Insight Productions

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Insight Productions
Company type Subsidiary
IndustryMedia
Entertainment
Founded1970;55 years ago (1970)
Founders Pen Densham
John Watson
Headquarters135 Liberty Street,
Toronto, Ontario
,
Canada
Key people
 John Brunton (CEO)
Parent Boat Rocker Media (2018–present)
Website www.insighttv.com

Insight Productions is a Canadian television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was established in 1970. [1] Insight is led by CEO John Brunton. [2]

Contents

History

Insight Productions was established in 1970 by Penray "Pen" Densham and John Kingsley Watson. [3]

In December 1978, John Brunton, assistant editor and director with Insight, bought the rights to the company from Densham and Watson, becoming president and CEO. [4]

Insight has created programs in several genres (documentary, drama, sports, variety, comedy, music, reality), and has adapted to shifting tastes, technology and formats. Canadian Idol , an Insight-produced iteration of the successful international format, aired between 2004 and 2008 to record-breaking audiences. [5]

Insight is also credited with revamping Canada's national music awards, Juno Awards. By moving the show from a theatre to an arena setting, Insight was ultimately able to take the show on the road to cities across the country. [6]

John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby were awarded the Order of Canada in 2018. [7] [8]

The company released the documentary film Life Times Nine in 1973 for which it was nominated for two Academy Awards. [1]

The company faces a class-action lawsuit over unpaid wages. [9]

Recent productions include Big Brother Canada , The Amazing Race Canada , Canada's New Year's Eve: Countdown to 2021, Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education, Juno Awards , Wall of Chefs , Battle of the Blades , Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind , The Launch , Canada's Walk of Fame , Top Chef Canada , I Do, Redo , The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration , and Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble . On April 13, 2021, Amazon Prime Video announced Jay Baruchel will host a Canadian version of LOL: Last One Laughing to be produced by Insight. [10]

In May 2018, Boat Rocker Media acquired a 70% majority stake in Insight. [11] Boat Rocker acquired the remainder of Insight in August 2024. [12]

On March 24, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced its intent to acquire Insight Productions as part of a larger reverse takeover arrangement. [13] [14]

Filmography

Television

Documentaries

Digital

References

  1. 1 2 "Insight Productions | Media Commons". mediacommons.library.utoronto.ca. University of Toronto . Retrieved March 28, 2020.[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ "John Brunton". Variety. September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Insight Productions - Discover Archives". discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Insight Productions". Ontario Creates. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. ↑ ""Canadian Idol" | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ "John Brunton" . Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  7. ↑ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Barbara M. Bowlby". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  8. ↑ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Mr. John M. Brunton". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  9. ↑ Ahearn, Victoria (February 24, 2020). "Insight Productions faces Ontario class action lawsuit over unpaid wages - CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Toronto, Ontario: Citytv . Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  10. ↑ Canada, Amazon. "Amazon Prime Video Announces Jay Baruchel as Host of the Canadian Edition of the Global Amazon Original Hit Format Lol: Last One Laughing Canada". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  11. ↑ Benzine, Adam (May 17, 2018). "Boat Rocker buys Insight". C21Media. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  12. ↑ Townsend, Kelly (August 15, 2024). "Boat Rocker to acquire full ownership of Insight Productions". Playback. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Blue Ant acquires Boat Rocker production assets and goes public via reverse IPO". C21media. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  14. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (March 24, 2025). "Blue Ant Media Going Public Through Reverse Takeover Of Boat Rocker Media; Boat Rocker Studios Set For MBO". Deadline. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  15. ↑ Canada's New Year's Eve: A Countdown to 2021 , retrieved March 4, 2021
  16. ↑ "Every Child Matters: Reconciliation through Education". Decoda Literacy Solutions. September 30, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  17. ↑ Tosoni, Joan, Joni Mitchell: Painting with Words and Music (Music), Brian Blade, Mark Isham, Greg Leisz, Joni Mitchell, retrieved March 5, 2021
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