The company led by National Post chief executive Paul Godfrey, that is purchasing the Canwest chain of newspapers, including The National Post, will now be called Postmedia Network Inc.Other papers in the chain include the Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald and Ottawa Citizen."Postmedia Network reflects both where we have been and where we are going," Godfrey said."From the earliest days of information delivery via post, to the current online world of posting news and information as it happens and looking ahead to the continuous evolution of a post-media universe, our new name reflects both the strong legacy and the exciting future of media as we prepare to emerge as a new Canadian business."June 2010, an Ontario Superior Court judge allowed Canwest Global Communications Corp. to sell its newspaper division to a group of creditors led by Godfrey, for $1.1 billion, including $950 million in cash.Click the images to enlarge...

Cineplex Galaxy CEO Ellis Jacob reports that the 'growing popularity' of 3D movies has driven demand for more 'immersive' experiences at the company's chain of theatres.In response, Canada's largest movie exhibitor is launching the "Ultra AVX audio-visual experience," with digital projectors, giant screens and high-tech sound systems.The first expansion will start in Toronto, Calgary and British Columbia, with a goal of making 30 per cent of Cineplex screens capable of showing 3D movies by the end of 2010...

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) reports that the winner of the 6th NFB Online Short Film Contest @ Cannes, Crash! Bang! Wallow?, was awarded to Jon Dunleavy and Keith Wilson-Singer of the UK.This year, the 10 shortlisted films generated more than 2 million views in 14 days – on the NFB’s English and French YouTube channels.This sixth edition was organized by the NFB in collaboration with the Short Film Corner and in association with YouTube."...In partnering the contest, the NFB continues to encourage the creators of bold and innovative shorts..."The public had 14 days to vote online for the best short film on the YouTube site, with more than 20,000 votes received.Winning short, Crash! Bang! Wallow?, is an animated film that tells the tale of ex-Hollywood stuntman 'Larry LeTan' and his fight to find a place in the modern world.Filmmakers Dunleavy and Wilson-Singer will receive a digital HD video camera and laptop computer from the NFB.The short films that came in second, third and fourth place are Love and Theft by Andreas Hykade (Germany), The Technician by Simon-Olivier Fecteau (Canada) and The Story of My Life by Pierre Ferrière (France).

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) reports that the winner of the 6th NFB Online Short Film Contest @ Cannes, Crash! Bang! Wallow?, was awarded to Jon Dunleavy and Keith Wilson-Singer of the UK.This year, the 10 shortlisted films generated more than 2 million views in 14 days – on the NFB’s English and French YouTube channels.This sixth edition was organized by the NFB in collaboration with the Short Film Corner and in association with YouTube."...In partnering the contest, the NFB continues to encourage the creators of bold and innovative shorts..."The public had 14 days to vote online for the best short film on the YouTube site, with more than 20,000 votes received.Winning short, Crash! Bang! Wallow?, is an animated film that tells the tale of ex-Hollywood stuntman 'Larry LeTan' and his fight to find a place in the modern world.Filmmakers Dunleavy and Wilson-Singer will receive a digital HD video camera and laptop computer from the NFB.The short films that came in second, third and fourth place are Love and Theft by Andreas Hykade (Germany), The Technician by Simon-Olivier Fecteau (Canada) and The Story of My Life by Pierre Ferrière (France).

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canada's TV watchdog, said as long as industry codes on violence are followed and "equitable portrayals" of the sexes are maintained , an application by "Sex-Shop Television" will be approved by the government body, allowing Sex-Shop to offer its adult pay TV service "Vanessa" in HD."Vanessa", founded by French TV host/producer Anne-Marie Losique, will make its initial thrust into the market, October 2010.According to the CRTC:"...The Commission approves the application by 'Sex-Shop Television Inc.' to amend the broadcasting licence for the national, Category 2 pay television programming undertaking known as 'Vanessa' in order to allow the service to be available for distribution in high definition (HD) format until the end of its current licence term. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application."Consistent with the CommissionÂ’s approach to HD specialty services set out in Broadcasting Public Notice 2006-74, as well as with the changes to this approach announced in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, the licensee shall be subject to the following condition of licence until the end of its current licence term:"The licensee is authorized to make available for distribution a version of its service in high ...

The Canadian government has announced the creation of the Canada Media Fund to finance TV/new-media production with C$350 million from the federal government, cable and satellite companies.The Canadian Television Fund and the Canada New Media Fund will be combined and rebranded, as the Canada Media Fund with a mandate to ensure the production of 'quality content', to be available on multiple platforms."The Canada Media Fund will help our producers and broadcasters to do what they do best: create, entertain, and connect with Canadians," said James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.The reformed and integrated fund will be fully implemented and in place by April 1, 2010, with the CTF and the CNMF continuing to operate for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.Despite a mandate to 'level the playing field', if you are an independent content creator/producer and do not have access to high-powered lawyers that can structure complex government applications to secure funding, you will be out of luck, as the biggest industry players, per the status quo, will secure all the funding for themselves...

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reports that a 'new framework' will give English-language private television broadcasters greater flexibility to offer high-quality programs that are of interest to Canadians."The new approach to licensing on the basis of ownership groups reflects the trend of media convergence," said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. "Our framework will enable the large groups to attract viewers to their different television services while encouraging the creation of original Canadian programs. In doing so, we are providing the industry with flexibility to adapt to the new reality of increased consumer choice in a digital world."Consolidation in the industry has resulted in large groups controlling both conventional television stations and specialty services. The CRTCÂ’s approach will take into account a groupÂ’s total revenues when setting obligations related to the objectives of the Broadcasting Act.In 2011, the CRTC will hold licence-renewal hearings for the largest English-language private ownership groups, CTVglobemedia Inc., Canwest Television Limited Partnership and Rogers Communications Inc.This approach will permit the CRTC to introduce new requirements to encourage and support the creation of Canadian programs, proposing that the three largest ownership groups spend at least 30 per cent of their gross revenues ...

Canwest Broadcasting reports the launch of MovieTime HD, Friday, March 12, 2010, as part of the Rogers Digital Cable VIP line-up on channel 562."...The launch continues to reinforce Canwest as a leader in HD programming with History Television, Showcase, National Geographic Channel and four Global Television stations – Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton – currently broadcasting in High Definition. The ultimate destination for big-ticket movies, MovieTime launched over a year ago and has been a huge success with viewers. It is now a top 10 digital channel in Canada for all key demos...""With the immense popularity of MovieTime, we’re delighted to announce the launch of MovieTime HD - Canada ’s only HD specialty destination for recent blockbusters”, said Daniel Eves, VP Strategic Programming, Specialty, Canwest Broadcasting. "The channel will offer viewers an incomparable movie viewing experience, combining superior resolution and sound with big-ticket movie titles.”Viewers can expect to find HD titles including Batman Begins, The School of Rock, Scorpion King, The Wedding Planner, Stuart Little 2, The Bucket List, Bourne Identity, Sahara, Catch Me If You Can, Matilda and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, with more new titles to be added in the coming months.MovieTime ...

On March 1, Canada's Corus Entertainment will expand its portfolio of women's specialty services with the launch of W Movies, Canada's first movie channel 'dedicated to women'."...Programmed exclusively with women in mind, 'W Movies' will be the go-to destination for women looking for entertaining and intelligent films, seven days a week, 24 hours a day...""With the phenomenal success of women-oriented films at the box office, coupled with the huge popularity of our film blocks on W Network, we know that women have a real appetite for movies," said Susan Ross, Corus, Specialty and Pay Television.Catering to Women 25 - 54, W Movies will showcase films with genres ranging from relationship, romance and comedy to drama and suspense.March titles include Big, Forrest Gump, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Working Girl, Six Days and Seven Nights, Dangerous Minds, What Lies Beneath, Chasing Amy, Bounce, Shakespeare in Love, A View From the Top, Sliding Doors, Dying Young, Sleeping with the Enemy, Steel Magnolias and Runaway Bride.Additional premieres in March include Once, March 2, Memory Keeper's Daughter, March 2, Tristan and Isolde, March 4, Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith, March 9, The Engagement Ring, March 11 and The Hoax, March 27...

FreeHD Canada, a new high def satellite TV service has has won limited approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to offer TV channels in HD for free.FreeHD said they will be able to provide more than 200 channels of superior picture quality HD into consumer homes via a small inexpensive satellite dish. To get the service, consumers will need to buy a FreeHD Canada receive system (small dish and set-top box), expected to be available from retailers throughout Canada early 2011, as well as available online."The Commission clearly supports in principle the offering of a package of local conventional television signals at no monthly charge to the viewers and is predisposed to take the necessary steps to permit this to occur," said the CRTC in their ruling.Canada will transition from analog to digital TV, August 2011...