Everything about Industry News, eh?

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Shelley Scarrow

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Shelley Scarrow
“Looking back over the eighteen years I’ve been doing this, there have been increasingly larger ratios of women-to-men in the rooms. Early on, there was frequently just one or two female staffers. On my last few staff jobs it’s been half female or even three-quarters. Ethnic diversity has also been increasing incrementally, but it’s harder to make generalisations in that area; I feel it’s been moving more slowly. Unfortunately.” Continue reading.

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Trish Williams joins CBC as executive director, scripted content

From a media release:

Former Bell Media and Temple Street executive Trish Williams has been appointed to the role of Executive Director, Scripted Content at CBC. Reporting to Sally Catto, General Manager, Programming, CBC, Williams will oversee the public broadcaster’s drama, comedy and film teams across all broadcast and streaming original long-form programming.

Williams most recently served as Vice President, Scripted Programming at Temple Street Productions, where she oversaw the creative execution of series for production as well as the sourcing and development of IP and new original series for primetime cable, pay and conventional markets. She was also co-executive producer of drama series Killjoys. Prior to joining Temple Street, she was Director, Drama, at Bell Media, leading a team of eight executives handling original drama series and movies across all channels including CTV, Space, Bravo, TMN/HBO Canada, and MUCH. She was also a co-executive producer on Season 4 of Saving Hope and served as a production executive on the international hit series Flashpoint.

Williams joins CBC this week.

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Blue Ant Media greenlights Life Below Zero: Canada

From a media release:

Blue Ant Media, an international producer, distributor and channel operator, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with BBC Studios to be the first to license the series format rights for the international hit Life Below Zero. In the U.S., the series recently celebrated its 100th episode on the National Geographic Channel, being one the most-watched programs, where it takes up the largest portion of the channel’s programming lineup. BBC Studios production arm in Los Angeles first launched the series in 2013.

Blue Ant Media’s newly acquired Saloon Media is starting production this month on Life Below Zero: Canada (8 x 60 minutes). The new documentary series is being shot on location in Canada with a focus on Canadian people and stories and is set to air on the Cottage Life channel in 2020. A special 30-minute, sneak peek documentary episode will premiere on the channel this April.

Based on BBC’s successful format, Life Below Zero: Canada is an observational documentary series about people who live off the grid in remote regions of northern Canada. The series follows a diverse group of people from different backgrounds, including first nations, giving viewers an unfiltered glimpse into their rugged day-to-day activities that range from makeshift problem solving to traditional survival practices. From long, dark, frozen winters, to sweltering, bug-infested summers, these Canadians grapple with deadly weather and limited resources to find food, water, and shelter.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international content producer, distributor and channel operator. From our production houses around the world, we create content for multiple genres including factual, factual entertainment, short-form digital series and kids programming.

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Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Trysha Bakker

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Trysha Bakker
“It’s a learning curve and you’re always learning these things so you need to study a lot. You can’t just be a person who shops. It’s important to understand clothing construction, dyeing and hopefully you can do a little sketching to get your idea across.” Continue reading.

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Link: CBC hires former Corus executive Barbara Williams as English-language boss

From the Canadian Press:

Link: CBC hires former Corus executive Barbara Williams as English-language boss
The CBC is turning to former Corus executive Barbara Williams to lead its English-language TV, radio and online services.

CBC/Radio-Canada president Catherine Tait says Ms. Williams takes the reins as executive vice-president on May 1.

The industry veteran assumes the role after the resignation of CBC executive Heather Conway, who announced last November that she was stepping down after five years. Continue reading. 

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