– Global denied extended drama slots

The crtc has denied Global Television Network’s request to expand the qualifiable Monday to Friday Canadian drama period.

Global had applied to extend the m/f drama block to 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with the rationale that the 7-8 hour could be used to attract family audiences to Canadian programs. Interventions filed in support came from Atlantis Communications, Cinar Films, Nelvana, Insight Productions and the Alliance For Children and Television. The cftpa and Baton Broadcasting opposed.

The commission says maximizing the broadcast of Canadian drama in peak viewing hours is a primary consideration but – considering this fall’s hearing on Canadian programming which will cover content and scheduling – doesn’t see the wisdom of approving a single proposal in isolation and therefore the answer is nay.

– SOCAN appeals decision

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada will appeal a Copyright Board decision delivered Jan. 30.

The judgment, reached in a 2-1 decision, will reduce Tariff 2.A (commercial broadcast television) by 15%, retroactive to Jan. 1, 1997, and introduce a modified blanket licence option.

– Atlantis signs Feltes

Toronto-based Atlantis Communications has signed Traders exec producer Alyson Feltes to an exclusive development and production deal. Feltes will create, write and executive produce tv movies and drama series, with first up being the one-hour drama series Justice, being developed for the Global Television Network.

Set in the halls of the Canadian Department of Justice, the adult primetime drama series will incorporate real-life public legal stories, with their inherent moral dilemmas and power struggles. No word yet on casting or when production will begin.

In other Atlantis news, the company has completed an equity financing offering valued at over $20 million. Atlantis says it intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to expand its distribution activities and its specialty broadcasting business, and to grow its production business, including increased development of properties aimed at the u.s. market.

The offering increases Atlantis’ current market capitalization to over $120 million.

– SGI feted by Banff

Silicon Graphics has been named the 1998 recipient of the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award for this year’s Banff Television Festival June 7-13.

BBC Drama has been named the recipient of the festival’s 1998 Global Outstanding Achievement Award and tv writer John Mortimer, whose credits include A Voyage Round My Father (Thames Television) and the series Rumpole of the Bailey (Thames), will be honored with a Special Lifetime Achievement Award.

The spotlight is being shone on the u.k. at the upcoming Banff festival. bbc chairman Sir Christopher Bland will deliver the keynote address, ‘Overpaid, Over-Sexed and Over Here: An Analysis of American Influence on Broadcasting Culture.’

cbc sponsors the keynote address and has renewed its commitment to the festival for the next three years. cbc is also sponsoring the festival’s comedy seminar and closing ceremonies.

– Que. info highway $s

The deadline for project applications for the Quebec government’s financial assistance program for the development of services and content for the information highway has been extended from Feb. 17 to March 5.

In the current round, $6.5 million will be awarded – up to $500,000 for each accepted proposal. The $50-million, multiyear program from the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications seeks projects which promote ‘Quebec cultural products in French on the information highway.’ Guylaine Bedard, the program’s coordinator, can be reached at www.sai.gouv.qc.ca.

– Canada Award winner

Director/producer Selwyn Jacob’s documentary The Road Taken, which chronicles the prejudice faced by black porters on the cnr and cpr while paying homage to their role in the development of black communities across the country, will receive the Canada Award at this year’s broadcast gala Gemini Awards, March 1.

The award honors programming which best reflects the cultural diversity of Canada and is presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television with support from the Multiculturalism Program of Canadian Heritage.

The Road Taken was coproduced by Jacob and Dale Phillips for Selwyn Enterprises and by Jerry Krepakevich for the National Film Board.

In other Gemini news, Cathy Jones, costar of Salter Street Films’ This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and Steve Smith, star of S&S Productions’ The Red Green Show, will cohost the Gemini Awards black-tie broadcast gala in Toronto. Global News anchor Peter Kent hosts the opening night gala on Friday, Feb. 27, while comedian Mike Bullard is host of the industry gala on Saturday, Feb. 28.

The broadcast gala is being produced by David Kitching and his Birch River Productions. The opening and industry galas are being produced by Susan Edwards and Steve Sloan, High SEaSS! Entertainment. Academy president and ceo Maria Topalovich is the exec producer for all three nights.

– Baton, Ellis repo assets

Toronto’s Ellis Enterprises and Baton Broadcasting have reorganized their holdings in the Outdoor Life Network and KEG Productions, separating broadcast and production interests.

Baton has acquired the Ellis stake in oln while Ellis has acquired Baton’s interest in keg. Baton’s position as the lead partner in oln is now increased. Other partners include Rogers Communications and oln in the u.s. keg, a producer of wildlife programming, now becomes a fully independent producer, wholly owned by Ellis.

– People

Canadian Women in Communications’ sold-out gala Ottawa festivities celebrated Cinar ceo Micheline Charest as Woman of the Year, Rogers Communications’ vice-chairman Phil Lind as Mentor of the Year and Women’s Television Network’s Carol Darling, vp engineering, operations and affiliate relations, as Trailblazer of the Year. Journalist Pamela Wallin is the cwc’s new chair, replacing Janet Yale.

– Cheryl Ashton is the new executive director of the National Screen Institute.

– CanWest Global Communications has appointed Gerry Noble, vp operations, to president of CanWest Pacific Communications. Noble will be based in Sydney, Australia, and will oversee CanWest’s business in Australia and New Zealand.

– Karen Fisman, a former media and entertainment analyst with Marleau, Lemire Securities in Toronto, has been named VP investor relations with Vancouver-based Lions Gate Entertainment.

– Dianne Schwalm has been promoted to senior vp of Warner Bros. theatrical advertising and publicity for Canada, based in Toronto.

– Toronto documentary prodco Cine Nova has added Tom Perlmutter as head of development and Christina Pochmursky as senior producer. Perlmutter was most recently head of documentaries at Barna-Alper and Pochmursky was host/interviewer and exec producer on CBC Newsworld’s Business World for eight years.

– Claude Maher, a drama and variety director and former drama program director at Radio-Canada (’91-95) has joined Montreal production house Avanti Cine-Video as director, drama programs

– The North American National Broadcasters Association has named Bob Ottenhoff, executive vp and coo at pbs, as the association’s new president. Bev Oda, vp industry affairs with Toronto’s Baton/ctv, and Gaston Melo Medina of Mexico’s Televisa were named new vps.

At the recent agm, the digital revolution was discussed, with cbs vp of tech Joseph Flaherty delivering an hdtv presentation.