CCR Short Takes

Canadian Cable Statistics - 2003Homes with TV11,924,832Homes passed by cable11,599,917Homes with cable TV7,228,843Homes passed as a % of TV homes 97.3%Homes with cable as % homes passed62.3%Digital cable customers1,615,154Homes with cable high-speed Internet2,359,242Number of employees12,011Source: Remember Convergence? Annual Report 2003/04 of the Canadian Cable Television Association, June 2004. Cultural Diversity on TV report due out in mid-JulyThe Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television will file its report with the CRTC on July 15 and make it available that same day to various stakeholders. The CRTC ordered the private broadcasters in 2001 to do something about the inaccurate reflection of Canada’s ethnic communities on Canadian television (CCR, Feb. 13/03). Toronto Film Studios chosen to develop film/media complexThe City of Toronto Economic Development Corp. (TEDCO) announced June 18 that it had chosen the Toronto Film Studios and parent company The Rose Corp. to develop the film/media complex in Toronto’s Portlands. "We look forward to working with Toronto Film Studios and The Rose Corp. toward the successful development of this exciting project," said TEDCO president and CEO Jeff Steiner in a media release. "The film/media complex is essential to strengthening Toronto’s presence in the international film market and makes an important contribution to the revitalization of the Toronto waterfront." The center is intended to help Toronto compete with such cities as Los Angeles, Sydney and London for large-scale projects with production budgets of more than $67 million. NASCAR partners with TSN to launch Canadian operationThe National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has formed NASCAR Canada in partnership with TSN. Under the deal, TSN Events, the marketing division of the sports specialty service, retains exclusive rights through NASCAR Canada to the marketing assets of the auto racing series over a multi-year period. "This partnership, which goes far beyond televising NASCAR in Canada, will help grow the NASCAR brand in Canada, attract new fans to our sport, and bring new marketing opportunities to NASCAR sponsors and licensing partners," said NASCAR COO George Pyne. In conjunction with the deal, TSN has a three-year agreement to broadcast 16 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races annually through to the 2006 season. NASCAR Canada will be based at TSN headquarters in Toronto, and will work closely with the company’s New York and Charlotte offices. RoBTV, Talk TV get CRTC approval to air political adsCTV Inc.’s Report on Business Television (RoBTV) and Talk TV have been given the green light by the CRTC to air partisan political advertising during an election period (Broadcasting Decision 2004-207). The political advertising will be in addition to the 12 minutes of advertising per hour allowed by its condition of licence. New council formed to address national issues of film, TVOrganizations representing some 70,000 cultural workers and more than 500 production companies have banded together to address, with a single voice, national issues that affect the Canadian film and TV industry. Formed at the Banff Television Festival, the new group is called the Canadian Film and Television Industry Council. The council, which includes English and French unions, guilds and industry associations, has identified four policy issues that will affect the industry’s future: strengthening the role of the CRTC, assuring permanent funding for the Canadian Television Fund, maintaining and enhancing federal Canadian tax credits, and ensuring a healthy public broadcasting system. Rogers launches subscription video on demandRogers Cable announced June 17 that it had launched a movie subscription video on demand (SVOD) service with content from The Movie Network. With The MovieNetwork OnDemand, subscribers to The Movie Network will have around-the-clock access to a selection of more than 40 movies airing on the channel. Movie Network OnDemand is available on channel 208 and allows viewers to watch any movie any time of the day, and as many times as they want. Dismay at lack of talk about culture, and heritage issuesThe Heritage Canada Foundation on June 17 expressed disappointment that the French and English election debates did not touch on any cultural or heritage issues. "We were frankly shocked and dismayed that national cultural issues were not addressed in the federal election debates," said Carolyn Quinn, Heritage Canada director of communication. Meanwhile, actor Paul Gross is spearheading a campaign by Canadian performers demanding that the Liberals and Conservatives tell voters what their plans are for Canadian culture. "The results of this election will have a profound impact on cultural industries and our cultural sovereignty. We cannot and will not allow decisions about our cultural futures to be determined in a back room. Canadian artists and most importantly, the Canadian people have the right to know what our futures hold," said Gross in a June 11 media release by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). Second season of Canadian Idol attracts millions of viewersAudiences for the first episode of the second season of Canadian Idol were up 14% over the first season, CTV Inc. reported June 3. Nielsen Media Research reported that almost 2.3 million viewers (AMA, 2+) tuned into CTV for the season premiere of the second season of Canadian Idol earlier this month. The second episode was watched by 2.17 million viewers, up 15% from last year’s second show. CBC radio launches new summer scheduleNineteen new shows will debut this summer on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio Two. Summer programming highlights include Bunny Watson, a new Saturday morning show from Vancouver in which the world is Bill Richardson’s library; Wire Tap, a show from Montreal; Sweet Justice, a Halifax program that explores legal issues, and Jian Ghomeshi hosts 50 Tracks, a Winnipeg program that builds a list of the essential songs of the 20th century. The details of all CBC radio’s summer programs will be available from June 24 at www.cbc.ca/radiosummer. Anime introduced to Shaw VOD serviceShaw Communications Inc. has signed an agreement with Anime Network to carry its huge library of Japanese animated productions, referred to as anime, on its video-on-demand (VOD) service. Single episodes of animated shows cost $1.99 each or can be bought in bundles of four for $4.99. Features films will be priced at $3.99 each. No other details of the deal were released.

CCR Short Takes

Broadcast | June 21, 2004

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Canadian Cable Statistics – 2003
Homes with TV	11,924,832
Homes passed by cable	11,599,917
Homes with cable TV	7,228,843
Homes passed as a % of TV homes	97.3%
Homes with cable as % homes passed	62.3%
Digital cable customers	1,615,154
Homes with cable high-speed Internet	2,359,242
Number of employees	12,011
Source: Remember Convergence? Annual Report 2003/04 of the Canadian Cable Television Association, June 2004.