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Tag: Banff World Television

  • BBC wins third Banff World Television Festival Outstanding Achievement Award

    MUMBAI: The BBC has been named winner of this year’s BWTVF Outstanding Achievement Award, becoming the first broadcaster to win the prestigious global award three times.

    The award winner is chosen annually from the world’s broadcasters by the Banff Television Foundation Board of Governors for work over a period of time.

    The judges commended the BBC’s exceptional programmes including: Strictly Come Dancing, Planet Earth and Doctor Who, and for leading the development of digital television, radio and online services.

    “The Banff World Television Festival salutes the many outstanding achievements of the BBC,” says Jennifer Harkness, BWTVF Director of Content. “The BBC continues to lead the way with its outstanding television programming and brand.”

    Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, will accept the award on behalf of the BBC on Sunday 10 June. He will also be speaking at the closing session of nextMEDIA, BWTVF’s sister event.

    BBC departments who have previously received the award are the Natural History Unit in 1990 and Drama in 1998. Other winners have included America’s CBS and HBO and UK broadcaster Channel 4.

    Mark Thompson said today: “I am delighted to be accepting the Outstanding Achievement Award on behalf of everyone at the BBC.

    “It is an honour for our high quality and successful programming across several genres to be recognised by the Banff World Television Festival and celebrated before the international broadcasting community.

    “I am particularly pleased for the recognition of the BBC’s forward-looking role in innovating for new digital platforms and audiences across television, radio and online.”

  • Curtains close on 2006 Banff World TV Fest

    Curtains close on 2006 Banff World TV Fest

    MUMBAI: The 2006 Banff World Television Festival came to a close on 14 June, with a combined 1,700 delegates attending both the television festival and its sister-event, nextMedia-The Future of Digital Content.

    Banff World Television Festival CEO Robert Montgomery said, “This year’s elite lineup of VIP guest speakers and record number of U.S. delegates really is a reflection on how important this Festival is, globally.”The Festival included a host of panel and session rooms along with special events. It also generated the signing of new deals and an opportunity for delegates to turn their project ideas and concepts into real productions, informs an official release.

    Some of the notable deals inked this year included, David Paperny of Paperny Films who sealed a $1.4-million financing deal with both the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and CTV Inc. for a new documentary.

    Chris Haddock’s latest procedural drama, Intelligence will be viewed in the U.S., an outcome of the deal between U.S. distributors Program Partners and Thunderbird Films.

    In addition, last year’s pitching finalist, Sinking Ship Enterprises, announced that their children’s project Roll Play is slated to air this fall on Canada’s Treehouse TV.

    “We not only saw a significant number of deals being signed, but also facilitated the development of a plethora of future programming,” added Montgomery.

    The winners this year include:

    CTV Canadian Documart 
    First prize and $50,000 was presented to The Dolphin Dealer by Leigh Badgley, OMNI Film Productions Ltd.

    Second prize and $30,000 was presented to Inventing The Future: Atanasoff, Mauchly And The First Computer by Mila Aung-Thwin, EyeSteelFilm.

    Third prize and $20,000 was presented to Web Warriors by Edward Peill, Tell Tale Productions Inc.

    Pitch It : Drama and Comedy 
    Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Ian Johnson, Guru Inc. won a development prize of $10,000 from Showcase for the completeness of the pitch-its setting and characters.

    Pitch It : Lifestyle and Reality 
    High School Reunion Stories by Antonio Hrynchuk, Fahrenheit Films with a development prize of $10,000 from Life Network for an appealing concept and endless potential for conflict in the stories.

    Pitch It : Children’s Programming
    The World According To Ella by Mark Montefiore, Polenta Productions won for fleshed characters, a nice, simple concept and brilliant writing and casting.

    Kodak Audience Award
    Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Ian Johnson, Guru Inc. received $5,000 in film stock from Kodak Canada for being the all-round favourite pitch, chosen by the audience.

    iPitch
    Raven Tales by Michael Ockenden, Sand Box Media Games with Joanne Levy, APTN won a development prize of $10,000 from the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund for an incredible game element and portraying beautiful Canadian stories.

    nextMedia-The Future Of Digital Content
    nextMedia finished on a high note following an impressive three day schedule of speakers, panels, keynotes and networking events. The sold-out event featured more than 260 delegates, representing a 10 per cent increase over last year.

    The Banff World Television Festival owned by the Banff Television Festival Foundation, is produced by Achilles Media Ltd. on behalf of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and Board of Governors, representing international producers and broadcasters. Achilles Media is a management organization for some of the world’s leading television and new media industry events including the Banff World Television Festival, the World Congress of History Producers and nextMedia – The Future of Digital Content.

  • New York Times journo Carter to deliver closing address at Banff World Television Festival

    New York Times journo Carter to deliver closing address at Banff World Television Festival

    MUMBAI: The Banff World Television Festival has announced that bestselling author and New York Times journalist Bill Carter will provide the Global Television Closing Address at this year’s Festival.

    Carter, author of The Late Shift and Desperate Networks has reported on the television industry for more than 30 years and will share his industry insight with Banff delegates on 14 June, 2006 in Banff in Alberta, Canada. 

    The Festival’s director of content, Jennifer Harkness says, “With his rich background, Bill Carter has an insider’s knowledge of how the television industry works. We are excited and honoured at the opportunity to have him close out Banff 2006.”

    In Desperate Networks the author goes behind-the-scenes of the television industry to reveal the elaborate inner-workings, capturing portraits of larger-than-life moguls and stars who make it such a cut-throat business. His bestselling book, The Late Shift, provides an inside account of the power struggles for Johnny Carson’s seat on the Tonight Show.

    The Banff World Television Festival takes place from 11-14 June. It positions itself as being an event where great television is born.