A Decade in the Making: CTV Unveils 2012/2013 Primetime Schedules

FOUR NEW SERIES JOIN CTV THIS FALL; CTV TWO ADDS THREE NEW SERIES

- 26 hit series return, including 11 Top 20 hits -

- CTV expands comedy leadership with new Tuesday night comedy block featuring the highly anticipated comedy ANGER MANAGEMENT and THE NEW NORMAL -

- THE BIG BANG THEORY and TWO AND A HALF MEN cement Thursday night comedy power hour -

- THE MOB DOCTOR lands prime Sunday night timeslot -

- Canada's beloved FLASHPOINT says farewell in coveted Thursdays at 10 timeslot -

- NASHVILLE, ARROW, and EMILY OWENS, M.D. highlight new CTV Two programs -

- Six new series on deck for mid-season, including THE FOLLOWING starring Kevin Bacon, and new CTV Original Drama series MOTIVE -

**MEDIA NOTE** Download CTV and CTV Two's 2012/13 Prime Time schedules as well as photography and program descriptions for new and returning series at bellmediapr.ca. See also companion release, "CTV & CTV Two 2012/2013 Night by Night Schedules and Program Descriptions", issued concurrently with this announcement.

To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/KK6NG0

TORONTO, May 31, 2012 /CNW/ -  After 10 years of stability and strength in all key demos, CTV unveiled today another winning lineup for its 2012/13 primetime schedules on CTV, North America's longest-leading television network, and CTV Two, its surging sister network, completing its inaugural season. Cherry-picked from seven different studios are four new big-buzz dramas and three hilarious new comedies for CTV and CTV Two, carefully chosen to join the networks' enviable stable of returning Top 20 hits. Also announced today were six additional mid-season series, representing unrivaled bench strength for the two networks. The two schedules will be presented by Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports, at the #CTVUpfront presentation today in Toronto.

The two schedules represent the best possible balance between freshmen, sophomore, and returning series, as well as the most even ratio of comedy, dramas, and reality programs, among any other Canadian network.

"Our schedules are not heavy on comedy, nor are they heavy on drama. What they are heavy on is hits, in every genre, on every night of the week," said King. "For 10 years running now, our powerhouse lineup has been continually refreshed, resulting in the most stable and balanced schedule out there. It's a programming depth and scheduling breadth that is unparallelled, making CTV a sure bet for both advertisers and viewers, year in and year out."

As evidence of its programming durability, CTV returns last season's biggest hits, including four of the Top 5 most-watched new programs of the year in A25-54 and A18-49, and all with potential for even more growth in their second seasons. The crop of sophomore hits includes the #1 new program overall and #1 new reality series, THE X FACTOR; the #1 and #2 new dramas, ONCE UPON A TIME and GRIMM; and the #1 new comedy, WHITNEY.

As a result, the CTV schedules were left with few holes to fill, amounting to only 2.5 hours on CTV. Just four new programs join the CTV schedule this fall, with another three added to CTV Two. The outcome is a CTV schedule featuring more simulcast hours (16.5) in primetime than any other network; in all, both CTV and CTV Two will deliver 27.5 hours of simulcast.

Nevertheless, CTV has reloaded for mid-season with six new programs, including one of the most-talked about new programs available, THE FOLLOWING, starring Kevin Bacon. The six new programs, along with the flexibility afforded by two conventional networks, strategically position CTV well for the season ahead.

Additionally, CTV's Fall 2012 schedule is strengthened by several key scheduling changes:

1. On what is destined to become the most-watched hour of the week, Canada's top two comedies are paired together when THE BIG BANG THEORY and TWO AND A HALF MEN air in simulcast Thursdays at 8 and 8:30 p.m.
2. CTV honours the farewell season of its original hit series FLASHPOINT when it moves to Thursdays with one of the most coveted timeslots of the week at 10 p.m.
3. As a result of FLASHPOINT's move to Thursday, a new hour opens up Tuesdays, allowing the scheduling of yet another powerful comedy block at 9 p.m. when ANGER MANAGEMENT is paired with new series THE NEW NORMAL at 9:30 p.m.
4. Later on Tuesdays at 10 p.m., consistent performer CRIMINAL MINDS returns to the CTV schedule from CTV Two, instantly strengthening the night.
5. On Fridays, CSI: NEW YORK moves to 8 p.m. in simulcast, avoiding last season's conflict with GRIMM, which continues to air in simulcast at 9 p.m.
6. New series THE MOB DOCTOR gets the prime Sunday at 9 p.m. timeslot, providing a great flow out of THE AMAZING RACE and setting up THE MENTALIST in its new 10 p.m. timeslot, in simulcast.
7. In daytime, Canada's #1 daytime talk series THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW gets even stronger when it moves into simulcast at 4 p.m.
8. Finally, the CTV Two schedule is also instantly strengthened with the addition of THE VOICE on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Once again, CTV and CTV Two ended the season with more Top 20 programs than all other networks combined, in both total viewers and A25-54 and A18-49, including the country's #1 series (THE BIG BANG THEORY), the #1 drama for the fifth year in a row (GREY'S ANATOMY), and the #1 competition series (THE AMAZING RACE). CTV and CTV Two delivered five of the Top 5 comedy series, four of the Top 5 reality series, and five of the Top 7 drama series.

The new CTV schedule features Top 20 programs in every single timeslot, on every single night throughout the week, including Top 20 hits CSI (#5), AMERICAN IDOL (#8), DANCING WITH THE STARS (#11), CASTLE (#13), and BLUE BLOODS (#19).

CTV's flagship CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME continues its reign as the nation's #1 newscast, after outperforming both GLOBAL NATIONAL (by 37%) and CBC's THE NATIONAL (by 85%).

In daytime, CTV's #1 lineup of top-rated hits return, including LIVE! WITH KELLY, THE VIEW, THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, ANDERSON, DR. PHIL, THE DR. OZ SHOW, and Canada's #1 homegrown daytime talk show, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, which returns for its third season.

ETALK returns for an impressive 11^th season as the most-watched and most-trusted entertainment show in the country, continuing to deliver more viewers than both ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (+6%), and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT CANADA (+55%).

CTV and CTV Two's leading late-night lineup continues with CONAN, THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, THE COLBERT REPORT, THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, and LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON.

CTV remains the home of television's biggest event programming in 2012/13, including Canada's most-watched television broadcasts, THE 85^th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS^® and SUPER BOWL XLVII, live from New Orleans. Additional big-ticket specials include THE 70^th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE^® AWARDS, THE 64^th PRIMETIME EMMY^® AWARDS, AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, THE 2013 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS, THE 2013 JUNO AWARDS, and more.

2012/13 New Programs at a Glance
New series joining the CTV schedule this fall include the highly-anticipated Charlie Sheen-helmed comedy ANGER MANAGEMENT, where the no-holds-barred actor stars alongside Selma Blair as "Charlie", a non-traditional therapist specializing in anger management. The anything-goes half-hour tag teams on Tuesdays with new comedy THE NEW NORMAL, a hilarious and heart-warming look at what happens when two gay guys enlist a Midwestern single mother as their surrogate baby mama. Offering a dramatic twist on the medical and crime procedural is THE MOB DOCTOR, a fast-paced new drama starring Jordana Spiro as a brilliant young surgeon split between her promising medical career and her lifelong debt to Chicago's Southside mob, and THE NEIGHBORS, starring Jamie Gertz and Lenny Venito as a couple who buy a new home in a coveted gated community, only to discover that the neighbours are aliens masquerading as suburbanites.

On CTV Two, three new dramas bolster the roster this fall. First, dueling country stars go head to head in NASHVILLE, as EMMY® nominated Connie Britton plays a legendary musical icon struggling to maintain her career up against newcomer played by Hayden Panettiere, perfectly cast as an aggressive young upstart on the rise who will stop at nothing to bring her rival down. Based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, glossy action-packed adventure series ARROW stars Canada's own Stephen Amell as the legendary vigilante superhero with the secret identity of billionaire industrialist, Oliver Queen. Demonstrating how the lessons of high school are never far behind, EMILY OWENS, M.D. follows a young surgical intern who learns the hard way that working in a hospital is no different than the dynamics of high school.

Premiering in mid-season, primetime takes an intense turn with the much buzzed about psychological thriller THE FOLLOWING, starring Golden Globe®-winning actor Kevin Bacon in his broadcast television debut in which he plays an FBI agent chasing a network of serial killers. New CTV Original Drama Series MOTIVE (working title) puts a new spin on the crime procedural as a feisty female Vancouver homicide detective matches wits with killers in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. Taking a peek at the paranormal, ZERO HOUR stars ER's Anthony Edwards as a man who must unlock a centuries-old conspiracy in order to rescue his kidnapped wife (Jacinda Barrett). A modern take on a Jekyll and Hyde, DO NO HARM presents another twist on reality, where actor Steven Pasquale takes a turn as a charming and brilliant neurosurgeon battling a borderline sociopathic personality that wreaks havoc in his life. New cop-drama GOLDEN BOY also joins the midseason lineup, charting the rapid ascent of an ambitious NYC officer (Theo James), who becomes the city's youngest police commissioner, and the high personal and professional cost he pays to achieve it. Finally, Leah Remini joins the CTV family with THE FAMILY TOOLS, a new comedy about a habitual screw-up (Kyle Bornheimer) who is forced to take over the family handyman business and unexpectedly discovers that he may have found his calling.

About CTV Two
Available from coast-to-coast, Canada's third most-watched private network features a dynamic mix of drama, comedy and reality programming. CTV Two spotlights day-to-day life in local communities in Vancouver/Victoria, Toronto/Barrie, Ottawa, London, Windsor and Atlantic Canada through its award-winning local news programming. CTV Two Alberta, the provincial educational broadcaster, features both formal educational programming and popular CTV Two series. Reaching 89% of English Canadian viewers and available in High Definition, CTV Two is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company.

About CTV
CTV, Canada's Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at ctv.ca.

Source: BBM Canada, BY2011-12: 9/19/2011 - 5/23/2012
Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters.

Scott Henderson,
Vice-President, Communications, Bell Media
416.384.5305 or [email protected]

Laura Heath Potter
Director of Communications, CTV
416.384.4633 or [email protected]