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People
* Marni Shulman-Tucker has joined Alliance Atlantis as its VP of content for Showcase Action, Showcase Diva and IFC, coming over from CTV Travel. AA has also promoted Muriel Solomon to VP of marketing and publicity for its lifestyle networks.
Briefs
CSI still selling
Canadians watching more, distributors making more, says CRTC
There’s been a significant growth in the number of Canadians who watch satellite TV, according to a new report from the CRTC that says profits and market share were up for DTH satellite and multipoint distribution systems in the period between 2001 and 2005.
New Media: CHUM follows MTV with online videos
Despite Bell Globemedia’s proposed buyout of CHUM, it’s business as usual for the latter’s new broadband service MuchAXS.
Comment: CHUM takeover challenges regs
Ruling on Bell Globemedia’s proposed takeover bid of CHUM Ltd. will show just how much teeth the federal regulators have.
Commentary: CBC needs ad revenues
Richard Stursberg is CBC’s executive VP in charge of English television.
Readership poll results
Well, the industry seems to like it, even if the public hasn’t caught on. In response to a recent online Playback poll question asking which new summer series shows the most promise, an overwhelming 48% of respondents picked CBC’s What It’s Like Being Alone (which has averaged only 118,000 viewers so far). This was followed by CTV’s Whistler, with 23% of the vote, CTV’s Alice, I Think (13%), CBC’s North/South (11%) and CBC’s 11 Cameras (5%).
Corrections
CSC Global Technologies is CANVID, not CANBID as reported in the July 10 article ‘High-def video coming to the Internet.’ That same article misspelled the address of CSC’s hollyflicks.com website.
Cuppa Coffee reteams with Deathmatch creator
Stop-motion animation and an expansion to teen and adult audiences is paying off for Cuppa Coffee Studios (Tigga and Togga, A Very Barry Christmas), where new titles are in production for MTV Networks and E! Entertainment.
Studio B resurrects George, orphans Annie
Vancouver – Animation house Studio B Productions is in preproduction on George of the Jungle, a new animated series for Teletoon and Cartoon Network, in partnership with George’s rights owner Classic Media.
Kricfalusi drawing for Portfolio
Toronto – Portfolio Entertainment has brought noted animator John Kricfalusi onboard to turn an astrology-themed website into a series, and is now developing The Zodiacs for Teletoon.
Berry back in B.C.
Vancouver – X-Men: The Last Stand’s Halle Berry will return to Vancouver forthe DreamWorks feature drama Things We Lost in the Fire, about a woman who loses her husband and opens her home to his best friend, beginning in mid-August. The film will also star another Academy Award winner, Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), and be directed by Susanne Bier (Open Hearts). Sam Mendes (Jarhead) and Sam Mercer (Lady in the Water) are producing, with writer Allan Loeb (21) among the executive producers. Shooting is scheduled to run into October.
Briefly
* Director Michael Damian and star Don Johnson have wrapped the indie feature Moondance Alexander, after shooting near Calgary.
McDonald having a Killer time in Quebec
Montreal’s Muse Entertainment has water, lots of water, on its mind this summer as it works on three similarly themed disaster miniseries - Flood, Superstorm and Killer Wave, the latter under the direction of Bruce McDonald.
Sold
* Nicktoons Network and Nickelodeon channels in eight territories including the U.K., Latin America and Scandinavia have picked up Ricky Sprocket – Showbiz Boy (26 x 30), a copro by Studio B Productions and Snowden Fine Productions, handled by Bejuba! Entertainment.
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