Riders on Canada's subway systems may soon be getting the equivalent of an in-flight movie to stave off commuter boredom. Read More

Montreal-based agency Amen has formed a new division called Amen Media, specializing in media strategy and placement.

The new division is part of Amen's goal to provide clients with a full complement of communications services and will be headed by Sylvie Lalande, who will act as partner and GM. Prior to this posting, Lalande set up the new integrated media planning/strategy department at Labatt in Montreal, and was VP media at Montreal's Mediavision before that.

Amen president Carl Grenier says the next few years will see "urban warfare" in O-O-H media opps and his company wants to help advertisers break out of the box and surprise consumers with innovative ad placements.

amen.tonictech.com/Default.aspx?tabid=81&tCult=EN

Toolmaker Black & Decker, of Hampstead, Md., has chosen Toronto-based Carat Canada as its media agency for this country. Carat will plan and buy media for B&D's power tool, outdoor and home product lines. M2 Universal was the previous media shop on the account. Creative will be done outside Canada.

http://www.blackanddecker.com/home.aspx
http://www.carat-canada.com/

Corus Radio, of Toronto, has announced it is revamping its MOJO Radio 640 in Toronto.

The "talk radio for guys" station recently undertook a major research initiative and was told by listeners that, while they like MOJO's "aggressive spirit and edgy attitude," they'd like to hear about more important issues.

The station has responded by introducing complete news coverage every 30 minutes, seven days a week, along with in-depth investigative reports. It will focus on Toronto's biggest news stories but still maintain MOJO's characteristic edge.

In addition, earlier this summer, the station announced a new seven-year deal as the exclusive play-by-play broadcaster and promotional affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

http://www.mojoradio.com/
http://www.corusent.com/

Toronto's CHUM is selling Toronto 1, the TV station it acquired as part of its purchase of Calgary-based broadcaster Craig Media.

Purchasers are two Quebecor Media subsidiaries. TVA Group, of Montreal, will pay $34.5 million in cash for a 75% interest in the money-losing station, while Sun Media, of Montreal, publisher of the Toronto Sun, will pay $3.5 million and give CHUM back its 29.9% interest in local news channel CablePulse 24.

Serge Gouin, president and chief executive of TVA and Quebecor Media, says the move will give Quebecor "a strategic positioning in Canada's largest market."

The sale will also help CHUM to gain CRTC approval to finalize its purchase of Craig. The Craig deal will make CHUM Canada's third private-sector national network.

http://www.chumlimited.com/press/releasecorporate.asp?pressID=1242
http://www.quebecor.com/htmen/0_0/7_0_1.asp?NewsID=609

OMNI Television will be supporting the launch of its new fall programming lineup with an all-out media campaign including television, radio and outdoor, which goes live on Aug.30.

The idea behind the newly developed creative is to highlight the launch of OMNI's new programs (on both OMNI.1 and OMNI.2), which include Friends and Law and Order: Special Victim Unit. A large portion of the broadcaster's ad budget is going to outdoor advertising (focusing on the GTA corridor) and radio, which consists of traffic, weather and sponsorship tags along with 30-second spots particularly in the Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa areas.

With the Olympics well underway and bringing the normal summer schedule to a close, CTV continues to dominate the Canadian television airwaves. Led by homegrown Canadian Idol whose Wednesday night episode is the most-watched program in Canada, CTV has swept all 10 spots in the Top 10 programs and 18 of the Top 20.

Results are courtesy of BBM, which has released data comparing CTV, Canwest Global and CBC programs.

Vancouver-based Chalk Media's latest network television program,Spy Academy, will offer up some distinctive sponsorship opportunities when it hits the air Sept. 11. Produced for YTV, this kids' reality game show is aimed at tweens. Each episode has six techno savvy kids paired in teams of two and loaded up with the latest gadgets as they make their way through a series of tests to earn the moniker of "international super spy."
Sponsorship opportunities abound whether it be through the property's Web site, (www.spyacademy.ca), prize giveaways or title product placement. There are three primary gadgets in every show - a laptop, PDA and cellphone - which allow for sponsorship opportunities along with any other gadgets (from digital cameras to high-tech scooters) you can think of, says Spy Academy's executive producer Dana Johl.
"Viewers can go to the Web site to find out more about episodes and contestants - and it also highlights the gadgets they use," she says. "So, if a sponsor were to come on and do some product placement with us, we'd also feature the products on the Web site."
In addition to title sponsorships, advertising opps can be had with weekly prize and grand prize giveaways.
"We give away a lot of prizes on the show and each prize sponsor gets a 10 second feature at the end of the show - including a picture of the product and voiceover," says Johl. Read More

Hey, it looks like those wheels on that car aren't turning. And they don't look like your generic hubcap either. It's not chrome, it's not plastic - it's "wheel-vertising."

Claiming to be a low-cost way of advertising to the coveted urban demographic, this concept - from Santa Monica, Calif.-based AdFleet - involves attaching a 16.5 inch non-rotating hub cap cover carrying advertiser logos to the wheels of a car.

In July, AdFleet launched with 2,000 taxis in the Los Angeles area. Advertisers included the L.A. Dodgers, Taco Bell, Jiffy Lube, Virgin Colas and 1-800-Cheap Seats. AdFleet has plans to roll out soon in 14 markets including Toronto, Atlanta, Dallas, Boston and Washington D.C.

Toronto-based Starcom Worldwide has appointed Jeff Marchand to the newly created position of SVP of its Canadian operations, effective Aug. 19. He will also keep his role as GM, therefore continuing to oversee Starcom's general and financial operations, lead five account directors and manage client relationships.
Marchand has 14 years of experience in media, all within the Leo Burnett/Starcom network. He is also an associate member of the Canadian Media Directors' Council.
http://www.starcomworldwide.com/our_services.asp?title=starcom
http://www.smvgroup.com/

Gary Stephen Ross will become the new editor of Saturday Night magazine effective Sept. 1, replacing Matthew Church.
Ross is an author, editor and was formerly partner in the book publishing house of Macfarlane Walter & Ross. He is no stranger to Saturday Night, having contributed in the 1970s, acted as senior editor in the '80s and edited the 100th anniversary issue in 1987. He has also acted as a senior editor for Toronto Life magazine.
Saturday Night is owned by Toronto-based St. Joseph Media.
http://www.saturdaynight.ca
http://www.stjoseph.com/

Tom Hopkins, partner and SVP of Markham, Ont.-based Avid Media, resigned on Thursday. The news came two months after Avid was purchased by Transcontinental Media, of Montreal. Hopkins has led the editorial direction for such Avid books as Canadian Gardening and Outdoor Canada.
Hopkins says the parting was amicable and of his choosing. He says he'd like to take some time off, with immediate plans including traveling in China with his daughter.
Hopkins joined Avid in 1994. His resignation is effective Sept. 3.
http://www.avidmediainc.com
http://www.transcontinental-gtc.com/en/fs04/p0403.html Read More

Conventional Broadcast TV
4.5 (out of 5)
Broadcast TV is not selling as briskly as in the past and there seems to be a bit more flexibility from sellers this year. All major markets (Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.) were active throughout the summer and continuing into the fall. Alberta has been selling out the fastest of all regions and getting cost-efficient inventory is a continued challenge in both Calgary and Edmonton.
In the Maritimes, inventory June through August was tight and current buying activity is coming from back-to-school retailers, malls, Canadian Tire and automotive.
In Quebec, inventory was available over the summer but is tightening up coming into the fall. For the fall, CTV is in a near sold out position across all major markets while inventory on CanWest seems to be readily available. As usual, packaged goods, automotive, retail and entertainment companies lead the way in securing fall airtime on conventional and cable.

Cable TV (aka Specialty TV)
4.5 (out of 5)
Cable TV is selling very well all through the fall, especially the kids' networks YTV and Teletoon, which are selling out certain dayparts all the way through November already. Rates and CPMs are higher this year than last year due to higher demand.
Cable continues to erode conventional audiences and garner greater share of media budgets. Inventory is moving quickly with stations such as Showcase, MuchMusic, Bravo and TSN nearly sold out for the fall. Read More

Sept. 15, 2004

BBM Radio
Summer 2004 Radio Survey
Current audience ratings, share, date trend data and listening location data
(416) 445-9800, info@bbm.ca

For a table of upcoming reports, click here.