Marketplace, CBC – “Lousy Labels: Home Edition”
Going green is big business, but should Canadians pay the price? The season premiere of MARKETPLACE uncovers surprising truths about popular “green” household products that aren’t as eco-conscious – or as safe – as their labels proclaim. Are Canadian homes as safe and healthy as we think? In Lousy Labels: Home Edition, we reveal 10 major brands that claim to put the environment first, yet prove to be less than green when MARKETPLACE puts them to the test. From cleaning products to bedding to kitchenware, manufacturers pepper their packaging with buzz words like “non-toxic,” “biodegradable” and “natural ingredients” – but are these products as kind to the environment as they claim? Co-host Erica Johnson reveals which products deserve a MARKETPLACE “lousy label,” with help and insight from environmental journalist and author Adria Vasil (NOW magazine, Ecoholic).

From a media release:

The Top 6 Will Be Down To One on YTV’s The Next Star Season Finale

• Featuring special guest performances by: Cher Lloyd, Shawn Desman and Neverest Live from Canada’s Wonderland on Sunday, September 23 at 7 p.m. ET

After mastering the art of being a pop star, the time has come for one of the Top 6 finalists to claim the coveted title of The Next Star. Corus Entertainment’s YTV and Tricon Films & Television invite devoted fans to catch the highly anticipated 90-minute season finale live from Canada’s Wonderland on Sunday, September 23 at 7 p.m. ET. Fans who are interested in attending the live event can purchase tickets at thenextstar.ytv.com.

Continue reading The Next Star season finale airs September 23 →

From a media release:

RECIPE TO RICHES IS BACK IN SEARCH OF CANADA’S NEXT $250,000 RECIPE AND GROCERY STORE SENSATION

• 21 Competing Home Cooks and Their Original Recipes Revealed
• New Season Premieres October 17 at 9pm ET/8pm PT on Food Network Canada

The hit original competitive reality food series Recipe to Riches is back and 21 fresh new faces – and unique recipes – are put to the test of a lifetime. Food Network Canada and Temple Street Productions today revealed the passionate home cooks giving it their all in the second season of
Recipe to Riches which premieres October 17 at 9pm ET/8pm PT on Food Network Canada.

After an exhaustive cross-Canada search for the most delicious home recipes, 21 finalists were chosen among thousands of hopefuls to compete in seven different food categories ranging from Savoury Snacks to Entrées to Cookies and Squares. Each category winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize and earn the prestige of having their recipe developed into a President’s Choice® product – Canada’s number one brand* – made available in select Loblaw banner stores across the country just days after their episode airs. After all category winners have been determined, viewers will have the opportunity to vote online for the best of the best and, during the exciting finale, witness who will take home the $250,000 grand prize.
Continue reading Recipe to Riches premieres October 17 on Food Network Canada →

From a media release:

Canadian Phenomenon Turned Mystery: Original Documentary WEST WIND: THE VISION OF TOM THOMSON Premieres October 7 on Bravo

• Directed by Award-winners Peter Raymont and Michèle Hozer
• Features the voices of Eric Peterson (CORNER GAS) and Gordon Pinsent (THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH) 

The journey of Tom Thomson, one of Canada’s most beloved painters, is presented in the world television premiere of the Bravo Original Documentary, WEST WIND: THE VISION OF TOM THOMSON, Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo (visit bravo.ca for local broadcast times). Filmed on location in Leith, Seattle, Toronto, Georgian Bay and Algonquin Park, this 95-minute feature documentary explores many of the mysteries circulating Tom Thomson’s life, art, and unexpected death. 

Screened at the 2011 Vancouver International Film Festival and the 2012 London Film Festival, WEST WIND: THE VISION OF TOM THOMSON stars Christian Golec (LIFE WITH BOYS) as a young Tom, James VanDerKleyn as an older Tom, and features the voices of Eric Peterson (CORNER GAS), Gordon Pinsent (THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH), and Susan Coyne (SLINGS AND ARROWS). The documentary is directed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Peter Raymont (A Promise To The Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman) and two-time Gemini award-winning documentary editor Michèle Hozer. 

Considered the artist who discovered a nation through his vibrant interpretations of the northern Ontario landscape, WEST WIND: THE VISION OF TOM THOMSON reveals the story of Tom Thomson, Canada’s “greatest colourist” and “Canada’s Van Gogh”. Raised on a farm in Leith, Ontario, with nine brothers and sisters, Thomson then followed his eldest brother to Seattle where he first dipped into oil painting and started establishing himself in the world of commercial art. Four years later, he returned to Canada and took a position at a series of photo engraving firms in Toronto. His colleagues – future members of the Group of Seven – were highly trained artists who saw great potential in this humble and generous man. They encouraged him to paint full-time, and in turn, Thomson led them north, to Algonquin Park, where the rivers, lakes, trees, and skies were interpreted into art in a daring new way, with raw and vibrant colours.  On July 8, 1917, just as he was reaching ascendancy in his craft, Tom Thomson paddled across Canoe Lake and disappeared. His body was found floating in the lake eight days later. The cause of his death remains a mystery to this day.

Additionally, WEST WIND Interactive (www.TomThomsonArt.com), which offers Canadians an opportunity to explore in more detail the life, times and work of Tom Thomson, launches on Sept. 24. Original artwork on WEST WIND Interactive is provided by the Art Gallery of Ontario, The National Gallery of Ontario, The McMichael Gallery and The Tom Thomson Gallery. The website is produced by White Pine Pictures, with the participation of the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, Bell Media, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. WEST WIND: THE VISION OF TOM THOMSON is produced by White Pine Pictures in association with Bravo, Knowledge Network Corporation, TVOntario, Saskatchewan Communications Network, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Funds.

From a media release:

Citytv Original Documentary Series Hail Mary Touches Down September 15

• New 11-part, half-hour series exposes the triumphs and tribulations of football players aspiring to turn pro
• Hail Mary follows the journey of six CFL hopefuls from Canada and the United States

Adding even more original programming to its robust fall lineup, Citytv announced today broadcast details for an all-new original Canadian documentary series, Hail Mary.  Premiering Saturday, Sept. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the 11-episode, 30-minute football series follows Edmonton Eskimos GM Eric Tillman, assistant GM Paul Jones, and head coach Kavis Reed as they scout, train, and groom a group of football players vying for a spot in the starting lineup of the CFL team.  Commissioned by Citytv and produced by Anaïd Productions (The Liquidator), Hail Mary was filmed on location in Canada and the United States.  

“Hail Mary gives viewers a rare look at the challenges athletes face in pursuit of a career in professional sports,” said Claire Freeland, Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media Broadcasting.  “With a distinctly Canadian angle, the series delves into the stories of regular men battling against all odds to achieve their dream.”

Hail Mary reveals the human side of football by portraying the heart-warming – but often heartbreaking – journey players experience on and off the field.  With their dreams on the line, the CFL hopefuls fight to avoid the chopping block and secure a position on the team.  After trading their star quarterback and losing their all-Canadian running back to the NFL, Tillman, Jones, and Reed set out to rebuild the Eskimos roster, and restore football glory to Edmonton. 

“This series is going to be a great opportunity to give not only our current fans, but new fans as well, a really unique behind-the-scenes look at the team,” says Len Rhodes, President and CEO of the Edmonton Eskimos.  “The insight that the show will provide is going to be real, it’s going to be authentic, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

In the series premiere, “Open Tryouts Cincinnati,” Eskimos assistant GM Jones holds an open tryout in Cincinnati, Ohio – the same town where he found star running back John Goebel last year.  Although Goebel is going up to Edmonton for training camp, will anybody else from this year’s tryouts impress Jones enough to get the call?  Now, Goebel must juggle the demands and pressures of camp with planning his wedding. 

“Hail Mary will move audiences regardless of whether or not they love football,” said Margaret Mardirossian, Executive Producer, Anaïd Productions.  “That’s because we’re telling the underdog’s story.  The moment these players step out on the field, everything is stacked against them, and it’s up to them to fight for their dreams.”

Citytv original series Hail Mary is produced by Anaïd Productions in association with Rogers Broadcasting Limited, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and assistance of the Alberta Multimedia Development Fund and the Canadian Film and Video Production Tax Credit Program.  Margaret Mardirossian (The Liquidator, Anaïd Productions) and Helen Schmidt (The Liquidator, Anaïd Productions) serve as executive producers, and David Benson (The Rig, Anaïd Productions) is the producer.  Claire Freeland is director of original programming, Rogers Media Broadcasting, and Carol Commisso is production executive for Rogers original programming.  Hail Mary joins the growing roster of high-profile original series currently in production for Citytv, including The Bachelor Canada, Seed, Package Deal, and the recently announced Saskatchewan documentary The Sky is the Limit.