From Emily Jackson of the Financial Post:
Link: CRTC orders U.S. ads during Super Bowl despite appeal by Bell and NFL, could start in 2017
Canada’s broadcast regulator has officially changed its rules to prevent broadcasters from swapping out U.S. commercials for local ads during the Super Bowl despite an ongoing legal dispute over its right to block Canadian advertising during the country’s most-watched television event. Continue reading.Â
From a media release:
Last night, millions in Canada and around the world gathered around screens and radios and at hundreds of public viewing events worldwide to celebrate Canada’s unofficial poet laureates, The Tragically Hip, as they brought down the house in an emotional and historic performance.
According to Numeris*, the live, commercial-free broadcast of The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration reached 11.7 million (2+) Canadians across all CBC television, radio and digital platforms as Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay played the final date of their Man Machine Poem tour at Kingston’s K-Rock Centre. The concert special was also streamed 900,000 times in Canada and around the world. The nearly three-hour Saturday evening broadcast attracted an average minute audience of 4.04 million.
The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration was broadcast nationally and streamed globally live and commercial free from 8:35 pm to 11:17 pm ET on Saturday, August 20 on CBC, CBC Radio One, CBC Radio One on SiriusXM Channel 169, CBC Radio 2, CBCMusic.ca/thehip, ICIMusique.ca, CBC Music’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, and the CBC Music app on iPhone, iPad and Android devices and the new Apple TV.
The broadcast event was the result of a partnership between CBC, The Tragically Hip and Insight Productions to celebrate the band’s hometown stop on their 15-date sold-out cross-Canada Man Machine Poem tour, making it available to all Canadians and audiences around the world in a live, commercial-free, all-platform broadcast.
Formed in Kingston in the mid-80s, The Tragically Hip have sold millions of records worldwide, managing to enjoy both mass popularity and critical acclaim. The group released their first album in 1987, and have since released 14 studio albums, earning two diamond certifications and 20 #1 hits. The Hip has won 14 Juno Awards and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2005. They have also received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, as well as honorary degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Music and most recently Queen’s University.
The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration was produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC and Man Machine Poem Touring Inc.
From a media release:
The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and Bell Media are pleased to welcome ABC Signature Studios as the new associate sponsor of the highly touted Bell Media Prime Time TV program. ABC Signature spearheads development and production in premium and basic cable,emerging platforms and off-cycle, direct-to-series programming. Their presence as both a sponsor and U.S. studio partner will directly benefit the Program and its participants, ensuring vital support for the Canadian production industry.
The Bell Media Prime Time TV Program, presented in association with ABC Signature delivers a real world story room experience, an intense professional and project development process for six to eight TV writers a year. Participants spend three months working on an original series intended for the marketplace under the mentorship of an experienced creator/showrunner delivering a rigorous story room experience while building strong collaborative team skills and creative partnerships. During the remaining two months, participants develop their own original series concept through a series of workshops and story sessions while also being exposed to key industry players through business and marketplace meetings.
The 2016/17 Program is set to begin in September 2016.
From a media release:
Drawn from Stevie Cameron’s national bestseller, On The Farm, comes UNCLAIMED. The two-hour original movie is a fictional recreation of the events surrounding and leading up to the arrest of Robert ‘Willie’ Pickton, told from the perspective of the women of Vancouver’s notorious Downtown East Side.
The story follows Nikki Taylor (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers), a quick-witted and spirited single mother who works the streets and becomes aware that an alarming number of sex workers in the area continue to go missing. Nikki alerts local police officer Sinead McLeod (Sara Canning), who begins working to raise flags with her superiors about the matter. While the two work to bring attention to the issue, they must fight against societal and systematic indifference which causes the case to be ignored.
McLeod quickly finds herself caught between the politics of her department and the desire to follow her instincts when the women continue rapidly to disappear. Following a public outcry, tensions increase and law enforcement finally makes its move and pairs McLeod with Sergeant Keeley (Patrick Gallagher), who is still haunted by an unsolved Jane Doe case. Fighting an uphill battle, Officers McLeod and Keeley find their strongest allies in Nikki and social worker Elaine (Sarah Strange), and together they begin their desperate hunt for a serial killer and to bring justice for the victims and their families.
ABOUT THE CAST & CHARACTERS
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers as “Nikki Taylor,†Sara Canning as “Constable Sinead McLeod,†Patrick Gallagher as “Sergeant Jeff Keeley,†Sarah Strange as “Elaine Brooks,†Olivia Steele Falconer as “Tara Richards.â€
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
Rupert Harvey, Executive Producer; Rachel Talalay, Director; Dennis Foon, Writer
From a media release:
The blueprints are complete and the foundation has been poured for two new, original HGTV Canada series featuring returning and new talented hosts ready to showcase trendsetting projects. Home to Win builder Sebastian Clovis partners with the budget-savvy DIY designer Sabrina Smelko in Save My Reno. This energetic and imaginative pair helps cash-strapped homeowners transform their struggling spaces into spectacular reveals, with savings to spare. The action continues outdoors with Backyard Builds, a new series starring contractor Brian McCourt and designer Sarah Keenleyside as they produce one-of-a-kind designs in ordinary backyard spaces. Whether it’s a custom-made container guest suite sleeping four or a man cave complete with games area and home theatre, this visionary duo creates endless possibilities with a blank backyard. Casting is currently underway for both series at hgtv.ca/castingcall with productions slated to begin in August across the GTA.
In the upbeat new series Save My Reno (14×30), cash-conscious homeowners finally catch a break when Sebastian Clovis, the savvy contractor with contagious energy, and Sabrina Smelko, the resourceful DIY designer, toss out overpriced reno quotes and make dreams come true with a slashed budget and spectacular renovation. Sebastian and Sabrina save by putting homeowners to work and hunting for salvaged goods. Fresh off an appearance as a guest judge on an episode of W Network’s Game of Homes, Sabrina is a wiz at finding restored pieces at great prices while creating amazing designs and crafted items. Sebastian is the master at smart spends for breakout builds and custom surprises. Together, they give homeowners the reno they want on a budget they can afford. Produced by Great Pacific Television and developed in association with Corus Entertainment, Save My Reno is currently slated to premiere in Spring 2017.
When indoor space isn’t enough, Backyard Builds (8×30) showcases the endless opportunities outdoor areas can provide without breaking the bank. The series stars contractor and designer Brian McCourt and design expert Sarah Keenleyside who work with homeowners to maximize their backyard potential to create tailored, one-of-a-kind structures. Whether it’s a yoga studio, recording facility, whimsicle jungle gym, tiki bar, bowling alley or an al fresco dining area with a kitchen, this contractor and designer duo can extend any living space on a budget. Sarah is a bright, outgoing designer with a knack for creative projects. Brian completed his first home flip by 19 and can now take a project from demo through to construction and design. Together, they can design and construct any structure that a homeowner can imagine. Produced by Frantic Films and developed in association with Corus Entertainment, Backyard Builds is currently scheduled to premiere in Spring 2017.
