Fall Show Lineup Announcements Begin

[jon]

TORONTO - A new take on the British drama "Prime Suspect," an animated version of "Napoleon Dynamite" and the return of Dave Foley and Sarah Michelle Gellar to series television are among the highlights of Global TV's fall lineup.

Global's parent, Shaw Media, announced a prime-time roster that includes six new dramas and six new comedies.

They include a small-screen adaptation of John Grisham's "The Firm;" Gellar as a woman who takes over her estranged twin sister's identity in "Ringer"; the rookie cop drama "The 2-2," executive produced by Robert De Niro; and Foley's sitcom "How to be a Gentleman."

The new shows were to be detailed at a glitzy downtown presentation aimed at ad buyers.

Citytv announced its lineup Monday, touting buzzed-about series including the dinosaur drama "Terra Nova" and J.J. Abrams' thriller "Person of Interest."

CTV is set to announce its slate of shows Thursday, while CBC reveals its lineup June 8.

Shaw executive Barbara Williams touted a diverse roster of new and returning favourites, including "Bones," "Family Guy," "Glee," "The Good Wife," "House," "NCIS," "NCIS: LA," "The Office," "The Simpsons" and "Survivor."

Other new dramas include "A Gifted Man," about a surgeon whose dead ex-wife offers guidance from the afterlife and "The Finder," about a former military policeman who can find anything.

Fresh comedies include "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea," inspired by comedian Chelsea Handler's bestselling memoir; the animated series "Allen Gregory" with the voice of Jonah Hill as a precocious seven-year-old; "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" about two best friends raising teenage daughters; and Fran Drescher in "Happily Divorced" as a Los Angeles florist who finds out her husband is gay.

New daytime offerings include "The Talk," with Leah Remini, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, and Julie Chen, while nighttime will be anchored by "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

Global is also adding two established dramas that previously aired on other networks: "Harry's Law" and "Parenthood."

[jon]

TORONTO, June 2, 2011 /CNW/ - From a position of depth and breadth, CTV announced today the premier television schedule in North America for the 2011/12 season, featuring 16 new programs, cherry-picked from Hollywood's top studios, along with the majority of Canada's current list of most-watched television programs. The announcement was made by Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports, in advance of the network's Upfront presentation today in Toronto. The new series include the most-coveted franchise programs available, headlined by the hottest new competition series on the planet, Simon Cowell's THE X FACTOR. This Fall, six new dramas, four new comedies, one new daytime series, and one additional new reality series join CTV, Canada's most-watched network for the 10th year in a row, and its sister network CTV Two (previously /A\), with three new dramas slated for mid-season.

"The easiest thing to do would be to sit on our #1 schedule and not make any moves," said King. "But our acquisitions are so strong, they are cracking the CTV lineup in Year One. We strongly believe some of our new series represent the next generation of TV hits."

Additionally, it was announced that CTV has secured the digital rights to all of its new scripted programs - and a significant amount of its current lineup. CTV will make them available on all four screens for catch-up viewing, and will expand the content available through the Bell Media for Mobile offering available to all Canadian wireless operators.

Nine new Fall titles will strategically populate a recharged CTV schedule loaded with returning Top 20 hits, while four new Fall programs are headed to the newly-minted CTV Two network. Additionally, three cornerstone CTV Top 20 hits also move to CTV Two, as the build-out begins for Canada's next emerging network.

"What makes CTV so strong year-over-year is a schedule deep with dependable veteran performers, solid sophomores, and big-buzz rookie shows," continued King. "Additionally, CTV's schedule delivers not only because of its perfect mix of drama, comedy and reality, but also because of its breadth, with hits on every night and in every timeslot."

Taking five out of seven nights, CTV ends the 2010/11 television season winning 16 out of 21 timeslots for total viewers and 14 out of 21 for A25-54 and A18-49.* CTV also ends the season with more Top 20 hits than all other networks combined. Next season, the network will be home to 15 of the Top 20 returning programs in Canada, along with the most successful new programs from the current season, including the #1 new comedy, drama and reality series.

2011/12 Pedigree

CTV and CTV Two's new series come with incredible pedigree, featuring some of the industry's hottest stars, producers and writers, including: famed British music executive and producer, Simon Cowell; legendary producer Steven Spielberg; world-renowned journalist, Anderson Cooper; TV hit-maker Darren Star; seven-time, Emmy® Award-winning producer and director Tommy Schlamme; incomparable comedy producer Lorne Michaels; Emmy® Award-winning actress, Debra Messing; much-loved television and film actress, Christina Applegate; break-out writer/producer/comedian Whitney Cummings; beloved TV personality Paula Abdul; inspiring actresses and producers, Christina Ricci and Drew Barrymore; movie stars Ashley Judd and Anjelica Huston; funny guys Hank Azaria and Will Arnett; actor and producer Sean Hayes; Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth; AMERICAN IDOL runner-up Katharine McPhee; and many more.

CTV 2011/12 New Programs

In addition to THE X FACTOR, new series joining the CTV schedule include the one-hour Monday-Friday daytime talk show ANDERSON, hosted by Anderson Cooper, covering everything from social issues to human interest stories; period drama and big buzz series PAN AM, transporting viewers to 1963 and the dawn of the Jet Age, with Emmy® nominated actor Christina Ricci and Québec-native Karine Vanasse; new comedy WHITNEY, a hilarious look at modern love starring break-out comedian Whitney Cummings; crime/mystery UNFORGETTABLE, about a former New York City police detective, played by Emmy® nominated actor Poppy Montgomery, who suffers from a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to remember everything; CHARLIE'S ANGELS, a reboot of the 1976 TV series that inspired two blockbuster movies of the same name; thrilling crime drama GRIMM, inspired by the classic Grimm's Fairy Tales; and fantasy drama ONCE UPON A TIME, a fairytale set in modern times. Also joining the schedule on a high note Saturday nights is THE SING-OFF, the a capella singing competition series that continues to build buzz and deliver blockbuster reviews.

Premiering in mid-season on CTV are three of the most highly-anticipated new series of the year. From executive producer Steven Spielberg, the musical drama SMASH starring Emmy®-winner Debra Messing and AMERICAN IDOL alumnus Katharine McPhee as characters who celebrate the elation and heartbreak of Broadway theatre; social queen bee Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb) returns to her hometown in Texas after her personal life falls to pieces in the new gossipy new dramedy G.C.B., also starring Kristen Chenoweth and Annie Potts; and Ashley Judd returns to prime time in the drama MISSING, charting a mother's desperate search to find her son after he disappears.

In addition to daytime's hottest new series, ANDERSON, CTV also confirmed today that the multi-Emmy® Award-winning THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW will join CTV's powerful lineup of daytime hits, including LIVE! WITH REGIS AND KELLY, THE VIEW, DR. PHIL, THE DR. OZ SHOW, and the #1 Canadian daytime talk show, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, which returns for its second season.

CTV 2011 Fall Prime Time Schedule Changes (all times ET):

Tuesdays: Female-friendly drama UNFORGETTABLE joins the strongest 10 p.m. lineup in the country, in simulcast at 10 p.m.
Wednesdays: The most buzzed-about new series of the year, THE X FACTOR, airs at 8 p.m., followed by Canada's #1 new comedy, HOT IN CLEVELAND at 9:30 p.m. CSI moves to Wednesdays in simulcast at 10 p.m.
Thursdays: CHARLIE'S ANGELS kicks off TV's biggest night at 7 p.m., with new comedy WHITNEY landing the dream 8:30 p.m. timeslot following Canada's #1 TV series, THE BIG BANG THEORY.
Fridays: New supernatural series GRIMM joins the schedule at 8 p.m.
Saturdays: CTV launches a new Saturday night programming strategy with two-hour competition series THE SING-OFF at 8 p.m.
Sundays: Family-friendly ONCE UPON A TIME joins the schedule at 7 p.m leading into THE AMAZING RACE, while at 10 p.m., PAN AM is paired with DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.
CTV Returning Series

Canada's #1 program in all demos, THE BIG BANG THEORY
Canada's #1 drama GREY'S ANATOMY
Canada's #1 new comedy HOT IN CLEVELAND
Canada's #1 new drama BLUE BLOODS
Canada's #1 reality series AMERICAN IDOL
Canada's #1 Canadian drama FLASHPOINT
Canada's #1 entertainment program ETALK
Canada's #1 newscast, CTV NATIONAL NEWS
Also returning are Top 20 hits THE AMAZING RACE (#4), THE MENTALIST (#7), DANCING WITH THE STARS (#8), DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (#16), CASTLE (#18), and CSI: NEW YORK (#20).

CTV is also home to television's biggest event programming in 2011/12, including Canada's most-watched television broadcasts, THE 84th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS® and SUPER BOWL XLVI, live from Indianapolis. Additional big-ticket specials include THE 63rd PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS, THE 2012 JUNO AWARDS, and more. CTV's leading late-night lineup continues with CONAN, THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART and THE COLBERT REPORT.

CTV Two 2011/12 New Programs

The newly announced CTV Two, set to launch in High Definition in the Fall and accessible to nearly 90% of viewers in English Canada, adds a roster of eight new programs to its lineup. "X" also marks the spot on CTV Two, as the results episodes of this year's hottest show, THE X FACTOR, debuts Thursdays. Additionally, Lorne Michaels' new parental comedy UP ALL NIGHT, starring TV superstars Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as new parents dealing with the surprise of pregnancy and arrival of their first child; new comedy FREE AGENTS, with Emmy® Winner Hank Azaria finding himself in a casual, intimate and awkward relationship with a co-worker; new comedy MAN UP, about three modern guys faced with an opportunity to be like their forefathers and finally "man up" and THE PROTECTOR, starring Ally Walker as an LAPD homicide detective and single mother trying to juggle her personal and professional life.

Meanwhile, three hit crime dramas find permanent homes on the CTV Two schedule, including 2010/11 Top 20 hits CRIMINAL MINDS (#5) and CSI: MIAMI (#14), along with LAW & ORDER: SVU, all in simulcast.

After much tweeting and drama, Canada's #2 half-hour comedy returns with a new character, in one of the most talked about casting decisions in recent television history: Ashton Kutcher joins the cast of TWO AND A HALF MEN.

CTV Two 2011 Fall Prime Time Schedule Changes:

Mondays: SANCTUARY joins the lineup at 8 p.m. Then, the first of three comedy power hours gets under way at 9 p.m. with Top 20 hit TWO AND A HALF MEN (#13), followed by Canada's #2 rookie comedy, MIKE & MOLLY at 9:30 p.m. Additionally, Top 10 hit THE MENTALIST premieres in syndication at 10 p.m.
Tuesdays: CTV Two's second comedy power hour sees THE BIG BANG THEORY (8 p.m.) paired with new comedy MAN UP in simulcast at 8:30 p.m. Undiscovered drama gem THE PROTECTOR follows at 9 p.m.
Wednesdays: It's a full night of simulcasts with the third comedy power hour from 8-9 p.m., featuring new comedies UP ALL NIGHT followed by FREE AGENTS. Top 10 hit CRIMINAL MINDS airs at 9 p.m., followed by LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT at 10 p.m.
Thursdays: The Fall's biggest show THE X FACTOR anchors CTV Two's Thursday night lineup at 8 p.m., followed by AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL at 9 p.m.
Fridays: Another full-simulcast night, with NIKITA at 8 p.m., SHARK TANK at 9 p.m. and DATELINE at 10 p.m.
Saturdays: Home-grown hits THE LISTENER and FLASHPOINT join CTV Two Saturday nights at 7 and 8 p.m., followed by THE CTV MOVIE at 9 p.m.
Sundays: THE CTV MOVIE features a long lineup of first-run Hollywood movies, including the next Twilight and Harry Potter movies. Closing the night, CSI: MIAMI airs in simulcast at 10 p.m.
London 2012

From Fall to mid-season, CTV has the best new programming covered. And then we turn our attention to Summer and the biggest event of the year.

London 2012 will be Canada's greatest Summer Games ever, and Canadians can experience the action, emotion and exhilaration with more than 5,000 hours of coverage, led by CTV's suite of media assets, including TSN and RDS. CTV will once again deliver the power of choice, giving viewers the opportunity to watch what they want, when they want and how they want.

Whether it's on television, online or on the go, CTV's unrivalled storytelling will bring Canada's dynamic team to the forefront, as Canada is poised for its best medal performance ever at a fully-attended Summer Games. CTV's robust digital viewing experience includes live coverage, highlights and full replays from the state-of-the-art video player featuring HD and PVR capabilities, as well as on-the-go viewing with mobile devices plus far-reaching social media integration that best serves Canadians' evolving lifestyle and daily routine.

About CTV Two

Available from coast-to-coast this Fall, CTV Two will feature a dynamic mix of drama, comedy and reality programming on CTV's second conventional network. CTV Two spotlights day-to-day life in local communities in Vancouver/Victoria, Toronto/Barrie, Ottawa, London, Windsor and Atlantic Canada through its award-winning local news programming. Reaching 89% of English Canadian viewers and available in stunning High Definition, CTV Two is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company.

[jon]

CBC's Fall Lineup

TORONTO (CP) - An elimination-style music competition, a new comedy from Don McKellar, a sexy fantasy from the makers of "The Tudors" and a series of 75th anniversary specials are among the highlights of CBC's upcoming fall TV schedule.

The public broadcaster says it's beefing up its Sunday lineup with the reality series "Cover Me Canada," hosted by former All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, and a new season of the skating series "Battle of the Blades."

Meanwhile, McKellar directs and Bob Martin writes the new comedy "Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays"; Canadian comic Gerry Dee helms "Mr. D"; CBC Radio's "The Debaters" makes the leap to TV; and the epic sword series "Camelot," starring Joseph Fiennes, takes over Tuesday.

Mid-season additions include Kevin O'Leary's reality series "Redemption Inc.," a one-hour adventure series about a maverick airline based in Yellowknife called "Arctic Air" and the sequel to last year's Don Cherry biopic "Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story, Part 2."

Appleton, McKellar, as well as supporting cast from "Camelot" and "Battle of the Blades" were among the stars set to attend a presentation at CBC headquarters this afternoon.

Citytv, CTV, and Global revealed their lineups last week, touting big-budget US purchases including Citytv's dinosaur drama "Terra Nova," Global's North American reboot of "Prime Suspect" and CTV's Simon Cowell series, "The X Factor."

Kirstine Stewart, who took over from previous English Services boss Richard Stursberg last summer, says the CBC heads into its 75th season "in an exceptionally strong position."

"And the fact that we're able to build this on the basis of Canadian programming, I think, is really starting to stand out compared to some of the other broadcasters who understandably use other programming," she said Wednesday before the presentation.

CBC says it will mark its landmark birthday with 75 days of specials. They begin Aug. 21 with the documentary, "1 Day (1 jour)," which captures one day in the life of Canada.

On Sept. 4, Martin Short helms the one-hour special, "Long Story Short: CBC Turns 75," featuring memorable TV and radio moments from the CBC archives and guests Anne Murray, Norman Jewison, Cynthia Dale, kd lang, and Lorne Michaels.

On Sept. 19, Shawn Doyle ("Endgame," "Desperate Housewives," "Big Love") stars as Sir John A. Macdonald in the TV movie, "John A: The Birth of a Country."

Auditions are already underway for "Cover Me Canada," which debuts Sept. 18.

Until July 8, unsigned Canadian musicians and groups aged 12 and up are invited to submit their take on either Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown," Bryan Adams' "Run To You," Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway" or Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet."

Finalists will compete live on television for a $100,000 cash prize and a recording contract for their first original single to be released by Universal Music Canada.

For sports fans, CBC said it is adding a pre-game show for "Hockey Night In Canada" on Saturday afternoons.

Stewart said she was most excited by the new comedies, especially "Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays." The series stars Martin as a therapist who holds bi-weekly sessions with a patient.

"It's a very thoughtful comedy and I think its cleverness will bring people along but at the same time it's not over-intimidating, it makes you laugh," says Stewart.

"It does touch things in your real life."

Returning fall shows include "Rick Mercer Report," "The Ron James Show," "22 Minutes," "InSecurity," "Republic of Doyle," "Being Erica," and "Dragons' Den," which introduces a new dragon - Lavalife co-founder Bruce Croxon.

CBC's daytime schedule adds the cooking show "In The Kitchen With Stefano Faita" and back-to-back episodes of "Coronation Street." Meanwhile, late night will see "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight," return to its one-hour format.

Series returning midseason include "Republic of Doyle," "Marketplace" and the farewell season of "Little Mosque on the Prairie."