CBC consolidates Ontario network
CBC and Radio-Canada Media Solutions has decided to sell its Ontario region only as a whole effective Sept. 10. This was due to increased demand by advertisers to reach the full Ontario audience. The change will not eliminate access to a local audience, according to the pubcaster, as Toronto and Ottawa-specific spots will still be available through local news sponsorships and geo-targeted digital buys.
CTV gets rights to SCTV special
CTV revealed it has acquired the Canadian broadcast rights to an SCTV reunion special commissioned by Netflix and directed by Martin Scorsese. The as-yet-untitled special will debut next year on Netflix in all territories except Canada, where CTV holds the exclusive broadcast rights. Following its broadcast run on CTV, the special will then be made available on Netflix in Canada. Filming is set to take place at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre on May 13. The live taping (dubbed “An Afternoon With SCTV”) will see Jimmy Kimmel moderating a panel conversation with alumnae Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis.
Corus, Bell Media unveil Royal Wedding details
Corus Entertainment has unveiled its broadcast plans for its coverage of the upcoming Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, with most of its coverage centered around Global News and ET Canada. The Corus-owned media properties will broadcast the wedding as well as coverage leading up to and after the event, with additional digital and social media content. The coverage will be sponsored by Starbucks Coffee at Home. For the week beginning May 14, ET Canada will provide daily updates on the wedding, with live broadcasts from Windsor, England beginning May 17. The broadcast of the big day on May 19 will begin at 4:30 a.m., with a one-hour unscripted special on the romance between Prince Harry and his bride-to-be. The broadcast of the wedding itself will take place at 5:30 a.m. Ross Mathews (RuPaul’s Drag Race) will join co-hosts Cheryl Hickey, Sangita Patel and Dawna Friesen for the five-hour broadcast. The coverage will culminate in a special edition of ET Canada on May 21 at 7:30 p.m., where viewers can relive wedding highlights.
Bell Media’s pre-wedding coverage will begin May 16, with that evening’s edition of CTV National News hosted live from Windsor by CTV News chief anchor Lisa LaFlamme. CTV personalities Anne-Marie Mediwake, Todd Battis, Daniele Hamamdjian, Marcia McMillan, Jill Macyshon and Paul Workman will also deliver updates, reports and analysis throughout the special. Special guests for the coverage include royal historian and biographer Hugo Vickers, and Juno winner (and Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient) Jann Arden. The ceremony on May 19 will go live at 4 a.m. and will be simulcast on CTV, CTV News Channel and CP29, with additional live coverage on E and HBO Canada. Live streams will be available on CTV News and CP24’s websites, as well as on CTV Go and CTV News Go. Following the ceremony, a one-hour primetime special on eTalk will air at 7 p.m., and a two-hour primetime special of CTV News will air highlights at 9 p.m. CTV News’ social media channels will also feature exclusive, behind-the-scenes content.
