Vancouver: Global Media, a direct-to-home distribution company with a 6,000-square-foot operation based in Nanaimo, b.c., has launched an entertainment division in advance of its plan to go public on NASDAQ’s OTC Bulletin Board.

The entertainment division, called Global Media (Canada) Entertainment, will eventually develop, produce and acquire films, videos, music cds and magazines for worldwide distribution, says company vp Winston Barta. However, he explains, the key activity of the new division will be to act as a distributor of videos through the Internet.

As part of its move to film and tv distribution, Global Media has appointed Michael Mazo, a producer/director for 20 years, as the company’s executive in charge of production. And John Curtis, formerly president and ceo of Vancouver’s North American Releasing, has joined Global Media as a company director. Global Media’s president is Michael Metcalfe, once an executive with North American Pictures.

The parent company, founded in 1994, has been engaged in the selling of dth technology such as satellite dishes, services including ExpressVu and financial market information.