Andrea Gabourie Simon Watts Split - H 2012
TORONTO – Veteran Canadian TV execs Andrea Gabourie and Simon Watts have left Canadian broadcaster Corus Entertainment to form their own production shingle.
Gabourie (Project Runway Canada) led the live action production unit at Toronto-based Corus, whose cable channels include W, OWN Canada, YTV and CMT, while Watts managed financial and business affairs.
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Ahead of MIPCOM, the duo have launched Pivotal Media, based out of Pinewood Toronto Studios, with an eye to producing factual, kids and scripted TV programming.
The first series out of Pivotal Media is the second cycle of the kids talent competition series Zoink’d! for YTV, Canada’s kids cable channel.
Gabourie co-created and produced the first season of Zoink’d!, and Pivotal has another 22 episodes to produce from the second half of October.
Nelvana Enterprises will distribute the kids series worldwide.
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Gabourie and Watts exit Corus Entertainment after a shakeup of its management on the production side, led by John MacDonald, a former COO and EVP programming for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network, becoming head of programming and production.
Pivotal Media’s development slate includes reality competition and kids series to be pitched to Canadian and U.S. broadcasters in the coming weeks.
