CTV is set to add six shows to its schedule this month including two brand new series. In addition to its new programs, CTV is also rescheduling five of its current series including Corner Gas, which BBM lists as Canada’s number one sitcom this season. As of next week, CTV will have changed its primetime lineup for five different days with only Thursday and Friday remaining intact. With all this change, what can media buyers expect from the network that from September to December owned close to three-quarters of the country’s top 20 shows?

Theresa Treutler, SVP media director for Doner Canada, does not expect CTV to falter in the ratings even with the various schedule shuffles. ‘CTV will continue its very strong and consistent performance’ says Treutler, adding that with the majority of CTV’s successful props remaining in the schedule, and shows like Desperate Housewives showing continued growth, ‘it’s hard to see them losing ground.’

The returning shows, American Idol, Alias, and The Simple Life, have all had strong successes in past years in Canada and are joining nights with high-performing auxiliary programs like Law & Order: SVU and Desperate Housewives. In fact, Housewives’ ad time is now more expensive than CSI thanks to its double-digit numbers and a 13 share with women. W-Five returns to Saturday nights with new, but familiar hosts, Lloyd Robertson and Sandie Rinaldo for its 39th season on the network.

The new series being added, Canadian-made Instant Star and NBC drama Medium, have also given media buyers something to look out for. Instant Star, a 13-episode fictionalized drama about a 15-year-old girl who wins a Canadian Idol-like contest, drew more than a million viewers during its sneak preview last September.

As for Medium, Linda Simmons, broadcast manager at Genesis Media, thinks it will be the top performer of the season’s new series. Though she expressed some concern that CTV’s airdate does not coincide with NBC’s 10 p.m. Monday time-slot, CTV’s 9 p.m. time-slot may benefit from not having to go up against CBS’ CSI: Miami to which CTV also owns the rights. Medium, which stars Patricia Arquette as a paranormal crime solver, has already performed well in the U.S. and, according to Nielsen, the show pulled in NBC’s highest 18-49 rating and viewer total for a Monday premiere (6.3/16) in over 10 years.

CTV expects to see the most change in its Sunday night lineup, which network schedulers gave the biggest programming facelift. Global has been a strong rival with hit shows like The Simpsons and Arrested Development, but CTV is using the strength of Alias and According to Jim to kick off the day’s primetime lineup which leads into Instant Star, Cold Case, Housewives and finally Law & Order:CI, which moves from its old 7 p.m. time-slot to 10 p.m.

For a full list of CTV changes and additions check out: http://www.ctv.ca