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Children's Programming

DHX Media and Amazon Prime strike U.S. exclusive on new animated kids’ series, Looped

From a media release:

DHX Media (or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DHXM; TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B), the world’s leading independent, pure-play kids’ content company, has licensed season one of its new animated comedy series Looped, exclusively for Amazon Prime members in the U.S to stream or download via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online at www.amazon.com/primevideo. This original kids’ series will debut on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 25.

In addition, DHX Media will add five seasons of the classic children’s series The Busy World of Richard Scarry, the first season of the much-loved Madeline series, and the feature special Madeline Sing Along with her Friends, to the U.S. Prime Video catalogue, bringing more popular kids content to the catalogue for Prime members to enjoy.

Looped – Ever wish your life had a reset button, or you knew you were having a pop-quiz before it was popped? Wish you looked like a hero in front of that super cute girl, or knew the star quarterback’s moves before he did? Spoiler alert! In the new animated series Looped, Luc and Theo can do all those things and more. That’s because Luc and Theo are stuck in a time-loop where every day is the same Monday! Produced at DHX Studios and commissioned by TELETOON in Canada, the 2D-animated Looped is filled with the kind of silly and hilarious fun that kids 6-11 love. Looped is created by Todd Kauffman and Mark Thornton of Neptoon Studios, award-winning veterans in the animation industry. (The pair created and directed Grojband. Kauffman also previously co-created Sidekick.)

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Children's Programming, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of July 15

Gisèle in Ottawa?

I was just wondering if by any chance that TVOKids’ Gisèle will be visiting my town of Ottawa this summer? Please let me know; my two girls are big fans. —Pauze

Unfortunately, Gisèle Corinthios, host of Gisèle’s Big Backyard, was one of those affected by cuts at TVO back in April. TVO confirmed she is no longer with the company.

Hello! I just read the news about Gisèle. I have a nine-month old boy who is very much developed in every aspect. Each time he is in his chair having his meal and tea he is also enjoying the kids program. But there is one time when everything stops, and that is when Gisèle is on: he stops eating and a big, bright smile stays on his face until the next show begins. —Florentina

Any more Chef in My Ear on the way?

Are we going to see another season of Chef in My Ear? —HarmonyBell

Here’s the official word from Food Network Canada: “No solid plans as of yet, but keep an eye out here for updates!”

HGTV Canada greenlights two new original series

I used to watch HGTV quite a bit but something that annoyed me was that a few of their shows, such as Property Virgins and House Hunters, featured Canadian locales then switched over to principally American locales and the Canadian versions of those shows eventually disappeared. Also, the channel’s reno shows stayed Southern Ontario-centric. I would have liked to see more Western projects. My husband really enjoys Timber Kings, but that’s about all we watch on HGTV now. I like the show Love It or List It though, especially the Vancouver one but that’s on W Network. I will have to check out the Backyard Builds show, though, because I was a counsellor at a summer camp with Sarah Keenleyside many years ago. —Alicia

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Children's Programming

DHX Television announces casting details for Season 2 of Backstage

From a media release:

DHX Television’s Family Channel and Fresh TV Inc. announced today that production has begun on season two of the tween drama series Backstage. Following a group of elite teen performers at Keaton School of the Arts, the second season is filming in Toronto and will bring 30 new half-hour episodes of the drama, which airs internationally. The sophomore season will introduce a variety of new characters to each of the arts streams, with seven talented young actors joining the cast.

Making their mark in the new season of Backstage are:

  • Thomas L. Colford (Center Stage: On Pointe); plays Beckett, a strong and technically superior dancer who possesses a natural rebel-without-a-cause persona
  • Joshua Kilimnik (Odd Squad, Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool); plays George, a grade nine graphic design student with a wickedly smart intellect that shines through in his art
  • Stephanie La Rochelle (Heartland); plays Frances, a charismatic senior music student who becomes a mentor to the younger musicians
  • Sydney Kuhne (Dino Dan); plays Azadeh, a new student in the fashion design program who is determined to make her mark at Keaton
  • Robert Bazzocchi; plays Aidan, the epitome of heartthrob, chasing the spotlight on his quest to become a famous actor via Keaton’s drama program
  • Corteon Moore; plays Matteo, a senior art student who believes creativity comes directly from the soul and proves to rival Keaton’s resident art star student
  • Hailey Fauchere; plays Mindy, a freshman dancer who is eager to please and succeed, while leaving it all on the dance floor.

Faced with new challenges, friendships, and seven new students, the second season of Backstage opens on a new year at Keaton School of the Arts where the talented performers and artists will find themselves in fierce competition with other schools… and each other. With a huge multi-arts school competition on the horizon, will the pressure tear the students apart? Or bring them closer?

In addition to the new faces joining Backstage, returning cast members include: Josh Bogert (Miles), Aviva Mongillo (Alya), Mckenzie Small (Scarlett), Devyn Nekoda (Vanessa), Alyssa Trask (Carly), Colin Petierre (Sasha), Matthew Isen (Jax), Julia Tomasone (Bianca Blackwell), Romy Weltman (Kit), Kyal Legend (Julie) and Adrianna Di Liello (Jenna).

Backstage was commissioned by DHX Television, and is created by Fresh TV. The series’ Executive Producers are Brian Irving, who also serves as producer; Lara Azzopardi, the series’ co-creator, show runner, writer and director; Jennifer Pertsch, also co-creator; Tom McGillis and George Elliott. Directors for the series include top music video directors RT! (Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, Shane Harte), Director X (Iggy Azalea, T.I., Drake), Wendy Morgan (Dragonette, Janelle Monáe) and Warren Sonoda (Johnny Reid, George Canyon), as well as Mario Azzopardi (Stargate SG-1, The Outer Limits, Degrassi) and Lara Azzopardi (I Am an Apartment Building, Rewind). Backstage is internationally distributed by DHX Media.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Gisèle Corinthios exits TVO’s Big Backyard

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Sad news for fans of Gisèle Corinthios: the host of Gisèle’s Big Backyard is no longer with TVO. As reported back in April, the publicly funded provincial channel had cancelled production of program block, impacting six employees.

TVO confirmed on Friday that Corinthios was one of those impacted.

“TVO receives a fixed transfer from the province. Every year, our $40 million transfer gets relatively smaller as inflation allows it to buy less and less. With limited resources that effectively decline each year, TVO has to reduce costs regularly,” the channel said in a statement.

“With 14 years of production and 800 segments of Gisèle’s Big Backyard in our archive, the two-to-four year old pre-school audience will continue to enjoy GBB’s interstitial content for years to come. Since the pre-school audience turns over every two years, there is a large enough catalogue to maintain high quality service without producing new episodes. Older children require a more interactive experience to engage them, which is why TVO offers a live call-in experience with The Space weekday afternoons.”

The network is touting new original content, including mPower, a new math online in-class resource for kindergarten to Grade 6 and Climate Watch, a look at how climate change is becoming an increasing local issue.

Corinthios had been with TVO since 1998, when she became host of The Nook, which evolved into Gisèle’s Big Backyard.

 

 

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Children's Programming

Link: Kids’ CBC to rebrand

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From Jeremy Dickson of Kidscreen:

Link: Kids’ CBC to rebrand
With a sharpened focus on interactivity across platforms, Canadian pubcaster Kids’ CBC will rebrand to CBC Kids this winter and introduce new content, hosts, puppet characters and a revamped set.

As part of the changes, this fall will be the last season on the network for longtime Kids’ CBC host and associate producer/writer Patty Sullivan.

The award-winning television presenter joined Kids’ CBC in 2003 after a nine-year stint as the host of Canadian provincial pubcaster TVO Kids. Continue reading.

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