The fall TV season is here, and who better to talk about the Canadian angle than, well, us? Thanks to CBC’s B.C. Almanac for having me on to chat about homegrown TV alongside Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times, who handled things from the U.S. angle.
Our chat with Gloria Macarenko begins at the 26-minute mark.
From Broadcaster Magazine:
CBC President Acknowledges that Public Broadcaster’s Very Existence is at Risk
In a prepared speech, Lacroix admitted that public broadcasters “are at fault for not speaking loudly enough about the threats we face,” and “like the proverbial frog put in cold water that is slowly heated, we’ve resisted telling people that we risk being boiled to death.” Continue reading.
From a media release:
Corus Entertainment’s CMT (Canada) delivers two thrilling original reality series this October. Viewers will get a first-hand look at the eye of North America’s fiercest storms as chasers Greg Johnson, Chris Chittick and Ricky Forbes battle high winds and big stakes on the series premiere of Tornado Hunters debuting Friday, October 16 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (repeat at 9:30 p.m. PT). The action continues with Ice Racer Showdown starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (repeat at 10:30 p.m. PT). Host Clayton Bellamy of Canadian country group, The Road Hammers, tests everyday drivers as they brave brutal arctic conditions through a variety of icy road obstacle courses in order to claim the title of Ice Racer Champion.
Tornado Hunters (10 x 30 minutes) picks up from last fall’s pilot broadcast premiere with epic footage from the twin tornados in Pilger, Nebraska. Greg Johnson, Chris Chittick and Ricky Forbes are looking to make 2015 a banner year for their storm-chasing team, loading their storm truck, Flash, with new camera gear to help capture more extreme weather imagery than ever before. This season features the Tornado Hunters tackling the most powerful and jaw-dropping tornados in North America, from massive rain-wrapped tornados to multiple twisters and the storm of the summer in Manitoba. Viewers can catch up on the two-part pilot episode Thursday, October 8 starting at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT in advance of the Season 1 premiere on Friday, October 16 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (repeat at 9:30 p.m. PT). Tornado Hunters is produced by Saloon Media in association with CMT and with the participation of the Bell Fund.
On Ice Racer Showdown (12 x 60 minutes), five drivers brave the frigid temperatures taking on two fun-filled elimination challenges, each jam-packed with icy obstacles and angry snowball throwing yetis. The three that survive the grueling tasks will go head-to-head in a thrilling ice race to claim the ultimate title. Hosted by The Road Hammers’ Clayton Bellamy, each hilarious adrenaline-fueled one hour episode has happy hockey moms and pizza delivery guys taking on tough talkin’ truckers and cab drivers to prove who’s the coolest driver on the ice. Guest judges include award-winning actor and comedian Donovan Workun, two-time Olympian skeleton racer Michelle Kelly and technical judge and rally racing champion, Jorge Dascollas. Ice Racer Showdown is produced by Corkscrew Media in association with CMT.
From a media release:
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that its cooking show with an accessibility twist, Four Senses, is returning for a third season and will begin production this fall.
Four Senses is a unique cooking show produced by AMI in partnership with Varner Productions Limited that unites blind and sighted chefs in the kitchen. Hosts Christine Ha and Carl Heinrich are back for season three to share new recipes and experiences with a fresh group of celebrity guests. Each 30-minute show will also include nutrition guidelines for optimal eye health and accessibility tips and tools for independence in the kitchen.
Season three begins production in Toronto at Pie in the Sky Studios on October 2 and is being directed by Emmy and Genie award winner Arlene Hazzan Green. Celebrity chefs and guests will include: CHFI morning show host, Erin Davis, Laura Calder of French Chef at Home, Chef Corbin Tomaszeski from Restaurant Makeover, Claire Tansey of Chatelaine and the return of Frank Ferragine (aka Frankie Flowers).
New this year, the show takes to the road, heading out east to Prince Edward Island, back through rural Ontario and then west to Kelowna, British Columbia. Along the way, Christine and Carl will have the opportunity to catch lobsters and harvest oyster beds in PEI, visit with renowned Canadian Chef Michael Smith at the Inn at Bay Fortune, travel the Butter Tart Trail in Wellington North, herd sheep, and visit an accessible goat milk farm in the Okanagan.
In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, Four Sensesfeatures embedded description, where hosts and guests describe their surroundings and actions for audience members who are blind or partially sighted, as well as closed captioning for those with hearing loss.
Season three of Four Senses will air on AMI-tv in January, 2016. Check your local provider or visit AMI.ca for the AMI channels in your area. The first two seasons of Four Senses are currently available to stream online with the accessible AMI-player.
From a media release:
Distribution360 has announced it will represent over 50 documentary and factual titles from Canada’s national public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada. Launching in the international marketplace at MIPCOM this October, the deal will see D360 sell titles from acclaimed CBC brands including the International Emmy® Award winning the fifth estate and The Nature of Things.Â
The new slate brings exciting growth to D360’s library, adding programming that will resonate globally with viewers in the categories of Current and World Affairs, Science and Technology, Crime and Investigation, and Wildlife and Nature. Titles include Return to Ukraine, Jellyfish Rule!, The Sextortion of Amanda Todd and Safe Haven For Chimps.Â
CBC TITLES
Return to Ukraine (1×60’) – Current and World Affairs
Canadian-Ukraine immigrant Alex Shprintsen returns to his place of birth to explore how the country’s past is defining its current conflicts.
Jellyfish Rule! (1×60’) – Science and Technology
No brains, no backbone, no problem! 600 million years ago jellyfish ruled the oceans and now these mysterious and magnificent creatures may be taking them over once again, only this time, they’re doing it with our help. Discover how overfishing and other man made changes — like global warming, pollution and coastal development — are transforming our oceans in ways that allow “jellies” to thrive.
The Sextortion of Amanda Todd (1×60’) – Crime and Investigation
Haunted by a revealing photo on the Internet, Amanda Todd became a victim of blackmail and sexual extortion that ultimately drove her to her death. With never-before-seen video and online chats, this documentary looks at the real story of this young girl and how a new breed of online predators threaten youth.
Safe Haven for Chimps (1×60’) – Wildlife and Nature
The touching story of how some very special chimpanzees find sanctuary and a new family when they retire from life in a lab. Featuring an interview with world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.
A complete list of titles can be found on the newly relaunched Distribution360 website at Distribution360.com.Make sure to visit us at MIPCOM booth P-1.A51.
Distribution360, a marblemedia company, is a dynamic and innovative rights management business positioned to monetize content across all existing and emerging platforms around the World. With a focus on kids and factual programming, our mandate is to take maximum advantage of all opportunities in the digital economy and to achieve the best possible returns for the programs and properties that we represent.
