The CRTC’s current review of low-power television stations is pitting large communications companies against community activists who see this proceeding as an opportunity to re-patriot the airwaves for public use (CCR, Sept 14/00, Aug. 31/00).

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Denise Donlon leaves her position as Chum Television’s VP and general manager of specialty music channels MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic to become president of Sony Music Canada. Based in Toronto, Donlon will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Sony’s Canadian operations and will report to Sony Music International president Rick Dobbis. Donlon’s resignation results in a shift in personnel at CIVI, Chum Television’s recently licensed television station in Victoria. David Klines, who was named earlier this month to the position of VP and general manager of CIVI now becomes VP and general manager of MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic. Instead, Howard Slutsken, in the position of CIVI VP and general manager, will oversee CIVI’s launch in Fall 2001 and its day-to-day operations.

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How does Canadian drama compare?
Canadian drama is improving in quality compared to American programs, according to a new report released by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Hour-long Canadian dramas rating in the top 20 TV shows in terms of quality, include CBC’s DaVinci’s Inquest, CBC’s Wind At My Back, CTV’s Cold Squad, CBC’s Nothing Too Good For A Cowboy, and Global’s Traders. "It’s quite an achievement for a Canadian show with a budget of a million Canadian dollars an episode to stack up there with ER," says Friends spokesperson Ian Morrison, adding, "The system is working rather well, so we should be careful not to throw it out or mess around with it too much."

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The Canadian Independent Film and Fund (CIFVF) is no longer in limbo, having been granted stable funding of $1.8 million per year over five years by Canadian Heritage. The government funding, likely to be topped up with about $300,000 in annual contributions from Star Choice Communications Inc, will be distributed next year in two installments, according to Robin Jackson, head of the Ottawa-based organization that provides funding to independent producers for non-theatrical productions.

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Canadian Digital Television (CDTV) president Michael McEwen expects to apply by the middle of this month for a licence to operate a digital television test transmitter out of Toronto. CDTV is eyeing channel 65, which would operate for up to a year, to let Canadian broadcasters experiment with digital broadcasting.

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SaskTel’s government ownership could scuttle its bid for a cable TV licence, unless the CRTC determines the telco is free of political influence from the province. Questions regarding SaskTel’s governance structure, and the provincial government’s control of crown corporations, dominated questioning at a Nov. 2 hearing last week in Calgary reviewing the telco’s application for a broadcast distribution licence serving several communities throughout the province (CCR, Sept. 28/00).

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The Canadian Cable Television Association is calling for a technology-neutral law to deal with re-transmissions, in stark contrast to a newly formed coalition of content rights holders demanding legislation that would exclude webcasters from re-transmitting TV signals on the Internet without first getting permission.

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Remedies proposed for the ailing CBC by political parties range from the Canadian Alliance Party’s desire to privatize the broadcaster’s TV division to the New Democrats’ pledge to pump $1 billion annually into its overall operation.

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