APTN is debuting a new half-hour animated series, Bro Town, this fall targeting the 18-34 demo. Airing Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. beginning this October, Bro Town, follows the shenanigans of five raunchy Auckland schoolboys, and has already garnered critical acclaim as New Zealand’s first primetime animated show. Totally politically incorrect, the show is being dubbed as the Kiwi South Park, and judging from the glut of fart, poop, and racial jokes in the early episodes, it’s on its way to living up to the title.

Also hitting the APTN airwaves this October is The Link, a weekday, half-hour afternoon program targeting the 12-17 demo. The show, which airs at 4:30 p.m., will feature music videos, game reviews and home videos shot by Aboriginal kids from across Canada. The show will also follow host Matt Bernard as he travels throughout Canada to discover his Metis roots.

At Banff this week, APTN commissioned six half-hour episodes of Hank Williams First Nation – the Series, a Canadian production based on the award-winning feature of the same name. Veteran series writer Larry Mollin of Beverly Hills 90210 fame is signed on as story editor.

Beginning this September, new-look TVtropolis will be adding a game show to its line-up of small screen classics. Produced by Toronto’s Lone Eagle Entertainment, Inside The Box, will pit three contestants against each other competing against the clock to identify memorable shows, actors and characters from TV’s yesteryears. The 26 half-hour episodes will begin airing September 18th at 7:30 p.m. and targets the 25-54s.

For a list of the top 30 TV shows for the week of June 5-11, 2006, according to BBM, please click the links below:

National
Ontario
Quebec
Toronto
Vancouver

The entertainment category trumped all others in both French and English markets (both at 44% apiece) for the week of June 2-8, 2006. The category left all others in the dust, with tied-for-second place food and sporting goods/recreational products scoring a measly 13% each in English Canada; and drug products and apparel nabbing 11% in French Canada. Check out others topping the charts, and which brands had the most new spots. This info was gathered through Montreal-based ELODA’s online TV ad tracking, auditing and viewing services. All data supplied is based on the ELODA recording grid.
http://www.eloda.com

We know reality TV contestants can be catty, but this is taking it to a whole new level. Meow Mix cat food is unveiling three-minute segments beginning June 16 showing cats from various shelters living in the Madison Ave. Meow Mix house as they vie for a job as feline VP of research and development at the company. The segments will unfold over a 10-week stretch and will air during the Friday 9 p.m. slot on Animal Planet. The savvy marketing move is meant to raise awareness for the brand, while touting the need for pet adoptions. A panel of judges will rate the felines for ‘best purr’ and ‘top post-climber,’ and like many reality shows before it, one contestant will be voted off each week. The cat cast-offs will be moved to a permanent home – a year’s worth of Meow Mix booty in tow.

Star! will be entertaining its audience with a mixture of original productions and acquired programming. An original production, Awesome 80s, is a look at the over-the-top decade through the eyes of icons of the era and industry experts. Under acquired programming, there’s Girls Next Door, which follows Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends through their days at the Playboy Mansion. Next up is Child Star Confidential, where viewers get the chance to catch up with some old friends. Sexiest counts down the hottest celebs in various categories, from rock stars to action heroes while I Pity The Fool has Mr. T traveling cross-country handing out his home-grown wisdom. And if Mr. T isn’t star enough for you, there’s Star Culture which delves inside the inimitable universe of celebrity, the culture that surrounds the A-listers. All shows debut this September or October.

A-Channel has named its properties for fall. Hour-long drama, Jericho is on offer beginning in September. The series, about a town’s chaos after witnessing a nuclear mushroom cloud, will air weekly on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. The drama stars Skeet Ulrich of Scream fame. The two-hour Professional Poker Tour is slated to air Saturdays at 9 p.m. in September. The series looks over the shoulders of poker’s brightest stars. November 2006 sees the premiere of Ice Planet, an hour-long series that follows Commander Jonas Trager and crew on their adventures after crashing on a planet of ice. Michael Ironside stars.

Returning shows for A-Channel include: Star! Daily, Ellen, 7th Heaven, American’s Next Top Model, Supernanny, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live.