From a media release:

CBC NEWS’ the fifth estate WINS INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY ON BANGLADESH FACTORY COLLAPSE

CBC News’s the fifth estate has won a 2014 International Emmy® Award for their investigation into the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, titled Made in Bangladesh. the fifth estate’s Mark Kelley went to Bangladesh after the disaster and tracked down the garment workers who said they were still forced to make clothes in dangerous conditions for Canadian companies. The documentary first aired on Oct. 11, 2013, and drew praise for its investigation into the people behind a global industry of cheap clothes, big money, and huge risks.

“Everyone at the show is so proud of this story,” said Jim Williamson, executive producer of the fifth estate. “It is in the classic fifth estate tradition of strong investigative journalism mixed with compelling storytelling. What happened to the garment workers in Dhaka is unimaginably sad. Our challenge was to make this a story that no one could or should ever forget. The awarding of the Emmy suggests our team succeeded in doing that.”

“the fifth estate continues to push boundaries with its provocative and groundbreaking investigations, and we’re so proud of the team for the important and brave work they do,” said Jennifer McGuire, general manager and editor in chief, CBC News and Centres. “This award is a testament to the priority CBC News places on investigative journalism that makes a difference in Canada and that challenges injustice. The Canadian connection to the Bangladeshi garment industry was an important story, and Mark Kelley and the fifth estate team took big risks making this documentary.”
The International Emmy® Award in the Current Affairs and News category was announced in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Other nominees in the Current Affairs field were from Romania, Argentina, and Hong Kong. International winners were recognized alongside their American news and documentary peers.

WATCH Made in Bangladesh here.

For four decades, the fifth estate has been Canada’s premier investigative documentary program, acquainting viewers with a dazzling parade of political leaders, shady characters and ordinary people whose lives were touched by triumph or tragedy. The tradition of provocative and courageous journalism, which began with Adrienne Clarkson, Warner Troyer and Peter Reilly on Sept. 16, 1975, continues unabated with the current team of Bob McKeown, Gillian Findlay and Mark Kelley.

From a media release:

Shaw Media and Canada’s Walk of Fame are proud to welcome Jason Priestley as Host of the 2014 Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show, as announced exclusively by ET Canada. The beloved Actor and Director will emcee the star-studded, two-hour event airing on Friday, December 19 at 8 pm ET/PT on Global. Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show celebrates top-notch Canadians who have made a substantial contribution to Canadian culture, treats viewers to show-stopping performances, and showcases the incredible talent this country has to offer. Presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Jason is an exceptional talent and a very proud Canadian. We couldn’t be more excited to have him at the helm of this year’s Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show,” said Barbara Williams, Executive VP, Broadcasting and President, Shaw Media. “His charisma and charm are the perfect complement to a broadcast that’s all about celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding Canadians.”

Actor, Director, Producer and Author, Priestley has enjoyed a robust and diverse career in entertainment. Best known for playing the charming Brandon Walsh on Beverly Hills 90210, Priestley is a seasoned actor and has received multiple awards including a Canadian Screen Award for “Best Comedy Actor” in 2014 for his role on Call Me Fitz. His talent on screen translated to a passion behind the camera, spending a significant portion of his career directing numerous episodes of successful programs such as Rookie Blue, Saving Hope and Haven. He recently completed filming Zoom starring alongside Gael Garcia Bernal in Toronto. Priestley is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia.

“I’m honoured to be hosting this year’s Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show and excited to pay tribute to these exceptional inductees,” said Priestley. “We have a lot to celebrate in this country, and a great show in store for Canadians – with a few tricks up our sleeves.”

The following remarkable individuals will join Canada’s Walk of Fame’s long list of celebrated Canadians, bringing the total number of inductees to 157: Louise Arbour, Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and International Lawyer; The Band, Musicians; Jeff Healey, Musician; Rachel McAdams, Actor; Ryan Reynolds, Actor and Hayley Wickenheiser, Athlete.

In addition, the show honours The Weeknd, the recipient of the Allan Slaight Award. The 2014 Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show is held at Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, October 18th.

From a media release:

W5 Launches 49th Season with Alarming Canada-Wide Inpatient Suicide Investigation, This Saturday on CTV

• Award-winning investigative series returns after closing out banner 2013-2014 season as the most-watched non-sports program in primetime Saturday nights
• Kevin Newman’s revealing inquiry uncovers troubling evidence of the failure by Canadian hospitals to protect suicidal patients
• Also this week, Tom Kennedy tracks the rapidly spreading and deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa

W5, Canada’s #1 investigative documentary series, returns for its 49th season with a hard-hitting investigation into a sad and frightening national secret – the alarming rate of hospital patient suicides. Premiering this Saturday, October 4 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV GO, and also available on-demand on CTV News GO, W5 Co-Host and Correspondent Kevin Newman delivers “SUICIDE WATCH”, the first national investigation into mistakes largely hidden from the public, uncovering statistics kept secret by hospitals and government, until now. W5 spent months collecting statistics from every province, using dozens of freedom of information requests to identify the number of suicidal patients who took their own lives during the past 10 years while in care at a Canadian hospital.

Just how tragic these cases can be, is demonstrated through the stories of two families who cooperated with W5 to reveal how hospital failures allowed their loved ones to take their own lives in the very place they were believed to be safe. In Mission, B.C., Newman meets with the family of Ross Allan, still devastated that the 22-year-old was able to take his own life while under 24-hour observation by hospital staff. In Brampton, Ont., the Tiwari family has been demanding answers after 20-year-old Prashant Tiwari took his own life while in a special ward for suicidal patients. While the grieving parents search for answers, they were stonewalled by hospital bureaucracies conducting secret internal investigations.

W5 obtained security footage showing Allan roaming the hospital hallways unsupervised, finding an electrical cord that he would later use to take his own life. His death was not an isolated incident, as W5 reveals six cases of inpatient suicides in Fraser Health facilities during the past 10 years; three of them following Ross’ death. Through freedom of information, W5 fought for the release of statistics from every province to identify the staggering number of suicidal patients who took their own lives during the past decade while in care at a Canadian hospital.

W5 Correspondent Tom Kennedy reports the second story in the premiere episode, “THE EBOLA PLAGUE.” Kennedy tracks the rapidly spreading and deadly Ebola virus in West Africa, which has now infected thousands in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria, with an estimated 50% death rate. With governments and health agencies desperately seeking to stop the epidemic, W5 looks at the work being done by Canadians to fight the disease and investigates what would happen if the Ebola outbreak spreads to Canada.

This season follows a landmark year for W5, which saw the program perform as Canada’s most-watched non-sports program on Saturday nights. The 48th season reached 2.31 million unique viewers in Canada per episode.** Earlier this year W5 was awarded the prestigious Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism and Best News Information Segment during the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards. This achievement marked the first time the Gordon Sinclair Award was given to a program which traditionally honours the work of individuals.

From a media release:

The McBryan family and their crew at Buffalo Airways have welcomed viewers into their lives for five high-flying seasons of Ice Pilots NWT on HISTORY, and when season six premieres this fall it marks the final flight for this fan-favourite series. The award-winning show follows the crew at Buffalo Airways as they take vintage planes on near impossible missions, transporting people, food, fuel and vital supplies in a fleet of museum-piece aircraft to some of the most remote places on earth. In the upcoming season, the airline faces the toughest ice storm it has ever experienced as the McBryans fight to keep Buffalo flying in the 21st century. Ice Pilots NWT season six premieres Wednesday, October 29 at 10pm ET/PT on HISTORY.

“Ice Pilots NWT has been a wonderful Canadian success story.The combination of big personalities, extreme conditions and vintage planes has made for five entertaining seasons, and this sixth and final season is no exception,” said Christine Shipton, Senior Vice President, Content, Shaw Media. “We’ve had terrific partners in Omnifilm Entertainment, Buffalo Airways and, specifically, Joe and Mikey McBryan. We’d like to thank them, and everyone else involved in making this show a success, including the tremendous fans who have followed the series from the beginning.”

“I would like to thank the fans for tuning in each week and supporting us from day one! The last six years working with the film crews and my friends and family at Buffalo Airways have been the best time of my life. We have gotten to do some amazing things and share them with the world. As a Northerner, I’m happy to have shown people everywhere our crazy way of life. I would do it all over again in a split second. Fly safe,” said Mikey McBryan, General Manager, Buffalo Airways.

“Making Ice Pilots NWT has been a rewarding experience for our company, and we thank HISTORY for the opportunity to bring this series to Canadian and international audiences,” said Gabriela Schonbach, Omnifilm Entertainment partner and Executive Producer. “The series’ success is a testament not only to the indelible planes, people and places of the North, but also to our team of outstanding shooters, directors, writers, editors and in particular, to David Gullason, series creator and producer.”

Season six takes viewers through the harshest ice storm Buffalo has ever faced. As the coldest winter in decades grips the Northwest Territories, every rampie and rookie pilot in the company face huge challenges. Plus, there are two 70th anniversary celebrations – Joe’s birthday and a D‐Day tribute parachute jump with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. In the season opener, Buffalo rolls out the vintage C‐46, TXW, to fly freight up the Mackenzie Valley, but when one of the engines catches fire, Buffalo scrambles to find a backup plane in time for Christmas deliveries. Back in Yellowknife, Buffalo’s newest rampie is a determined young pilot from India who has set his sights on flying Joe’s prize planes. But first he has to adjust to life in the ice cold North and purchasing proper winter gear is the first thing on his list.

From Bill Brioux:

The Sunnyside of the Canadian comedy scene
It’s been great seeing the Sunnyside on Manitoba. The weather was spectacular Friday on location with the cast and crew of Sunnyside, a promising new sketch comedy series coming to City early in the new year. My old pal Dan Redican–who had the comedy chops as far back as I can remember when we went to Separate schools together in Etobicoke–has teamed up with Gary “Captain” Pearson on a sketch comedy idea so outrageously original I can’t believe somebody in conventional broadcast television gave it the green light. Continue reading.