– Rogers closes ComTV in B.C.

Rogers CableSystems is again inspiring the ire of local Vancouverites, this time by closing five of its community television offices in the Lower Mainland.

A group of independent producers have banded together to fight the closings of two Lower Mainland Community tv studios and three Neighbourhood Television offices, all before the end of this year. Already on notice to vacate by mid-December are the more than 50 production volunteers at the Vancouver East Neighbourhood Television Office, who were given notice Nov. 19. The two staff fully employed by Rogers are being relocated.

The petitioning indies – Suzy Boyer, Brian Peterson, Lynda Leonard, Jim Dorman, Sid Tan and Claudia Ferris – take issue with the crtc putting a ‘shameful emphasis on corporate interests over community interests,’ and claim the commission is not ensuring cable providers continue to support the grassroots community.

Advocating letters to Rogers and the crtc, the group is informing subscribers that $0.50 of their cable bill is for community tv and that people in the cutback areas, including Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, are within their rights to withhold 5% of their cable payment.

In other Rogers news, the sale of 304,000 basic cable subscribers in Ontario to Cogeco Cable is complete. Total proceeds to Rogers were $360 million, or $1,180 per basic sub, of which $304 million was paid in cash and the remaining third in Cogeco subordinate voting shares and notes payable over the next two years.

-Winners

Rhombus Media scooped up its fourth International Emmy in New York this month with September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill tying for top honors in the performing arts category. The program was directed by Larry Weinstein and produced by Niv Fichman and Weinstein. The French RD Studio Productions’ Smoke also received the performing arts Emmy.

tvontario was presented with the International Council/Unicef award for its Children’s Day of Broadcasting programming.

At the CableAce Awards, Atlantis Films’ The Outer Limits picked up best dramatic series for the second year in a row and Devine Entertainment’s The Composers’ Specials walked away with top honors in the children’s series – seven and older category.

Canadian actress Amanda Plummer was named best supporting actress in a tv movie for her role in The Right To Remain Silent, which aired on Showtime.

At the Charleston International Film Festival, the lovable rodent took home yet another prize this month, with Once Upon a Hamster awarded gold in the tv series/family-children category. The series is produced by Hammytime II Productions in association with ytv.

-IMAX/NWI joint venture

Imax Corporation and Belgium-based New Wave International have joined forces to develop a new live-action immersed film, Dolphins – The Ride.

nwi will produce, with world-renowned marine photographer Bob Talbot shooting and directing.

The four-minute Dolphins – The Ride will enable viewers to feel both visually and through motion what it is like to swim through the water as a marine mammal.

The shoot will take place in Roatan, Honduras in spring 1997. The production team is currently working with high-technology ocean engineering specialists to design the fastest underwater filming sled to date. The rig will allow the director/dop to maneuver through an underwater obstacle course at speeds of up to five knots.

Imax has exclusive distribution rights and will release the film in late 1997 for its IMAX Ridefilm motion simulation systems.

nwi is a production company, cofinancier and computer graphics imaging facility specializing in simulator ride film production and 15p/70m production.