− Based on the popular website TheBeaverton.com, Comedy to begin production on new half-hour satirical series this summer -
− TheBeaverton.com teams up with Comedy to deliver digital exclusive content -
− Anchored by Canadian comedians Emma Hunter and Miguel Rivas, THE BEAVERTON is slated to begin production this summer -
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TORONTO, June 1, 2016 /CNW/ - At last. News on television. The Comedy Network announced today the incredibly important new television program THE BEAVERTON, an incredibly important satirical news series with deep importance to citizens living in the country with the most water in the world. A so-called televised "adaptation" of the immensely popular online satirical site TheBeaverton.com, THE BEAVERTON guarantees to provide Canadians with the news they didn't even ask for. The new half-hour series, produced by Pier 21 Films in association with The Comedy Network, is scheduled to begin production in front of a live studio audience in Toronto this summer and will be available in 4K.
Helmed by co-anchors Emma Hunter (MATCH GAME, JFL: ALL ACCESS and Miguel Rivas acclaimed sketch troupes Tony Ho, Get Some), and a rotating cast of correspondents featuring some of Canada's top comedians, THE BEAVERTON files fake, but incredibly important stories informed by real events, the cultural zeitgeist, and national news media.
The new partnership with TheBeaverton.com and The Comedy Network will fuel a consistently refreshed digital experience to coincide and reflect the series, featuring exclusive digital-only content in the form of podcasts, videos, and written articles.
"The Beaverton.com has long been tapped into the political and social zeitgeist in Canada and the razor-sharp and hilarious content it consistently delivers is addictive," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. "Together with TheBeaverton.com's creative team and Pier 21 Films, there's no limit to the subjects we can access or the content we can generate - that's what makes this series so exciting."
"The Comedy Network is proud to be able to offer another incredibly valuable service to our viewers - the news on television!" said Tracey Pearce, Senior Vice-President, Specialty and Pay, Bell Media. "TheBeaverton.com has already established itself as a distinctive voice that resonates with young Canadians. Along with our partners at Pier 21 Films, we're looking forward to turning the volume way up with THE BEAVERTON."
"I have always praised and admired sharp satire. When the opportunity arose to bring TheBeaverton.com - a bastion of wit and satire - to television, I leapt at the opportunity," said Executive Producer and President of Pier 21 Films, Laszlo Barna. "With The Comedy Network on board, we're excited to expand the content and the reach of this extremely exciting program."
"The Beaverton was started by a band of misfits who believed that comedy was the quickest path to truth and wanted to create a voice that was angry, smart, and above all, funny," said Luke Gordon Field, Editor-in-Chief, TheBeaverton.com. "To have the opportunity to work with Pier 21 Films and The Comedy Network to develop and expand that voice on television is a dream come true for all of us."
With more than 6 million views in 2015, TheBeaverton.com has become a go-to source for Canadian satire. Already known for its shareable content online, TheBeaverton.com has broken some of the decade's most viral "news stories", including:
THE BEAVERTON is the brainchild of co-creators Luke Gordon Field and Jeff Detsky (CALL ME FITZ, SEED) of TheBeaverton.com, as well as website senior editors Jacob Duarte Spiel and Alexander Saxton. Pier 21 Film's Laszlo Barna and Melissa Williamson serve as Executive Producers.
THE BEAVERTON is produced by Pier 21 Films, in association with The Comedy Network, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Sarah Fowlie is Director, Independent Production, Comedy, Bell Media. Executive for Bell Media is Bill Lundy. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Tracey Pearce is Senior Vice-President, Specialty and Pay, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Entertainment Production and Broadcasting, Bell Media.
About Pier 21 Films
Pier 21 Films is a television and film production company that builds on founder Laszlo Barna's history of creating award-winning scripted and non-scripted television series, mini-series, movies of the week, and feature films. Pier 21's reputation for the development, production, financing, and packaging of innovative top quality programming within North America and for the international marketplace is growing rapidly. Following the success of Pier 21's G-SPOT, DA VINCI'S INQUEST, WRATH OF GRAPES: THE DON CHERRY STORY II (2012), and TREASURES DECODED, Pier 21 is continuing their tradition of delivering innovative programming. www.pier21films.com
About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, MASTERCHEF CANADA, and the upcoming drama CARDINAL. Among the original scripted series on Bell Media pay, specialty, and streaming platforms are the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK, Space's most-watched original series KILLJOYS, Bravo's award-winning and most-watched original drama 19-2, award-winning dramedy SENSITIVE SKIN, CraveTV's first original series LETTERKENNY, and Discovery's upcoming drama FRONTIER. Discovery is also home to Bell Media's hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others.
About The Comedy Network
Canada's first specialty comedy service, The Comedy Network airs comedy of all kinds, 24-hours-a-day, across multiple platforms, including a revolutionary broadband service at thecomedynetwork.ca. Launched in October 1997, Comedy broadcasts, uncut and uncensored, an eclectic mix of scripted, stand-up, sketch, improv, and animated comedy - as well as topical comedy talk shows, game shows and classic situation comedies. Offering an unrivalled slate of original Canadian programming, Comedy reinvests nearly 50 per cent of its revenues into home-grown productions. Comedy is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company, and is available in nearly six million households across the country.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
The Comedy Network on Twitter
The Comedy Network on Facebook
The Beaverton on Twitter
The Beaverton on Facebook
Emma Hunter on Twitter
Miguel Rivas on Twitter
SOURCE Comedy
Image with caption: "Co-Anchors Miguel Rivas and Emma Hunter prepare to bring the most pressing "real" news into the living rooms of Canadians each week (CNW Group/Bell Media) (CNW Group/Comedy)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160601_C9209_PHOTO_EN_44751.jpg
Natalie Cole, The Comedy Network, 416.384.2140 or [email protected]
Mary Costa, The Comedy Network, 416.384.7702 or [email protected]
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