OMNI wants money for ethnic media!

 A group of producers who make content for OMNI Television has launched a campaign urging the federal government to offer millions of dollars in funding to protect struggling multilingual and multicultural programming.

The producers, who represent 62 programs across 50 ethnic communities, say they risk having to cancel a chunk of their programing because of dwindling ad revenue and lack of government funding.

“The systematic marginalization and lack of support for this ethnic media sector contradict the official policy of multiculturalism,” said Madeline Ziniak, chair of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA), which is involved in the campaign. She added that one in four Canadians speak a language at home other than English or French.

Programs on OMNI are ineligible to access the Canada Media Fund (CMF), which is the main source of funding for Canadian television production and is financed jointly by the federal government and private broadcasters.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-omni-television-producers-want-access-to-canadian-media-fund-for/

(Globe and Mail)

Corus Entertainment announces layoffs at Global News

 Corus Entertainment Inc. is cutting jobs at its Global News division as it seeks efficiencies across the company and battles adverse trends in the media industry.

The cuts came a few days after Corus said it stands to lose programming next year due to an arrangement struck between Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. 

“As part of our ongoing evaluation of our business and continued enterprise efficiency review across Corus, we have made some changes at Global News today, and as a result, certain roles have been impacted,” Corus spokesperson Anna Arnone said in a statement.

“These changes correlate with the current economic and regulatory reality we, and other media organizations, find ourselves in. We are continuously working to improve the way we gather, produce and deliver award winning content.”

Corus shares have been in a tailspin in recent years, slumping to just 24 cents Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, down from levels above $6 in 2021.

Former PC cabinet minister Kevin Klein buying Winnipeg Sun from Postmedia!

 A former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister and MLA is buying a Winnipeg newspaper. 

Kevin Klein has agreed to purchase the Winnipeg Sun, where he once was the publisher, Postmedia confirmed on Monday.

The Klein Group, of which Klein is president and CEO, is also buying the Graphic Leader in Portage la Prairie, Man., and the Kenora Miner and News in western Ontario.Postmedia's commercial print division in Winnipeg, including all associated digital properties, contracts and other related parts of the businesses, is also part of the sale to the investment group.

Postmedia said all employees are expected to keep their jobs. 

Klein has been writing a regular column for the Winnipeg Sun since he was defeated in last fall's provincial election.

He served as publisher of the newspaper from 2007 to 2013, according to his LinkedIn account.

Klein served as a Winnipeg city councillor for one term, representing Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood from 2018 to 2022. He ran for mayor in 2022, but came in third place. (CBC)

Hot Docs to temporarily close Ted Rogers Cinema for three months to ‘recalibrate’ organization

The Globe and Mail's Barry Hertz reports:

 Less than a month after wrapping the 31st edition of its annual film festival under a cloud of financial and organizational uncertainty, Hot Docs on Wednesday announced that it would temporarily close its flagship Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto for approximately three months, starting June 12.

During this period – which will result in temporary layoffs for an unknown portion of staff – the Hot Docs leadership team aims to conduct a review of the single-screen theatre’s programming and operations in order to ensure what organizers hope will be a viable path forward for the non-profit organization.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, but it’s crucial for us to take this step now. This temporary closure will enable us to pause, recalibrate and strategically plan a sustainable future for this beloved organization,” Robin Mirsky, co-chair of Hot Docs’ board, said in a statement.

The move comes after Hot Docs endured a rash of challenges both external and internal.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-hot-docs-to-temporarily-close-ted-rogers-cinema-for-three-months-to/

Seven media experts selected to help modernize CBC/Radio-Canada before next election

 Seven multimedia experts have been selected to advise Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge as she renews the role of Canada’s public broadcaster.

The group will provide policy advice mainly on CBC/Radio-Canada’s governance and funding, Canadian Heritage said.

The department notes that consultations on the CBC’s mandate have already been done with the general public.

The newly appointed advisory panel will now help St-Onge chart a path forward, with members contributing knowledge from a variety of fields.

St-Onge said committee members have diverse perspectives and experiences that will help her modernize CBC and its French-language arm, Radio-Canada.

“Canadians need a strong, innovative and independent public broadcaster that is ready to meet the challenges of this period of transformation and upheaval in news and content creation,” St-Onge said in a statement Monday.

The panel will help her promote Canadian culture, stories, languages, artists and creators, “while adapting to our rapidly changing broadcast and digital landscape,” she added.

The panel includes:

– Marie-Philippe Bouchard, CEO, TV5 Québec Canada;

– Jesse Wente, chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, founding executive director of the Indigenous Screen Office;

– Jennifer McGuire, managing director, Pink Triangle Press;

– David Skok, CEO and editor-in-chief, The Logic (independent media startup);

– Mike Ananny, associate professor of communication and journalism, University of Southern California Annenberg;

– Loc Dao, executive director of DigiBC;

– Catalina Briceno, professor, Université du Québec à Montréal. (CP)