Canadian Upfronts - Fall 2016

[Sal]

When the major US networks held their upfronts last week, representatives from the Canadian networks were there taking notes and plotting strategies to decide which of the new fall series to buy for their schedules. Their findings will be revealed this week during Canadian Upfronts Week. The only network that didn't participate is CBC, who held their big fall unveiling last week and which I'll talk about first:



CBC


As usual, CBC will offer a 100% Canadian homegrown programming schedule, highlighted as always by Hockey Night In Canada on Saturday nights, which may only have 2 years left on CBC depending on whether the NHL and Rogers feel it's worth keeping there for much longer. On the programming front, they will add 3 new comedies for Sept. 2016:

"Kim's Convenience" about a Korean-Canadian family working in a convenience store (like a modern version of "King Of Kensington"); "Working Moms" about women who try to balance their careers with their families; and the return of "Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays" which had previously appeared on CBC during the 2011-12 season.

A lot of old favorites---in some cases, very old---will be back on CBC this fall, including the Rick Mercer Report, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Just For Laughs, Dragon's Den, Murdoch Mysteries, Heartland, and Schitt's Creek.

Press Release and Schedule

CBC News Blog



CBC does not figure to pose much of a threat to the other networks so the real battle for viewers will begin this week. This is how the upfronts schedule will shape up:



Monday June 6 --- Rogers Media

Main OTA Networks: City TV, OMNI TV

Specialty Networks: Sportsnet, FX Canada, FXX, Treehouse, The Shopping Channel, Leafs TV, NBA TV Canada, Viceland, OLN

Streaming services: Shomi



Wednesday June 8 --- Bell Media

OTA: CTV, CTV Two

Specialty: TSN, MTV, MTV2, Much, M3, The Comedy Network, Comedy Gold, Discovery, Space, Bravo, and others

Streaming: Crave TV


Thursday June 9 ---- Corus Media (new owners of Shaw Media)

OTA; Global

Specialty: All former Shaw stations, including DejaView, Action, Dtour, Food Network, History, H2, HGTV, IFC, Lifetime, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Showcase, Slice, Disney Channel and all Disney-related channels, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Cartoon Network, Treehouse, Teletoon, ABC Spark, YTV, CMT, OWN, Sundance, W Network, W Movies.

Thursday June 16--- CHCH TV Hamilton

All others: TBA

I will have full details in this space after each event.

[Sal]

In the second of a series highlighting the Canadian networks during Fall Upfront Week, today I will look at CITY TV, part of the Rogers Media family.


CITY TV

This fall, CITY is thinking big in trying to become Canada's most-watched network. They will be adding three of the most anticipated and buzzed about new dramas of the fall in Lethal Weapon, 24: Legacy, and Prison Break along with three original Canadian series Bad Blood: The Vito Rizzuto Story, Nirvanna The Band The Show, and Second Jen, one of three new sitcoms to join the schedule. The others are Son Of Zorn and The Odd Couple, which CITY acquired from CTV. CITY will lean heavily on comedy this fall with at least 3 full nights devoted to sitcoms in primetime, including Thursdays once the NFL simulcasts with CBS end Oct. 20. The other big news is that CITY will show a number of "big event" specials throughout the year that will include: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hairspray Live!, The Grammy Awards, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. In midseason, CITY will add Shots Fired, The Mick, Little Big Shots, and Making History. CITY will also carry Hockey Night In Canada during the 2016-17 season as well as NFL football on Thursdays from Sept. 15-Oct. 20.


Press Release

Shows

Fall Preview

[Sal]

CTV/CTV Two


CTV has become Canada's most watched network for an unprecedented and incredible 15 straight seasons, helped by the presence of Canada's most popular series "The Big Bang Theory" and a strong overall prime time lineup which this fall will feature at least one new drama series each weeknight. These new series are: Conviction, This Is Us, Designated Survivor, Notorious, and The Exorcist. Weekends will feature only one new show, the sitcom American Housewife Saturdays at 8:30. The only other new comedy series that they are planning to show will not be on until midseason and will star Canadian standup comic Russell Peters in "Russell Peters Is The Indian Detective".

With their place as #1 in primetime viewers seeming relatively secure, CTV has instead saved their biggest bombshell for the daytime hours. On Friday, June 3rd, 2016, CTV's iconic morning show Canada AM, which had been a mainstay for 43 years, was suddenly cancelled, which was a huge shock to everyone involved. Last Monday, it was replaced with a new show called Your Morning, which is essentially the same show but with a new format and new hosts Ben Mulroney and Anne-Marie Mediwake. I give it 43 weeks, tops!

Press Release

Shows and Videos

Fall Preview

[Sal]

GLOBAL TV

Global will be the last of the major networks that I will focus on regarding their new fall lineup, and at first glance their primetime schedule would appear to be the weakest of the group. Global will feature 5 new dramas---including the new MacGyver remake---and 4 new sitcoms to its schedule. I will predict that neither of the new sitcoms will last very long but then again you never know. They are: Kevin Can Wait, Man With A Plan, The Good Place, and The Great Indoors. All 4 will star familiar faces to sitcom fans (Kevin James, Matt LeBlanc, Ted Danson, Kristin Bell, and Joel McHale) all hoping to repeat their success from previous series. In midseason, Global will add 2 more new dramas, Chicago Justice and Blacklist: Redemption. One other key change to note is the omission of one of last season's new hit series Supergirl. In the US, it will move from CBS to CW. In Canada, it will switch from Global to Showcase, one of its main specialty channels. Only 2 sitcoms will be returning to Global's lineup this fall. Superstore will lead off Thursday nights at 8 pm followed by The Good Place and a new baseball-themed drama The Pitch. The Simpsons will also be back on Sundays at a more reasonable 7:30 pm slot after Global inexplicably left it at 10 pm last season. It looks like this year Global will again have a tough time trying to match CTV and CITY in the ratings.

Press Release

Fall Preview: Videos and Trailers

Fall Preview: Shows

[Sal]

YES TV

With the main networks having announced their fall schedules, the next round of announcements and previews from Canada will come from their many specialty channels, all hoping to grow and develop their viewership or face potential re-branding, or even worse, extinction with the era of pick and pay channel packages now here to stay.

With that in mind, one of Canada's few independent OTA stations, YES TV, has made an exciting new addition for fans of classic TV. As I mentioned on the Game Shows page yesterday, BUZZR TV shows will be coming to Canada. All the great classic game shows that you grew up with that make up BUZZR TV's lineup will all be seen on YES TV beginning Sept. 12. But there is also bad news to go with this. (You knew there had to be a catch, right?) The shows will be on from 1 to 4 AM!! At least I'll be able to tape them so I could watch them later. I can't wait to see what shows up.

The rest of the schedule offers little change and few surprises. Gone will be Family Ties and coming back will be Dr Quinn Medicine Woman. Reruns of King Of Queens, new to YES TV, will precede Everybody Loves Raymond at 9:00 pm. Also new will be a talk show called Harry hosted by entertainer Harry Connick Jr.


Press Release

SCHEDULE

WEEKDAY AFTERNOONS
3:00pm Harry
4:00pm Hot Bench
4:30pm Hot Bench
5:00pm Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

WEEKNIGHTS
6:00pm Judge Judy
6:30pm Judge Judy
7:00pm Wheel of Fortune (Monday thru Saturday)
7:30pm Jeopardy! (Monday thru Saturday)

PRIMETIME
9:00pm The King of Queens
9:30pm Everybody Loves Raymond

LATENIGHT
1:00am to 4:00am BUZZR