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Season two of Eyes for the Job to premiere July 31 on AMI-tv

From a media release:

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that Season two of Eyes for the Job, the 13-part television series focused on home improvement and do-it-yourself projects starring Chris Judge and Alex Haider, will premiere on Tuesday, July 31, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET on AMI-tv.

Produced by Clerisy Entertainment, Eyes for the Job is set in Halifax and features Nova Scotian co-hosts Chris Judge and Alex Haider. A lifelong handyman and do-it-yourself enthusiast, Chris brings a unique perspective to the program: he is blind. Working alongside Chris is Alex Haider, who shares Chris’ creativity and enthusiasm and boasts some serious social media and outreach know-how. Together, they’ll inform, entertain and inspire viewers to expand their DIY abilities in new and exciting ways.

In Season two, Chris steps up his DIY game. He’s started a community workshop in the heart of the city and has the space, tools and materials for some seriously cool creations. With Alex by his side, Chris tackles several projects both in the workshop and in the community, with help from friends.

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, Season two of Eyes for the Job features Integrated Described Video (IDV), where Chris and Alex describe their actions and surroundings during filming to make the program accessible to individuals with vision loss.

Beginning on July 31, Eyes for the Job airs Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET on AMI-tv.

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Industry News

Roger Petersen named co-host of Breakfast Television Toronto

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From a media release:

Citytv announced today that Roger Petersen has been named co-host of Toronto’s longest-running morning show, Breakfast Television. Starting today, Petersen officially joins co-host Dina Pugliese, along with fellow newcomer Stella Acquisto, and the rest of the celebrated BT family of Frank Ferragine, Winston Sih, Melanie Ng, Tammie Sutherland, and Kerry Prunskus to wake-up the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Breakfast Television airs weekdays from 5:30 to 9 a.m. ET on Citytv.

Petersen is a familiar face to Citytv audiences having covered some of the largest stories to unfold in his hometown – from the horrific van attack earlier this year to the G20 and G8, SARS and the Papal visit. Petersen joined the Toronto Citytv team in 1999, undertaking a variety of roles including reporter, anchor and host of the car show Autoshop. Petersen then moved to Vancouver to anchor CityNews at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., before moving back to his hometown as a CityNews Toronto reporter and anchor. Petersen began his broadcasting career in radio, having studied Radio & Television at Seneca College.

In addition to his broadcast career, Petersen also volunteers his time to many causes, including Cardiac Health Foundation and Victim Services, and is a proud father to son McKenna.

A member of the Citytv family since 2011, Stella Acquisto also joins the BT Toronto family as the community correspondent. A first-generation Canadian, Acquisto was born in Toronto where she studied Journalism at Seneca College and earned a Political Science and Communications Studies degree from York University.

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Industry News

Blue Ant Media unveils biggest-ever slate of new original programming for its Canadian channels

From a media release:

Blue Ant Media, an international content producer, distributor and channel operator, announced today its new, original production slate to air across its channels in Canada, including Cottage Life, Makeful and T+E. The company’s largest-ever commissioning order includes two new series to premiere on Makeful, including a second season of Crazy Beautiful Weddings and Blown Away, a brand new glass-blowing competition series, co-produced with Netflix. For T+E, there’s a trio of paranormal series including My Worst Nightmare, Haunted Hospitals and Paranormal 911 as well as Intervention Canada, the fifth season of the critically acclaimed hit docu-series, in partnership with U.S.-based A+E Networks. New Cottage Life programming includes the brand new series, The Weather Files, a second season of Lakefront Luxury, the ninth season of Hope For Wildlife and the previously announced Great Canadian Cottages docu-series with Scottish design stars Colin and Justin.

Blue Ant Media’s original programming slate includes:

Blown Away (10×30’; HD) is a co-production with Netflix that sees a group of talented and creative artisans from all over North America compete over the course of the series in the highly skilled art of glass blowing. In each episode the glass blowers create beautiful works of art, which are assessed by a panel of expert judges. One artisan is eliminated each week until a winner is announced in the final episode. Blown Away is a co-production between Blue Ant Media and Netflix and was created by and will be produced by marblemedia. The series will premiere exclusively in Canada on Makeful in Spring 2019.

Crazy Beautiful Weddings, Season 2 (10×30’; HD) The second season of Crazy Beautiful Weddings follows indie wedding planner Lynzie Kent as she continues to create jaw-dropping celebrations that are inspired by the unique love stories of her clients. Each episode sees Lynzie and her team design and craft atypical wedding celebrations that feel like art installations or music festivals. The series is a co-production by Blue Ant Media and UP TV and is set to air on Makeful in Fall 2018. It will be available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Intervention Canada (10×60’; HD) is the fifth installment of the Canadian version of the hit, Emmy Award-winning A+E docu-series that gives an unflinching glimpse at the horrifying reality of the life of an addict and the gut-wrenching toll their addiction takes on family and friends. With the help of professional interventionists, each one-hour episode culminates in a dramatic real-life intervention where someone must make a life-or-death decision: continue their descent to rock bottom alone, or accept the offer of a clear path to recovery in one of Canada’s top addiction facilities. Blue Ant Media is partnering on the format with A+E Networks. Toronto’s Open Door Co and Insight Productions, which produced the previous four seasons, will also produce the fifth season. Intervention Canada will premiere in Canada on T+E in March 2019.

My Worst Nightmare (10×60’; HD) explores harrowing recurring nightmares and brings them to life in vivid detail. With cinematic nightmare dramatizations, captivating true accounts and distinct expert analysis from dream interpreters and psychoanalysts, each episode attempts to decode the meaning and mystery behind the dream and provide insight into these intrusive nightmares. My Worst Nightmare is produced by Pixcom for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on T+E in spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Haunted Hospitals (10×60’; HD) tells the chilling stories of paranormal activity inside hospitals, nursing homes and morgues. In each episode, doctors, nurses and patients give first-hand accounts of deceased patients who come back from the grave, doctors who insist on tending to their patients, even in death, and spirits who stalk corridors to warn of impending danger. As the personal stories unfold, the mysteries behind the troubled souls and hauntings are brought to life. Haunted Hospitals is produced by Bristow Global Media for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on T+E in fall 2018.

Paranormal 911 (13×60’; HD) is a gripping, docu-drama series with harrowing first-person accounts that thrusts viewers into the terrifying encounters of victims and emergency responders who lived through terrifying paranormal encounters. Paranormal 911 is produced by Bristow Global Media for Blue Ant Media and is set to premiere on T+E in spring 2019.

Lakefront Luxury, Season 2 (10×30’; HD) continues with even more stunning views, gorgeous waterfronts and serene sunsets. With unlimited budgets and endless wish lists, each episode takes viewers on a tour of three opulent properties with potential buyers, as they weigh their options and ultimately decide which home is the one for them. Lakefront Luxury is produced by Architect Films for Blue Ant Media and will premiere on Cottage Life in spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

Hope for Wildlife, Season 9 (10×60’; HD) is back with an impressive season of episodes that follow fan-favourite nature advocate Hope Swinimer and her team as they rescue animals at her Halifax-based wildlife refuge and release them back into the wild. In this season, viewers will meet a whole new generation of volunteers, a new, on-site vet team and an exciting new partnership with an expert rescue crew. Produced by Arcadia Content for Blue Ant Media, the series will premiere on Cottage Life in Spring 2019. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

The Weather Files (8×60’; HD) is a new documentary series that shines a spotlight on extreme weather patterns. The series travels across North America chronicling severe weather phenomena and features riveting first-person testimony and original video backed by leading scientific insight to give viewers an in-depth look at the unpredictability and danger that extreme and mysterious weather brings. The Weather Files is produced by Blue Ant Media and set to air on the Cottage Life channel in August 2018. The series is distributed internationally by Blue Ant International.

Previously announced, Great Canadian Cottages (8×30’; HD) brings renowned design duo Colin and Justin back to the channel with a documentary series that explores unique Canadian cottage architecture. Produced by Architect Films, the series will delve into the fascinating stories of Canadians who live in extraordinary cottages and cabins built in the Canadian wilderness. Great Canadian Cottages is set to premiere exclusively this fall on the Cottage Life channel. The series is available for international licensing by Blue Ant International.

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Featured, Industry News

Adam Wylde leaves Breakfast Television Toronto

Breakfast Television Toronto is another member down. Less than a month after Kevin Frankish exited Citytv’s early morning program, Adam Wylde took to Twitter to announce Tuesday was his last day.

“Hey – kind’ve a big day,” he began. “Today’s show was my last on Kiss 92.5 and Breakfast Television. I want to thank KiSS management and staff in Toronto and in our syndicated markets across the country. What a great team. The best I have ever been on. I also have to say the same thing about everyone at Breakfast Television, who are just insanely fun and talented people. It has been an outstanding 5.5 years with Rogers Media.”

“This was a decision I made, with a lot of thought,” he continued. “And it wasn’t easy.” You can read his full statement below.

Friday, June 1, marked the last day of Kevin Frankish’s career at Breakfast Television. He had been at the helm of the flagship morning show since 1994 when he replaced David Onley.

Back in 2016, Jennifer Valentyne departed the program due to a programming change, followed by Tanya Kim last year.

Image courtesy of The Academy.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Documentary series following British Columbia’s paramedics and dispatchers takes viewers to the front lines of emergency health care

From a media release:

Knowledge Network has commissioned a 10-part documentary series on the work of paramedics and dispatchers at BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) responding to emergencies in the greater Vancouver area. Through real-life stories from the 911 call to the paramedic response on-scene and the ambulance ride to hospital, viewers will have an inside look at the challenges that dedicated professionals face daily.

BC Emergency Health Services provides pre-hospital emergency services and inter-facility patient transfers throughout the province, and oversees the BC Ambulance Service and BC Patient Transfer Services.

Careful protocols and privacy measures were established and followed during filming and in post-production to ensure patient care was not compromised while respecting staff and patient privacy. Knowledge Network has leveraged funding from the Canada Media Fund and the TELUS Fund to help finance the project, and has partnered with B.C.-based Lark Productions to produce the documentary series, who also produced Knowledge Network’s successful documentary series Emergency Room: Life + Death at VGH, taking viewers behind the scenes in one of Canada’s busiest emergency departments.

Lark Productions’ Louise Clark and Erin Haskett serve as Executive Producers on the series. “Building on our rewarding relationship with Knowledge Network, we are privileged to now work with BC Emergency Health Services and share their stories,” said Erin Haskett. “This is a unique opportunity to provide viewers with an inside look at the work of the paramedics and dispatchers, share their daily experiences and directly see the impact they have on our community.”

The world premiere is planned for broadcast on Knowledge Network and Knowledge.ca in spring 2019.

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