Everything about Dragons’ Den, eh?

Dragons' Den, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Rick Mercer Report

In the news: CBC’s new schedule

CBC breathlessly covers their own schedule unveiling:

  • Upbeat ceremony sheds light on new CBC-TV season
    “The high-energy presentation kicked off with a nod to the CBC’s recent runaway hit, Little Mosque on the Prairie, which was given the heady title of “saviour of the CBC” and is one of next season’s highlights. … Other surprise hits set for sophomore seasons include crime drama Intelligence, the entrepreneur-based reality show Dragon’s Den and a language-related edition of the quiz show Test the Nation.”
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Dragons' Den, Heartland, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Rick Mercer Report

CBC’s fall schedule

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A media release from CBC:

CBC Television today announced its fall 2007 television schedule, featuring new home-grown drama, a riveting historical epic, a strengthened sports offer, great new reality shows, as well as the return of the best shows from last year.

Among the many new shows that Canadian viewers can look forward to: the much-anticipated, sweeping and sexy historical miniseries The Tudors, which documents the life of a young Henry VIII and stars Jonathan Rhys-Myers and Henry Czerny; veteran TV personality Phil Keoghan of The Amazing Race gives Canadians the chance to ditch the excuses, face their fears and seize a life-changing experience in No Opportunity Wasted (NOW); Heartland, a gripping family drama set in the Alberta Rockies; Mordecai Richler’s St. Urbain’s Horseman, the first television miniseries of a Richler book, starring David Julian Hirsh, Elliott Gould and Andrea Martin; Triple Sensation, a nation-wide search for Canada’s next stars – the most promising young performers from 16 to 26 who can act, sing and dance; and a groundbreaking documentary series on the geology of Canada from The Nature of Things – Geologic Journey.

Following last season’s smash success, international sensation Little Mosque on the Prairie returns for a second season and 20 episodes, with the residents of Mercy in a whole new set of hilarious situations. Chris Haddock’s critically acclaimed and gripping drama series Intelligence also returns with stars Ian Tracey and Klea Scott. After a successful 2006 fall-season debut, Dragons’ Den returns with 10 new one-hour episodes, giving aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of wealthy business people – the Dragons. A feisty new Dragon, Arlene Dickinson, President and CEO of Calgary-based Venture Communications, joins the panel this season. The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos also returns for a new season of guest interviews, musical performances and news served straight up.

“We’ve built a schedule that delivers something for everyone,” said Kirstine Layfield, executive director of network programming, CBC Television. “From Little Mosque on the Prairie to Test the Nation, from our all-new reality show No Opportunity Wasted to long-standing favourites like Rick Mercer Report, we’re really excited about what’s coming this Fall.”

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Dragons' Den

In the news: CBC’s ‘self-destruction’

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Ira Wagman writes in Geist (via The Tyee) about CBC’s change in direction in order to attracte younger viewers:

  • The Self-Destruction of the CBC
    “The result of this new strategy has been as embarrassing and awkward as an old person in a Fubu sweatsuit. Reality shows such as Dragon’s Den and the recently unveiled Fashion File Host Hunt are pale imitations of programs airing on other networks, like The Apprentice or MuchMusic VJ Search. Speaking of MuchMusic, former VJ George Stroumboulopoulos delivers news with a punk aesthetic on The Hour, which consciously incorporates nose rings, stuff from YouTube and contests sponsored by Doritos. Another example of product integration, Kraft Hockeyville, united Canada’s hockey-crazy communities and the purveyor of ‘KD,’ a prized Canadian foodstuff.”
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Dragons' Den, Little Mosque on the Prairie

In the news: CBC’s scheduling announcement ‘astonishing’

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From John Doyle of the Globe and Mail:

  • CBC takes the safe road to the ordinary
    “Without seeing any of these shows, it’s impossible to make a definitive judgment. But the problem is that the shows sound ordinary and machine-made rather than unconventional or idiosyncratic in any way. CBC is a public broadcaster and should stand out as a home for the challenging, the weird and the provocative shows.”
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