Global Showbiz Briefs: ‘Amazing Race Canada’, Nine Network, Quickflix
The Amazing Race Sprints North To Canada
CBS’ The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan announced tonight that viewers north of the border can look forward to their own The Amazing Race Canada that will air on Canada’s CTV, which has licensed format rights from Disney-ABC Domestic Television. The Amazing Race Canada will launch in Summer 2013. Competition will take place within Canada, which features a variety of rugged, challenging terrain. Insight Productions will produce with the support of Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri’s Profiles Television. Casting, host, and other information about the show will be announced during the coming months.
Australia’s Nine Network Wins Key Demos in 2012 Ratings
Executives at U.S. hedge funds Apollo Group and Oaktree Capital, which took control of Australia’s Nine Entertainment Co. in October after a debt-for-equity swap, should be pleased with the 2012 ratings results released today. Key asset the Nine Network was the victor in primetime in key demos 25-54, 18-49 and 16-39 in the five capital cities. The Seven Network won the year in total people for the sixth year running with 31%, ahead of Nine’s 27.6% and Network Ten’s 18.9%. It was a disastrous year for Ten, whose prime-time share plummeted by 12.8%. The top 50 programs were dominated by local shows led by The Voice (Nine), My Kitchen Rules (Seven), The Block (Nine) and The X Factor (Seven). Only two U.S. series, Revenge (Seven) and Modern Family (Ten), figured in the top 50 while Downton Abbey (Seven) was the top British import. – Don Groves.
Quickflix Shares Sink To 2.7¢ After Trading Resumes
Quickflix’s shares plummeted to 2.7¢ on the Australian Stock Exchange local time Monday after the online DVD rental and subscription streaming service requested an end to the voluntary suspension of trading. The shares, which last traded at 5.6¢, had been suspended since November 13 while the company seeks a new strategic investor or capital infusion. Quickflix requested the re-quotation after appointing corporate lawyer David Sanders as a director, which gives it the requisite number of directors. Quickflix issued a statement denying a weekend report in The Australian Financial Review which suggested HBO, which bought a 10% stake for $10 million in February, could force the company to repay that investment before the end of the year. Quickflix asserted it has “the full support” of HBO for its restructuring plan, which entails job cuts, slashing advertising and lowering the cost of acquiring customers. - Don Groves
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