From Daniel Tencer of The Huffington Post:

Canadian Cord-Cutting 6 Times Faster This Year Than Last
Canadian TV providers are losing customers six times faster this year than they did last year, according to new research from Ottawa-based Boon Dog Professional Services.

The research firm’s latest study on TV subscribers found the country’s publicly-traded broadcasters lost a combined 113,000 subscribers in the first half of their fiscal year. That compares to a loss of 19,200 in the same period last year. Continue reading.

 

From a media release:

Something ominous lurks on the Pitt Lake horizon in British Columbia as a group of fortune-seeking explorers battle harsh landscape, the unknown and each other to uncover one of the best known unsolved mysteries – the legend of Slumach and his lost gold mine. But will their greed for the famed fortune take their expedition to a dark place? Find out in the brand new Canadian original series Curse of the Frozen Gold premiering Wednesday, August 26th at 10pm ET/PT on HISTORY.

Legend has it that a First Nations man named Slumach found a fortune in gold and put a curse on it just before he was hanged. Allegedly worth billions, ‘Slumach’s Gold’ has tantalized prospectors for over a century, and now a team of experienced gold hunters takes up its pursuit – and the mysterious curse that goes with it – to stake their claim in history. The gold’s lure has claimed numerous gold hunters’ lives for over a century – perhaps victims of the curse or something more sinister.

A team of six daring gold hunters – including young and fit mountain climbers, a gold-obsessed prospector, a local lodge owner and some savvy, but skeptical old-timers – have eight short weeks to find gold before winter freezes them out. They’re forced to contend with the primordial forest, jagged mountain peaks, predatory wildlife and dangerous cracks in the ice that plummet hundreds of feet. It’s a region steeped in danger but the group is fuelled by a severe case of gold fever. While they claim to be working as a team, the clashes and scheming between them could ultimately be their downfall.

The six brave explorers are: Adam Palmer (the “Trail Blazer”), Evan Howard (the “Adventurer”), Don Waites (the “Legend”), Fred Braches (the “Skeptic”), Daryl Friesen (the “True Believer”), and Danny Gerak (the “Local”). Visit history.ca for full cast biographies.

Curse of the Frozen Gold is produced by JV Productions in association with Shaw Media.

From a media release:

On the heels of a tremendous broadcast year that saw Discovery reclaim its position as the #1 entertainment specialty channel among total viewers while maintaining its lead among key demos in primetime*, the network today unveiled its Fall 2015 lineup. Featuring the return of fan-favourite hits mixed with several newly acquired titles, Discovery’s fall season kicks off with an early start for perenial favourite MYTHBUSTERS airing Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT beginning Aug. 23. The premieres ramp up with the Season 21 premiere of Discovery’s flagship daily science magazine program DAILY PLANET on Monday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, followed by the season premiere of EDGE OF ALASKA at 9 p.m. ET/PT and new series TREASURE QUEST: SNAKE ISLAND at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Then, following the Labour Day long weekend, Discovery’s massive Tuesday night lineup launches when Jamie Davis and his heavy vehicle rescue company return for a thrilling new season of the homegrown hit HIGHWAY THRU HELL beginning Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT,immediately following the debut of highly anticipated new series PACIFIC WARRIORS (9 p.m. ET/PT). But first, Tuesday nights get started with a new season of another Canadian favourite, FOOL’S GOLD (8 p.m. ET).

The premieres continue throughout September and into October with another new title appearing on Discovery – CUBAN CHROME airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT beginning Sept. 3. New titles will also debut across the Discovery suite of channels through September and October (highlights below).

Discovery’s Fall 2015 Premiere Dates:

Sunday, Aug. 23

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

MYTHBUSTERS (New Season)

So exactly how hard is it to find a needle in a haystack, anyway? And can water dripping on your forehead really drive you insane? These are the kinds of questions, myths, and urban legends put to the test in this humorous series.

Monday, Aug. 31

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

DAILY PLANET (New Season)

Co-hosts Dan Riskin and Ziya Tong serve up another season of wonderful, weird, and watercooler-worthy stories from around the world. Feeding the need for speed with race cars and rocket ships, and inspired by the newest generation of inventors and adventurers,DAILY PLANET provides an all-access pass to the gadgets, gizmos, and tech toys that are shaping the future.

9 p.m. ET/PT

EDGE OF ALASKA (New Season)

Hidden deep in the wilderness of eastern Alaska is the toughest town in America: McCarthy. Once considered the state’s very own “Sin City”, McCarthy is now an isolated town surrounded by extreme wilderness – a refuge for people who don’t want to be found. While some believe in continuing the town’s frontier way of life, others feel the future of McCarthy hinges on it pushing forward into the modern age.

10 p.m. ET/PT

TREASURE QUEST: SNAKE ISLAND (NEW SERIES)

In 1524, a horde of Incan gold – known as the “Treasure of the Trinity” – was stolen. For 500 years, Jesuit priests and privateers such as Thomas Cavendish and mathematician Paul Thiry have searched for this legendary bounty. Now a new theory has emerged about the treasure’s possible location – a remote locale home to thousands of deadly vipers. The series features a team of the world’s top explorers as they set out on a two-month journey to find the priceless treasure.

Thursday, Sept. 3

8 p.m. ET/PT

HOW IT’S MADE: DREAM CARS (New Season – World Premiere)

HOW IT’S MADE: DREAM CARS lifts the hood to reveal how luxury cars are made, learning about their inner workings and showcasing their gorgeous interiors. For each “dream car” featured, distinguishing features are brought into focus and celebrated during exhilarating test drives on private courses.

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

CUBAN CHROME (NEW SERIES)

Through “A Lo Cubano” Car Club, a passionate group of car enthusiasts, restorers, mechanics, and apprentices, the series explores the challenges and joys of life in Cuba, presenting an authentic look into the club’s culture of passion, grit, determination, and ingenuity.

Tuesday, Sept. 8

8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

FOOL’S GOLD (New Season – World Premiere)

The Shotgun Exploration crew is back at Straw Lake in their hunt for gold. Armed with greater knowledge, new equipment, and hopefully better luck to help them avoid going broke, the crew hopes to strike it rich.

9 p.m. ET/PT

PACIFIC WARRIORS (NEW SERIES)

This new series follows the only commercial fishermen haul their catch from a kayak…alone. With only a paddle, these brave Hawaiian men and women venture out to catch some of the most desirable fish in the sea, relying on brute strength to pull in 500-pound Marlin, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, and Ono.

10 p.m. ET/PT

HIGHWAY THRU HELL (New Season – World Premiere)
It’s man versus Mother Nature and the toughest men in the towing business being pushed to their breaking point. The stakes are high – lives, the economy, and thousands of jobs depend on the highways staying open. Building on last season’s risky gamble to expand his heavy recovery operation from the B.C. mountains into the frozen Alberta north, Jamie Davis is tackling new highways this year and facing bigger wrecks than ever before.

Wednesday, Sept. 9

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

AIRPLANE REPO (New Season)

Pilots pursue aircraft across the country slated for repossession.

Thursdays, Sept. 10

9 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT

FAST N’ LOUD (New Season)

FAST N’ LOUD follows Rawlings and Kaufmann as they return derelict rides to their former glory and get them back on the road – but not without putting their own hot-rod spin on them first.

Sunday, Sept. 13

9 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT

YUKON MEN (New Season)

Tanana, Alaska on the Yukon River, a frozen village of 200 people, is at the junction of two powerful rivers at the edge of civilization. With no roads in or out, wolves howl through the frigid night air, reminding residents just how isolated they really are.

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

NAKED AND AFRAID (New Season)

Each week, a new pair of complete and total strangers – one man and one woman – find themselves stranded in and, quite literally, exposed to some of the world’s most extreme weather environments. The duos are left high and dry with no food, no water…or clothing!

Monday, Sept. 14

8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

HOW IT’S MADE (New Season – World Premiere)

A closer look at how everyday things are manufactured. Each episode features three to four products, with the mix consisting of everyday items including jeans, aluminum foil, and cereal, as well as less common products like wax figurines, braille typewriters, and pinball machines.

Monday, Oct. 26

10 p.m. ET/PT

CANADA’S WORST DRIVER (New Season)

Viewers follow eight drivers, each nominated by a friend or family member, as they are put through the paces in a controlled driving environment and evaluated by a panel of experts. Each episode features tried-and-tested challenges designed to push the drivers to their limits. Each driver must first master basic training and then more advanced techniques in order to graduate. If they don’t, they could be crowned “Canada’s Worst Driver”.