From a media release:
CBC Television announces returning shows for 2008/2009; network achieves record success this season
CBC Television broke viewership records with its 2007-2008 programming lineup. Our season-to-date prime-time share is 7.9, the highest in six years. In addition, Canadian content on the network has increased significantly over the last two years, with drama series increasing 68 per cent and comedy series up 41 per cent. This incredible success heralds the return of several new hit shows from this past season and returning favourites.
“This has been an outstanding year for CBC Television,” said Kirstine Layfield, CBC-TV’s executive director of network programming. “These returning shows will be the cornerstone for next season. We’ll be announcing our new shows in the coming weeks.”
Canada’s favourite homegrown drama, The BORDER will be back with James McGowan reprising his role as Major Mike Kessler (right). HEARTLAND, a heart- warming family drama based on the international best-selling novels of the same name is also back after winning the hearts of Canadians. Debuting on CBC to nearly one million viewers, CBC’s hot and steamy co-production THE TUDORS returns for a second season and the drama continues with the marriage of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The charming comedy series SOPHIE, picked up by ABC Family, is also back with star-on-the-rise Natalie Brown returning as the hot-tempered, but loving single mom out to re-balance her life and priorities.
Returning comedy favourites include; RICK MERCER REPORT coming off its best year ever averaging 1 million viewers weekly, LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, AIR FARCE LIVE, JUST FOR LAUGHS, HALIFAX COMEDY FESTIVAL and WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL.
CBC also continues its legacy of award-winning journalism and documentaries with the fifth estate, MARKETPLACE, DOC ZONE and THE NATURE OF THINGS.
Reality fans will see the return of the hit series DRAGONS’ DEN, TRIPLE SENSATION, TEST THE NATION and CANADA’S NEXT GREAT PRIME MINISTER.
THE HOUR with George Stroumboulopoulos is back with A-list interviews and his take on world events. And STEVEN AND CHRIS will continue to add a little bit of fabulous to daytime programming.
Yes, but what about Everest ’82! Put it on already!
I remember a couple of years ago when the incoming regime at CBC dropped a number of shows and said that unless a program attracted a million viewers, it would be deemed a failure. Now, with lacklustre numbers, they renew shows with far smaller audiences and yet Ms. Layfield claims it to be a very successful year for the broadcaster. Methinks they are attempting to protects their collective asses. The best show of the lot, by far was ‘Intelligence.’ Sad to see it go. The rest of their schedule, including ‘The Border,’ ‘Sophie,’ and ‘Heartland’ are trite and poorly executed. The CBC needs to look to HBO as their model for programming. Of course, that would mean having production executives that actually knew what they were doing.
I remember a couple of years ago when the incoming regime at CBC dropped a number of shows and said that unless a program attracted a million viewers, it would be deemed a failure. Now, with lacklustre numbers, they renew shows with far smaller audiences and yet Ms. Layfield claims it to be a very successful year for the broadcaster. Methinks they are attempting to protects their collective asses. The best show of the lot, by far, was ‘Intelligence.’ Sad to see it go. The rest of their schedule, including ‘The Border,’ ‘Sophie,’ and ‘Heartland’ are trite and poorly executed. It’s time for the network execs to take some responsibility for the mediocrity their creating. The CBC needs to look to HBO as their model for programming. Of course, that would mean having production executives that actually knew what they were doing. I wonder if Norman Jewison would be willing to take over? But then, he’s not a lawyer or an agent or formerly worked as a programmer at the Food Network.