For Immediate Release:
OMNI Television Launches CBC's Gemini Award Winning Series Canada: A People's History to Polish Audiences
TORONTO (September 7, 2004) – This past February, OMNI Television became the first broadcaster in the world to launch the Gemini award-winning series Canada: A People’s History to an entirely new audience of Canadians: those whose language of comfort is other than English or French.
For Polish speaking viewers who have been looking forward to the launch of the Polish language version of Canada: A People’s History the wait is over – the Polish language version of this epic documentary will premiere on OMNI.1, Saturday, October 2nd at 5:30 pm ET.
Wojciech Sniegowski, Associate Producer of OMNI’s Polish language programming was charged with transcreating Canada: A People’s History from the English language to Polish. Viewers of OMNI.1’s ZUkosa will recognize the voice of Agata Pilitowska as narrator of the Polish language version of Canada: A People’s History. Indeed, all 32 episodes of this highly educational, historical documentary have been fully transcreated, with voice-over and subtitling, to provide a better understanding of Canada and its people for those who speak: Polish, Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese and Russian.
In addition to inviting more people to discover and explore the stories that have shaped our nation, OMNI’s multilingual re-versioning of Canada: A People’s History is timely. In the past century, Canada has welcomed more than 13.4 million immigrants with the greatest number arriving during the 1990s. As of the 2001 Census, 18.4% of Canada’s population was born outside of the country. Currently, the estimated Polish speaking population in OMNI’s coverage area is close to 145,000 – or nearly 70% of the Polish speaking population in Canada. By 2011, people of ethnic origin other than English, French or Aboriginal will represent 68% of the population of Toronto, Canada’s most ethnically diverse city.
Clearly, Canada’s place as one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world has been confirmed.
“OMNI Television is proud to introduce Canada: A People’s History to an entirely new audience of Canadians,” said Madeline Ziniak, Vice President and Station Manager, OMNI Television. “As the authentic diversity broadcaster, we felt it was important to make Canadian history accessible to the ethnocultural communities that we serve. By airing this series in seven, non-official languages, OMNI is contributing to an informed future that is built on understanding our past.”
All language versions of the series will conclude with a historical segment, in English, that will provide insights to the development and contribution of ethnocultural communities in Canada. OMNI is working with the Multicultural History Society of Ontario on the segments, which will reflect a total of 18 communities and feature interviews with historians, professors and members of the respective groups. In addition to Polish, Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian, ethnic groups whose stories will be told in these segments include Black, Filipino and Iranian.
“History has always been a passion of mine, more specifically the history of this great country,” said Mark Starowicz, Executive Producer of the CBC’s Canada: A People’s History. “By having OMNI Television make this series available in so many languages, each concluding with a look at the contributions of various ethnocultural communities to Canada, truly reflects the true essence of our country, the diversity of its people and the yearning for all Canadians to know more about our history.”
Just as OMNI Television is making Canada: A People’s History accessible to non-official language audiences, the series itself appeals to all ages and generations. Accordingly, OMNI Television’s website (www.omnitv.ca) hosts an interactive microsite dedicated to promoting and enhancing the viewer experience. The site will provide episodic information as well as a number of interactive games by which viewers can test their knowledge of Canadian history.
OMNI Television, consisting of diversity television stations OMNI.1 (CFMT) and OMNI.2, is a free over-the-air system owned by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Media: Television division. Combined, the OMNI stations have significantly expanded the variety of languages, number of hours and choice of programming being offered for ethnocultural communities throughout the province of Ontario, providing programming in more than 40 languages to ethnocultural groups encompassing no less than 40 communities. With the launch of OMNI.2 in September 2002, ethnic programming on OMNI.1 (CFMT) now principally serves the local European, Latino and Caribbean communities, while OMNI.2’s programming reflects the local Pan Asian and African population.
Rogers Media Inc., a division of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B; NYSE: RG) operates Rogers Broadcasting and Rogers Publishing. Rogers Broadcasting has 43 AM and FM radio stations across Canada. Television properties include Toronto multicultural television broadcasters OMNI.1 (CFMT) and OMNI.2; televised and electronic shopping service, the Shopping Channel; regional sports channel, Rogers Sportsnet, and the management of three digital television services. Rogers Publishing produces many well-known consumer magazines such as Maclean’s, Chatelaine, Flare, L’actualité and Canadian Business, and is the leading publisher of a number of trade publications. All media properties are integrated with their own popular web sites.
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Media Contact:
Sandy Zwyer - Programme Information Coordinator, (416) 260-3590 sandy.zwyer@rci.rogers.com
Andrea Gagliardi – Director, Public Relations, (416) 260-3803 andrea.gagliardi@rci.rogers.com
