Las Vegas: Broadcasters must exploit every technology, create a signal for every platform and promote digital TV and radio as much as possible if they are to keep up with changes in the industry, said David Rehr, newly appointed CEO of the U.S. National Association of Broadcasters, during his keynote address at the NAB convention on April 24.

Thanks to piqued interest in the Rwandan genocide of the ’90s, along with heavy media coverage of its release, Un dimanche à Kigali, the war movie/romance starring Quebec heavyweight Luc Picard, brought in $166,478 over the April 21-23 weekend, bringing its three-week total to $583,524.

Morningstar Entertainment is hoping Canadians will revisit the Winter Olympics with a lengthy DVD box set, Torino 2006: Canada’s Quest for Success, which hit the street on April 25 at $60 a pop. The six-disc, 20-plus hour set, produced in partnership with CBC, features many of the Canadian highs and lows of the 2006 Winter Games.

Charles Binamé’s biopic about hockey’s Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard is scoring big with the critics.

Two newly cancelled shows could go out in a blaze of award-winning glory if The Collector and Godiva’s take home even a fraction of their nominations at the eighth annual Leo Awards.

Fans and reporters gather at the opening of the Sprockets film festival in Toronto to catch a glimpse of the latest Lassie. The children’s fest opened with the famed collie’s latest, eponymous feature on April 21 and ran until April 30. Lassie also stars Peter O’Toole and Samantha Morton and is directed by Charles Sturridge (Shackleton).

CBC and TSN are both hoping the NHL playoffs will play out as a bunch of long, hard-fought series. The Ceeb is airing every first-round match involving a Canadian team, including the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, while TSN is carrying American-only matchups.

Quebec producers will explore how new technologies are creating both opportunities and dilemmas when the APFTQ holds its annual convention in Quebec City, May 10-12.

* The post-MIPTV wave of sales continues as CBC closes deals on seven drama and doc titles, including Naked Josh (26 x 30), which went to Fox in Italy. Italian digichannel Jimmy also picked up the 20 x 60 murder mystery and black comedy Great Bear. The Ceeb also sold its two-hour Dieppe to Hallmark in the U.K.

* The Department of Canadian Heritage has hired Amanda Cliff as its director general of the broadcasting and programs branch. Richard Matthews, who served as the acting DG, is now deputy director general.

ACT fetes Bélanger

Following are the winners of the 2006 Canadian Screenwriting Awards, presented by the Writers Guild of Canada: