CANADIAN TELEVISION HARI KARI COMMITTED AS CANADIAN MEDIA MEGA MERGER ANNOUNCEMENT CONTINUES TO STUN INDUSTRYJuly 12, 2006..a date which will live in broadcast history,as broadcast consolidation hits north of the border,Bell Globemedia, the parent of the CTV Network announced to a stunned and shocked broadcast and money world that they would be buying their competitor,the innovative CHUM Limited, parent of famed Citytv and its sibling A-Channel for 2Billion canadian dollars. About the companies involved..DEEP BREATH!Besides CTV Network,and 21 CTV Stations, Bell Globemedia also owns CTV Newsnet,Discovery Channel Canada,MTV Canada,OLN Canada,TSN/RDS (along with ESPN),The Comedy Network,Report on Business TV,ARTV,Viewers Choice PTV,ESPN CLASSIC Canada,NHL Network,Animal Planet Canada,Discovery Channel HD Canada,CTV Travel,Discovery Civilization Canada,and The Globe and Mail.CHUM Limited owns Citytv Toronto,Calgary,Edmonton,Vancouver,Winnipeg,CKX Television,and the A-CHANNEL stations in Windsor/Wingham,Barrie/Toronto,London,Ottawa,Victoria/Vancouver. Along with Speciality networks ACCESS,Book Tv,Bravo Canada,CablePulse24,Canadian Learning Television,CourtTV Canada,Drive In Classics,Fashion Television,MuchMusic,MuchLOUD,MuchMoreMusic,MuchMusicRetro,MuchVibe,MusiMax,MusiquePlus,PunchMuch,Razer,SexTV,Space,Star,TVLand Canada. and 33 radio stations..WHEW!!!!!The announcement came as CHUM Limited announced massive layoffs of up to 300 employees and elimination of local news across canada on both its City and A-Channel stations,but spokespersons say that the layoffs and cuts are in no way related to the buyout.Hit hard in the announcement were Citytv and A-Channel stations in Calgary,Edmonton,Vancouver,Winnipeg and Barrie which saw their newscasts and local shows come to an abrupt end,while CHUM stremlined other A-Channel and Citytv news and local shows in other Canadian cities.Ivan Fecan,the president of CTV said that while BGM and CHUM Limited will be one enity, its news divisions will continue to be independently run,meanwhile Fecan announced that the A-Channel stations will be sold,possible buyers could be, Rogers Communications and Corrus Entertainment.The merger must be approved by both CRTC and Competition Committee (canada's version of the FCC and FTC) already several media watchdogs are saying that this merger will NOT be good,while industry critics say that this is just the way of the the business world. It should be noted that BGM is in the process itsself of being acquired by Teachers and TorStar Communications.
THE END OF AN ERA ON TBS..BUT THE BEGINING OF A NEW ONEGet your hankies out when the last weeks of September start, as a bit of broadcast history will be LONE GONE, as a bit of broadcasting history goes back to its roots.The new TV Deal includes an extension of FOX's deal which sees them doing the all atar and world deries,but they only get one championship series,meanwhile ESPN retains their money makers of Sunday,Monday and Wednesday nights including the home run derby, but in 2007 the wild card and some division playoff games will have a new home ..TBS.Time-Warner's TBS will broadcast the first round playoffs this season,BUT in 2008,after 30 plus years as a part of the creation of ted turner's big dream that became SUPERSTATION WTBS, the Atlanta Braves..AMERICA's TEAM, will now just be Atlanta's team.A Spokesperson for TW's TBS said that the decision wasnt based on the fact that TW wants to sell the Braves.."IT WAS A PROGRAMMING DECISION"Speaking of an end of an era, "UNCLE RUPERT" Now owns Turner South, and will revert it to FSN ATLANTAMoney talk was not made public..but OOOOOOOOOH IT IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DEATH OF A COUPLE OF LEGENDSHe was a man who wove magic with words and ideas, she was just magic,together they are hollywood royaltyAARON SPELLING-1923-2006Spelling was THE king of the primetime hour,a playwright in his early years , its wasnt until the early to late 60's where he would leave his mark on a new industry, TELEVISION.As a scriptwriter he wrote for shows like "Wagon Train","Playhouse 90",and "The Jane Wyman Theatre",and then moved to more success as a producer for a young TV production company called FOUR STAR,where he created shows like "Honey West",and "Burke's Law",even helping develop "THE SOMOTHER BROTHERS SHOW"After Spelling ankled Four Star Productions, he partnered with legendary comic Danny Thomas in 1968,and a hit was made "THE MOD SQUAD" this was followed with a new partnership with Leonard Goldberg which continued till 1977, where Spelling's magic imprint was on shows from "The LOOOVVVEEE BOAT","TJ HOOKER","Charlie's Angels","Starsky and Hutch","Fantasy Island" and "Hart to Hart" just to name a few.But it was his nighttime dramas featuring Sex,riches,and controversey, that would give Spelling the ultimate kudos, as the father of "Dynasty"and "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place" which gave viewers more than your typical nighttime show.Aaron Spelling will be missed..JUNE ALLYSON-1918-2006Best known for her girl next door charm and husky voice in many MGM films, the actress passed away at 88 her husband said on monday.The actress born Ella Geisman in the Bronx,NYC her career began with the broadway musical "Sing out the news" and made her feature film debut in the 1943 big screen musical "best foot forward"She won a golden globe in 1951 for "Too Young To Kiss",she went to TV to star in "The June Allyson Show"from 1951-1961,then returned to broadway in the 70's and made occasional appearances in both TV/Films throughout the 90's. 
"JIGGLES" GETS HITCHEDWell, it is a sad day for all single men in America, KTTV FOX11 Los Angeles' Sex Kitten and FOX's NFL Weather dish-traction Jillian "Jiggles" Barbarie is no longer single, "Jiggles" married her longtime boytoy, actor Grant Reynolds over the weekend,Barbarie said "We decided to do something small,and got wed in my backyard",The website TMZ.com reports that she will legally change her name to Jillian Barbarie Reynolds,but continue to use "Jillian Barbarie" on TV and movies.-Photo courtsey KTTV/TMZ.com
