TORONTO – Despite the financial hurdles facing its parent company, Global Television is predicting that its fall programming schedule will be a “real treat” for viewers.
"The strength of our returning hits provides a solid anchor for every night of the week,” said Barbara Williams, EVP of content for Canwest Broadcasting, in the announcement. “Add to this the cream of the crop from the new season, and we’ve got a powerful combination that will be hard to top."
The network has picked up a musical-comedy called Glee; an animated Family Guy spin-off series called The Cleveland Show; The Good Wife starring Julianna Margulies; NCIS: Los Angeles; and the re-make of the 1990’s series Melrose Place.
Returning primetime hits include House, The Office, Survivor, and the 21st season of The Simpsons.
Canwest also announced plans to overhaul three of its specialty channels. Analog specialty Showcase and its diginet siblings, Showcase Diva and Showcase Action, will see their brands “refreshed” in time for the launch of their fall schedules on August 31, complete with new logos and new on-air design elements. In addition, Showcase Action is being re-branded as simply Action.
Showcase’s programming will seek to focus on “bold hits”, airing series and movies with “powerful storylines and unconventional characters”, the announcement continued. Showcase’s website will also get a makeover to allow for streaming of its shows and the addition of original video content such as the ‘Sideshow blog’, a daily take on the worlds of TV, film, gaming and pop culture.
To roll out the new brands and schedules, Canwest said that it will undertake an extensive, multi-media marketing campaign in major markets across Canada in mid-August.
Williams also confirmed what Cartt.ca readers already knew – that the company bought no programming for its soon-to-be-sold E! network. "We will not be running those E! stations come fall," she told reporters.
