In today’s Global Bulletin, BGM shakes up its executive teams in Canada; COVID postpones Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards; and India’s music industry teams for an online concert to raise funds for COVID relief.
HIRING
Canada’s BGM Inc, a Sphere Media group company, has hired production executive Andrea Griffiths to the newly created role of director of content as part of a group reorganization which also sees BGM president Marlo Miazga expand his remit as president of unscripted. Griffiths will report directly to Miazga and oversee day-to-day creative, operational and team activities. She joins the company from Corus Entertainment, where she oversaw development and production of programming for HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada and Slice.
BGM has also promoted Aidan Denison to director of development, working closely with Miazga and Sean Connolly, senior VP of development. Denison is tasked with the creation, development and pitching of unscripted primetime programs and kids’ content for the domestic and international marketplaces. A quick climber in her five years at the company, Azucena Mainero has been promoted to development coordinator.
AWARDS
The annual Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan have been postponed due to the surging number of coronavirus cases on the island. The 32nd edition of the awards were scheduled to be held on June 26. But with Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center extending the current Level 3 lockdown to mid-June and the current wave not showing any signs of slowdown, any date in the next month looks unfeasible. “Only by protecting Taiwan can all art and cultural groups return in the near future,” said Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te. Taiwan, which previously had an almost virus-free track record, on Friday reported 557 new cases and 19 deaths.
MUSIC
Indian musicians are uniting under Facebook’s Social For Good banner to host Live in Your Living Room, an Instagram streamed concert to raise funds for COVID-19 relief causes supported by the artists, such as the Hemkunt Foundation, Give India and United Singers Charitable Trust. Participating artists include: Armaan Malik, Eric Nam, KSHMR, Salim Merchant, Shalmali Kholgade, Sunidhi Chauhan, Saindhavi Prakash, Satyaprakash Dharmar, Andrea Jeremiah, Big Indie Bang (Neyhal, Raghav Meattle), Akanshka Bhandari, Anuv Jain, Euphoria, Shilpa Rao, Salim Merchant, Arjun Kanungo, Zaeden, Yashraj Mehra, Gully Gang and Benny Dayal. The event is presented by Instagram in partnership with Indian talent management agency Represent and supported by all major Indian music labels.