Canuck broadcasters likely absent at upfronts - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Sal · 05-19-2010, 07:14 PM

For Canadian broadcasters as well as the US networks, this would normally be their busiest time of the year. Normally, network reps will travel to Los Angeles and follow the upfronts closely as they try to figure out which new series and returning favourites to import to the Canadian networks and their countless specialty channels. However, this week, they have chosen to conduct their business in a different manner, as indicated in this article from the Hollywood Reporter:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canuck broadcasters likely absent at upfronts

Instead will fly directly to Los Angeles for deal-making

By Etan Vlessing

May 10, 2010, 02:26 PM ET

TORONTO -- Canadian broadcasters will mostly be no-shows at next week's U.S. network upfront presentations to advertisers in New York City.

The Canucks will instead fly directly to Los Angeles for deal-making with their Hollywood suppliers from May 17, in the same week as the May upfronts.

In previous years, Canadian broadcasters attended the upfront presentations before flying west to the informal Screenings market to shell out for new shows alongside international buyers.

But this year the Canucks, who do volume buying via output deals, have already been mostly briefed on new pilots and cancellations, leaving them ready to finalize their fall schedules by screening rookie pilots next week.

Officially, the Canadians are set to do their deal-making on Friday, May 21, but will likely jump the gun and conclude the bulk of their deal-making before the week's end.

Privately, the Canadians indicate that, in an age of video-conferencing, it doesn't make sense financially or time-wise to be on the ground at the upfront presentations before flying to the Screenings.

Canadian network execs can either see the upfront presentations from their offices in Toronto, or their Los Angeles bases, via live or recorded video feeds.

What's more, the upfront presentations offer snippets of new pilots, and the Canadians want to see full episodes in Los Angeles as soon as possible.

The Canucks will also front-end load their studio screenings early next week with their traditional suppliers.

Canwest Global tends to volume buy with CBS Studios International TV, Sony Pictures Television International and 20th Century Fox Television Distribution, while rival CTV saddles up to Warner Bros. International TV and Disney/ABC International Television to fill its shopping basket.

NBC Universal last year split its product mostly between Rogers Media, which returns this year to buy for its Citytv local stations and OMNI-branded stations, and Canwest Global's Global Television network.

Besides calling the Canadians to Los Angeles early to do their business, their studio suppliers will also learn next week whether they can continue an enviable record of securing primetime series price hikes from the Canucks, despite a TV ad slump and the economic downturn.

© 2010 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at many of the new series that have been planned for this fall, it seems to me that skipping the upfronts sounds like a good strategy. Why go through all that agony when you can suffer in silence? Now that the 4 major US networks have their fall schedules firmly in place, the Canadian networks should have theirs done by the end of the week. This Monday is Victoria Day in Canada so I would expect the first official announcements to be in on Tuesday. When that happens, I'll publish the results here.

DSfan · 05-20-2010, 01:55 PM

Thanks for posting. As a Canadian, nice to get see of our news too once in a while!

Sal · 05-25-2010, 06:04 PM

Thanks for the compliment. I'll do the best I can!

The Canadian networks have now returned home after screening the new US fall lineups and have stocked up with several new series to show for their networks and specialty channels this fall. Once they decide where to fit them in, the final results will then be announced. With more details, I have found this article from the online version of the Hollywood Reporter:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canucks stock up at L.A. Screenings

Major broadcasters return home with a slate of studio product

By Etan Vlessing

May 21, 2010, 10:42 AM ET

TORONTO -- Major Canadian broadcasters on Friday headed home from the Los Angeles Screenings with several fresh U.S. shows to complete their fall TV schedules.

Canwest Global Communications Corp. picked up a slate of CBS Studios product, including the remake of "Hawaii Five-O" for Mondays at 10 p.m., and grabbed a package from Twentieth Century Fox led by the buzz-worthy "Ride-Along" and the mid-season Steven Spielberg series "Terra Nova" for Fox.

In all, Canwest Global acquired an estimated 15 new series for its Global Television network as it continues to play catch-up with Canadian primetime leader CTV.

CTV, with incumbency on its main network, bought mostly for its secondary A Channel network on Thursday night, picking up Chuck Lorre's latest comedy, "Mike & Molly," from Warner Bros. Television for Mondays at 9.30 p.m.

The CBS comedy will receive a lead-in from "Two and a Half Men," already a CTV performer.

Other Warner Bros pick-ups for CTV include "$#*! My Dad Says," which stars Canadian-born actor William Shatner, on Thursdays at 8.30 p.m.

Warner Bros. also sold CTV the two new series on CW next season, the action-drama "Nikita," and "Hellcats" from Bonanza/Warner Bros./CBS TV.

The Canadians buy on the hop in Los Angeles as they typically simulcast, or air American prime time series in the same time slot as they hold on U.S. networks south of the border, to maximize audience and advertising revenues.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Incidentally, if you're one of those people who love to guess which new shows will fail and get cancelled quickly, one good way to find out would be to see which new series do not get picked up by a Canadian network. That would be a sure sign that they will not last very long on either side of the border.

The upfront schedules will be as follows:

Canwest/Global Wednesday June 2nd

CTV Thursday June 3

CBC Not sure, but I would guess June 4.

Full details to follow....

DSfan · 05-26-2010, 12:28 AM

I don't get why they don't (if they're allowed to, which I'm not sure) air the shows at an earlier hour or day.

If I'm not mistaken, Friends would air on Global (new episodes) at 730 and then NBC would only air it at 8 so you could see the episode 30 min before those in America could. I found that to be pretty remarkable considering it's not a Canadian show!

05-19-2010, 07:14 PM	#1
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,148	Canuck broadcasters likely absent at upfronts For Canadian broadcasters as well as the US networks, this would normally be their busiest time of the year. Normally, network reps will travel to Los Angeles and follow the upfronts closely as they try to figure out which new series and returning favourites to import to the Canadian networks and their countless specialty channels. However, this week, they have chosen to conduct their business in a different manner, as indicated in this article from the Hollywood Reporter: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canuck broadcasters likely absent at upfronts Instead will fly directly to Los Angeles for deal-making By Etan Vlessing May 10, 2010, 02:26 PM ET TORONTO -- Canadian broadcasters will mostly be no-shows at next week's U.S. network upfront presentations to advertisers in New York City. The Canucks will instead fly directly to Los Angeles for deal-making with their Hollywood suppliers from May 17, in the same week as the May upfronts. In previous years, Canadian broadcasters attended the upfront presentations before flying west to the informal Screenings market to shell out for new shows alongside international buyers. But this year the Canucks, who do volume buying via output deals, have already been mostly briefed on new pilots and cancellations, leaving them ready to finalize their fall schedules by screening rookie pilots next week. Officially, the Canadians are set to do their deal-making on Friday, May 21, but will likely jump the gun and conclude the bulk of their deal-making before the week's end. Privately, the Canadians indicate that, in an age of video-conferencing, it doesn't make sense financially or time-wise to be on the ground at the upfront presentations before flying to the Screenings. Canadian network execs can either see the upfront presentations from their offices in Toronto, or their Los Angeles bases, via live or recorded video feeds. What's more, the upfront presentations offer snippets of new pilots, and the Canadians want to see full episodes in Los Angeles as soon as possible. The Canucks will also front-end load their studio screenings early next week with their traditional suppliers. Canwest Global tends to volume buy with CBS Studios International TV, Sony Pictures Television International and 20th Century Fox Television Distribution, while rival CTV saddles up to Warner Bros. International TV and Disney/ABC International Television to fill its shopping basket. NBC Universal last year split its product mostly between Rogers Media, which returns this year to buy for its Citytv local stations and OMNI-branded stations, and Canwest Global's Global Television network. Besides calling the Canadians to Los Angeles early to do their business, their studio suppliers will also learn next week whether they can continue an enviable record of securing primetime series price hikes from the Canucks, despite a TV ad slump and the economic downturn. © 2010 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looking at many of the new series that have been planned for this fall, it seems to me that skipping the upfronts sounds like a good strategy. Why go through all that agony when you can suffer in silence? Now that the 4 major US networks have their fall schedules firmly in place, the Canadian networks should have theirs done by the end of the week. This Monday is Victoria Day in Canada so I would expect the first official announcements to be in on Tuesday. When that happens, I'll publish the results here.
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05-20-2010, 01:55 PM	#2
DSfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,204	Thanks for posting. As a Canadian, nice to get see of our news too once in a while!

05-25-2010, 06:04 PM	#3
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,148	Thanks for the compliment. I'll do the best I can! The Canadian networks have now returned home after screening the new US fall lineups and have stocked up with several new series to show for their networks and specialty channels this fall. Once they decide where to fit them in, the final results will then be announced. With more details, I have found this article from the online version of the Hollywood Reporter: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canucks stock up at L.A. Screenings Major broadcasters return home with a slate of studio product By Etan Vlessing May 21, 2010, 10:42 AM ET TORONTO -- Major Canadian broadcasters on Friday headed home from the Los Angeles Screenings with several fresh U.S. shows to complete their fall TV schedules. Canwest Global Communications Corp. picked up a slate of CBS Studios product, including the remake of "Hawaii Five-O" for Mondays at 10 p.m., and grabbed a package from Twentieth Century Fox led by the buzz-worthy "Ride-Along" and the mid-season Steven Spielberg series "Terra Nova" for Fox. In all, Canwest Global acquired an estimated 15 new series for its Global Television network as it continues to play catch-up with Canadian primetime leader CTV. CTV, with incumbency on its main network, bought mostly for its secondary A Channel network on Thursday night, picking up Chuck Lorre's latest comedy, "Mike & Molly," from Warner Bros. Television for Mondays at 9.30 p.m. The CBS comedy will receive a lead-in from "Two and a Half Men," already a CTV performer. Other Warner Bros pick-ups for CTV include "$#! My Dad Says," which stars Canadian-born actor William Shatner, on Thursdays at 8.30 p.m. Warner Bros. also sold CTV the two new series on CW next season, the action-drama "Nikita," and "Hellcats" from Bonanza/Warner Bros./CBS TV. The Canadians buy on the hop in Los Angeles as they typically simulcast, or air American prime time series in the same time slot as they hold on U.S. networks south of the border, to maximize audience and advertising revenues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Incidentally, if you're one of those people who love to guess which new shows will fail and get cancelled quickly, one good way to find out would be to see which new series do not* get picked up by a Canadian network. That would be a sure sign that they will not last very long on either side of the border. The upfront schedules will be as follows: Canwest/Global Wednesday June 2nd CTV Thursday June 3 CBC Not sure, but I would guess June 4. Full details to follow....

05-26-2010, 12:28 AM	#4
DSfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,204	I don't get why they don't (if they're allowed to, which I'm not sure) air the shows at an earlier hour or day. If I'm not mistaken, Friends would air on Global (new episodes) at 730 and then NBC would only air it at 8 so you could see the episode 30 min before those in America could. I found that to be pretty remarkable considering it's not a Canadian show!