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W Network partners with Mark Burnett and Insight Productions on New Series Pilot, Destination Detour

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment’s W Network announced today an agreement with Mark Burnett, United Artists Media Group, Omnicom Canada Corp.’s Highway Entertainment and Insight Productions to develop a new series format and pilot episode of the travel-reality series, Destination Detour(working title). The format is being developed for Canadian and international markets and will air on W Network in 2016.  Production of the one-hour pilot, begins in August in Ontario, Canada.

Destination Detour  takes three couples on what they expect will be their own meticulously planned, once in a lifetime dream vacation but throws a major curveball into their plans. The three couples from vastly different walks of life, personal interests and temperaments must face this massive detour head-on. The couples will be immersed in worlds they never dreamed of entering and face challenges that will scare, excite and ultimately redefine them. Only time will tell if the couples embrace this Destination Detour or if it will turn out to be a holiday from hell.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Fresh TV and DHX team for Family’s Backstage

From a media release:

Fresh TV today announces start of production on a new Family Channeloriginal performing arts school drama, Backstage. The 30-episode, half-hour scripted series (shot docudrama-style) will follow a group of outstandingly talented teenagers as they live through the highs and lows that come with attending the prestigious Keaton School of the Arts – from the angst and disappointments to the new friendships and crowning achievements. The series films this summer in Toronto, beginning today, and is slated to debut on DHX Television’s Family in Spring 2016.

Through diary-style confessionals and dramatic cliffhangers, Backstage will lift the curtain on these would-be stars as they chase their dreams and deal with the day-to-day reality of being a student, a sister, a son, a girlfriend — a teen. Every episode will be jam-packed with dance, instrumental and vocal performances from rehearsals to concerts to opening nights.

Featuring an all-Canadian cast, the series stars Devyn Nekoda (Degrassi) as Vanessa, a gifted ballet dancer; Alyssa Trask as Carly, a dancer who is stuck in her best friend Vanessa’s shadow; Aviva Mongillo as Alya, an incredible singer who lacks confidence; Joshua Bogert as Miles, a mysterious musician with a big secret; Colin Petierre as Sasha, the school’s biggest gossip; Julia Tomasone as Bianca, who is being groomed by her casting director mother as “the next big thing”; Matthew Isen as Jax, a charming DJ and musician; Kyal Legend as Julie, the school president; McKenzie Small as Scarlett, a talented singer with a big ego; Romy Weltman as Kit, a DJ and musician who is fighting to garner recognition for her talents; Isiah Hall as Denzel, a fashionable designer; and Adrianna Di Lielloas Jenna an eager ballet dancer, always ready to seize an opportunity.

Backstage was created and developed by Fresh TV in association with DHX Television. Executive Producers are Brian Irving, who is also a producer; Jennifer Pertsch, who is also the creator, co-developer and a writer; Lara Azzopardi, who is also a co-developer, show runner, writer and director;Tom McGillis and George Elliott.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Marblemedia begins production on YTV’s Drive Me Crazy

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment’s YTV, Canada’s leading entertainment brand for kids, announced today that it has commissioned a new live action series called Drive Me Crazy (working title), produced by award-winning content creator marblemedia (Japanizi: Going, Going, Gong!, Splatalot) in association with Proper Television (Canada’s Worst Driver). The 20 x 30-minute series is currently casting for contestants and will launch in 2016.

In each episode, rookie tween/teen drivers are put through a fun-fueled driving course. In order to pass this driving test, contestants need a family member to teach them the ways of the road. Together, each team faces every driving challenge imaginable, all with the hopes that the driver will get the coveted keys to the family car. The series delivers an entertaining and unfiltered glimpse into what really goes on behind the wheel when a parent teaches their child how to drive.

Drive Me Crazy will be executive produced by marblemedia’s Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop along with Guy O’Sullivan of Proper Television and Steve Sloan. marblemedia’s Vice President, Kids and Family Miklos Perlus, will serve as Co-Executive Producer and Kirsten Scollie will act as Line Producer.

The series is inspired by the UK format Driving Academy, which was originally produced by Lucky Day Productions (a Zodiak Media company) and aired on CBBC. marblemedia will lead the development of an interactive extension for the series and its distribution arm, Distribution360, will split territories with Zodiak Media. Additionally, the series has received funding from the Shaw Rocket Fund.

Drive Me Crazy is currently casting tween/ teens and their family members. The deadline for casting applications is August 1, 2015.

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Industry News

Link: Cutting the cord: 16% of Canadians don’t pay for traditional TV service, CBC report finds

From Aly Thomson of The Canadian Press:

Cutting the cord: 16% of Canadians don’t pay for traditional TV service, CBC report finds
A growing number of Canadians are ditching their traditional television subscriptions, according to a new CBC research report.

The May 2015 report said more than half of Canadians currently without cable television have “cut the cord,” meaning they had a television subscription and cancelled it.

“With the prevalence of TV content on the Internet and Netflix, Canadians are seeing less need to have a TV subscription,” the report said. Continue reading.

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Industry News

Link: Why TV networks are dialling down divisions and sharing shows

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From Simon Houpt of The Globe and Mail:

Why TV networks are dialling down divisions and sharing shows
Much’s audience has Snapchatted and Instagrammed and just plain wandered away lately, so this year its anxious corporate parent tried to win the channel some new friends by placing last Sunday night’s MMVAs on a cross-generational clutch of Bell’s TV properties: Not just Much, but also the main CTV network as well as CTV Two, MTV, MTV2 and M3. Continue reading.

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