Tag Archives: Bell Media

Orphan Black

Space announces fifth and final season of original thriller Orphan Black

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From a media release:

– Space confirms 10 additional one-hour episodes of ORPHAN BLACK Season 5 to premiere in 2017 –
– Temple Street, a division of Boat Rocker Media, produces ORPHAN BLACK in partnership with Space and BBC America –
– Season 4 finale airs tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Space, followed by an all-new episode of AFTER THE BLACK –

Space announced today the renewal of the fifth and final season of critically-acclaimed original series, ORPHAN BLACK. The clone conspiracy thriller sees the return of the award-winning Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany in her multiple versatile roles as the clone sisters. An additional 10, one-hour episodes are set to air in 2017 on Space. The Season 4 finale of the Peabody-winning series airs tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Space, followed by the finale of fan-favourite insider series, AFTER THE BLACK. The first three seasons of ORPHAN BLACK are streaming now on CraveTVTM.

In the Season 4 finale of ORPHAN BLACK “From Dancing Mice to Psychopaths” (June 16 at 10 p.m. ET), when communication with Cosima is cut off and Neolution appears to be within striking distance, Sarah’s alliance with Rachel goes out the window. Sarah lures a high-level Neolutionist into a trap, and sets out to bring down Neolution once and for all. For new episode images, click here.

After a hair-raising season of emotional flashbacks (Beth’s back-story), shocking reveals (Delphine is alive) and of course, new, game-changing clones, (M.K., Ira), Space’s original insider series AFTER THE BLACKprovides closure for Season 4 of ORPHAN BLACK tonight, Thursday, June 16 at 11 p.m. ET, following the season finale of ORPHAN BLACK. In this star-studded episode, hosts Ajay Fry and Morgan Hoffman sit with the inimitable Tatiana Maslany, Kevin Hanchard, and Kristian Bruun, for their take on the season’s shocking reveals, memorable moments, and behind-the-scenes secrets.

ORPHAN BLACK is produced by Temple Street, a division of Boat Rocker Studios, in association with Space and BBC America. Executive producers are Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier and Kerry Appleyard of Temple Street, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett. “Orphan Black” is distributed by BBC Worldwide.

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Industry News

CTV orders Canada in a Day, a new crowd-sourced event celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday

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From a media release:

CTV today announced it has ordered the two-hour event broadcast CANADA IN A DAY, from Vancouver-based Screen Siren Pictures, to premiere in 2017 in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary. Based on the highly successful Life in a Day series of films from Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-nominee Ridley Scott and Academy Award-winner Kevin Macdonald, CANADA IN A DAY will allow viewers to experience a day in the life of Canada. Comprised entirely of footage shot by Canadians across the nation on a single day later this year, the event special will make its broadcast television debut on CTV.

Canadians will be asked to participate in the nationwide event this fall that will see citizens from across the country shoot and submit video in any language that captures a moment in their life, on that day. From these stories, viewers will learn what it means to be Canadian via a video snapshot of who we are as a nation. The filming date, as well as details on how to submit footage, will be announced in the coming months. Leading up to the film day, CTV and Screen Siren Pictures will launch an extensive campaign that will engage celebrity and community ambassadors as well as organizations across Canada, to help bring as much awareness as possible to the project.

Celebrated filmmaker and director Trish Dolman (Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson; LUNA: SPIRIT OF THE WHALE) will curate the video submissions and then craft a two-hour event broadcast to capture Canadians as they really are during one moment in time.

CANADA IN A DAY is inspired by the original award-winning Ridley Scott film, Life in a Day. Shot in 2010 and released in 2011, Life in a Day was the remarkable story of one day on Earth. The project garnered more than 80,000 submissions around the world, and contained more than 4,500 hours of deeply personal, powerful moments shot by contributors from Australia to Zambia – from the heart of bustling major cities to some of the most remote places on Earth. Since then, several countries have launched their own In a Day films, including Britain and Japan.

CANADA IN A DAY is produced by Screen Siren Pictures Inc. in association with CTV, with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, Bell Fund, Creative BC, FIBC, and the Government of Canada. Executive producers are Scott Free Films and Christine Haebler with Trish Dolman and Michael Ghent producing for Screen Siren Pictures Inc. Switch United is the web producer and Innovate by Day is the Social Media producer.

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Featured, Industry News

Canada AM’s Jeff Hutcheson announces retirement

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It’s the end of the road for Jeff Hutcheson. The longtime sports reporter, weather guru and Canada AM co-host announced during Friday’s broadcast that he is retiring following one final remote tour across the country.

Canada AM followed up Hutcheson’s on-air reveal with the following Facebook post:

“This morning, Jeff shared the news that he is retiring next month. Of course, we’ve been heartbroken since he told us his decision last June… but his wife is thrilled. Since they met twelve years ago, Jeff and Heather have spent 2,600 nights apart, with his work in Toronto and her work and life in PEI. As we get ready to say farewell, Jeff is heading out on one last Canadian tour, visiting some of his favourite places and remembering some of his favourite moments. If you’re near Niagara-on-the-Lake next Wednesday, May 11th, please come out and join us. If you have any retirement messages or advice for Jeff, you can share it with us here, or email us at canadaam@ctv.ca”

“I am humbled and overwhelmed by all your well wishes…thank you very much,” Hutcheson posted on his Twitter page soon after. “Looking forward to my last six weeks..it’s been my pleasure.”

Hutcheson has been with Canada AM since 1998, and has created several trademark segments for the show, including remote broadcast tours that have taken him to points in Canada and around the world and “Things I Learned on the Internet Today.” He began his broadcast career in 1976 as a college student on Toronto’s CFRB 1010 radio before being hired by Kitchener, Ont.’s CKCO-TV after graduating. The next two decades were spent at CKCO-TV as a sports anchor, reporter, producer, writer and program host before making his final move to Canada AM.

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Industry News

Bell Media acquires Gusto Brand to launch its first food and lifestyle channel

From a media release:

Bell Media announced today that it is acquiring the Gusto brand to launch a new food-centric cooking and lifestyle network later this year, its first-ever foray into this genre. Bolstering the company’s already successful suite of English and French-language specialty channels, the new network’s slate of exclusive programming will feature a delicious mix of creative cooking and food programming paired with exciting home design, fashion, travel, and lifestyle shows.

Gusto will also feature appetizing homegrown hit programming, all in 4K, as well as some of the highest-rated, first-run food and lifestyle series from around the globe.

The new Gusto network will join Bell Media’s leading specialty channel portfolio, which delivers more weekly reach, both full-day and primetime, than any other broadcaster for total viewers and all key demos. The lifestyle brand is the perfect complementary ingredient to Bell Media’s vibrant slate of specialty networks catering to women, including Bravo, E!, Animal Planet, and Investigation Discovery.

In addition to launching the new channel, Bell Media has also secured a production arrangement with industry veteran Chris Knight to supply exclusive programming for the network through Gusto Worldwide Media. This includes ONE WORLD KITCHEN currently airing in more than 30 countries. ONE WORLD KITCHEN shines a spotlight on five global cuisines that are arguably just as “Canadian” as tourtière and poutine. The production commitment will allow Bell Media to grow Gusto’s roster of hit series with new original Canadian programming, all in 4K.

Bell Media will license Gusto Worldwide Media’s existing creative cooking and food series, including marquee original Canadian series:

  • ONE WORLD KITCHEN: This series shines a spotlight on five global cuisines (Indian, Thai, Italian, South American, and Japanese) and features five passionate and Canadian cooks, each with a unique background and culinary expertise to share.
  • A IS FOR APPLE: This series explores the world of food and ingredients by challenging chefs to create recipes based on letters of the alphabet
  • CRATE TO PLATE: This creative and entertaining series meets the people whose lives are shaped by the food that others grow, sell, and eat
  • FISH THE DISH: A playful and delicious 30-minute series following Chef Spencer Watts as he cooks up some of his favourite seafood dishes

There will be no changes to the current Gusto TV channel until the transition is complete. Additional announcements about Gusto will be made in the coming weeks.

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Saving Hope

CTV orders Season 5 of Saving Hope

From a media release:

– Eighteen new episodes have been ordered for CTV’s 2016/17 broadcast season from ICF Films and Entertainment One with production on Season 5 set to begin Spring 2016 in Toronto –
– New episodes from SAVING HOPE’s current fourth season return in a new Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT timeslot beginning January 7 on CTV and the CTV GO app –
– Love is in the air for SAVING HOPE as Season 4 will conclude with a special two-hour finale event on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, Feb. 14, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and the CTV GO app –
– New episodes of SAVING HOPE continue to be available the day before their broadcast premieres on CraveTVTM, with the first three seasons also streaming now –

CTV confirmed today that is has ordered 18 new episodes for a fifth season of hit original series SAVING HOPE (@SavingHopeTV), from Ilana Frank’s ICF Films and Entertainment One (eOne) for CTV’s 2016/17 broadcast season. The most-watched Canadian drama this fall will begin production in Spring 2016 in Toronto and will see the return of series leads Erica Durance as Dr. Alex Reid and Michael Shanks as Dr. Charlie Harris. The Season 5 order comes as Season 4 episodes are set to return in a new Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT timeslot beginning Jan. 7 on CTV and the CTV GO app. The season will conclude with a special two-hour finale event on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, Feb. 14, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and the emotional and dramatic two-hours will culminate in a shocking moment viewers won’t want to miss.

The #1 Canadian drama series this fall, SAVING HOPE currently averages 1.3 million viewers in its Thursdays at 9 p.m. timeslot on CTV. Also the most-watched Canadian program among the key adult demos this fall, SAVING HOPE has seen a 16% increase in the key A18-34 demo, as well as a 63% increase in F18-34 over its third season.

Returning for Season 5 of SAVING HOPE is 2013 Canadian Screen Award nomineeErica Durance (SMALLVILLE) as Dr. Alex Reid; Michael Shanks (STARGATE SG-1) as Dr. Charlie Harris; 2013 Canadian Screen Award-winner Wendy Crewson(BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) as Dr. Dana Kinney; Benjamin Ayres (LESS THAN KIND) as Dr. Zach Miller; Julia Taylor Ross (ROOKIE BLUE) as Dr. Maggie Lin;Michelle Nolden (REPUBLIC OF DOYLE) as Dr. Dawn Bell; Huse Madhavji (CALL ME FITZ) as Dr. Shahir Hamza; and Kim Shaw (THE GOOD WIFE) as Dr. Cassie Williams.

SAVING HOPE is back in January with an all-new episode entitled “All Down the Line” (Thursday, Jan. 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO). With Dr. Dana Kinney (Wendy Crewson) back from Paris, Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) enlists her help to save Lorenzo (Stefano DiMatteo, KILLJOYS), a hot-tempered chef suffering from oral cancer. Her concerns over her friend’s own treatment (or lack there-of) quickly bubble to surface however, when their patient refuses medical attention in favour of pursuing the opening of his restaurant. Meanwhile, Dr. Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks) has his hands full juggling the spirit of a restless single mother, while working to save her life after a DIY treehouse accident. The episode also features guest star Stacey Farber (DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION) as Dr. Sydney Katz.

SAVING HOPE is produced by ICF Films with eOne in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. ION Television in the U.S. has also renewed the series for a fifth season.

SAVING HOPE is executive produced by Ilana Frank and John Morayniss and co-executive produced by Linda Pope, Trish Williams, Noelle Carbone, and Patrick Tarr. Adam Pettle is Executive Producer and Showrunner. All distribution rights are handled by eOne.

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