Jean Chaput has been president of SODEC for only about a year, yet in that short time the Quebec film industry has recorded yet another impressive cycle.

C.R.A.Z.Y. producer Pierre Even sees SODEC as ‘a crucial partner for every Quebec film.’

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Wayne Clarkson is the executive director of Telefilm Canada.

September’s inaugural edition of the New Montreal FilmFestival might also turn out to be the last if its rival, the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, does not accept an olive branch.
NMFF organizers issued a statement on Oct. 29 that, while acknowledging their event’s failure, put forward an ambitious proposal for next year – a merger with the 34-year-old FNC.

Angling for regulatory changes and more public subsidies, independent producers are urging Ottawa to re-impose Canadian-content spending quotas on private broadcasters – pointing to a new study that shows lagging support for domestic programming despite rising profits among private broadcasters.
The study by Nordicity Group was commissioned by the CFTPA and arrives ahead of this month’s broadcaster convention in Winnipeg.

While it likely won’t beat Hockey Night in Canada in the ratings, this year’s Gemini Awards on Global Television could position the national TV awards ceremony more in step with Canuck pop culture and help put names to the faces on Canadian primetime.

Applicants looking to launch Canada’s next pay-TV channels had apparently not finished their homework by the time they arrived in Ottawa to plead their cases to the CRTC. Except for one, the Canadian Film Channel, none of the bidders had their programming grids completely ready.
The other bidders – Spotlight Entertainment, Allarco Entertainment and Groupe Archambault – were given two extra days to get caught up.

Allan Waters has stepped down from the board of directors at CHUM Limited, ending more than 50 years atop a media empire he founded back in the fledgling days of rock ‘n’ roll and AM radio.

Viewers tuning in to CTV at 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 expecting to see Corner Gas instead got Prime Minister Paul Martin, apparently addressing the nation. But this was mere Hallowe’en trickery on the part of the broadcaster, as Brent Butt interrupted the proceedings to demand his airtime back. The Corner Gas episode that followed was watched by 1.9 million (2+, according to BBM), making it the top show of the night in Canada, and the most-watched in the series’ history

The mayor of Toronto, together with area stakeholders, is calling on the Canadian Television Fund to end what they call discrimination against producers in Ontario and its capital.