Yearly Archives: 2015

Industry News

Castalia and Canada’s APTN Partner On New TV Channel For Native Americans

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From Jennie Punter of Variety:

Castalia and Canada’s APTN Partner On New TV Channel For Native Americans
Atlanta-based Castalia Communications has partnered with Canada’s APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) to develop a cable channel aimed at Native Americans and other viewers with an interest in the culture.

“APTN has done an excellent job of entertaining and informing Aboriginal audiences throughout Canada,” said Castalia founder and prexy Luis Torres-Bohl, who confirmed his international media business development company is now in conversation with all major U.S. cable, satellite, and telcos. “We are excited by the opportunity to now bring this relevant, high-quality TV option to a clearly underserved segment of the U.S. population.” Continue reading.

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Masterchef Canada

CTV Orders Up a Third Course of MasterChef Canada

From a media release:

As the timer runs out on the final three episodes of Season 2, CTV announced today an early Season 3 order for its hit culinary competition series MASTERCHEF CANADA for the for the 2015/2016 broadcast season. Casting for home cooks is open now at CTV.ca/MasterChefCanada, and production is set to begin this fall in Toronto on a new 15-episode season from Proper Television. Esteemed Canadian judges Michael Bonacini (O&B restaurant empire), Alvin Leung (Bo Innovation in Hong Kong), and Claudio Aprile (Origin Restaurants) are set to return for Season 3 to again mentor and challenge everyday Canadians to help elevate their cooking and presentation to a professional level, as they cook to win a $100,000 cash prize and the title of MASTERCHEF CANADA.

Season 2 of MASTERCHEF CANADA remains the #1 Canadian series among the key A18-49 and A25-54 demos for the broadcast year to date, and has a season average of 1.6 million viewers. The culinary competition is a Top 20 show with total viewers and a Top 15 show in all key demos this spring.

MASTERCHEF CANADA is looking for passionate and talented home cooks who want to pursue their culinary dream. Details on how to apply for MASTERCHEF CANADA Season 3 are available at CTV.ca/MasterChefCanada, and Canadian home cooks have until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 19, 2015 to show their interest. Interviews are slated to take place in June and July, and applicants are encouraged to apply early to meet producers when they are in their region. Casting will come to an end with an Open Casting Call in Toronto on July 18 and 19, with additional details to be announced this summer.

The MASTERCHEF format is represented internationally by Endemol Shine Group, and is based on a format originally created by Franc Roddam.

MASTERCHEF CANADA is produced by Proper Television in association with CTV. President of Proper Television, Guy O’Sullivan is executive producer, along with Proper’s Vice-President and Creative Director, Cathie James. For Bell Media, Tina Apostolopoulos is Production Executive, Factual and Reality, Independent Production. Robin Johnston is Director, Factual and Reality, Independent Production. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV. Phil King is President – CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Hockey Wives Scores a Second Season on W Network

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment is pleased to announce that W Network‘s newest hit original series, Hockey Wives has been green lit for a second season. The docu-series from Bristow Global Media Inc. will continue to explore the wives and girlfriends of some of professional hockey’s top players over the course of a season. Hockey Wives is part of the slate of original series including Property Brothers, the Love It or List It franchise, and Say Yes to the Dress Canada that has made W Network the top-rated network amongst women’s networks in Canada.

Following the success of the first season the series will continue to have unmatched access to the off-the-ice lives of the women who are the captains of their families, careers and relationships.

The success of the first season of Hockey Wives has extended beyond the linear airings. Fans have engaged online with the no-holds-barred post-show Google Hangout, featuring the wives live talking with guest hosts including TV host Jessi Cruickshank, the edge’s Josie Dye, sports reporter Monika Platek and more. The series has become a fan favourite with social media audiences; with #HOCKEYWIVES a repeat trending topic across Canada; user generated shareable content including Buzzfeed articles, YouTube reviews and memes. The finale of season one airs Wednesday, May 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Produced by Bristow Global Media Inc. in association with W Network, Hockey Wives airs on W Network. Executive Producers are Julie Bristow President & CEO Bristow Global Media and Claire Adams, Head of Content, Bristow Global Media and Megan Sanchez-Warner. John MacDonald is the Vice President of Television and Head of Women’s and Family Television for Corus Entertainment.

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Featured, Remedy

Review: Rock bottom on Remedy

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So Griff is back at square one, and I gotta say I’m not too happy about it.

See, I thought Griff and Zoe were going to be an unstoppable team, a couple that supported each other through good and bad. After everything Griff went through last season—kicking drugs, earning his family’s trust and deserving a second chance to be a dependable dude—and this is where we’re left? Griff fired from work, kicked out of the apartment and walking down the street alone? I trust Remedy‘s writing team immensely and having Griff backslide is certainly realistic. But as a Remedy fan? I don’t like that I’ve gone through a roller coaster with him this year only to see this happen again. With only three more episodes to go, can Griff pull off a happy ending? Doubtful.

Mel certainly looks happy, doesn’t she? Though part of me really wanted to see Mel play floor hockey, she and Cutler needed to chat about Dallas. And unless there is a major shakeup on the show, Mel won’t be going to the Lone Star state. Still, Cutler is good for her and perhaps she’ll spend a few weeks with him down there. Assuming, of course, that he really does leave Beth-H in his rear view mirror. After spending her time worrying about what her family thinks, it was a major triumph for Mel to shed that and let loose with Cutler for the night. (And she looked pretty damned good in that cowboy hat.)

“Everything in Moderation” also featured an interesting storyline concerning Faith (Bahia Watson), a young woman with anxiety issues and missing her dead mother. Migraine headaches, coughing up blood and dizziness concerned Allen immensely and it took until nearly the end of the episode for him to figure out Faith had become infected with a hantavirus from mouse droppings. (Insert shudder here.) Allen’s need to parent Griff matched perfectly with Faith’s feeling of loss; the two made a cute pair if just for a few moments.

Also, was anyone else hoping Darryl Sittler would do a little more than what he did?

Notes and quotes

  • I love Nurse Patel. There, I said it.
  • Sandy trying to get her patient to eat by treating her like Maya was hilarious.
  • That young guy really, really, doesn’t want to work construction.

Remedy airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Global.

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Children's Programming

DHX Media’s Make It Pop Commissioned by Nickelodeon for Season 2

From a media release:

DHX Media Ltd. (“DHX” or the “Company”) (TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B), a key player internationally in the creation of content for families and children, has been commissioned by Nickelodeon to produce a second season of its hit live-action, tween series, Make It Pop. The 20-episode order will be filmed at DHX’s Epitome Studio, in Toronto, Canada. Make It Pop season one will debut on Nickelodeon’s international channels beginning this summer.

Make It Pop is Nickelodeon’s #1 show with K6-11 and G6-11. The series ranks as the most-watched long-form content on Nick.com and on the Nick App.

Make It Pop is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Lynch and Cannon also serve as executive producers with DHX Media’s Steven DeNure and Anne Loi. DHX Media also handles global distribution and brand management for Make It Pop, as well as merchandising and licensing through appointed agency, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd. (CPLG). Music supervision is by Peter Coquillard and Pilar McCurry of Silva Music Publishing, and the show’s band XO-IQ, is managed by Bill Silva Entertainment.

The show is a half-hour comedic, music-infused daily scripted series that follows three unique girls – social-media maven Sun Hi (Megan Lee), bookish Corki (Erika Tham), and fashion-forward Jodi (Louriza Tronco) – who come together with DJ hopeful Caleb (Dale Whibley) over their love of music to form their own K-pop inspired band. Each episode features original songs and performances with a K-pop twist and an EDM beat from the show’s band, XO-IQ.

Filled with new songs, lots of laughs and heart, season two sees Sun Hi, Corki, Jodi and Caleb continue their coming-of-age journey.  After their triumph with the school musical, the band XO-IQ is called upon to represent Mackendrick Prep at a high stakes battle of bands and a new musical rival emerges.

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