Shaw Media will be rebranding two specialty channels in 2014, in addition to moving Big Brother Canada over to Global from the specialty channel Slice and adding a slew of dramas to its conventional channel, the broadcaster announced Wednesday.
The media co will unveil the first of its two new specialty channels, FYI, in the fall of 2014. FYI is a rebrand of Twist and will feature lifestyle programming with a focus on younger audiences, according to Barbara Williams, SVP of content for Shaw Media.
“We are looking to continue to build expertise with the female demo,” she says. “The partner for the channel said they were rebranding in the US and we liked where they were going with it, targeting a younger demo for the social age. It is a younger, more personalized take on design, food, lifestyle, fashion and wellness. Twist wasn’t one of our bigger channels and we think with this branding opportunity and the hundreds of hours of new content that will come with it that we can grow the audience.”
Crime and Investigation (CI) is a rebrand of Mystery that will go live in December 2014 and feature programming that gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at crimes and investigations. Williams says content on the channel will stay largely the same as its predecessor.
On the programming side, Shaw announced it will add eight new dramas to Global’s 2014/2015 fall lineup. Stalker, starring Maggie Q and Dylan McDermott, is currently scheduled to air at 10 p.m. on Wednesdays in fall 2014. Madam Secretary, starring Téa Leoni, will air at 8 p.m. on Sundays, while the series Gracepoint is currently slated for the 9 p.m. Thursday timeslot for fall 2014. The CIA drama State of Affairs, starring Katherine Heigl, will air at 10 p.m. on Mondays, starting in November.
Global also picked up the series Constantine, based on the DC comic book series Hellblazer, which will air at 10 p.m. on Fridays starting in October and will take over the timeslot previously held by Border Security. Global will also air the latest incarnation of the NCIS franchise, NCIS: New Orleans, at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays. Global also added several new comedy series to its lineup, including Partners, the romantic comedy A to Z, Bad Judge, and Mulaney, which is set to air at 7 p.m. on Sundays in the fall.
Canadian shows slated to return to Global include the second season of Remedy and the latest season of Rookie Blue.
Shaw Media will also be moving Big Brother Canada over from its specialty Slice channel to Global, following a successful finale on the specialty. Other new shows to join the Global lineup in mid-season include a 13-episode “event” series Heroes Reborn, a standalone offshoot of Heroes, and The Dovekeepers, a four-hour miniseries from Mark Burnett.
Shaw Media also picked up a slew of new series across its specialty channels. History will premiere the Canadian doc-series Dino Hunt from Cream Productions in 2015, as well as The Hunt, Down East, Dickering, Pawnography and Biker Battleground Phoenix. History will also air the newest seasons of Yukon Gold and Vikings. As well, March to the Pole from Shaw and Muse Entertainment, will debut in November.
On Food Network Canada will launch Carnival Eats from Alibi Entertainment of Toronto and Food Truck Face Off from Toronto’s Peace Point Entertainment. As previously announced, Chopped Canada will return for the winter 2015 season as well.
On Showcase, Outlander and Dominion join the fall lineup and Ladies of London and Handsome Devils are added to Slice.
From Playback Daily with files from Val Maloney
