Wow Unlimited Media Inc. and Bell Media have entered into a strategic partnership that will see Wow acquire one of Bell’s speciality channels. In exchange, Bell Media will acquire 12 per cent of Wow’s shares at a price $6.86M and leverage its programming for use across Bell platforms, including CraveTV and Snackable TV. The agreement also includes jointly developing and producing future programming content.
Vintage TV Canada has been added to all subscription packages for Rogers cable customers. Launched in Oct. 2016 on the Shaw Communications network, Vintage TV Canada is modeled after its UK counterpart, offering music, interviews and curated playlists. Music historian and broadcasting vet Alan Cross is the channel’s creative director, while its board of directors includes former CRTC commissioner Rita Cugini and Ivar Hamilton, VP Catalogue & Sports Music Marketing, Universal Music Canada.
CTV has released a first look at its forthcoming feature film about The Tragically Hip and their cross-Canada Man Machine Poem Tour. Commissioned by Bell Media, the documentary is set for a fall theatrical run, distributed by Elevation Pictures, ahead of its television premiere in late fall on CTV. The network premiere will be followed by airings on various Bell Media and on-demand platforms, including The Movie Network, MUCH, and CraveTV. Click here to view the first look.
Corus Entertainment has inked a deal with The Walt Disney Studios for exclusive Canadian broadcast rights for the Star Wars films. Beginning this fall, 11 films from the epic franchise, including original trilogy titles and yet-to-be-seen theatrical releases, will make their debuts on Corus’ conventional and specialty networks, including Global, Showcase, W Network, ABC Spark, YTV, Disney Channel and Disney XD. Broadcast details will be announced at a later date.
Recently retired Major League Baseball player Chris Leroux has been revealed as the next bachelor on W Network‘s The Bachelor Canada, this fall. The 33-year-old from Mississauga spent time with the New York Yankees, Florida Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates. Actor Noah Cappe (Carnival Eats, Good Witch) returns as host, while Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto personality Jennifer Valentyne resumes hosting duties on the The Bachelor Canada After Show.
Two-hour television event Canada In A Day, the culmination of more than 16,000 video submissions from Canadians, will premiere on CTV June 25. Shot entirely over the course of 24 hours on September 10, 2016, the crowd-sourced film includes footage from more than 10,000 Canadians from all 10 provinces, three territories, 22 countries and in 18 languages. Acclaimed director Ridley Scott was among the project’s executive producers, inspired by his award-winning feature film Life In A Day. Canada In A Day will be available on CraveTV, beginning June 30, with encore broadcasts on CTV and CTV Two slated for July 1 and 2.
Bell Media has publicized the badly-kept secret that TSN is now the official English-language broadcaster of the Montreal Canadiens, beginning with the 2017-18 season. The new agreement sees TSN air a slate of games in the team’s designated broadcast region, which spans Eastern and Northern Ontario, Québec, and Atlantic Canada. RDS continues to be the French-language home for Canadiens games. TSN 690 (CKGM-AM) Montréal also renewed its agreement, maintaining full radio broadcast rights.
In the lead-up to this fall’s Invictus Games Toronto 2017, CTV News’ chief anchor Lisa LaFlamme sat down for an exclusive, hour-long interview with Prince Harry at Kensington Palace. Prince Harry: Journey To Invictus airs June 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. The pair discuss the Prince’s 10 years in the British military and his two tours in Afghanistan, as well as his childhood experiences in Canada and his impressions of Canadians’ relationship with the Royal Family.
Last weekend’s CHEO Foundation Telethon set a fundraising record, with the 24-hour broadcast on CTV Ottawa bringing in more than $8.7 million in donations for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation.
The two-day Miracle Weekend celebration, broadcast live on Global BC, raised an incredible $20,300,680, helping BC Children’s Hospital reach a historic $300 million raised over its 30-year history. The 30th annual event, June 3-4, was hosted by Global BC personalities including Chris Gailus, Sophie Lui, Squire Barnes, Anne Drewa, and Sonia Sunger.
