Mid-season Round-up: Part One – CBC

The CBC is overhauling its schedule to give the network a brand new look for the mid-season and so far at least KIA has liked what it found when it kicked the sked's tires.

Last night, CBC premiered The Tournament to strong praise from critics. With upcoming episodes directed by Bruce McDonald, the show looks to be a hit with audiences searching for both a comedy and a hockey fix. KIA Canada, The Tournament's main sponsor, is using the show to air its new ads which call for an end to the NHL lockout. The KIA deal was made before the show's script was finalized which allowed for the brand to be integrated into the plot in both the storyline (the two main characters work at a KIA dealership) and in signage (rinkboard ads, and dealership ads). The Tournament's Web site also features KIA branded content including Web links to KIA sites and fictitious ads for the KIA dealership on the show.
By Danny Shenkman
January 4, 2005

The CBC is overhauling its schedule to give the network a brand new look for the mid-season and so far at least KIA has liked what it found when it kicked the sked’s tires.

Last night, CBC premiered The Tournament to strong praise from critics. With upcoming episodes directed by Bruce McDonald, the show looks to be a hit with audiences searching for both a comedy and a hockey fix. KIA Canada, The Tournament‘s main sponsor, is using the show to air its new ads which call for an end to the NHL lockout. The KIA deal was made before the show’s script was finalized which allowed for the brand to be integrated into the plot in both the storyline (the two main characters work at a KIA dealership) and in signage (rinkboard ads, and dealership ads). The Tournament‘s Web site also features KIA branded content including Web links to KIA sites and fictitious ads for the KIA dealership on the show.

For the next three Mondays, CBC will follow The Tournament with pilots for three new comedy series at 9 p.m. Once the three pilots have aired, the time-slot will be taken over by The Passionate Eye, which returns for another season. Rick Mercer’s Monday Report will move back into the 8 p.m. time-slot it held last year when The Tournament moves into its regular time next week at 8:30.

Tuesdays will see the return of This Is Wonderland (9 p.m.) and beginning in February, the roll-out of Legendary Sin Cities which profiles Paris, Berlin and Shanghai between the first and second world wars. The CBC’s most anticipated show, however, hits the air Wednesday, Jan 12. Canadian Antiques Roadshow (8 p.m.) is expecting big numbers thanks to a big promo effort by the network and, like the U.S. equivalent (which just happens to be PBS’s top-rated show), will target a general demo.

CBC’s weekend schedule is remaining mostly intact. Hockey Night In Canada‘s replacement Movie Night In Canada is still bringing in solid numbers and is playing off the buzz from the holiday season DVD release of the Star Wars trilogy by playing all three movies throughout the month of January. CBC Sports Saturday is making its return on Jan. 8 with the Figure Skating Grand Prix Final and will also feature the Snowboarding World Championships from Whistler as well as World Cup skiing and speed skating in the coming weeks.

For CBC’s full schedule check out: http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/.