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I can't say I am surprised that Rudy Buttignol, TVO's creative head of network programming, has walked. The writing was on the wall last week when he, like so many others at the provincial broadcaster, were blindsided by the new ''strategy.''

Here's part of the memo that went out yesterday:

Dear friends and colleagues,

On the eve of a new direction for TVOntario, I am sad to announce that Rudy Buttignol has decided to leave the organization to pursue other opportunities.  As Creative Head of Network Programming at TVO, Rudy accomplished all that he set out to do and wanted to leave on a high note.

However, because of TVO’s continued commitment to documentaries, Rudy has agreed to accept the offer of a contract as Commissioning Editor of Documentaries, working independently and off-site.  The details of his new contract won't be finalized until early August.

In the interim, all current and potential projects will be on hold until then. I will be serving as the main contact for The View From Here, and any inquiries can be directed to me.  Please feel free to forward this notice to anyone I may have missed.  We greatly appreciate your patience and support during this very challenging transition period.

Yours,

Linda Fong
Independent Production Officer
Network Programming, TVO

This is one big blow to documentary filmmakers. Rudy was a respected supporter of the often controversial films on The View From Here and Human Edge. What's more, he helped finance The Corporation, which earned $3 million in the U.S. Filmmaker Mark Achbar got his broadcast licence straight-up from Buttignol -- and did not have to endure the kind of micro-management and committee oversight that I always hear about from documentary makers who deal with CBC-TV.

H/t to the Muddy Hill Post.

UPDATE: Actually, The Corporation grossed $4.6 million (U.S.) worldwide.

TVO: The Mid-term

Here's some of the Star's coverage on yesterday's announcements regarding TVOntario.

This is the lede of our main story by Robert Benzie and Steve Rennie:

The Ontario government is modernizing and revamping TVOntario, but the spectre of advertising now looms over the province's public broadcaster.

And this is from my pulpware column:

Despite all the hoopla yesterday, it's still not clear what the future holds for TVOntario, its employees or its viewers.

One thing did emerge: $25.4 million over two years to digitize a network, get into "multi-platform'' distribution, retrain staff and overhaul programming — all by September 2007 — is not a lot of money.

PBS, for example, is spending some $1.2 billion (U.S.) to go digital. It can cost a single local station $2 million (again, U.S.) to digitize its transmission.

Considering that TVO is already cash-strapped — limping along on a $45 million base operating grant from taxpayers and another $7 or $8 million from members — much is expected from so little.

So little in fact that, in many ways, I think TVO will be worse off than it is now.

Oh, and by the way, I am hearing that although the Liberal government-appointed TVO CEO Lisa de Wilde is the one stickhandling this ''strategic review,'' it really began under the Conservative-appointed (and Ernie Eves lady) Isabel Bassett's aegis. As someone put it to me, "It was Isabel's vision.''

Well, I am glad somebosy had vision because most TVO staffers -- including its uppermost programmers -- were kept completely in the dark.

Which brings me to this from my column:

But why cancel Studio 2, the flagship current affairs show, especially when its ratings have never been better?

It reaches about 1 million viewers a week and attracts a four or five per cent share of the adult (over 35) audience every night at 8 p.m., a very competitive time slot.

Exec producer Doug Grant said he learned the show's fate from reading my blog — then was fired at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

"There was so little communication,'' he says of the entire "strategic review.''

"It comes as a shock. But on the other hand we had a good run."

Studio 2 will be replaced by The Agenda, to be hosted by Studio 2's Steve Paikin.

"The Agenda will be a more focused current affairs show," said de Wilde. "It will be providing more in-depth analysis. More in-depth interviews. More debates. More panels. It will be out in the community more."

All of which caught Paikin's soon-to-be-former co-host, Paula Todd, who met and married Grant at Studio 2, by surprise.

"There are so many young journalists here; I am trying not to cry in front of them," she told me. "I feel unbelievably grateful to still have (the interview show) Person 2 Person. So I am not complaining. I am much more worried about other people. Everybody's crying.''

It's still puzzling as to why the show was cancelled since there is nothing about it that is inconsistent with the new mandate. In fact, at yesterday's all-staff meeting with de Wilde, the first she ever held, one courageous Studio 2er asked why the show was being axed. (And by the way, I think rumours of government interference because the show wasn't pro-McGuinty enough are a lot of hooey.) Why not just tweak it a bit to make it more about citizenship and less about arts or business?

Here's what I am hearing, and it makes for an interesting theory. After Paikin gained national prominence for his cool and deft moderation of the party leaders debate during last winter's federal election, he was able to write his own ticket. Offers were pouring in. The choice for de Wilde was simple: lose the rising star Paikin or lose Studio 2. Indeed, the timing of the development of The Agenda -- as well de Wilde's absence from the Studio 2 premises -- all kind of coincides with the afterglow of Paikin's star turn during the election debate.

Anyway, this whole strategic review thingie raises more questions than it answers. TVO staffers will be having smaller meetings today where they're supposed to get answers. But, if I were them, I wouldn't be holding my breath. It's going to be a long summer.

TVO 101

THIS POST WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED:

And now it can be revealed what is going on at TVOntario, as staffers are just coming out of a movie theatre hearing the good/bad news. The changes were unveiled at a news conference (video to come) jointly held by Ontario education minister Sandra Pupatello, the Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, Madeleine Meilleur and TVO CEO Lisa de Wilde.

"Ontario will prosper in the future because we are giving today's students the multi-media learning tools and resources they need to prepare for a technology-driven world," said Pupatello.

There are three main prongs to the strategic overhaul.

1. As long rumoured, TFO, the French-language network, will be hived off, with a separate management and board.

2. As predicted, TVO will be refocused to "contribute to kids' success at school." That means more educational programming, more digital content for more platforms as well as websites and downloadable tools for parents to help their children learn.

3. Primetime programming will emphasis citizenship and engagement, whether social, politcal or economic, as befitting a public broadcaster.

That means Saturday Night at the Movies, should it survive, will get a new direction. No more westerns and such unless they have a citizenship teaching moment. The same goes for drama and documentaries.

The weekday flagship Studio 2 is cancelled to make way for a new flagship The Agenda to be hosted by Steve Paikin solo. His former co-host Paula Todd will stay on with her interview show, Person to Person.

The Agenda will be helmed by Diplomatic Immunity producer Dan Dunsky, a man whom I consider to be quite conservative on matters of foreign policy. (I know because I have argued with him -- and he still owes me money from our bet on Halliburton.)

(UPDATE: Dunsky, with Grant's approval, put the controversial Danish anti-Mohammed cartoons on the air, causing great divisions at TVO earlier this year. He has written for the National Review and the Star, criticizing Canadians for their less than enthusiastic support for the U.S.A. He was also instrumental in pushing getting Eric Margolis to quit off Diplomatic Immunity, where he represented a left-of-centre -- and ultimately accurate -- view of events in Iraq and the Middle East.)

There will be no job cuts, they say. Queen's Park is pledging $25 million for training and transition. Goodness knows that TVO's antiquated facilities need a boost.

Here's one union view which is positive:

"TVOntario needs to come into the digital age", says Gord Boyd, President of C.E.P Local 72M, "the government's commitment will give employees the tools and training they need to help the Authority carve out a niche in television and internet environments".

More as I get it.

UPDATE (2:23 p.m.): Studio 2 executive producer from day one (and creative head of current affairs) and Todd's husband, Doug Grant, has been fired as of tomorrow. (I have left a message for him.)

Studio 2 and More to Life journalists are in shock -- and are clueless as to their fates. They've been told to clear out their desks tomorrow. Their offices will be taken over by the Independent Learning Centre, which helps Ontarians earn high school diplomas via long distance.

The only journalist said to be beaming at the packed all-staff meeting I'm told is Dunsky, who, along with Paikin, knew what was coming all along. Their fellow Studio 2 staffers feel betrayed, I am told.

UPDATE (3:19 p.m.): Looks like Rudy Buttignol, creative head of network programming, may also be on the chopping block. When I asked de Wilde about his fate, she said she would ''get back to me.''

Rudy -- whom I consider to be a friend -- is one of the most respected commissioners of documentaries in Canada, and a valued member of the film and TV community. If he gets kicked out quits, it would be a travesty.

I am told he is considering his options.

As for Doug Grant, he just told me he was ''shocked'' and ''didn't know it was coming until 10:30 this morning." He added that he feels ''very bad about the people'' --about 20 producers, many of whom he hired right out of journalism school. But it's been a ''good run'' after 12 years on-air. "I am very proud of the show which was my baby."

UPDATE (3:57 p.m.): Just talked to Paula Todd who is recovering from major foot surgery. She says everybody around her is crying and that she feels very badly bad for all her fellow journalists at Studio 2, adding that she is ''grateful'' to still be hosting Person to Person.

UPDATE (6:36 p.m.) Just noticed this in one of the news releases:

Steve Paikin will host a live online Q&A from 1-2 pm Friday, June 30 on the topic of TVO's new current affairs show. Log on at tvo.org or leave a message in advance with your question by calling 1-800-613-0513, selecting 1 and then entering extension 2604.

Studio 2 staffers are upset that their show, after an incredible 12 year run, will not be allowed to go out with a bang. You know, a highlight reel, a look back, a whatever. It will just slink off the air tomorrow night forever.

UPDATE (9:00 p.m.): Just stumbled on the last couple of minutes of Paikin jawing with a bunch of white guys in suits. Preston Manning, Hugh Segal, David Peterson and another man whose name and face I didn't catch. What a range of opinion, from right to center-right. I guess this is what we have to look forward to on The Agenda.

(I stand corrected!!! A whole lot of you point out that the other two white guys in suits were NDPers: Floyd Laughren, Ontario finance minister for the NDP from 1990-95 and Allan Blakeney, NDP premier of Saskatchewan from 1971-1982. That's what happens when I watch TV, blog, write columns and eat dinner at the same time. Thanks.)

Incidentally, Studio 2 will go out with a whimper tomorrow night. Because of how it was axed, staffers didn't even get a chance to put together a highlight reel.

UPDATE (12:13 a.m.): Exec producer Doug Grant said that Studio 2 was averaging about 95,000 viewers a night, which is excellent for a show of its type in a very competitive time slot filled with sitcomes and reality shows.

Dunsky discusses The Agenda here.

D-day minus one

THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED:

The changes to TVOntario will be announced tomorrow -- and trying to get the scoop has been one tough mission. The government is tight-lipped. TVO management is mum. And the unions have signed confidentiality agreements.

But rest assured, the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie and I are digging out the story in advance of tomorrow's government goodie hand-out. (What? You think two, count 'em, two, ministers would be on hand if the news was bad?) As education minister Sandra Pupatello told Benzie last week, it's going to be all lollipops and roses.

Education Minister Sandra Pupatello emphasized in an interview with the Toronto Star yesterday that any transformation of TVO would be positive.

"I think it's fair to say that we want to see some extremely positive changes happening. Positive, positive, positive," said Pupatello.

"The TVO board, I know, has worked diligently on the strategic plan but we have yet to have that full conversation. Final decisions have not been made," she said.

Well, we'll see.

More as we get it -- and after the deadlines at other papers.

UPPITY DATE (8:27 p.m.): Okay, I think we all need to take a chill pill here. It would appear that things may not be as bad as many -- including myself -- might  have feared.

I have confirmation that no jobs will be lost overall, although some program units will be wiped out.  Prime time will remain essentially the same, very broadly-speaking. Studio 2 will be overhauled with a new look and mandate.

The big changes will be to daytime programming and the digital side of operations, with the focus on (as predicted) children's education.

Show time

After two postponements, the McGuinty government's summer gift -- snort! -- to TVOntario viewers and employees will be announced fershure, fershure on Thursday at a 11:00 am newser with Education Minister Sandra Pupatello and the Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, Madeleine Meilleur. Staffers will meet from 12:15 to 1:15 pm at the SilverCity Yonge-Eglinton Centre.

Here's the word circulating amongst TVO worker bees:

We would not be surprised if they announced a nice fat juicy grant for new technologies (ipod, blackberry for education, new media...and the rest) that we might never get to see. 

In other words, the project might never come to fruition... because in between there will be changes... lack of funds... new direction...etc... and at the same time they will quietly cut jobs through attrition, closure of departments...etc. 

But of course the Government will look good... our sugar daddy!  That is what we will probably have to look forward to in the near future.

At the risk of prejudging -- since I don't have the scoop on what the government's intentions are -- I am convinced there will be a focus on new tech learning. But I also believe this inside take comes pretty close. All icing, no cake.

If the Harris government was handling this file this way, imagine the uproar.

Scratch that

TVO employees have just learned that their all-staff meeting on the ''strategic review" has been postponed again.

An internal memo from CEO Lisa de Wilde went out a few minutes ago:

There is now going to be a press conference involving the Government that will take place on Thursday June 29.

Our staff meeting has been rescheduled, and it will immediately follow the press conference.

The arrangements are coming together with all the players involved, and we will keep you posted as the details are confirmed.

There is good news ahead for TVOntario.

Lisa

Boy, if the way they're handling the communications strategy is any indication of the way they plan their programming strategy ...

By the way: I received this email today:

I read your story on June 21 concerning the pending announcement of the results of TVOntario’s “strategic review”. 

Your statement that the Canadian Media Guild represents “unionized employees” at TVOntario is not entirely complete. 

The fact is that there are two unions that represent employees at TVOntario. 

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) represents more than three-hundred employees at TVOntario and was first certified by the OLRB as NABET Local 72m in 1971. 

Our members are all behind the scenes and provide the Authority with administration, production, technical operations, artistic, information, sales, accounting, and many other services.

A number of members have mentioned the reference in your June 21 story and asked me to let you know.

Thanks

David Lewington
National Representative

Holding Pattern

Those poor TVO staffers are going to spend another miserable weekend: I just got word that tomorrow's all-staff group maybe-un-hug with CEO Lisa de Wilde has been postponed until Monday.

"We have moved our communications program -- both internal and external -- to Monday,'' said TVO spokesperson Jill Javet just a few minutes ago.

(Great. I am going to be out of town. Maybe they planned it that way?)

Earlier today, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty told Queen's Park reporters that “There will be good news for TVOntario. You’ll have to wait for the announcement."

And wait, and wait, and wait.

Many TVO journalists have contracts that expire at the end of next week. How much you want to bet that "the announcement'' will wait until then?

UPPITY DATE (11:57 p.m.): Hoo-boy, TVO staffers are ''up in arms'' according to one source. They say that management has ''botched'' this strategic review process, that it has lost the backing of employees who were not consulted, that de Wilde, who came in last fall as a welcome alternative to former CEO Isabel Bassett, has now lost their goodwill.

Management is said to be meeting with both the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) and Communication, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) on Sunday afternoon. I am told that a ''non-disclosure'' agreement has been signed and there's something about -- and I am paraphrasing from somebody who paraphrased -- ''short-term transition difficulties for staff.''

Have a nice weekend all you TVO types.

D-Day

Here we go ...

To:                                 All TVOntario Employees
From:                              Lisa de Wilde
Date:                              June 21, 2006
Subject:                          Strategic Review

I am happy to let you know that we are now ready to share the results of the Strategic Review with you. All approvals have been received from the Ministry of Education.

I appreciate your patience during this process and would like to invite you to a staff meeting Friday, June 23 at 11:00 am at the Silver City Yonge & Eglinton Theatres.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Figures they would leave it for a Friday.

Stay tuned. (Yeah, I know it's a cliche but it works, okay?)

Up in the air

Here's some of what Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie dug up on TVOntario's fate for today's pulpware:

A much-anticipated "strategic review" of TVOntario could be released as early as today — and big changes are in the offing, says the minister in charge of the province's public broadcaster.

Education Minister Sandra Pupatello emphasized in an interview with the Toronto Star yesterday that any transformation of TVO would be positive.

"I think it's fair to say that we want to see some extremely positive changes happening. Positive, positive, positive," said Pupatello.

"The TVO board, I know, has worked diligently on the strategic plan but we have yet to have that full conversation. Final decisions have not been made," she said.

"My goal is that TVO become a very worthwhile organization promoting the education goals of our government."

Sources have told the Star that TVO's future concentration will be on high-tech learning, especially as it relates to children.

There is no word on whether the shift in direction will affect current affairs staples such as the flagship Studio 2, the documentary showcase Human Edge, or the iconic Saturday Night At The Movies. But some staffers fear the worst.

"I can imagine that it gets frustrating for the staff at times to want to know what's going on and to move forward with our lives and our work and we're trying our best to make that happen," said TVO's Jill Javet.

You bet staff are frustrated. I am hearing from many of them every day.

Studio Blue?

THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED:

Just a short excerpt from today's pulpware column:

Word at TVO is, the government will announce the results of management's lengthy "strategic review" of the provincial broadcaster tomorrow. Queen's Park has finally approved it.

Staffers are bracing themselves for bad news.

They have been kept in the dark on this, telling me that they have neither been briefed nor consulted by management.

More deets from a post last month here.

TVO's unions (CEP, Canadian Media Guild) are meeting with management either tomorrow or Thursday -- so this promises to be a major shift in the provincial network's direction.

Of course, the spin will be all positive.

UPDATE: Looks like whatever is coming down is going to be big -- but it won't be coming down tomorrow. This was sent out to TVOers today:

As noted in Lisa de Wilde's update to staff on June 12, the results of the Strategic Review are forthcoming and the organization had hoped to have shared them by now.

An announcement will not be made tomorrow, as suggested in today's Star, but we expect it will be soon and will keep you informed.

Thanks for your patience in the meantime.

Groused one insider to me, "Another delay AZ!  Maybe they are waiting for another while until most of us are on summer holidays?  Also a lot of contract people are gone June 30th.  This is nuts and people are angry.''

UPDATE: Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie and I have more in Wednesday's Star.