CCR Short Takes

Panikkar wins approval for more HD licencesHigh-definition TV impresario John Panikkar has won licenses for his fourth and fifth proposed HD specialty channels. AHD and MeridianHD were approved on April 27 and 28 respectively, and will feature content relating to extreme sports and other "high-octane" content in the instance of AHD, and programming relating to culture and human geography in MeridianHD’s case. Both applications received interventions supporting the proposed services. Panikkar’s third Category 2 application for an HD channel, 15 DegreesHD, was denied in August 2005, while his first and second applications for OasisHD and Treasure HD were green-lighted by the commission in that same month (CCR, Mar. 24/06). Telefilm’s exec search continuesReports that Urban Entertainment CEO Michael Jenkinson would take over the reins at Telefilm Canada’s English-language unit were premature (CCR, May 5/06), the public film and television funding agency reported. Executive director Wayne Clarkson will fill the role of feature film executive for English-language cinema in the interim. Jenkinson said in a media release that his obligations at Urban Entertainment had proved more difficult to divest himself of than originally planned. "Due to unforeseeable circumstances, I have been unable to extricate myself from obligations to the stakeholders and filmmakers involved in my company," he said. Corus to offer preschool digital download serviceCorus Entertainment is planning to launch TreehouseDirect.com, a direct-to-family digital download service allowing the purchase of single episodes, bundles or full seasons of popular preschool television shows. The storefront website will go live early this fall and will be accessible through the TreehouseTV.com homepage, where links will allow parents to jump from a show page straight to the TreehouseDirect downloads for that show. "Our plan is to be a global first-mover with this service, rolling out in Canada initially, followed by other English-speaking countries and eventually expanding to other languages," said Doug Murphy, executive VP of business development for Nelvana Ltd., a Corus subsidiary, in a press release. Initial content offered on the website will include Nelvana-animated shows Max & Ruby, Franklin, Miss Spider, Timothy Goes to School, Little Bear, Babar, The Berenstain Bears and Rolie Polie Olie. Shows will be offered on a single-use or time-restricted basis. St. John’s, Bedford receive Aliant TVCommunications service provider Aliant launched digital television service in Bedford NS on May 11, and St. John’s NF on May 15. The IP-based service features over 150 television channels and more than 70 music channels. Aliant first offered TV service in Nova Scotia last June when it launched in Halifax. The latest extension of the Nova Scotia service is now available to Aliant high-speed Internet customers in Clayton Park, Wedgewood, Rockingham, Fairview and Bedford. Their offering in Newfoundland will be available to customers in St. John’s, Mount Pearl and Paradise beginning in late June. "With more channels and features than cable TV’s complete analog package – combining phone, cell, Internet and television on one bill from Aliant is a convenient and cost-effective choice for our customers," said Heather Tulk, Aliant’s VP residential markets, in a news release. The Jane Show kicks off Global’s summer line-upGlobal Television network and Shaftsbury Films announced that The Jane Show, a 13-episode, half-hour original comedy will begin airing as part of this summer’s primetime schedule, debuting June 1 at 9:30 ET. The show features Second City alumna Teresa Pavlinek as Jane Black, a thirty-something novelist who joins the everyday working world, foregoing her artistic dreams for a shot at a regular paycheque and a dental plan. Pavlinek (History Bites, The Sean Cullen Show) is also co-creator of the show along with Ralph Chapman. "We’re very excited to be adding The Jane Show to our primetime mix, and proud to be partnering with such a strong creative group of Canadian producers, writers and performers," said Christine Shipton, VP of original production for Canwest MediaWorks Inc., in a media release. The show is produced by Shaftsbury Films in association with Global Television. Miranda acquires VertigoXmediaMiranda Technologies Inc., a Montreal-based broadcast hardware and software maker, has agreed to acquire VertigoXmedia and its broadcast division for $11 million. Vertigo is a privately held broadcast graphics technology manufacturer also based in Montreal, and the agreement will allow Miranda to add new software and graphics to the existing technologies it sells to broadcasters. The 25 employees of Vertigo’s broadcast division will join Miranda as part of the transaction, while the company’s digital signage division and its 10 employees will be spun off into a separate new company. Rogers increases multicultural offeringsRogers Communications Inc. has added ET Global, a Mandarin Chinese general entertainment channel, to its list of multicultural programming. A free preview of the channel will be available until June 15 to Rogers digital cable customers. The addition of ET Global increases Rogers’ multicultural offerings to 45 channels in over 20 different languages. "In addition to offering programs in numerous languages, Rogers is focusing on increasing the number of programs available per language," said David Purdy, VP of television for Rogers Cable, in a news release. "Customers can choose from three channels in Mandarin Chinese, giving them the choice to watch what they want to see with Personal TV." XM Canada to cover World Cup 2006Satellite radio provider, XM Canada, is launching its dedicated World Cup Soccer channel, FIFA World Cup 2006 (XM 148), and the exclusive XM show World Cup This Week. As the official satellite radio broadcaster for FIFA World Cup Germany 2006, XM will carry every game of the tournament, including extensive live coverage, from June 5 to July 10. Carlos Valderrama, three-time world cup player for Columbia, Bora Milutinovic, coach of multiple world cups, and others will provide commentary, analysis and play-by-play coverage from Germany on XM. Said XM Canada VP of programming Ross Davies in a news release: "XM Canada’s World Cup coverage enables Canadian soccer fans from coast to coast to follow their favourite teams and catch all the action in Germany without needing to interrupt their day on the road or in the office." Global News Maritimes wins at journalism awardsGlobal News Maritimes won two major television awards at the 2005 Atlantic Journalism Awards in Halifax. Jacqueline Foster of Global Maritimes’ Halifax newsroom won the Gold Award for best continuing coverage for Digby RCMP, a series of stories investigating complaints of racial and sexual harassment involving members of the Digby NS RCMP. And Scott Gluck of the Fredericton bureau won the Gold Award for best spot news photojournalism for Saint-Anne-De-Kent, Church Fire, in-depth coverage of a fire caused by lightening that destroyed a 119-year-old heritage church in New Brunswick. Global also had AJA finalists in the spot news and feature writing categories. Drive-In Classics, SexTV now on Star ChoiceStar Choice Communications Inc., a subsidiary of Shaw Communications Inc., is continuing to grow its satellite television channel line-up with the addition of Drive-In Classics and SexTV: The Channel, for $2.49 per month each following a free preview. As well, Star Choice will be launching a new bundle of programming services on June 1 called Intense TV, which will include the two new channels along with The Fight Network, Spike TV and Much Music for $4.99 per month. "We hope that by adding these channels and focusing on delivering great customer service, our customers understand that we are truly dedicated to providing them with the country’s best digital television experience," said Star Choice’s VP of national operations Jim Cummins in a news release. Drive-In Classics celebrates the funny, entertaining and sometimes provocative drive-in movies of the 50s, 60s and 70s, while SexTV explores sexuality in all its diversity. Final episode of Will & Grace coming to DVDOnly 12 days after the series finale of the hit comedy Will & Grace aired on NBC, Lionsgate and NBC Universal Television Distribution will be making it available for fans on DVD. The eight-year run of the series wrapped up on May 18 and the 45-minute episode will be available on DVD on May 30 for $9.98. Special features will include cast and crew interviews and a behind the scenes featurette produced exclusively for the DVD release. "While the show’s success can be measured in so many ways – awards, ratings, longevity, acclaim – it is really about the ability of the viewers to identify and relate to the characters that makes us want to tune in each week…and we jumped at the opportunity to be able to bring it to DVD so soon after its television airing," said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate, in a news release. The release of the fifth season of the show on DVD will also come later this year.

CCR Short Takes

Broadcast | May 19, 2006

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