Come on down, specialties and pay-TV.

Cannes will play host to some 10,000 buyers and sellers when MIPCOM returns to the Palais des Festivals Oct. 9-13, again joined by its kid-themed sideshow, MIPCOM Jr. The annual TV market saw nearly $3 billion change hands last year, and will again put special attention on mobile content and digital distribution, with keynotes from such notables as Sanjiv Ahuja, CEO of European mobile leader Orange Group, and Todd Wagner, founder of art-house distributor 2929 Entertainment.

The crowning of Gatineau, QC’s Eva Avila as the next Canadian Idol drew 2.3 million viewers for the 90-minute finale on CTV, down from last year’s 2.7 million total for Calgary’s Melissa O’Neil.

Following are the nominees for Best Comedy Program or Series:

Top 20 TV Programs tracks ratings for the top 20 television shows in Canada for the period Sept. 11-17, 2006.

Were the Gemini Awards a popularity contest, the scale would tip to CTV’s hit laugher Corner Gas, about the goings-on of the quirky, lovable residents of small-town Dog River, SK. Canada’s highest-rated comedy series – with a third-season average of 1.6 million viewers last year – is favored to take its second best comedy prize after winning in 2005.

Last month’s Atlantic Film Festival went well for both deal-makers and everyday movie fans, according to organizer Gregor Ash, who says ‘everything seemed to fall in place’ for the 10-day event in Halifax.

Following are the nominees for Best TV Movie:

If ratings are any indicator, Terry will run away with Gemini hardware and Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story will be big at the gala ceremony.

The battle lines were clearly visible at last month’s International Broadcasting Conference (Sept. 7-11) in Amsterdam, where Japanese broadcaster NHK demonstrated its next generation of high-definition TV – a product that will, down the road, play a part in trying to keep consumers at home – while proponents of digital cinema showed off products and services meant to lure those same people back into theaters.

Director Uwe Boll, left, squares off against Chris Alexander of Rue Morgue magazine during a Sept. 24 bout in Vancouver. The 41-year-old Boll challenged four movie critics who have been particularly negative about his films, which include Alone in the Dark and BloodRayne. The filmmaker defeated all his opponents, remarking to local press, ‘Now they are brain dead and they will like my movies.’

Montreal, QC: Although she is already thoroughly exposed – in more ways than one – in her native Quebec, X-rated TV personality Anne-Marie Losique will show even more of herself in the forthcoming Adventures of a Real Life Bimbo.