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Kelly Townsend

Kelly Townsend is the editor at Playback, with previous experience in B2B and entertainment journalism. Before joining the Playback team in 2018, she worked in the editorial, marketing and communication departments at B2B publisher Dovetail Communications. She has a bachelor's degree in English from York University and is a graduate of Humber College’s journalism program. Her byline has appeared in IndieWire and she spent several years covering Canadian TV as associate editor of The TV Junkies.

Posts by Kelly Townsend

‘A true Canadian icon’: Remembering Christopher Plummer

The Canadian screen and stage industry says goodbye to legendary actor Christopher Plummer, who passed away on Feb. 5 at the age of 91.

February 8, 2021

Senior staff laid off as Bell Media consolidates in-house prodcos

Playback has learned EPI director of production Kelly McKeown and distribution division head Tony Leadman are departing.

February 5, 2021

Jacob Tierney, Emily Hampshire tackle Norman Lear classic

Hampshire will star in the modern take of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, now in development with Sony Pictures Television and Lear’s prodco Act III Productions.

February 5, 2021

Bell Media consolidates in-house prodcos amid layoffs

Discovery Canada in-house unit Exploration Production Inc. (EPI) has consolidated with Bell Media Studios, according to a letter obtained by Playback.

February 4, 2021

Alibi Entertainment promotes two development VPs

Aaron Champion and Heidi Schorn will lead the development teams for Alibi’s scripted and unscripted divisions, respectively.

February 4, 2021

Virtual production, streaming models among 2021 trends to watch

The Canadian film industry will need to determine its strategy in the streaming wars and adopt new tech to film safely, according to the Canada Media Fund’s latest trend report.

February 3, 2021

How Cameron Pictures navigated a ‘Pretty Hard’ production journey

Co-creators and showrunners Tassie Cameron and Sherry White share how the production delay and Black Lives Matter shaped the crime procedural for the better.

February 2, 2021

Cameras roll on Incendo’s third New Zealand copro

Shot entirely on location, Love Knots marks Incendo’s first production of 2021 and another addition to the Fall in Love Fridays slate at Citytv.

February 1, 2021

CBC addresses PNI budget, discoverability concerns

The pubcaster responded to more than a week of interventions from organizations such as the CMPA and APTN to close out the virtual broadcast licence renewal hearing with the CRTC.

February 1, 2021

Schitt’s Creek, Wynonna Earp earn consecutive GLAAD Media Award noms

Neshama-produced Lifetime TV movie The Christmas Setup also represented Canada in the annual LGBTQ+ media awards.

January 29, 2021

CBC cancels Trickster

Updated: The news comes less than two months after reports revealed doubt over the series director and co-creator’s Indigenous identity, casting uncertainty over the status of its early renewal.

January 29, 2021

Blue Ant Media greenlights Canadian originals for 2021/22

The factual and lifestyle lineup includes two co-productions with fellow Canadian broadcaster APTN with original commissions across Cottage Life, T+E, Love Nature and Smithsonian Channel.

January 28, 2021