SEPTEMBER 2006
MAJOR ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW CONTENT SUPPLIERS for WMRP radio network
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Canada
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Pilot Productions (Travel DVDs)
Vermont Public Television (PBS)
Mountain Lake Public Television (PBS)
DEP DISTRIBUTION (DVD & Music)
Images From The Past book publisher
MUSIC - BILLBOARD - Billboard.com is the Internet arm of Billboard magazine, the world's premier music publication. In addition to an editorial staff, the site draws upon the vast experience and expertise of the publication's worldwide staff and correspondents to offer news, features, columns and reviews to provide music information. Every Thursday, dozens of the Billboard magazine's famous charts of U.S. sales, airplay, downloads and box office grosses are previewed for the public consumption and exploration. Access to complete version and the full breadth of Billboard's charts is available to subscribers via Billboard.Biz, which also provides breaking news in the music and entertainment industries. Billboard.biz also houses all of the articles printed in each week's magazine, a database of all Billboard articles, reviews, features and special reports dating back to 1991, as well as weekly album, singles and video charts dating back to 1984 and year-end charts dating back to 1946. Billboard magazine has served the information needs of the entertainment business since 1894. A brief history of Billboard can be found here. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard Radio Monitor. Billboard's many strategic partners include Fox-TV, Microsoft, mForma, Reuters, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca America and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. Billboard is headquartered in New York with bureaus in Boston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and Washington, D.C., and has editorial correspondents in major cities around the globe. The Group is a unit of VNU Business Media, a worldwide media company that provides specialized publications, electronically delivered data, expositions and marketing services and is owned by VNU Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, an international publishing and information company.
MUSIC & TRADEMARK - Trademark Dispute Settled Over Supernova Name September 21, 2006, by Jonathan Cohen, Billboard -- The band at the heart of the recently concluded CBS reality series "Rock Star: Supernova" has a new name, following the resolution of a trademark dispute by a pre-existing group that had used the Supernova moniker. As part of the settlement, the TV band will now be called Rock Star Supernova. As previously reported, the group consists of drummer Tommy Lee, bassist Jason Newsted and guitarist Gilby Clarke, plus vocalist Lukas Rossi, who won that position on last week's season finale of the show.The original Supernova, based in Orange County, Calif., has released four albums and is best known for contributing the song "Chewbacca" to the cult movie "Clerks."The group sued Mark Burnett Productions, Lee, his bandmates and others in June for trademark infringement and other claims. After a Sept. 12 court proceeding, the federal District Court in San Diego ordered Mark Burnett Productions, Rockstar Entertainment and Burnett-affiliated JMBP Inc. to stop using the name "Supernova" in connection with performing, recording or selling music. As for Rock Star Supernova, the band is already in the studio working on its debut album, due Nov. 21 via Epic. Its first tour kicks off Dec. 31 in Las Vegas.
MUSIC - MTV EUROPE 2006 -- Justin Timberlake will host the 2 November event, to be held in Denmark at the Bella Center Conventional Hall in Copenhagen before an audience of 3,000 people. An additional 10,000 are expected at Copenhagen's Radhuspladsen Town Square. The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider the best in music. Unlike the VMAs, most of the awards are voted for by the viewers. MTV Europe Music Awards always changes its host city. Up until now Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom hosted the event twice. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV Europe, MTV and most of the International MTV channels.
MUSIC - American Music Awards (AMA) -- The American Music Awards show is one of four annual major US music awards shows (the others being the Billboard Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony). The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC. While the Grammys are awarded based on votes by members of the entertainment industry, the AMAs are determined by a poll of music buyers. The Grammys nominally reward quality and both the AMAs and Billboard Music Awards reward popularity. The AMA winners are also chosen by popular vote: a survey of about 20,000 listeners. The 2006 American Music Awards will be presented in Los Angeles on Nov. 21, with the three-hour gala broadcast by U.S. network ABC.
BOOKS - Canadian Writers Society (CWS) -- The CWS is a group of writers, aspiring and published, who believe in sharing their works and ideas with other like-minded individuals. Society activities include monthly "Reading and Feedback", workshops on topics of interest to the membership, suppers, meeting selected authors and lectures by speakers on subjects that are of benefit to writers. This year, we even intend to give Creative Writing courses and plans are in the works to publish an anthology of member works.
BOOKS - BOOK SUMMIT 2006 SCHEDULED FOR NYC. -- A book summit will be held on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at the Small Press Center, 20 W. 44th St, New York City. The top people from all facets of the book industry will come together to discuss the future of publishing. Invited are the people who are not only committed to a new way of doing business, they are the leaders who are reinventing book publishing. The Summit will be in New York City. This event will encompass a full day of discussion as it relates to the future of publishing. The purpose of this meeting is to bring together the visionaries of modern book publishing to discuss production, promotion,and the challenges we all face in this digital industry. New details are being posted daily. See www.BookSummit.com The Summit will be divided into two segments, a gallery forspectators and a round table for the discussion group. There This is a meeting of industry leaders only,to discuss the future of publishing in a flat world.
MUSIC - ECHO SONGWRITING PRIZE presented by SOCAN -- SOCAN is proud to announce the launch of the ECHO Songwriting Prize and the Prix de la chanson ECHO, which are set to highlight and celebrate the songwriting talents of some of the best independent, up-and-coming Anglophone and Francophone songwriters in Canada.What it is: The Echo Songwriting Prize is designed to put the spotlight on some of this country’s up-and-coming songwriters who might not otherwise receive recognition for their work at this point in their careers. It’s also a unique opportunity for SOCAN to introduce itself to future members. Our members are of the utmost importance to us and we continually look to new initiatives to enhance the services we offer them. How it works: Two independent panels each made up of eight (8) of the nation’s top music community tastemakers, representing various regions of the country and facilitating one another’s exposure to a diverse collection of musical genres, nominated a total of 24 songs related to each prize. Once the nomination process was complete, the panelists reviewed each of the nominated songs and, using a point-value system, determined the five songs for each prize that will be voted on by the public. The public is then able to listen to the songs and vote for their favourite at www.socan.ca.The 5 nominated ECHO Songwriting Prize songs are: “Destroyer”Written by: Olivier Corbeil, Timothy Fletcher, David Hamelin, Liam O’NeilPerformed by: The Stills“This Lamb Sells Condos”Written by: Owen PallettPerformed by: Final Fantasy“You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son”Written by: Daniel Boeckner, Hadji Bakara, Arlen ThompsonPerformed by: Wolf Parade“A Speculative Fiction”Written by: Chris Hannah, Todd Kowalski, Jordan SamoleskyPerformed by: Propagandhi“Deception Island Optimists Club”Written by: Laura BarrettPerformed by: Laura BarrettThe 5 nominated Prix de la chanson ECHO songs are:“La monagamie”Written by: Thomas Augustin, Mathieu Cournoyer , Francis Mineau et Julien MineauPerformed by : Malajube“Le coup d'état”Written by: Julien Saget, Louis-Jean Cormier, Stéphane Bergeron, François Lafontaine et Martin LamontagnePerformed by : Karkwa“Tout arrive”Written by: Ève CournoyerPerformed by: Ève Cournoyer“Foutez-moi la paix”Written by: Thomas HellmanPerformed by: Thomas Hellman“Asphalte”Written by: Jean-Philippe FréchettePerformed by: Navet ConfitSOCAN invites you to cast your vote for your favourite song by logging onto www.socan.ca. The contest runs from August 31 until on October 12.
THEATER, COPYRIGHT, INTERNET - Suit alleges copyright violation by C.Weimar September 8, 2006 St. Petersburg Times, Florida -- Call it Menopause, the Lawsuit. A Tampa man filed a federal lawsuit this week against the writer and producer of Menopause, the Musical, the popular show currently playing at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Jaeb Theater. The man, John Thorner, runs a Web site called Baby Boomer Headquarters (www.bbhq.com), which features an "official Baby Boomer qualifying exam." Thorner claims the musical's author, Orlando resident Jeanette Linders, ripped off his quiz to use in the liner notes of the show's program. He's suing for copyright infringement and asking for an unspecified amount of damages. Linders could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. William Hamilton, Thorner's attorney, said his client found out about the age test in the program from a friend who saw the show. The tests are nearly identical, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tampa. The questions, mostly fill in the blank, deal primarily with commercials, music and TV shows from the 1950s and '60s. For example, both quizzes ask participants to name all four Beatles and complete this phrase: "M-I-C: See ya' real soon; K-E-Y:_______" Hamilton said his client contacted Linders to ask about the similarities. But when she declined to give Thorner credit and compensation for the quiz, he decided to file suit. "You can't go out and steal someone's Web site," Hamilton said. "The Internet is not the Wild West. It's governed by the same rules that govern paper." The musical is a light-hearted look at hot flashes, age spots and less-than-perfect husbands. Since its 2001 debut, it has been seen by more than 6.5-million women, according to its Web site.
TV - Gala des prix Gémeaux - Live from Montreal’s Palais des congrès on December 9, 2006, ARTV will close its fifth anniversary celebrations by airing the 21st Gala des prix Gémeaux. Radio-Canada will be the official broadcaster for the 2007 gala. Well-known actor Serge Postigo will produce, direct and host this year’s Gémeaux. The gala, which recognizes television excellence, will be founded on a new concept that’s a departure from previous editions.
FILM - 31st edition of the Toronto International Film Fest - This year there are 352 films -- 261 features and 91 shorts -- taken from 3,863 submissions and representing 61 countries. Of the features, 91 per cent are world, international or at least North American premieres The shortest film lasts 14 seconds, the longest is a marathon 240 minutes. By the time the festival runs, Sept 7 through Sept. 16, more than 305,000 tickets will have been old or passes honoured.
MUSIC & COPYRIGHT - RIAA copyright education contradictory by Greg Sandoval, CNET News.com 01sept2006 -- The music industry's educational video about copyright law is full of baloney, according to several trade and public interest groups. The Consumer Electronics Association and Public Knowledge are among the groups to issue a joint statement condemning some statements on the Recording Industry Association of America's video, which the RIAA has plans to distribute to the nation's universities. The RIAA's video, a copy of which can be found on its Web site, suggests that students should be skeptical of free content and that it's always illegal to make a copy of a song, even if it's just to introduce a friend to a new band, said Robert Schwartz, general counsel for the Home Recording Rights Coalition, one of the groups opposed to the video. The RIAA has feuded often with groups representing companies, such as CD-burner manufacturers, that have a stake in music sharing. They claim the music industry tramples over the rights of individuals as it fights music piracy. The RIAA has aggressively litigated against people who share music files on the Web for the past several years. The RIAA's strategy now is to launch a campaign to educate young people of the consequences they face when they download music illegally. "First, we were told we should not enforce our rights," said an RIAA representative responding to critics of the video. "Now we are told education is wrong, too. We won't accept such a do-nothing approach. We'll continue to work with respected higher-education groups to engage students to think critically about these issues." The RIAA says that more than 350 universities have expressed interest in the video. In the RIAA's seven-minute video, the narrator attempts to explain copyright law and some of the other hazards with downloading music from the Web, such as being sued or arrested. At one point, the narrator tells viewers it's okay for them to make a copy for themselves "as long as it's for you." "Making copies for your friends, or giving it to them to copy, or e-mailing it to anyone is just as illegal as free downloading," the video narrator says. This appears to contradict a statement made in the Frequently Asked Question section that accompanies the video, Schwartz claims. An FAQ-section question asks whether someone who has bought music has the right to ever upload or download music. The RIAA's answer says that it's okay for productive or scholarly works. The video's critics say the response makes no mention of allowable uses for home recordings, even for individual use, which the law allows. "The RIAA seems to be making up the rules instead of citing any consistent interpretation or precedent as to the law," Schwartz said.
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