Vancouver’s Trade and Convention Centre will host an estimated 15,000 representatives from the broadcast and television production industries Nov. 1-3 at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters annual convention, Broadcasting ’98.

As in the past, this year’s event gives attendees an opportunity to attend three concurrent conventions: the cab confab, the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers meet and the National Broadcasting & Media expo, all of which fall under the Broadcasting ’98 umbrella.

Panels and workshops will focus on key issues such as digital technology, new media and the many ways broadcasters can capitalize on the opportunities the new technologies present.

‘We need to jump on board and get our piece of the action. It’s the wave of right now and certainly of the future,’ says Sharon Orr, executive director of Broadcasting ’98. ‘If we are going to grow our businesses, we are certainly going to have to use new media in the most intelligent and creative ways possible. We’re laying out all the different opportunities and looking at it from all angles.’

Over 125 exhibitors are gearing up to display their wares on the expo floor, which according to Marye Menard-Bos, expo manager and cab director of events, was sold out about a month before the event.

Tektronics will be taking advantage of the Vancouver forum to release its latest technology, a new video disc recorder, as will Miller Canada, which will unveil new RF Technology. Webtv will be on hand with interactive television as will Sony, Pioneer and Panasonic.

In an effort to attract more convention-goers to the expo, Menard-Bos has been urging exhibitors to be provocative and do what they can to make it more fun to check out the displays.

In answer to her call, some lucky expo enthusiast will be speeding home in a 20th anniversary edition 1978 Corvette, compliments of Radio Sign Power of Missoula, Montana.

The theme for Broadcasting ’98 is Leading The Way, and kicking off the plenary session on Monday Nov. 2 is keynote speaker Dr. Lance Secretan, professor, consultant, entrepreneur and author, who will discuss leadership and the importance of followers in ‘Taking the Lead.’

Earlier that morning over coffee, OJ Frank Ogden, better known as Dr. Tomorrow, will share some innovative and perhaps eccentric insights into the future live via satellite from his houseboat in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour.

Also on Monday, VTV News director Paul Mennier will moderate a discussion about increasing Canadian television viewership in ‘Is Anybody Watching?’ At Playback press time, the panel had not been confirmed.

An afternoon luncheon will honor seven broadcasting gurus whose names will be inscribed on the cab Broadcast Hall of Fame plaque, bringing the membership to 146.

This year’s inductees are Rogers Communications’ Ted Rogers; Lloyd Robertson, ctv chief news anchor; b.c. radio news legend Warren Barker; Donald Brown, vp and gm of cjcb/ckpe-fm; Francois Labbe, president of Reseau des Appalaches; Peter Liba, executive vp, CanWest Global Communications; and Ross McCreath, president of the Canadian Communications Foundation.

Following lunch, delegates can participate in the panel ‘Digital TV: Deliverance or Curse?’

Moderator Jennifer Mather, Global tv news anchor, will lead a discussion on the opportunities and challenges presented by the move to the digital domain.

Panelists include Rick Arnish, president of Pattison Broadcast Group; Michele Beck, vp regulatory engineering at the Canadian Cable Television Association; Pat Holland, vp engineering at komo-tv Seattle; Jim Macdonald, president of WIC Television; Michael McEwen, president of Canadian Digital Television; and Pat Whittingham, executive vp broadcast and professional at Sony Canada.

Slated for the same 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. time slot is ‘Business Models in a Digital World,’ hosted by Global news anchor Peter Kent.

This session looks at the business model for specialty services in a digital environment and strategies for success despite low initial subscriber penetration.

Making up the panel will be Mark Rubenstein, vp gm at CHUM Television Group; Phyllis Yaffe, president and ceo of Showcase Television and History Television; Suzanne Steeves, senior vp at CTV Sports; and Ferdaus Kharas, president of UTV International.

News directors will be the target on Tuesday as Broadcasting ’98 introduces the two-part plenary session ‘Newsmakers on the News’ to the lineup.

‘A great deal of our programming and franchises are still news and probably always will be, so there is a great deal of interest in cab having programming for senior news people,’ says Orr.

The day gets going at 9 a.m. with ‘The Anatomy of a Scandal: How the Media Covered The Clinton/Lewinsky Story.’ cknw talk show host Bill Good will be joined by Jean Emerson of King-tv, Seattle; Global’s Kent; Craig Oliver, ctv Ottawa bureau chief; Tony Parsons, bctv news anchor; and Gerry Phalen, rtnda president.

Good and his panel will continue into the afternoon with part two, geared specifically for news directors, who will have the opportunity to join in the discussion on some of the biggest stories of the past year.

Gold Ribbons

Entries for this year’s Gold Ribbon Awards are up 44% over last year at 226 entries. News proved the most popular television category with 61 submissions. Awards will be presented in eight tv categories, and for the first time this year, in three specialty/pay/ pay-per-view categories.

Masters of ceremonies for the event are Jim Byrnes and Jocelyne Cazin. Singer Diana Krall will perform.

Taking home the CAB 1998 Gold Ribbon Award for Broadcast Excellence is Moses Znaimer, Citytv cofounder, president and executive producer.

Leading the pack in the dash for television Gold are cftm-tv Montreal and bctv Vancouver with four entries each in the running.

cftm scored two nominations in the Multi-Market Programming category for Gala Metrostar and Diva, up against Citytv’s FashionTelevision, and two in the Entertainment category for Cha Ba Da and Le Retour, running against asn Halifax’s New Year’s Eve Celebration.

bctv is nominated for Return of Olson in the Daily Newscasts/ Breaking News category, Be Careful Be Safe Personal Safety under Documentaries and Public Affairs, Dinner Combo d under Promotion: Canadian Program/ Series and ‘If it Matters’ in the Promotion: Image category.

Finalists in News: Special/Series are civt-tv Vancouver for Vancouver AIDS Epidemic, ctv Toronto for CTV Inquiry: Inquired Soldier, cky5-tv Winnipeg for Flood of the Century and cfmt-tv Toronto for Hong Kong in Transition.

Up against bctv in the Daily Newscasts/Breaking News category are cfto-tv Toronto for TTC Subway Fire and cfcn-tv Calgary with Channel 3 News at 6:00.

In the Documentaries & Public Affairs category, bctv is up against Global Television Winnipeg for The Flood of the Century and chbc-tv Kelowna for Elements of Change.

Global Winnipeg is also nominated in the Community Service category, for ‘Floodwatch 97-Red River Rising.’ Also in the running are ckrd-tv Red Deer for ‘C.A.W.E.S. Celebrity Waiter Dinner,’ cisa-tv Lethbridge for its ‘Win With Farm Safety Contest & Promotion’ and chmi-tv Winnipeg for ‘MTN Flood Aid 97.’

Under Promotion: Canadian Program/Series bctv is competing with chbc-tv Kelowna for ‘Newslink Vans’ and under Promotion: Image it’s up against civt-tv Vancouver for ‘Live at Six Generic’ and cict-tv Calgary for Spirit of Calgary.

In the specialty/pay/pay-per-view categories, it’s a duke-out between sole contenders The Comedy Network and MuchMusic.

Comedy’s Open Mike With Mike Bullard is nominated under Programming, ‘The Comedy Network: Hostage Campaign’ is up for a Gold Ribbon in the Promotion: Image category and ‘The Comedy Network Presents Promo’ is nominated under Promotion: Canadian Program/ Series.

MuchMusic’s nominations are for 1997 MuchMusic Video Awards under Programming, ‘It’s The New Logo’ under Promotion: Image and ‘Canadian Concert Listings,’ Promotion: Canadian Program/Series.

Winners will be announced at the Gold Ribbon gala Nov. 3.