Bell Media, Warner Bros. Ink Deal for Last Hobbit Film

TORONTO: Bell Media has signed an exclusive multimedia agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures Canada for The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, the third and final installment of The Hobbit trilogy that is due to make its theatrical debut later this month.

This marks the third year in a row that Bell Media Sales and Bell Media's Brand Partnership teams in television, radio and digital have entered into a multiplatform and multi-network collaboration with Warner Bros.

Next week kicks off "Hobbit Week," which will include exclusive coverage airing on ETALK, InnerSPACE, Canada AM, CP24, Virgin Radio and TSN Radio. Under the agreement, CTV is inviting director Peter Jackson, screenwriter/co-producer Philippa Boyens and star Lee Pace to Bell Media's headquarters in Toronto for a special taping of an ETALK original special, ETALK & The Hobbit: One Last Time, which will be filmed in front of a live studio audience on December 6 and is set to air on CTV on December 22 at 7:30 p.m. The trio will also take part in an interview for Space's InnerSPACE as part of a special slated for broadcast on December 17 at 6 p.m.

The film will also receive national exposure through participating Bell Media radio stations in Toronto (999 Virgin Radio), Montréal (Virgin Radio 96), Vancouver (The Beat 94.5 FM), Ottawa (Majic 100), Calgary (98.5 Virgin Radio), Edmonton (104.9 Virgin Radio), Winnipeg (103.1 Virgin Radio) and Halifax (101.3 The Bounce). Additional broadcast support will see Canada AM, CP24 and Space hosting ticket give-away contests for the advance screenings of the movie across Canada.

"Bell Media's ongoing partnership with Warner Bros. Canada is the perfect union leading up to the premiere of the third installment of The Hobbit, a beloved film franchise that is set to be one of the biggest films this holiday season," said Perry MacDonald, the senior VP of CTV Sales. "The exclusive deal is aligned to deliver unprecedented direct access to Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson—as well as exclusive footage, behind-the-scenes interviews, blockbuster specials and advance screenings of the film—to Hobbit fans and our viewers and listeners."

"Our partnership with CTV on this epic trilogy has been flawless and garnered groundbreaking results," added Sandy Power, the VP of theatrical marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures Canada. "The partnership has delivered CTV viewers a level of exclusive access to content and unique opportunities Canadian audiences deserve."