CBC celebrates its most successful season premiere week ever

Numerous time slots won with innovative, exciting Canadian television - 5 shows drew more than one million viewers

TORONTO, Jan. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - CBC Television is celebrating its most successful season premiere week ever, with a number of new and returning CBC comedy, drama, unscripted and current affairs programs winning their time blocks - and several with audiences of more than one million viewers.

"This record-setting week is a testament to great programming made for - and made by - Canadians," said Kirstine Stewart, CBC Executive Vice-President, English Services. "At CBC, we'd like to thank our partners for creating such amazing hit shows, and we thank Canadians for choosing to watch them."

On four different occasions, CBC's Canadian programs won their time blocks over U.S.-produced content (MARKETPLACE, the fifth estate, MR. D and DRAGONS' DEN).  REPUBLIC OF DOYLE placed second in its time block just behind the People's Choice Awards while HEARTLAND came behind only the NFL Playoffs.

Among the ratings highlights:

• CBC's new action/adventure drama ARCTIC AIR won the largest audience for the premiere of a new drama series in 20 years, with total viewership of 1.05 million.
  
  
• New comedy MR. D premiered to 1.23 million viewers - the largest for a comedy since the debut of LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE in January, 2007.
  
  
• Five shows captured audiences well over the one million mark - MARKETPLACE, MR. D, ARCTIC AIR, DRAGONS' DEN and REPUBLIC OF DOYLE - while four others notched audiences of more than three-quarters of a million (the fifth estate, HEARTLAND, REDEMPTION INC and THE RICK MERCER REPORT.)

(All data from Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM)).

For a full list of CBC's winter programs, visit www.cbc.ca/seasonpreview

About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus seven languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada celebrated 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.

Erin Richards, Veritas Communications
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