CNM Short Takes

It’s official: TELUS to offer radio services with MoontaxiAs previously reported by CNM, TELUS Corp. has launched an Internet radio service dubbed Pureradio in partnership with Moontaxi Media Inc. The service will include over 75 channels of continuous music in digital format, no commercials, the ability to skip songs and a quick download feature. The service is being offered on a free, 14-day trial basis, after which it will cost $4.99 per month (CNM, Feb. 6/04). A trademark application for the Pureradio name was flipped from TELUS to Moontaxi over the course of last month. Ontario Ministry of Culture non-committal on tax creditA spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Culture was recently encouraging, but non-committal, when asked about the future of the Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit. Asked whether the credit would survive the next provincial budget, Gary Wheeler responded: "The government of Ontario recognizes that the provincial tax credits promote the development of original products and that it helps compete for investment support, job creation. The government is in the process of reviewing a range of tax expenditures to ensure that they are achieving their objectives and to ensure that they align with the priorities of this government. Regarding tax credits, no decisions have been made - absolutely no decision made. The Ministry of Culture is going to continue to advocate for all of Ontario’s cultural media industries, and government wants to hear the sectors’ views on how we can work together more effectively to increase production activity, and successfully meet the challenges of the new global economy. Taking steps to assist Ontario’s cultural industries is a high priority for the provincial government." Wheeler did not elaborate on the prepared statement. Supreme Court to release ruling on fair use case March 4The Supreme Court of Canada will rule on the Law Society of Upper Canada v. CCH Canadian Limited et al. case on March 4. The case is being closely watched by digital copyright reform observers for an expected take from the court on fair use. The case was argued before the court last fall. CNM will bring readers details of the decision next week. Bell Canada participates in Canadian Music WeekBell Canada and its Sympatico high-speed Internet access division are set to work with Canadian Music Week, March 3-6, by launching a poll on its Sympatico portal. The poll will sound Canadians out about their opinions on music file-sharing, online radio, and buying and listening to music. Early results from the poll indicate that 56% of respondents would use legal music streaming and downloading services if costs are reasonable, choice is good, and download quality is high. The figure represents an 8% increase over the number of users who indicated they’d use legitimate music download sites last year. Bell is a major sponsor of Canadian Music Week, and offers music downloads to Canadians through a partnership with MusicMatch. OMDC opens expanded film promotion office in L.A.The Ontario Media Development Corp. (OMDC), in partnership with FilmOntario and the City of Toronto, has opened a new marketing office, the Toronto Ontario Film Office, in Los Angeles. The office will be staffed by Judy Ranan and Vicky Choy. OMDC and the Toronto Film and Television Office operated an office in L.A. from 1992 to 2003. "In addition to promoting the benefits of filming in the province, the diversity of locations, the comprehensive infrastructure including talent, labour, facilities, digital effects companies, services, suppliers and outlining the cost-effectiveness of producing in Ontario, the marketing office will assist Toronto and Ontario based producers in making contacts and securing introductions to creative, development and acquisition decision-makers in Los Angeles," reads an OMDC media release. Mainframe announces deal, third-quarter financial resultsMainframe Entertainment Inc., Vancouver, will co-produce with DIC Entertainment an all new Inspector Gadget television special and DVD release that will feature the familiar character animated in CGI for the first time. The title will be distributed internationally by DIC Entertainment, and Lion’s Gate Family Home Entertainment will distribute the home video release in the U.S. On March 1, Mainframe announced that it recorded net earnings of $1.7 million on revenues of $2.3 million in its third quarter ended Dec. 31, 2003. Heritage to support Quebec new media cinema festivalCanadian Heritage, through its Arts Presentation Canada program, will provide $15,000 in funding for the fifth edition of the Festival de cinéma des trois Amériques organized by Images du nouveau monde. The support will allow the festival to present Nouvelles Images, which explores recent trends in computer image processing, and Multimédia, which features musicians currently at the forefront of media arts. BCNET announces moveBCNET has vacated the premises of the now-defunct New Media Innovation Centre and moved into new facilities at Simon Fraser University’s Harbour Centre campus location. D-Box wins innovation awardLongueuil QC-based D-BOX Technology Inc. was recently awarded the 2004 Titans Award by the Foundation of the Montréal Science Centre for its Odyssee motion simulator system, recognized as the year’s best Canadian technological innovation. The system is touted as the only motion simulator technology currently on the market that is adapted to the home entertainment industry. Over the last two years, D-BOX has sold more than 200 Odyssee motion simulator systems around the world. ZAQ name change officialZAQ Inc. is now officially ISACSOFT Inc. after the name change was approved by shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting held February 26 in Montreal. The company will focus, under the new name, on the e-learning and e-publishing markets in the wake of its acquisition of CogniScience (CNM Update, Feb. 26/04). CanWest, Dominion Institute target youth views on gov’tA cross-platform campaign spearheaded by The Dominion Institute and CanWest Global Communications Corp. will target teens’ views on democracy and the Canadian government. Through online and offline polls and curriculum material, teens will be encouraged to think about the upcoming federal election, and to hold a parallel, virtual election to choose a prime minister. Pl@tform winners announcedThe first five winners in the Ontario Media Development Corp. and New Media Business Alliance’s Pl@tform program have been announced. Method Group (Above the Clouds), CurioLAB (Hidden Connections), Zapdramatic Inc. (Move or Die), C.R. Visuals (Reconstructing Ontario’s Past) and Elliott Digital Inc. (Sir Readalot) each win a $30,000 grant to assist them in the creation of market-driven interactive digital media products. In addition, the winners will receive strategic support in the form of mentorships and workshops, and will be given the opportunity to promote their companies and showcase their projects at this year’s nextMEDIA festival, and on the Bell Canada Sympatico.ca site. The program was announced at last year’s nextMEDIA. The winners were chosen from 35 applicants, 10 of whom were invited to pitch to the Pl@tform jury on February 27. The jury was composed of Raja Khanna, president, SNAP Media; John McIarty, GM, broadband content and events, Sympatico; and Andra Sheffer, executive director, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund. A deadline for second-round applications has not been announced. Canadian NEW MEDIA will have further details about the most recent winners in an upcoming issue. CCOP renewed?As this issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA goes to press, word is that the Canadian Culture Online Program (CCOP), which provides much of the public-sector financing for the new media industry in Canada, has been renewed. CCOP head Ted Bairstow had not returned an invitation to comment by press time, but CNM will have further details in its next issue.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | March 3, 2004

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