Prime Time in Ottawa is going virtual for its 2021 edition, the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) announced Tuesday.

The event, renamed as Prime Time Online for the upcoming iteration, will span two weeks starting Jan. 28.

The producers association has renewed its partnership with C21Media and its Canadian arm, Content Canada, to produce the conference, which this year celebrates its 26th anniversary. The CMPA said more details will be announced in the coming days.

“Although COVID has made it impossible for the media production community to make its annual pilgrimage to Ottawa for Prime Time, we’re excited about the scope of what’s planned for our very first digital event,” said Andrew Addison, the CMPA’s VP, communications, marketing and membership, and the conference’s lead producer, in a statement.

In terms of the industry discussion, Prime Time’s 2020 edition was dominated by the release of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) report, published on the eve of the event. The report, created to inform the federal government as it undertakes its review of the Broadcasting Act, contained 97 recommendations, including a proposed merger of the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm, the reintroduction of terms of trade, and mandated contributions from OTT services to the Canadian funding ecosystem.

During the event, Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault said his department was reviewing the report, and planned to table updated legislation in June. However, while the pandemic disrupted that timeline, Guilbeault now plans to propose new legislation later this fall, in what is sure to inform a large part of the discussion at Prime Time 2021.