From Jesse Brown of Canadaland:
Why did the CBC Just Pull an Exposé on ‘Voluntourism?’
According to the CBC’s Michael Claydon, Executive Producer of Independent Documentaries, the CBC, “had a copyright issue with some footage in the doc. It requires some re-editing so we are going to re-schedule so the producer can make the changes. CANADALAND has learned that this is not the full story. ” Continue reading.
Marketplace, CBC – “Grocery Games”
Are you really getting what you pay for at the grocery store? In Grocery Games, Tom Harrington reveals the five games companies play to get you to pay more for less – and why you may never know it. In a shopping challenge, MARKETPLACE viewers go head-to-head in search of shrinking products. All over the store, they find examples of products where companies have downsized the product, without always reducing the price. A consumer rights advocate and a marketing expert let you in on the industry’s packaging secrets – so you can be a savvy shopper.
the fifth estate, CBC – “Murder and the Judge”
He was the first judge in Canadian history to be convicted of murder. Now from behind bars at a maximum security prison where he is serving a life sentence for killing his wife, Jacques Delisle reveals for the first time what he says really happened in a candid interview with fifth estate host Mark Kelley. “There are innocent persons in prisons – you have one in front of you,†says Delisle, who had been one of the most respected judges in Canada, sitting on the Quebec Superior Court and then the Court of Appeal for 15 years. In a joint investigation by the fifth estate and Radio Canada’s Enquete program, Delisle breaks his silence on his case and his conviction – and reveals the dramatic reason behind his sudden decision not to take the stand.
The Stanley Dynamic, YTV – premiere
The Stanley Dynamic, a hilarious multi-cam sitcom centres around The Stanleys, a normal family with one big twist—one of their twin sons is animated. The 14-year-old twins, Larry and his cartoon twin brother Luke, navigate their first year of high school and try to fit in. Luke prefers to stay under the radar, but his ability to stretch his body like a wad of gum keeps him in the spotlight, while Larry’s love of attention constantly backfires and results in him getting into a lot of trouble. Luckily, the twins have the support of their little sister, their mom and their cartoonist dad who chronicles the family’s adventures in his online comic strip. Together the Stanleys juggle home life, school and work in a way that stretches their relationship with each other and the world in all kinds of unexpected ways.
The Nature of Things, CBC – “SongbirdSOS”
Birdsong that has graced the Earth for millions of years – and for all of human history – could soon be stilled due to a human-made perfect-storm. SongbirdSOS is the artfully-shot story of the mass depletion of songbirds in the Americas, an alarming thinning of populations that has seen declines of many species since the 1960s. According to international birding expert Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, who is featured in the documentary, we may have lost almost half the songbirds that filled the skies fifty years ago. SongbirdSOS is a wide-ranging zoological whodunit that takes the viewer through a stunning variety of human-made perils that have afflicted species from warblers to orioles to grosbeaks to thrushes. On a hopeful note, it also shines a light on some ingenious approaches to the threat, and the on-the-ground heroes making them happen.
Doc Zone, CBC – “Volunteers Unleashed”
Once the domain of international NGO’s, like CUSO or Peace Corps, overseas volunteering has privatized and gone mainstream, attracting millions of young travellers. Volunteers Unleashed follows volunteers to South America, Southeast Asia and Africa, showing how “voluntourism” has become the fastest growing and the most controversial travel sector. Leading this story is 22-year-old Pippa Biddle, who after a series of voluntourism experiences over six years, posted a critical blog. It went viral, with over 15 million hits, and instantly launched her as the poster child against privileged young white women volunteering overseas. Volunteers Unleashed shows dramatically that going overseas with good intentions, does not guarantee good will be done.
Storage Wars Canada, OLN – “Kennys vs Kennys”
Paul and Bogart swore they would never bring Bogart’s sisters to another auction, which is exactly why Roy can’t wait to bring them to an auction in Cambridge. Rick and Cindy try to get lucky with some super models, while Ursula hopes magician Zack Mirza (OLN Original Series Illusions of Grandeur) can make money appear out of thin air.
The Liquidator, OLN – “Hustle Apostle”
When he gets a call from a priest with a furniture problem, will Jeff’s need for redemption leave him vulnerable to saying yes when he should be saying no? And when a couple professional dealmakers come in to try and pawn off some outdated suits on Jeff, he shows them who the king of the hustlers really is.
From D.K. Latta of The Huffington Post:
Is Canadian TV Doing Better Than We Want to Admit?
Half the time you read anything about Canadian TV the columnists are ringing the death knell. “No one’s watching,” they lament, “and the shows are mediocre.”
But there’s never been another time in the history of television when so many Canadian series were boasting such numbers. No other time when you could claim over a million English-Canadians were watching so many different and varied domestic scripted series in a week (I’m assuming these numbers are mostly reflective of English-speaking viewers).
So why? And how can this be built upon? Continue reading.
From a media release:
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that it will air a new original series that addresses the question: just how accessible are some of Canada’s major cities?
The four-part special, entitled Access Unlimited, is produced in partnership with Summerhill Media Inc. and travels across the country with stops in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. Each 30-minute episode follows three local residents and examines their daily routine – everything from their commute to work, to visiting a local museum, to playing with their kids in the park. Those featured in the episodes are living with either vision loss or mobility restriction that can present a unique set of challenges when navigating their respective city. Episodes will also feature interviews with experts and decision makers including transit officials, politicians and accessibility innovators.
In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, the series will feature embedded described video, integrating natural environmental sounds while interviewees describe actions and surroundings as needed. AMI hopes the series will inform residents of accessibility initiatives or lack thereof, inspire those living with a disability to travel and engage in their community, and encourage cities across Canada to be innovative and conscientious in terms of accessibility.
From March 23 to 26 Access Unlimited will air every night at 8 pm beginning with the Toronto episode, followed by Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver. Episodes will also be available with the AMI-player on AMI.ca one week after the initial air date. AMI-télé will air the series in French under the name Villes Accessibles at a later date.
