CTV and /A\'s Fall 2010 Schedules and Lineups Announced

    
                       TV's biggest stars land at CTV

    - Canada's No. 1 network gets stronger with the addition of Simon Cowell,
    Paula Abdul, Conan O'Brien, Marilyn Denis, William Shatner, Jim Belushi,
        Matthew Perry, Jerry O'Connell, Michael Chiklis, Tom Selleck,
             Maggie Q, Forest Whitaker, Jeremy Irons and more -
     - CTV schedule sees the addition of seven new fall series and four
                                 mid-season -
    - Canada's No. 1 Comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY joins Canada's No. 1 Drama
       GREY'S ANATOMY on Thursdays; BIG BANG now stripped nightly at
                                 7:30 p.m. -
         - 14 of Canada's Top 20 most-watched shows return to CTV -

    (xx)EDITORS(xx) Download CTV and /A\'s Fall 2010 Prime-Time Schedule as
    well as photography and program descriptions for new and returning series
    at www.ctvmedia.ca. See companion release, "Depth and Breadth: CTV and
    /A\ Fall 2010 Night-by-Night Schedules and Program Descriptions", issued
    concurrently with this announcement, for complete schedules and program
    information.
    

TORONTO, June 3 /CNW/ - Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc., revealed today the Fall 2010 programming lineup and schedule for CTV, Canada's most-watched network, and sister network /A\. Seven new series join the CTV schedule this Fall, with four additional new series slated for mid-season. The new series represent the best of new television programs produced by a diverse mix of studios.

"Strength, stability, surprise - it's a programming mix you won't find anywhere else," said Boyce. "From a position of strength, we've freshened up Canada's No. 1 schedule in all areas, from comedy, drama and reality, to daytime and late-night, to Canadian and American."

The 11 new series are fronted by some of television's biggest names, including Paula Abdul, William Shatner and Conan O'Brien, who joins CTV's late-night lineup with THE CONAN O'BRIEN SHOW.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to be coming to you on CTV," said Conan O'Brien in a video message. "Canada was the first place to embrace me...when I took my show here to Toronto several years ago, you treated me like a rock star and I never forgot it. I love your country. I love your people. And I really love your comedy..."

Additionally, CTV announced concurrently today that it has secured the exclusive Canadian broadcast rights to the U.S. version of Simon Cowell's THE X FACTOR, the hottest new competition series on the planet, premiering next Fall (see companion release "CTV Acquires THE X FACTOR for Fall 2011").

New series joining the CTV 2010 Fall Schedule include the one-hour drama NO ORDINARY FAMILY about a family with superpowers starring Michael Chiklis; the bromance Las Vegas legal drama THE DEFENDERS starring Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell; Dick Wolf's new procedural crime drama LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES; William Shatner's $#*! MY DAD SAYS, based on the popular Twitter account and New York Times bestseller of the same name; and BLUE BLOODS, about a multi-generational New York family of Irish cops, anchored by Tom Selleck.

Premiering in mid-season on CTV are Paula Abdul's return to prime-time as the judge and executive producer of the new dance competition series GOT TO DANCE, based on the hit U.K. format; Canadian Matthew Perry joins Allison Janney in his return to television in the new comedy in MR. SUNSHINE; and the bone-chilling new CRIMINAL MINDS spin-off starring Academy Award(R)-winner Forest Whitaker. CTV has acquired the streaming rights for each of the new scripted and reality series, which join Canada's leading television portal at CTV.ca.

In addition to confirming that TV's No. 1 comedy will join CTV's powerhouse Thursday lineup, the network confirmed that THE BIG BANG THEORY will be stripped weeknights, one full year ahead of American syndication, providing a strong launching pad at 7:30 p.m. into core prime-time.

CTV also confirmed today that the highly-anticipated original daytime series THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW premieres this Fall. The daily program joins an unprecedented seven other original Canadian prime-time series that have been ordered or renewed for the upcoming season, including the complex, unvarnished portrayal of one of history's most infamous families in THE BORGIAS, FLASHPOINT (Season 4), THE BRIDGE (Season 2), THE LISTENER (Season 2), HICCUPS (Season 2), DAN FOR MAYOR (Season 2) and COMEDY NOW! (Season 13). The network also announced that award-winning Top 20 hit SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA returns with its third season on August 15 (see companion release "CTV Announces Industry-Leading 2010-2011 Canadian Television Package").

Compared to Fall 2009, the CTV Fall 2010 lineup has been updated with more than a dozen schedule changes. While 14 of Canada's Top 20 most-watched programs return, the Fall 2010 CTV Prime-Time Schedule has been refreshed with new programs on every night and in every timeslot from Sunday to Friday. Eighteen of the 21 hours of core prime-time in that time period are in simulcast, more than any other network.

Changes to the CTV 2010 Fall Schedule (all times ET):

* Sundays: New Top 20 hit UNDERCOVER BOSS moves to 7 p.m., while CSI: MIAMI joins the Sunday night lineup at 10 p.m.

* Mondays: Surging murder mystery drama CASTLE airs at 10 p.m.

* Tuesdays: NO ORDINARY FAMILY joins the schedule at 8 p.m.

* Wednesdays: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA moves to a new night at 8 p.m., giving way to THE DEFENDERS at the end of its season. Then, at 10 p.m., LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES joins the schedule.

* Thursdays: CSI moves to 7 p.m., followed by the addition of THE BIG BANG THEORY at 8 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., it's the half-hour SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA results show, which transitions into $#*! MY DAD SAYS later in the season.

* Fridays: It's an all new Friday on CTV with HUMAN TARGET at 8 p.m., CSI: NY at 9 p.m., and the addition of the new Tom Selleck crime drama series BLUE BLOODS at 10 p.m.

Returning to the CTV schedule this Fall is a long list of Canada's most-watched programs, including GREY'S ANATOMY, CRIMINAL MINDS, AMERICAN IDOL, THE AMAZING RACE, THE MENTALIST, DANCING WITH THE STARS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, LAW & ORDER: SVU, and HUMAN TARGET.

CTV is also home to television's biggest event programming in 2010-2011, including Canada's most-watched television broadcasts, THE 83rd ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS(R) and SUPER BOWL XLV, live from Dallas. Additional big-ticket specials include THE 62nd PRIMETIME EMMY(R) AWARDS, THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE, WE DAY, and the 40th Anniversary of THE JUNO AWARDS, airing for the 10th year in a row on CTV live from Toronto.

In Daytime, CTV presents the can't-miss final season of OPRAH, in addition to DR. PHIL and the new daytime hit DR. OZ. Joining THE CONAN O'BRIEN SHOW in late-night are THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART and THE COLBERT REPORT.

Canada's No. 1 entertainment newsmagazine, ETALK, continues along with CANADA AM, W5, QUESTION PERIOD, the CTV EVENING NEWS and Canada's most-watched newscast, CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LLOYD ROBERTSON.

/A\ FALL 2010

The /A\ schedule is refreshed with the influx of 11 series new to the network, including three brand new shows: the romantic comedy MIKE & MOLLY about finding love at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting; the coming-of-age dramatic comedy HELLCATS about a pre-law student turned cheerleader; and Maggie Q as NIKITA in a sexy and suspenseful action series. The 7-8 p.m. hour is revamped with a new early prime-time strip featuring Canada's favourite comedy series CORNER GAS followed by ACCESS HOLLYWOOD in simulcast. Canada's No. 2 drama series CRIMINAL MINDS provides a beefed up 10 p.m. strip Sunday-Wednesday and Friday.

Changes to the /A\ 2010 Fall Schedule:

* Mondays: LAW & ORDER: SVU joins /A\ at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., TWO AND A HALF MEN joins /A\ in simulcast followed by new Chuck Lorre laugher MIKE & MOLLY in simulcast at 9:30 p.m.

* Tuesdays: THE BIG PICTURE features a strong lineup of hot Hollywood movies at 8 p.m.

* Wednesdays: AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL returns to /A\ at 9 p.m., followed by HELLCATS.

* Thursdays: An out-of-simulcast hit on CTV, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES joins /A\ at 8 p.m. followed by new series NIKITA.

* Fridays: Friday night favourite MEDIUM joins the /A\ schedule at 8 p.m. in simulcast, followed by DATELINE, also new to /A\.

Fresh and dynamic, /A\ is home to established Top 20 hits, critical favourites and big-buzz new series in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and British Columbia as well as in Alberta on ACCESS in certain primetime hours. /A\ spotlights day-to-day life in local communities in Victoria/Vancouver, Barrie/Toronto, Ottawa and London through its award-winning /A\ News programming. /A\ is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company. More information about /A\ may be found at www.atv.ca.

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. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts, entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. Official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad, CTV Inc. is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada's premier multi-media company, which also owns Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. More information about CTV may be found on the network's website at www.ctv.ca.

Source: BBM Canada

For further information: Scott Henderson, Vice-President, Communications, CTV Inc., [phone] or [email protected], or Renée Dupuis, [phone] or [email protected], or Allie Page, [phone] or [email protected], or Jim Quan, [phone] or [email protected]