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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

Jennifer Baichwal’s Into the Weeds to open Hot Docs

The annual Toronto-based documentary festival will feature 63 world premieres overall, including several new Canadian docs.

March 30, 2022

Saloon Media partners with Bullrush Pictures to adapt Hospital Show

The award-winning web series, which first premiered on YouTube in 2019, is now in development as a half-hour comedy about actors working on a fictional medical drama.

March 30, 2022

Boat Rocker unveils debutante doc as first of premium slate

The media company will finance and distribute premium documentaries, starting with Le Bal Paris from subsidiary prodco Maven.

March 30, 2022

CMF promotes execs as part of senior team restructure

EXCLUSIVE: Valerie Creighton will continue on as president and CEO while five executives have been elevated to lead CMF’s content, analytics, marketing and inclusion strategies following senior leadership departures.

March 29, 2022

Cineflix Rights brings Cancon to Cannes for in-person MIPTV

Canadian copro Sugar and Reginald the Vampire lead the slate as the Cineflix Media-owned distributor returns to Cannes for the first time since 2019.

March 29, 2022

CRTC to hand down CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal decision by end of June

The CRTC set the deadline as it issued another administrative renewal of the pubcaster’s current broadcast licences.

March 29, 2022

Tiny Pop acquires Dino Ranch for U.K. linear broadcast

Boat Rocker will work with merchandise licensing partners to expand its consumer offerings in the U.K. following the April premiere.

March 28, 2022

Blue Ant International adds Canadian titles to MIPTV slate

The 180-hour programming list includes new acquisitions within lifestyle, factual and kids content.

March 28, 2022

Saskatchewan government supersizes production grant budget

The increase to the province’s film and TV production grant program is expected to generate more than $33 million in production volume and 600 new jobs.

March 25, 2022

The Black Academy unveils the Legacy Awards

The inaugural telecast will air on CBC and CBC Gem on Sept. 25 from the History music venue in Toronto’s east end.

March 24, 2022

CTV pairs with Lark Productions, Fremantle for rustic dating format

Farming For Love, which pairs urban and rural-based singles, is expected to go into production in British Columbia later this year.

March 24, 2022

Roku orders scripted comedy from Boat Rocker, TeaTime Pictures

Slip, created by star and director Zoe Lister-Jones, will begin production in Toronto in April.

March 23, 2022