Discovery has unveiled its picks for fall and four new series are top priorities for the new season. Although plans haven’t yet been completed, these shows will be the focus of much of the net’s publicity and promotional activities:
· Star Racer : Eight one-hour episodes follow Canadian drivers as they push the limits and their cars for a shot at the glamorous and dangerous world of big-time auto racing. This series premieres in October.
· Patent Bending: Two science-savvy, wildly curious hosts scour books of patents from the past century to find the seemingly greatest, strangest or most fantastically odd ideas that never got off the page. A half-hour series with eight eps.
· Doctor*ology: On the sked for winter/spring 2007, this hour-long comedic science series stars actor Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun, Police Squad) with a first-hand look at medicine and medical technology from neurology to urology and everything in between.
· Daily Planet in China : Six one-hour episodes will reveal a China few have ever seen. (Simulcast with Discovery HD.)

Other new shows for fall include:
· Guinea Pig: A magician and alternative circus performer and professional daredevil pushes the limits of what the human body can endure. Six half-hour episodes are scheduled to run summer 2007.
· Lived to Tell: With spectacular CGI, authentic reconstructions and a distinctive filmic style, seven one-hour episodes bring to life the dramatic stories of those involved in some of the greatest catastrophes of our time.

Returning shows on Discovery include: Canada’s Worst Driver, Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, I Shouldn’t Be Alive, MegaBuilders, MythBusters, American Chopper, American Hotrod, Daily Planet, How It’s Made, What’s That About? and Forensic Factor. The net targets adults 25-54.

CTV Travel appeals once again to the travel bug through new properties spanning the world and back. Original series Mayhem at the Manor has a couple of eccentric bluebloods throwing open the doors to their manor, turning the estate into a bed and breakfast. Then, Living the Life throws together two strangers sharing a common passion for the same celeb. They are then given a weekend to live as their idols do. Legend Hunters introduces the folks who live to uncover the world’s greatest mysteries. Exhibit Eh! Canada Exposed follows a pair of guys as they uncover the untold tales of Canuck history. Planet Luxury is aimed at folks who want nothing less than the best. The series examines everything from diamond-encrusted shoes to slick, Italian racecars.

Meanwhile, at Animal Planet, three new series are on tap. The four-part Ultimate Africa shows the dangers and beauty of the land’s community of nations. Predator’s Prey, a 13-parter, examines the things animals do to protect themselves. Hosted by the Crocodile Hunter himself, the six-ep New Breed Vets with Steve Irwin explores the folks making inroads in veterinary medicine.

MTV will roll out doc series, Juvies (8×60). The show follows teens who can’t stay away from the long arm of the law. Also for fall is Two-a-Days, a half-hour doc series about the pressures felt by a football team in Alabama. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez’s half-hour Moves chronicles the plight of dancers struggling to make their dreams come true. And in 24/7, the camera follows a rock star, an actor, a record producer, an entrepreneur and a Buddhist in this half-hour unscripted drama.

OLN has picked up nine new shows for fall. The 13-parter series The Rig follows six people through oil fields in Alberta. Crash Addicts chronicles crazy construction projects including compact cars and station wagons, only to smash ’em up minutes later. And then in Man’s Work, a couch potato turns into a ‘man’s man’ as he is pushed to his mental, physical and emotional limits. Ed’s Up stars Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Robertson. The avid pilot undertakes an adventure in this 13-part series. The unscripted, 22-part Back Packers follows friends through 20 countries. The ultimate road trip series, Race to Dakar shadows a rally team as they participate in the most dangerous motor sports event in the world. And in the original 13-parter Road Hockey Rumble, road hockey goes on the road – literally — via two rivals who take their grudge match across Canada. Finally, the six-part Tribe trails a former Royal Marine and an expedition leader as they live with ancient tribes in some of the world’s most remote areas.

What’s a more fitting hookup than celebs dishing about themselves over coffee? So goes the thinking behind a new promo that pits together Star! Daily with Second Cup. Look Who’s Chilling at Second Cup is a 12-week campaign that has celeb interviews taking place at Second Cup locations across Toronto. Randy Mauskopf, senior manager at CHUM’s Creative Media Solutions says the coffee chain will provide the backdrop for interviews and that there will be no overt product placement. ‘We want it to be really organic, and the background will be as it occurs.’ He adds: ‘[I think that] the more you complement traditional media with creative solutions, the more you evolve as a brand.’

Other elements in the promo include a branded microsite at star-tv.com/secondcup and a sweepstakes element for a chance to win a red carpet experience at the premiere of Marie Antoinette. The promo targets single, urban females in their thirties. Toronto’s Gaggi Media played matchmaker.

For a list of the top 30 TV shows for the week of May 29 – June 4, 2006, according to BBM, please click the links below:

National
Ontario
Quebec
Toronto
Vancouver

Entertainment, at 36%, is the category that tops the English market for May 26-June 1, 2006. Meanwhile during the same time period last year, it was automotive – at 25%. Backlash from the steep price of gas, perhaps? 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

CTV announced its summertime fare yesterday. New series include the Canadian hour-long drama, Whistler, a primetime series set atop the Rockies. Whistler begins airing on Sunday, June 25 at 10 p.m. Half-hour comedy series Alice, I Think begins its run on Sunday, July 13 at 7 p.m. Then, on Friday, June 23 at 9 p.m., Simon Cowell’s America’s Got Talent hits the screen. The show profiles Americans with unique talents. Tori Spelling’s scripted series, So NoTORIous airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. beginning July 13. Finally, One Ocean View debuts on Monday, July 31. The hour-long drama follows young professionals in Manhattan. Its time slot has yet to be decided.

Returning summer properties include: Canadian Idol, Comedy Inc., Comedy Now!, Instant Star, The Sopranos and So You Think You Can Dance?.