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30th Rockies fest focuses on the biz
The Banff World Television Festival has never seen a prolonged economic slump on par with the current recession, but organizers of the 30th anniversary edition plan to address the challenging times head-on at this year’s conference.
Ustinov award goes to funnyman McKinney
Mark McKinney’s two decades in show business will be recognized at this year’s Banff TV fest when the multi-talented actor, comedian, writer and producer picks up CTV’s prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Award for outstanding comedic contribution.
Shaftesbury nabs Innovative Producer Award
Shaftesbury Films is being honored with the Lionsgate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award at this year’s Banff TV festival.
Canada corners new Rockie category
The U.K. leads the race going into this year’s Rockie Awards with 37 nominations, followed by Canada and the U.S., with 28 and 25, respectively.
nextMEDIA slides into Banff
If the Banff World Television Festival is cutting edge, then nextMEDIA is bleeding edge.
Big boosts at CTF
There’s more money in the coffers at the Canadian Television Fund, which has renewed two of its programs, with significant increases to each of their budgets. The CTF recently announced that its Production Incentive and Digital Media initiative – which both launched as pilot programs last year – have been extended for 2009/10.
CRTC stalls on spending limits
The CRTC has delayed imposing new spending rules on American programs. The TV watchdog delayed at least for a year a decision on whether to impose a ‘1:1’ spending requirement on Canadian and foreign programming to curb purchases of U.S. network shows and encourage Cancon expenditures.
Millions for Starz
In a surprise move, the Ontario government is injecting $23 million into Starz Animation to create and preserve jobs at the Toronto studio, which is owned by California-based Starz, a subsidiary of U.S. giant Liberty Media. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made the announcement at the 3D animation house and was joined by musician Elton John and his Toronto-born partner David Furnish. The pair, through their Rocket Pictures shingle (Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…), are producers on the CG musical Gnomeo and Juliet, for which Starz is creating the characters.
Rogers, TSN2 end stalemate
Rogers Cable, one of the largest carriers that eluded TSN2, has finally signed on to distribute the sports channel, nearly nine months after it launched. The deal will likely see TSN2 go from 3.2 million homes to over four million, though a spokesperson for the channel couldn’t confirm the exact number.
Roughly 180 leaving CBC
CBC will shed up to 180 employees from its English-language operations, fewer than originally expected, partly because of the network’s early retirement program. Richard Stursberg, EVP of English services, said in a memo to staff that some 100 employees have applied for the voluntary retirement program, which was offered in hope of sparing some staff from the ax. CBC said in March it planned to eliminate as many as 393 jobs. The network as a whole is facing an ad revenue shortfall of $171 million, some $85 million of which is on the English side’s books.
Studios say Canucks spent less in L.A.
CTV and Canwest Global have virtually split the slates of the major studios between them following the L.A. Screenings.
Auditor ignored facts, says SODEC boss
After being publicly accused of lavish spending by Quebec’s auditor general, SODEC head Jean-Guy Chaput said that he’s a victim of a media smear campaign and will not resign.
Quebec producers unite for copro changes
Seven of Quebec’s top film producers have joined together to call for changes to the way Telefilm Canada and SODEC fund international coproductions. The producers – Roger Frappier of Max Films, Denise Robert of Cinémaginaire, Pierre Even of Cirrus Communications, Richard Goudreau of Melenny Productions, Lyse Lafontaine of Equinoxe Productions, Lorraine Richard of Cité-Amérique and Claude Veillet of Téléfiction and Films Vision 4 – have formed the Regroupement des producteurs indépendants de cinéma du Québec.
Cablers cry foul over CTV campaign
Cable and satellite companies say CTV is airing ‘one-sided and unbalanced coverage’ of the fee-for-carriage debate, and called on the CRTC to take ‘immediate action’ against the network over its recent reporting/lobby efforts to ‘save local television,’ which they say violate the Broadcasting Act.
Broadcast council boos Bye Bye
Radio-Canada’s New Year’s Eve special was ‘abusive,’ ‘degrading’ and inappropriate for younger audiences, according to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, which has weighed in on the controversial Bye Bye 2008. The council also said the special crossed a line with respect to on-screen violence, but it had no problem with its treatment of former child star Nathalie Simard and other public figures.
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