*Fischer heads up Disney

Joan Fischer, former head of business affairs for tvontario, is gm of Walt Disney Animation Canada. She will oversee the creative and production activities of the company’s Toronto and Vancouver facilities, which opened in April 1996. The Canadian arm of Disney is nearing completion on its first project, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, slated for home video release.

Fischer’s immediate priorities are staffing up Disney’s Toronto and Vancouver facilities. About 200 are employed now – 150 in Toronto, 50 in Vancouver – with another 15 expected to be added to the Toronto shop, up to 10 on the West Coast. Fischer is expecting to release a plan for Disney Canada’s long-term production activities in October.

*Rose new Atlantis prez

Chief financial officer Lewis Rose has been named president of Atlantis Communications. Rose will take on responsibility for day-to-day operations as ceo Michael MacMillan focuses on growth and strategy for the company. Jane Green has been promoted from corporate controller to vp finance. Atlantis is searching for a new cfo.

In production news, Atlantis has entered into an agreement to produce a series of 10 science fiction movies for United Paramount Network, slated for delivery in the 1998/99 season. The deal is in association with Singer/White Entertainment.

Alliance Communications is also the beneficiary of upn’s bulk movie commissioning bid. Like Atlantis, it is on tap for 10 films for upn’s 1998/99 season as is Showtime in the u.s.

Although no one is discussing licence fees, word from the u.s. trades is that Paramount is offering financing somewhat below the average us$2.5 million to us$2.7 million mow fee since the producer will be able to amortize the costs over the bulk deal. Atlantis and Alliance hold worldwide rights for their respective titles.

In Atlantis Releasing news, it’s picked up worldwide distribution rights outside of Canada for Epitome Pictures’ Riverdale, broadcasting on cbc Sept. 22, and to The House of Angelo, a new u.k. adventure mow.

*Production up in Montreal

Indie film and tv production in Montreal is projected to reach the $525 million level in 1997, according to Andre Lafond, director of the Montreal Film & TV Commission.

The Paramount Pictures feature Snake Eyes, from producer Louis Stroller and director/producer Brian De Palma, is the year’s largest production with an injection of some $75 million in the local economy.

*Tier penetration climbs slightly

As of June 30, 63.8% of Rogers Cablesystems’ basic cable subscribers were opting to purchase the combination specialty channel package of tiers one and two. The penetration rate is up 6.7% over June 1996 when 57.1% of Rogers’ subscribers were taking the combo package. Rogers ended this year’s second quarter with 2,216,200 basic cable subscribers, down 7,400 since March.

Revenue for the cable arm was up marginally to $246.8 million from $244 million in the second quarter of 1996. Operating income before depreciation and amortization was up 18.7% to $95.5 million over $80.4 million in the comparable ’96 period. Revenue gains are being attributed to an increased number of basic subscribers, higher tier penetration, and rate increases.

*$500,000 for INIS

Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps has announced an annual $500,000 contribution to Institut national de l’image et du son, Quebec’s advanced film and tv training center.

The money is part of a new annual $8.5 million national arts education program funded by Heritage and Human Resources Development Canada. Telefilm Canada will administer $1.3 million under the program, funds primarily earmarked for the Canadian Film Centre in Toronto, the National Screen Institute in Edmonton and inis in Montreal.

*Malofilm loss hits $40M

Malofilm Communications took another major hit in the third quarter reporting a net loss of $17 million, bringing the rising tide of red ink after nine months to $40 million, unprecedented for a publicly traded Canadian production and distribution company.

In the second quarter, ending June 30, the company announced a restructuring write-off of $25.5 million and a net loss of over $22 million.

Revenues, however, are way up, $70.2 million compared to $31.9 million last year, largely as result of active production slates from Filmline International and Image Organization.

vp and ceo Joseph Cavalancia says the company intends to rebuild its equity and has secured between $5.5 million and $10.75 million in new loan financing from controlling shareholder BHVR Communications and an extended $2.75 million bank loan from Scotiabank.

*Baton/CHUM/CTV approved

In perhaps the fastest crtc turnaround on record, the commission has approved Baton Broadcasting’s application to take control of the CTV Network.

The decision consolidates the broadcasting operations of both Baton and chum, and represents, according to the commission, a $16.3 million injection into the Canadian broadcasting system.

Although questions on the value of the tangible and intangible benefits package and on concentration of ownership issues pebbled the hearing, the commission says it is satisfied with the benefits proposed and that concerns over ownership concentration are outweighed by the benefits of the transaction to the system as a whole.

Baton now officially owns the Atlantic Television Network stations and the Atlantic Satellite Network. In turn, chum acquires chro-tv Pembroke, cfpl-tv London, cknx-tv Wingham, and chwi-tv Wheatley.

Baton’s merger with Electrohome Limited was also approved. Electrohome now holds a 23% voting interest in Baton.

*People

* Alliance Communications president Robert Lantos has been named winner of the Toronto Arts Awards’ Media Arts Award by The Arts Foundation of Greater Toronto. Michael Levine took home the Performing Arts Award.

* Jay Ingram, host of Discovery Channel’s science newsmag @discovery.ca, has been selected as the recipient of the 1997 McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science.

* History Television has named Shelley Saywell as commissioning editor, effective Sept. 2.

* ytv has appointed Katherine Brown to vp of finance and Susan Mandryk to vp of marketing.

*The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television’s new board is down from 36 to 21 members, with an expanded role.

Chair is Rudy Buttignol. Maria Topalovich, formerly CEO, now becomes the president and CEO, making her a voting member.

* Michael McLaughlin has been appointed manager of sales administration at Atlantis Releasing.

* Patrick McDougall has been appointed president of NetStar Communications’ sales division, and will serve as a member of NetStar’s executive committee.

* Sean Luxton has been appointed affiliate rep, affiliate sales and marketing department of Life Network and HGTV-Canada.

* tsn anchor/reporter Lisa Bowes has been named weekend anchor/ reporter for TSN Sportsdesk, beginning Sept. 13. Bowe’s replacement will be mctv Sault Saint Marie reporter/anchor David Amber.

* A&E Television Networks has named Ann Hughes director, public affairs and communications.

* Alastair Hamilton has been promoted to the new position of senior vp, worldwide distribution technology for Turner Broadcasting System International.