Montreal: The economic and equity downturn has taken a major piece out of Canadian television broadcaster share prices. Analysts say the decline is in anticipation of a reduction in consumer spending and a claw-back in advertising sales in 1999….

Cannes, France: Bob and Margaret is in primetime France and Germany, Cinar all over HBO Family, and CHUMCity in Bogota, Colombia, after a sparkling six days for Canadian producers at the mipcom program market….

Despite a strong promotional campaign for its new primetime series, the cbc is reluctant to reveal early ratings figures for the season premieres of DaVinci’s Inquest (Barna-Alper/Chris Haddock Productions) and Made in Canada (Salter Street)….

A programming supply deal gone sour has newly launched Crossroads Television Systems now buying its commercial programming from various distributors and Canadian rights holders, with plans to add two more hours of original programming per week to its schedule by January….

Canadian broadcasters spent a combined $121 million in licensing ctcpf-supported Canadian programming, according to the fund’s activity report for fiscal 1997/98….

The four-hour historical miniseries Revenge of the Land has been licensed in the u.s. by cbs….

In last issue’s Virtual Innovations, Robbi Hinds was incorrectly listed as dop on the TriStar feature Dick. Alexander Gruszynski was the dop and Hinds was director of miniature photography….

God bless private enterprise!…

* At the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Peter Miller has been promoted to executive vp, policy, while former senior vp communications, Tina Van Dusen, who left the private broadcaster lobby group in 1996, has rejoined the cab as executive vp and…

Montreal: Giant-screen developer Showmax is investing $7 million in a 450-seat theater in the Montreal Forum Entertainment Centre, one of 11 theaters in development by the privately held Newport Beach, Calif.-based exhibition company. Three additional Canadian sites – in Windsor/Detroit, Toronto…

Montreal: Telescene Film Group and The Fremantle Corporation have signed an international sales agreement which will see Fremantle distribute Big Wolf on Campus and Misguided Angels in all markets outside of North America….

Vancouver: The Vancouver International Film Festival wound up its 17th year with a total audience of more than 130,000….