In an increasingly competitive world, innovation will play a crucial role in positioning Ontario for economic and social prosperity. Through mind-expanding programming and unique partnerships, TVO is helping to educate Ontarians in the areas of science, technology and math – subjects which are key to building a knowledge-based society that can innovate and succeed in the 21st century.
One such example is TVO’s partnership with the world-renowned Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) in Waterloo, Ontario. This special relationship has promoted an enthusiasm for science, and raised awareness of its role in understanding our past, present and future. Moreover, it has given Canadians unprecedented, exclusive access to the world’s greatest scientific minds, including Dr. Stephen Hawking, the world’s most famous living scientist.
As the official broadcaster for the recent Hawking at Perimeter lecture, TVO beamed Professor Hawking’s first public speech in Canada into homes across the country. For the scientific community and science enthusiasts alike, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear directly from the man who has endeavoured to provide a complete understanding of our universe. As Hawking recounted his life and work, TVO complemented the lecture through a live blog with expert physicists who offered depth and context to the subject areas covered during the lecture.
The Hawking event was a powerful follow-up to TVO’s earlier collaboration on PI’s 2009 Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future (Q2C) festival. As the presenting media partner for Q2C, TVO provided top-to-bottom coverage of the mammoth 10-day science gathering, capturing lectures and panels for broadcast, live streaming and on demand. With five on-location live broadcasts of The Agenda with Steve Paikin, coverage by TVOParents and Big Ideas, on-site reporting by TVOKids, live webchats, web-exclusive interviews and daily blogs, TVO was on the ground in full-force to make science accessible, engaging and understandable for Canadians – and the world. As an added bonus, TVO offered the world broadcast premiere of the Gemini-nominated PI/Title Entertainment documentary The Quantum Tamers, exploring the coming quantum technological revolution.
“Our partnership with TVO helps us share the excitement of research, discovery and innovation,” says PI director Neil Turok. “We’re both working to inform, to educate and to develop future generations of scientists.”
Did you know?
- One million people were reached via broadcast, web-streaming, VOD and podcasts as a result of TVO’s media partnership with Perimeter Institute’s Q2C festival.
- Q2C constituted the biggest out-of-studio production in TVO’s history
