From Scott Brown of the Vancouver Sun:
Link: CTV Vancouver fires news anchors Tamara Taggart, Mike Killeen
CTV has fired anchors Tamara Taggart and Mike Killeen as part of a shakeup in the Vancouver newsroom.
The duo had served as lead anchors on CTV News at Six since 2011, when they replaced Bill Good and Pamela Martin. Continue reading.
From a media release:
Aircraft Pictures (2018 Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award-nominated producers of the animated feature film “The Breadwinnerâ€) in association with American Greetings Entertainment (creators and producers of “Buddy Thunderstruck†– the 2018 Emmy nominated stop-motion series) today announced they will be partnering to produce an all-new and contemporary scripted take on the venerable Holly Hobbie™ brand as a live-action kids series. “Holly Hobbie†will make its US debut in Fall 2018 exclusively on Hulu, followed by its debut in Canada on Family Channel.
In a first-of-its-kind co-commissioning structure, the series has also been pre-sold to leading US children’s cable outlet, Universal Kids, who will have the linear rights to the series after it streams on Hulu.
First introduced by American Greetings in 1967, Holly Hobbie is recognized worldwide as the bonneted “Blue Girl†in paintings and illustration, accumulating more than 50 years of fans and $1B in worldwide licensed product sales. This new 10 episode single-camera series, produced by showrunner Sarah Glinski (“Degrassi: Next Classâ€, “Degrassi: The Next Generationâ€), updates Holly as an aspirational, modern-day 13-year-old singer/songwriter. A dreamer and doer, Holly plans on saving the world someday but is happy to start in her own small town.
Beginning principal photography in May 2018, the new series is produced with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund. “Holly Hobbie†Producers are Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen of Aircraft Pictures (“The Breadwinnerâ€, “Bruno & Boots: This Can’t Be Happening At Macdonald Hallâ€) with Karen Vermeulen, Ryan Wiesbrock and Sean Gorman of American Greetings Entertainment (“Tinpoâ€, “Buddy Thunderstruck†and “Care Bearsâ€) and Matthew Wexler (“D.N.Aceâ€, “Paw Patrolâ€) of Wexworks Media serving as Executive Producers alongside Sarah Glinski. In addition to Glinski, the writing team includes Courtney Jane Walker (“Degrassi: The Next Classâ€, “Living in Your Carâ€) and Cole Bastedo (“The Next Stepâ€, “Mr. Youngâ€).
From the Toronto Star Editorial Board:
Link: The CBC’s president should focus on being different, not just bigger
Every Canadian has two jobs, goes the old joke, their own and running the CBC. Catherine Tait, who has just been handed the task of actually leading CBC/Radio-Canada, will hardly lack for advice as she takes the helm of the country’s leading cultural institution. Continue reading.Â
From a media release:
The Independent Production Fund and its 40-member Pre-Selection Committee have selected 30 projects which are now eligible to advance to Phase 2 of the application process and apply for Production financing. These include 20 projects in English and 10 in French. Four web series previously funded by the IPF are eligible to apply for funding for second or subsequent seasons.
The IPF received 170 proposals for web series funding from across Canada, in English and in French. Applications included 2-minute proof-of-concept trailers, creative material and audience engagement strategies. Development opportunities for new talent and mentorship by experienced creative and business web series professionals were evaluation factors. All of these criteria were reviewed, scored and discussed by the Pre-Selection Committee members, who are industry professionals and advanced media students.
Producers of the selected shortlisted projects are now invited to submit complete Production Applications by May 1, 2018. Â An international Jury will evaluate these proposals and the Board of Directors of the IPF will make final funding decisions in June.
“The 2018 “IPF Trailer Season†as dubbed by the industry, has exposed online viewers to great Canadian talents and teased them with terrific stories that have been watched, liked and shared by hundreds of thousands of fans during the past month.  “Our Canadian production community is certainly not lacking in imagination and diversity†noted Andra Sheffer, CEO of the IPF. “ The efforts that have gone into creating the content and engaging audiences will ideally provide invaluable feedback to all those who have participated in this process.†Continue reading for a list of the projects receiving funding.
From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:
Link: A message to new CBC president Catherine Tait: Commit to great TV, not the ordinary
Far be it from me to join the lineup of pundits offering advice and analysis to Catherine Tait, the incoming CBC president. But, in the matter of CBC English-language TV, there’s an issue: Where’s the great stuff?
This week the legal drama Burden of Truth was renewed by CBC. Why? Seriously, why is this mediocre, generic drama going to go on and on, sucking up money resources and airtime on our public broadcaster? I’m all for fun and entertainment, but this workmanlike series is just that — bland, ordinary stuff. Continue reading.
