentary, Spadina Gardens, a mid-rise apartment located at Spadina and Lowther in downtown Toronto. Built in 1904, it is the oldest building in the city to maintain its original floor plans, making the living spaces a rare find in a dense neighbourhood dominated by glass condo towers.
Mary Galloway’s The Cowichan Sweater: Our Knitted Legacy will start streaming on CBC Gem on Oct. 6, and air on CBC TV the following day in B.C. and Alberta. The film, which was shot in Cowichan and Saanich Territory on Vancouver Island, centres on the story of the Cowichan Sweater and its significance. A vintage black and white photograph of Galloway’s grandfather, the late Chief Dennis Alphonse, sends the filmmaker on a journey to unravel the history behind the iconic sweaters. Based in Winnipeg, Galloway is an award-winning filmmaker and actor, and graduate of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Directors Lab and Academy of Canadian Cinema and TV’s Executive Residency Program.
Crave is expanding its partnership with Blue Ant Studios and Rupaul’s Drag Race producers World of Wonder, announcing new series and format, Slaycation. The six-part unscripted series features six larger-than-life queens from across the international Drag Race franchise, as they vacation together at a Canadian winter cabin, with their fish-out-of-water escapades culminating in a drag performance for the local community. Slaycation is set to premiere on Crave in English and French in Canada, and will air day-and-date on WOW Presents Plus globally.
Black Moon Media and Screen Siren Pictures have announced that Alex Caulfield’s debut feature film What Comes Next has gone to camera in Vancouver. The feature film stars Alison Thornton (Nancy Drew), Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Aaron Ashmore (Ginny & Georgia), Maya Chariandy (The Good Doctor) and Stephen Lobo (Snowpiercer). The intergenerational coming of age story follows 17-year-old Tanya (Thornton) as she begins an ill-advised relationship with an older family friend Grant (Ashmore) before heading off to college. Caulfield is an award-winning non-binary director and writer with a background as a creative producer. Recent credits include the Lifetime television movie The Podcast Murders.
CTV has announced premiere dates for its fall 2023 lineup, headlined by new CTV Original murder mystery competition series The Traitors Canada (Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Oct. 2), hosted by Karine Vanasse. It’s joined by the return of unscripted series Kitchen Nightmares with chef Gordon Ramsay (Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Sept. 25); celebrity competition series Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test (Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Sept. 25); and new entrepreneurial game show Snake Oil, hosted and produced by David Spade and executive produced by Will Arnett (Wednesdays at 7 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Sept. 27).
CTV has announced that Transplant’s upcoming fourth season will be its last. The award-winning series returns to the fall schedule, Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Oct. 6. Currently filming in Montréal, Season 4 finds Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Hamza Haq) on the precipice of finishing his residency at York Memorial and officially re-qualifying as a doctor. With his future uncertain once again, Bash and his sister Amira (Sirena Gulamgaus) are Canadian citizens now, but are still trying to build a life in their adopted country.
CTV National News weekend anchor and W5 reporter Sandie Rinaldo is celebrating her 50th anniversary with the network. Some of her most memorable interviews from the last 50 years are captured in upcoming CTV News special Sandie Rinaldos’s 50/50, airing Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 10 p.m. ET. The hour-long special features clips of Rinaldo sitting down with many of Canada’s biggest names from the past five decades, including Justin Bieber, John Candy, Celine Dion, Capt. (ret’d) Trevor Greene, Wayne Gretzky, Rick Hansen, Gordon Lightfoot, William Shatner, Martin Short, Margaret Trudeau, and many others. Back in May, the network aired special I’m Sandie Rinaldo, reflecting on how the veteran reporter’s upbringing as the daughter of Holocaust survivors shaped her own journey and profoundly influenced her work as a journalist.
NHK World Premium (NWP) has chosen Toronto-based live television app toober to distribute its Japanese-language news, sports, and entertainment programming to viewers outside Japan. Toober will bring NHK’s NWP content to audiences in 13 countries beginning in October, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Vatican City, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates, as well as additional countries in the coming months. Via toober, NWP will be available on AndroidTV/Google TV Playstore, Apple TV, LG, Roku, and Samsung.
Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) presents its 42nd edition, Sept. 28 – Oct. 8, the first fully in-cinema festival since 2019. This year’s lineup features roughly 140 feature films and 100 shorts, officially opening with Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves, a comedy about two lonely souls who believe they’re meant for each other, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. The closing film selection will be The Pot-au-Feu (La Passion de Dodin Bouffant) by Tran Anh Hùng, a look at a romantic, intuitive, and intimate partnership between a famed gourmand and his beloved cook, played by Juliette Binoche. The film earned Tran Best Director at Cannes, 30 years after his debut film The Scent of Green Papaya won the Camera d’or at the same festival.
Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) has unveiled VIFF Amp’s Composer Filmmaker Accelerator program, a new interdisciplinary initiative that fosters emerging composers and filmmakers from around the world. The Composer Filmmaker Accelerator is curated by Emmy-nominee Miriam Cutler, co-founder of Alliance For Women Film Composers and former advisor to the Sundance Institute Film Music Intensive. The two-month program is an opportunity for 12 composers and four filmmakers to learn from professionals in the field, working closely to create an original score to picture. The final compositions will be recorded at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse Studios and performed live with members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in a special screening on Saturday, Oct. 7.
The Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is back with its 19th edition, Sept. 27 – Oct. 1. Returning in person and online, #MIBFF23 will present 75 films from 20 countries, including five International Premieres, six North American Premieres, 20 Canadian Premieres and 16 Quebec Premieres. Opening night will mark the Canadian premiere of The Space Race by Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (USA), highlighting the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists to become astronauts. The festival will close with the Quebec Premiere of Mohamed Kordofani’s film Goodbye Julia (Sudan), which begins in July 2005 in the midst of the aftermath of the Sudanese war.
The Sustainable Production Forum (SPF) takes place in Toronto on Sept. 25th at CBC’s Toronto Broadcast Centre. Focused on accelerating sustainable solutions in the film industry, SPF draws on extensive collaboration with global sustainability changemakers to bring lessons learned and best practices to the Canadian production ecosystem. It will feature a range of virtual and in-person programming, including the Tools to Reduce Your Fuel panel – hands-on training featuring guest speakers Moe Rai (Line Producer, Production Manager at Directors Guild of Canada) and Mary Anne Waterhouse (Producer at Quadrant Motion Picture).
Paramount+ in Canada and the Black Screen Office (BSO) are partnering to support the Black Creators Festival Initiative. As part of Paramount’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the collaboration expands the scope of the ongoing program, offering support to Black Canadian content creators seeking international exposure. The initiative provides creators with opportunities to showcase their work at international film festivals and TV markets, providing festival accreditation, travel and accommodation assistance, and pre-festival guidance. The program launched in May 2022 and has since supported 60 Black Canadian creators to facilitate their attendance at MIP Africa, TIFF, Content Canada, Cannes, and the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund. In collaboration with CJ Cultural Foundation and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the fund’s goal is to foster, support, and champion Korean Canadian and American filmmakers looking to develop their first or second feature film. The CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund, with an annual budget of $30,000 for a three-year period, will support three creative teams, empowering them to bring their cinematic dreams to life. The fund is set to start accepting applications in November.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
OverActive Media has unveiled its Content Creator Academy, a roster of 20 diverse influencers that represent the Toronto Ultra, Toronto Defiant and MAD Lions esports brands. OverActive says the combined reach of the Academy is over 15 million across TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Trovo. The Toronto-headquartered company continues to grow its audience reach, saying from 2021 to 2022, it achieved a 43% year-over-year increase in total audience engagement, including significant growth on TikTok. Toronto Ultra, the company’s professional Call of Duty League team, surpassed 1 million followers across its social platforms earlier this year. OverActive says the launch of the Content Creator Academy will build on the strength of its existing audience by increasing impressions and engagements in both Canada and Spain.
The 28th Annual Webby Awards are officially open to submissions. Celebrating the best of the internet across websites and mobile sites, video, advertising, media & PR, apps & software, social, podcasts, games and metaverse, virtual & AI (new this year). The Early Entry Deadline is Friday, Oct. 27.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
RTDNA Canada has announced the finalists for its National Awards of Excellence and Best Canadian Local News Awards in digital and broadcast journalism. The winners will be announced at the National Awards Gala in Toronto at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on Oct. 21.
The Jack Webster Foundation has announced this year’s Webster Award Finalists, recognizing excellence in B.C. journalism. The 37th annual Webster Awards Gala will take place Nov. 14 at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver.
The Webster Foundation’s seven Student Journalism Awards and three BIPOC Journalism Student Awards are now open for applications for students enrolled in eligible journalism schools. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1.
Seneca Polytechnic and New Canadian Media have developed a new microcredential course to help journalists develop skills around equity, diversity and inclusion. The course Inclusive Journalism – Fair Representation in Media is billed as a first of its kind in Canada. It is being offered virtually, weekday evenings, making it easier to access for working journalists from anywhere in Canada. Journalists who take the course are asked to develop and pitch articles related to equity, diversity and inclusion, and write content for their own publications. There are also opportunities to work directly with journalists who are newcomers to Canada. Registration is now open for the next nine-week cohort.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
LISTEN: Dielectric has taken part in its share of RF installations at iconic transmission sites, from atop Mount Wilson in Los Angeles to One World Trade Center in New York City. Dielectric recently installed an antenna system to support transmission for WEDW-DT, part of the Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) PBS member network that has now improved reach into the coveted New York City television market. Mechanical Engineer Shane Cyr joins our publisher Shawn Smith on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the installation’s unique challenges, the company’s 80-year legacy, and more.
FEATURE: The Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) fall conference is on the move due to a labour dispute. Still set to take place Nov. 27-29 in Vancouver, the event is moving to The Pinnacle at the Pier in North Vancouver. The WABE Awards are also now open to nominations. Read President Tessa Potter’s September update here.
Bell Media has announced it’s launching Addressable TV (ATV) across its linear and Video on Demand (VOD) content on CTV, CTV2, and Noovo, leveraging tech that tailors ads to television viewers. Also available on a handful of Bell’s English- and French-language speciality channels, ATV will reach viewers via the Bell Fibe TV app across Connected TV, mobile, and web platforms, and is set to launch on next generation set top boxes later this year. Tapping into household insights, including Bell’s own first party data, to target an advertiser’s core audience, the service is launching with 19 pre-built segments. Bell says the the ability to build custom segments using Bell Analytics is on the way, in addition to offerings from Environics and thinktv. Read more here.
RT-RK, a Serbia-based embedded software development house, has announced a strategic collaboration with Google to elevate the Common Broadcast Stack (CBS) for Android TV OS devices. The partnership aims to introduce innovative features and ensure CBS remains the trusted middleware solution for TV operators and retail devices. Leveraging the existing foundation of CBS, RT-RK will contribute expertise to further elevate the platform’s capabilities and enhance the overall user experience.
Avid has announced the commercial availability of Avid | Stream IO, a new flexible subscription-based software platform for production ingest and playout of news, sports, live entertainment and other TV content. With a flexible architecture that can be configured to ingest or play out IP streams and SDI streams, Avid | Stream IO allows news, sports and live content producers to migrate from legacy workflows and on-premises deployment to cloud and IP workflows. The platform also allows media companies to combine different ingest sources in a single configuration, supporting all common production formats, including SDI at launch, with compressed IP streams SRT / RTMP, NDI, and SMPTE 2110 to follow later next year.
EditShare has entered into an agreement to merge with cloud-native video solutions provider Shift Media. The combined business will operate as EditShare, with Shift Media products – MediaSilo, Wiredrive, and Screeners.com – folding under the EditShare corporate brand. With video creation continuing to accelerate across entertainment, advertising, corporate communications, higher education, and a concurrent explosion in video technology, the companies say combining EditShare and Shift Media will deliver a comprehensive open solution enabling creative teams and content creators to seamlessly store, edit, collaborate, and share their content. Ramu Potarazu, Shift Media’s CEO, will lead the combined company under the EditShare banner, while current EditShare CEO Conrad Clemson will leave the business to pursue other opportunities. ParkerGale Capital and Marlin Equity Partners, previous backers of EditShare and Shift, respectively, will maintain their positions as primary investors and board members of the combined company.
