Bell Media Teams Up with Warner Bros. Pictures Canada with Exclusive Multi-Media Partnership for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

– Bell Media Sales brokers multi-platform and multi-network deal for highly anticipated third
and final installment of The Hobbit trilogy –
– CTV welcomes Academy Award^® -winning director Peter Jackson, Oscar^® -winning
screenwriter Philippa Boyens, and film actor Lee Pace to Bell Media Headquarters in Toronto
for special in-studio tapings of ETALK & THE HOBBIT: ONE LAST TIME and Space's INNERSPACE –
– CTV's ETALK is the only Canadian broadcast outlet attending the film's Worldwide
premiere in London, England –
– Virgin Radio Toronto delivers exclusive giveaway to Los Angeles red carpet premiere –
– "Hobbit Week" at Bell Media begins Dec. 8 with exclusive coverage airing on ETALK, INNERSPACE, CANADA AM, CP24, Virgin Radio, and TSN Radio –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1tDNrG7  #OneLastTime

TORONTO, Dec. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company, announced today a multi-faceted partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures Canada for the third and final installment of The Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. For the third year in a row, Bell Media Sales along with Bell Media's Brand Partnership teams in Television, Radio, and Digital have created an exclusive multi-platform and multi-network partnership with Warner Bros., delivering the ultimate fan experience and supreme coverage surrounding the film's highly anticipated theatrical release on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.

"Hobbit Week" kicks off December 8 at Bell Media with exclusive coverage airing on ETALK, INNERSPACE, CANADA AM, CP24, Virgin Radio, and TSN Radio. As part of the deal, CTV will welcome Academy Award^® -winning director Peter Jackson, Oscar^® -winning screenwriter and co-producer Philippa Boyens, and Lee Pace – star of The Hobbit film franchise – to Bell Media Headquarters in Toronto for a special taping of ETALK's exclusive original special, ETALK & THE HOBBIT: ONE LAST TIME, to be filmed in front of a live studio audience on December 6 and scheduled to air Monday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. The trio will also sit down for an intimate interview with Space's flagship series INNERSPACE for a dedicated half-hour special devoted to all things Hobbit, premiering Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. ET/PT.

"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, Senior Vice-President, CTV Sales, "The exclusive deal is aligned to deliver unprecedented direct access to Oscar winning film maker 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 ground breaking results," said Sandy Power, Vice-President, 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."

The multi-platform and multi-network partnership includes:

ETALK
ETALK kicks off its month-long Hobbit coverage Dec. 3 as the only Canadian broadcast outlet at the Worldwide junket and Premiere of the film in London, England. Then, ETALK welcomes famed director Peter Jackson, writer/co-producer Philippa Boyens, and actor Lee Pace of The Hobbit film franchise to Bell Media Headquarters in downtown Toronto on December. 6 for a special taping of ETALK & THE HOBBIT: ONE LAST TIME, airing Monday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO (check local listings). Taped in-front of a live studio audience and hosted by Ben Mulroney, the exclusive 30-minute original special features a look at ETALK's own journey to Middle-earth with the cast and crew of the three-part film adaptation, based on The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Following the taping, ETALK attends the Canadian Premiere of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in Toronto and the film's official after-party. ETALK's exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage and one-on-one interviews from the Canadian premiere will air on ETALK during "Hobbit Week" (Dec. 8-12). ETALK airs weeknights at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO (check local listings).

**Media Note** Download photos for ETALK at BellMediaPR.ca

INNERSPACE
In advance of the film's theatrical release, Space's flagship series INNERSPACE gives Hobbit fans unprecedented access to the filmmakers and stars of The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, including sit-down interviews with Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Lee Pace. Hosted by Teddy Wilson, the 30-minute special dedicated to the film's third installment airs Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. ET on Space.

Bell Media Radio
Bell Media offers national exposure for the film across eight participating radio stations in the following markets: 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). The support is paired with a series of interactive and engaging contesting opportunities for listeners to win tickets to special advance fan screenings in select markets, designed to create street level buzz, and generate local excitement in anticipation of the official premiere date.

In Toronto, 999 Virgin Radio is offering its listeners the chance to win an exclusive grand prize of a trip for two to Los Angeles to attend the red carpet Hollywood Premiere of the film. Hobbit fans can enter the contest at VirginRadio.ca under the Contests tab. Virgin Radio will also be hosting a costume contest at the Toronto Eaton Centre in-front of an extraordinary, one-of-a kind, Hobbit-themed display. The contest will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. ET, and will award one lucky fan tickets to attend the Canadian Premiere that evening.

Meanwhile, TSN 1050 in Toronto is offering its listeners an exciting "Movember" campaign, where listeners are encouraged to tweet pictures of their "Middle Earth" inspired moustaches, using the hashtag #Movember1050, for the chance to win tickets to the December 6 Canadian Premiere. TSN 1050 Hosts Macko and Cauz will pick their favourite photo and award the prize at the end of Movember. Visit TSN1050.ca for details.

Additional Broadcast Support
CANADA AM, CP24, and Space are also hosting ticket give-away contests for the advance screenings of the film across the country.

ETALK was also the Canadian exclusive partner for the Worldwide Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest that took place this past summer. Fans from all over the world participated in a four- tier online challenge that awarded a trip to Auckland, New Zealand to visit iconic filming locations throughout New Zealand's Middle-earth, with the highlight being a special visit to Hobbiton, the famous home of Bilbo Baggins. The ultimate experience concluded with a private screening of the final film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, with Sir Peter Jackson. Vancouver's Bianca Poroliseanu was selected as the Canadian winner.

For the past two years, Bell Media has partnered up with Warner Bros. Pictures Canada to deliver Canadian viewers and Hobbit fans alike the ultimate in fan access and exclusive coverage for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and now the epic finale, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).

Social Media Links:
Twitter: 
@BellMediaPR
@etalkCTV
@SpaceChannel
#OneLastTime

Hubub:
Hubub.com/BellMedia

WB CANADA and FILM SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
@WBPicturesCan
facebook.com/WarnerBros.PicturesCanada
instagram.com/wbpicturescan
www.warnerbroscanada.com/index.php
www.TheHobbit.com

About The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a Wingnut Films Production, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies." As with the first two films in the Trilogy, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," the final film is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. The film will be released worldwide on December 17, 2014, with select international territories releasing on December 10, 2014. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM. For more information, visit www.TheHobbit.com.

About Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO video streaming services, including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

SOURCE: Bell Media

Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]; Allie Page, CTV Networks, 416.384.4596 or [email protected]