Category: media

“Given the continued economic challenges facing the country and downward pressure this has caused on advertising-related businesses, Univision has been working aggressively to bring its cost structure in line with the current environment. Like many in our industry and across most sectors, we are reducing our work force.”

“The film festival world saw its second high-profile exit in as many weeks Friday as Tribeca Film Festival artistic director Peter Scarlet announced he was resigning his post just two months ahead of this year’s event.”

“The CRTC has mooted the idea of raising a $100-million Canadian content fund by slapping a levy on Internet service providers such as Bell and Telus, who own the pipes that all this content flows through. The Internet industry, to the surprise of exactly no one, doesn’t much like the sound of that.”

“For some time now, characters in daytime dramas have been taking time from their normal activities, like having amnesia, to engage in animated discussions about the sponsors’ products. The ABC soap actors spent February talking about how Campbell’s soup and other assorted products are good for your heart. (And tasty, too!)”

“The future for the networks, it seems, is more low-cost reality shows, more news and talk, and a greater effort to find new revenue streams, whether they be from receiving subscriber fees as cable channels do, or becoming cable networks themselves, an idea that has gained currency.”

“The best way to promote the production of Canadian content across all delivery platforms, including new-media ones, is to guarantee that the broadcasting system supports the involvement of conventional media, more specifically conventional broadcasters.”

“Mr. Lacroix said a number of options were on the table which ‘would substantially change the very nature of our service to Canadians.’ The first is more American programming, which would make the CBC more similar to private Canadian broadcasters who rely heavily on U.S. shows.”

“Angry at Warner Brothers over images of cigarettes in the comedy ‘He’s Just Not That Into You,’ an arm of the American Medical Association is demanding that the studio step up its policing of tobacco images on screen. The American Medical Association Alliance said it intends to lodge an official complaint on Thursday with Warner Brothers and its corporate parent, Time Warner, over ‘disturbing images of specific cigarette brands in this youth-rated movie’….”

Chris Suellentrop: “Flower [is] a little marvel of a game that casts the player as a series of petals floating in the wind. What’s remarkable about Flower is the sensation it creates, from start to finish: simple, almost indescribable, joy.”

“People still refer to the new medium by its full name – the World Wide Web – and although you sometimes find interesting stuff here, you’re constantly struck by how little there is to do. You rarely linger on the Web; your computer takes about 30 seconds to load each page, and, hey, you’re paying for the Internet by the hour. Plus, you’re tying up the phone line.”