Monday, June 09, 2008

The latest on the HNIC theme: CTV shoots and scores!

CTV buys rights to former `Hockey Night in Canada' theme song
TORONTO - CTV has acquired the rights to the song that's been CBC's `Hockey Night in Canada' theme for the past 40 years.
CTV and Copyright Music and Visuals, the company that controls use of the classic song composed by Dolores Claman, announced Monday afternoon that CTV acquired all rights to the song in perpetuity.
The network says it will use the song on NHL broadcasts on TSN, RDS and during the broadcaster's coverage of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
CTV says it made an agreement in principle Friday with Copyright Music and Visuals after CBC announced a contest to find a new theme song.
The contest announcement followed months of negotiations that failed to result in a new licensing agreement between CBC and the agent.
CBC's licence to use the song expired at the end of the Stanley Cup final last week.
(The Canadian Press)
15:54ET 09-06-08


I am particularly proud at this moment to be an employee of CTVglobemedia. Which network REALLY reflects Canada to Canadians now?

5 comments:

JB said...

I'm betting somebody at CBC gets fired this week. Whaddya think?

Bob said...

I certainly hope so.
I've been willing to give the CBC the benefit of the doubt up to now. But now, I'm asking the rhetorical question "Which network truly reflects Canada to Canadians?"

Bob said...

More details:
TORONTO -- The saga of CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song took a surprising turn Monday as rival network CTV announced it has acquired the rights to the iconic tune.
CTV said it will use the song on NHL broadcasts on TSN, RDS and during the broadcaster's coverage of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
"The song has a long and storied history in Canadian sports and has become ingrained in the hearts and minds of hockey fans across the country," said Rick Brace, CTV president of revenue, business planning and sports.
"It is an iconic tune, embraced by Canadians everywhere, and we felt it was imperative to save it. We know it will be in hockey forever, so there's no doubt this acquisition will create value for us."
The theme was composed by Dolores Claman in 1968. CBC's licence to use the song expired at the end of the Stanley Cup final last week.
"I am very moved by how so many Canadians have taken the hockey theme to heart," Claman said in a release. "Throughout our negotiations, CTV displayed a tremendous amount of respect for my family and the song."
Earlier Monday, CBC had announced it asked Toronto sports lawyer Gord Kirke to mediate negotiations between the public broadcaster and Copyright Music and Visuals, the company that controls the song's rights.
CTV said it made an agreement in principle Friday with Copyright Music and Visuals after CBC announced a $100,000 contest to find a new theme song.
The contest announcement followed months of negotiations that failed to result in a new licensing agreement between CBC and the agent.
16:13ET 09-06-08

Bob said...

Latest tidbit: CTV paid $3,000,000. A bargain at twice the price!
Okay, so I won't get a raise this year, but at least my employer is preserving a Canadian cultural icon.

Bob said...

A DISSENTING VOICE

The song has been a topic of conversation around our A-Channel Ottawa newsroom all afternoon.
The MD who does our weekly House Calls feature (no, not Cliff Huxtable, Michael Malek) thinks it's slimy of CTV to have snapped it up. He admits that it's a purely sentimental view, but he thinks the song belongs on Hockey Night in Canada, and nowhere else.