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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
old enough

TVO renews Old Enough! for season two

The series is an adaptation of the Japanese format where young children experience independence through running errands.

October 21, 2024

Deals: Black Fawn, Gusto Worldwide Media, Cineflix Rights

Black Fawn Distribution picks up the retro horror film The Last Video Store, Gusto Español cooks up a Fubo deal and So Long, Marianne finds new buyers.

October 18, 2024

Playback’s 10 to Watch 2024: Jay Carolyn Wu

LaRue Entertainment’s head of development has been a staunch champion of emerging voices in Canada’s screen sector.

October 17, 2024

Bell Media rebrands Discovery to USA Network

The broadcaster has inked a deal with NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution for USA Network and Oxygen True Crime as part of its Discovery rebrand.

October 17, 2024

TV5 CEO is frontrunner to lead CBC/Radio-Canada, say reports

Multiple outlets have reported Marie-Philippe Bouchard will take the top job at the national pubcaster, though Heritage says the decision has not been finalized.

October 16, 2024

CMF, Telefilm to partner on three-year inclusion strategy

The funding organizations are currently in development on a strategy to support Black and people of colour creators.

October 15, 2024

Thunderbird Entertainment board ends active plans to sell company

The board determined that remaining a standalone public company was in the best interests of stakeholders, according to Thunderbird’s year-end financial results.

October 10, 2024
near or far

Sinking Ship adds CBC Gem’s Near or Far to distribution slate

Near or Far joins a raft of SSE originals launching at MIPJunior and MIPCOM later this month.

October 9, 2024

Bell Media extends Warner Bros. Discovery deal, settles dispute

The expanded deal includes a coproduction agreement to develop original Canadian content.

October 8, 2024

Screen sector short on consensus for Cancon definition, says CRTC

The CRTC released its What We Heard report in September, which summarized more than a dozen stakeholder workshops on the definition of Canadian content.

October 7, 2024

Fifth Season partnership with Roku expands to Canada

Corus Entertainment has acquired multiple Roku original titles from Fifth Season for its new lifestyle brands.

October 4, 2024