Even when one allows for the off-the-scale buzz that preceded the arrival of Little Mosque on the Prairie, the ratings still made for an eye-popper of a surprise.

Top 20 TV Programs tracks ratings for the top 20 television shows in Canada for the period Jan. 1-7, 2007.

Montreal: As Quebec’s networks roll out their winter schedules this month, Radio-Canada continues its fight to attract viewers with a host of new programs, while top-ranked TVA takes few risks.

More young people are using mobile TV, but a significant amount of usage is occurring at home and is cutting into traditional TV viewing time. That was the message to be delivered by Levi Shapiro, director of the Los Angeles operations of telecom and mobile media consumer research firm Telephia, at NATPE Mobile++ in Las Vegas on Jan. 15.

Alberta cable giant Jim Shaw defends his refusal to support the Canadian Television Fund until it can account for how it spends its money. Ratings and a return on investment wouldn’t hurt either, he says

A scene from the 1984 horror comedy Gremlins, one of the titles that Corus Entertainment has added to its Scream video-on-demand offerings. Other horror shows and thrillers available include the 2002 feature Dog Soldiers and the Masters of Horror TV series.

* CTV has upped Jon Arklay to VP of creative services and brand for CTV, putting him in charge of all branding for its stations, specialty channels and Olympic coverage for 2010 and 2012.

Highgate Films is no longer attached to Ice Planet, as reported in the Jan. 8 article ‘Optix lands on Ice Planet.’ The sci-fi series is a copro by SpaceWorks Entertainment of Toronto and Circles & Lines in Germany.

As Michael MacMillan and Seaton McLean cash out, risk-embracing CanWest Global Communications and partner Goldman Sachs & Co. have offered $2.3 billion to buy Alliance Atlantis Communications.

Playback readers were hardly surprised by the Jan. 10 announcement. In response to a Playback online poll question asking ‘Which company is most likely to buy Alliance Atlantis’ broadcast properties?’, 34% of respondents predicted it would be CanWest Global, followed by Rogers Communications (18%), Corus Entertainment (13%), Astral Media (10%) and Quebecor (8%). 17% believed Alliance wouldn’t sell at all.

One hopes that by the time you read this – or very soon thereafter – the ACTRA strike will be over. If the dispute between the actors and the CFTPA and APFTQ is not dealt with shortly, insiders feel that it could go on for a long time, and it all comes at a particularly bad time for Canadian production.

Vancouver: Omni Film Productions is working on scripts for potential new seasons of Robson Arms and Alice, I Think for CTV, while developing a number of comedy and drama titles for CBC and CHUM.