We asked and they answered. Broadcast experts in the French-speaking market talk about the best bets on TV in Montreal. This is the second in a two-part series that examines which shows will net the most eyeballs at 8 and 9 p.m.

*N.B. Because of constant, up-to-the-minute changes to the nets’ fall lineups in Montreal, there’s much dissent among our broadcast pundits’ opinions as to which of their programming grids is the most up to date. The opinions below are based on each person’s version of the grid.

On Wednesdays at 8 p.m. the prediction is this: ‘Les poupées russes is a new show [on TVA] and I think it will win,’ says Marie-Josée Dionne of Marketel.

We asked and they answered. Broadcast experts in the French-speaking market talk about the best bets on TV in Montreal. This is the first in a two-part series that examines which shows will net the most eyeballs at 8 and 9 p.m.

*N.B. Because of constant, up-to-the-minute changes to the nets’ fall lineup in Montreal, there’s much dissent among our broadcast pundits’ opinions as to which of their programming grids is the most up to date. The opinions below are based on each person’s version of the grid.

Line Contant, broadcast supervisor at Allard-Johnson Communications, believes that ‘Radio-Canada (R-C) has been revamping their schedule to appeal to the masses. They’re very cultural, very high art but now, they’re adding shows that are more for everybody. The quality is still there but it’s becoming more accessible for all.’

This is the last in a five-part series (Part one: MIC June 30/05) that asks broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted – and competitive – weeknight timeslots of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids. Next up: ‘The Word on Fall in Montreal,’ a two-part series coming next week.

Sheila Malanchuk, media strategy manager at OMD Vancouver, has lots of opinions about the 8 p.m. timeslot. ‘Ghost Whisperer [on CTV] has gotten some bad feedback. It’s not the best replacement for Joan of Arcadia. I don’t see the old Joan audience wanting to see Ghost Whisperer. It’s more like a Medium but not as well done. I just don’t see a lot of potential with that show,’ she says about the new Jennifer Love Hewitt entry.

This is the fourth in a five-part series (Part one: MIC June 30/05) that asks broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted – and competitive – weeknight timeslots of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids.
‘First of all, as an overall theme for Thursday night, I just want to say that there’s a wealth of strong returning entries,’ says Theresa Treutler, SVP media at Toronto-based Doner. ‘It’s a very tough slot for new properties.’

Seems the networks aren’t messing with a formula that works. For 8 p.m., everyone agrees on the winner.

This is the third in a series (Part one: MIC June 30/05) that asks broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted – and competitive – weeknight timeslots of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids.

‘Personally, I’m not an Invasion [on CTV] person,’ confesses Sherry O’Neill, managing director, broadcast at OMD Toronto about the 8 p.m. slot on Wednesday nights. ‘And I don’t know what (Global’s) The Apprentice: Martha Stewart will look like. By definition, Martha will draw more women and Invasion will go after the younger people.’ She pauses for a minute and then decides: ‘I think Invasion will beat Martha.’

This is the second in a series (see part one in MIC June 30, 2005) that asks broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted — and competitive — weeknight timeslots of 8-10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids.

‘Close to Home (CTV) is very female, very Judging Amy‘ says Sheila Malanchuk, media strategy manager at OMD Vancouver about the 8 p.m. contenders. ‘Then there’s Bones (Global) which is more forensic drama. With David Boreanaz, it skews female. I think Bones has potential but the pilot could be better. Either of them are a toss up. And when American Idol comes in (on CTV mid-season), it will be a sweep.’

For the 9 p.m. timeslot, Malanchuk is more decisive. ‘The Amazing Race (CTV) will trump (Global’s) House although the House audience is growing. (CBC’s) DaVinci’s City Hall has its loyal audience but the numbers are not quite there. Supernatural (on Citytv) is another one of those for the sci-fi audience but it won’t even come close to Race‘s numbers.’ And at 10 p.m. she says: ‘(CTV’s)Law and Order: SVU though Gilmore Girls (on Global) has its loyal audience. Also I don’t really think that Wanted (Citytv) will last that long.’

No longer just an ad, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty has been immortalized into a documentary by Toronto producer Telefactory (See MIC May 24, 2005). The doc entitled Beauty Quest, is set to air on W Network on Saturday, July 30 at 8 p.m. and follows fashion photog Arline Malakian as she searches for the defining picture of beauty.

‘We saw the Dove photo exhibit and we were really impressed,’ says Leanne Crouch, CEO and exec producer at Telefactory. ‘So we approached Unilever to see if they were interested in a documentary with the very big caveat that it would be an independent production with no campaign propaganda behind it.’

The verdict is in. Media in Canada nabbed gab time with media buyers to ask: Which shows do you predict will net the most eyeballs this fall? This is the first of a series that will share broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted – and competitive — weeknight timeslots of 8-10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids.

Sherry O’Neill, managing director, broadcast at OMD Toronto, says: ‘I think it’s a good night for Global and CH. Fathom is interesting though I don’t like Kitchen Confidential. Everyone here loved Prison Break but we think that the flow should be more like Fathom (on CH) and then Prison Break(on Global). After that, (at 10 p.m.), it’s definitely CSI: Miami.’

Global’s announced its new fall programming yesterday at an event at the Carlu, attended by Mr. Apprentice himself, Donald Trump. The standing-room only event was punctuated by the ringing of cell phones as part of Global’s new promotion entitled ‘Global’s Calling – If you’re in, you win.’ With phones hidden under select chairs, CanWest’s top brass gave away prizes of $1000 each throughout the event to a handful of lucky attendees.

This was a taste of a wider consumer promo engineered to net and keep eyeballs. The contest works like this: Viewers are invited to register their info online and to watch Global nightly for a code word. Prizes range from $500 up to $10,000 for viewers who know that word when called. Global’s Calling starts July 11 and runs for eight weeks. The network will also utilize trucks in the Vancouver and Toronto markets wrapped with contest details. The trucks will be visiting neighbourhoods to catch viewers at home who may be in the know.

CTV went to market and picked up five key items for fall. The schedule includes Close to Home, a legal drama from Jerry Bruckheimer starring Canadian Jennifer Finnigan; Invasion, an eerie drama starring Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch); Ghost Whisperer with Party of Five-alum Jennifer Love Hewitt; Inconceivable with Ming Na (formerly of ER); and the half-hour sitcom Twins from the Emmy-winning team (David Kohan and Max Mutchnick) that brought us Will & Grace.

Midseason pickups include a mixed bag of five American and three Canadian titles. Titles from the U.S. are Crumbs with former Wonder Years wonder boy, Fred Savage; In Justice with Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex & the City), a reality series called The Miracle Workers; the Evidence, a character-based drama from John Wells of West Wing and ER fame and What About Brian from the executive producer of Lost and Alias, JJ Abrams. Local purchases are Whistler an hour-long drama set in – you guessed it – Whistler, B.C.; Alice I Think, a teen series based on Susan Juby’s books and Jeff Ltd. starring Gemini winner Jeff Seymour as a megalomaniacal marketer.

CBC revealed its fall lineup today and it’s putting most of its eggs into the Canadian dramatic series basket.

The network announced its plans to increase the hours devoted to Canuck drama by 50% while increasing comedy hours by 10%. The big push is to place its predicted heavy-hitter dramatic titles during the Sunday and Monday night timeslots.