CTV Reveals Broadcast Details for the Biggest Night in Hollywood: THE OSCARS® Airing February 22 on CTV

– For the first time, THE OSCARS^® Press Room live streams on CTV.ca and CTV GO –
– ETALK's Ben Mulroney and Danielle Graham, with ETALK and THE SOCIAL's Lainey Lui, host Canada's only live red carpet special, the 12^th annual ETALK AT THE OSCARS –
– For first time ever, ETALK presents the Canada Stars Pre-Oscars party in Los Angeles –
– Leading up to Oscar night, ETALK delivers two new exclusive specials –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1CpLRMx

TORONTO, Feb. 13, 2015 /CNW/ - CTV announced today broadcast details for the most-watched entertainment event broadcast in Canada for the past five consecutive years, THE OSCARS^®, airing live Sunday, Feb. 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT on CTV and CTV GO (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). Anchoring the night is Canada's own live red carpet special, ETALK AT THE OSCARS, kicking off Oscars Sunday live across the country at 6:30 p.m. ET and leading into OSCARS^® OPENING CEREMONY: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on CTV and CTV GO. As the only Canadian entertainment news outlet broadcasting live from the Oscar red carpet, ETALK Anchor Ben Mulroney provides a Canadian perspective on the red carpet, while ETALK Co-Anchor Danielle Graham, and ETALK and THE SOCIAL's Lainey report from the exclusive balcony position above.

Last year's broadcast of The Oscars saw its biggest entertainment audience in Canada since 2012 as 6.4 million viewers tuned in to the award show. With a reach of 12.6 million unique viewers in English Canada, more than half of all English Canadians watching TV that night (March 2, 2014) saw the broadcast.

Hosted by award-winning star of the stage and screen Neil Patrick Harris, CTV's live broadcast of THE OSCARS is complemented by extensive digital coverage on CTV.ca and CTV GO. For the first time, CTV.ca and CTV GO will feature the Oscars press room feed, and footage from the backstage "thank you cam", that captures candid moments only available in Canada on CTV.ca and CTV GO. As the source for everything Oscar, CTV.ca and CTV GO will also feature real-time clips from the show including the opening monologue, award acceptance speeches, and other key highlights moments after they happen. Leading up to Oscar Sunday, CTV.ca and CTV GO also preview the award show with a breakdown of the nominees, an exclusive interview with host Neil Patrick Harris, and analysis of the best in cinema from 2014.

In the days leading up to Oscar Sunday, ETALK is Canada's #1 source for Oscars News. And for the first time ever, ETALK is taking a starring role itself, presenting the Canada Stars in Awards Season celebration in association with Telefilm Canada, The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and the Consulate General of Canada. Honouring Canadian talent in the entertainment industry, Canada Stars brings the ETALK brand to Tinseltown on Thursday, February 19, as Canadian stars are gather at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills where The Toronto International Film Festival^® will be recognized as the Academy's Legacy Award 2015 Recipient.

** Media Note ** – Download photos for THE OSCARS at BellMediaPR.ca 

"For 12 straight years CTV and ETALK has delivered the country's most comprehensive coverage of Hollywood's biggest night," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. "This year, between ETALK's live red carpet show, all the new complementary online components, plus an ETALK party in L.A. celebrating Canadian talent, CTV and ETALK has the OSCARS covered like never before."

Hosted by ETALK and THE SOCIAL's Traci Melchor, the RED CARPET BEAUTY digital series continues as the online destination for viewers looking to obtain their favourite celebrity looks this season, as seen on the Oscar^® red carpet. L'Oreal expert Eddie Malter, Official Makeup Artist for L'Oreal Paris Canada, along with Eric Del Monaco, Official Hairstylist for L'Oreal Paris Canada, also share tips and suggest L'Oreal products to help viewers recreate the looks of their favourite stars. RED CARPET BEAUTY is available online at ETALK.ca/RedCarpetBeauty, on Sunday night following the Oscars broadcast. Visit ETALK.ca/RedCarpetBeauty for details. L'Oreal is also one of the A-list Canadian sponsors for this year's Oscars broadcast.

Live Oscar Programming on CTV:

ETALK AT THE OSCARS – RED CARPET SPECIAL
Sun., Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. ET on CTV and CTV GO
On Oscar night, Canada's official live red carpet special, the 12^th annual ETALK AT THE OSCARS, offers two sought-after positions on the red carpet, including the exclusive balcony position, capturing all the red carpet arrivals from a bird's-eye view. As the only Canadian outlet on the Oscar red carpet, ETALK Anchor Ben Mulroney chats with the hottest stars, delivering celebrity interviews from the red carpet, while ETALK Co-Anchor Danielle Graham and ETALK and THE SOCIAL's Lainey Lui are positioned on the balcony, delivering a first-hand look on all the fashions of the night. Red carpet coverage begins on CTV Ontario at 6:30 p.m. ET, CTV Atlantic at 7 p.m. AT, CTV Vancouver at 3 p.m. PT, CTV Alberta at 4 p.m. MT, and CTV Winnipeg and Saskatchewan at 5:30 p.m. CT (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

OSCARS^® OPENING CEREMONY: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET
Sun., Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on CTV and CTV GO
The exclusive, lead-in to the live broadcast of THE OSCARS hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, OSCARS^® OPENING CEREMONY: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET showcases the nominees, presenters, and performers arriving on the ABC red carpet. Hosted by GOOD MORNING AMERICA anchors Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer, LIVE WITH KELLY AND MICHAEL co-host Michael Strahan, and joined by Jess Cagle, Editorial Director of People and Entertainment Weekly, and Yahoo! fashion editor Joe Zee, the 90-minute special highlights the incredible journey many of the nominees have taken to get to Hollywood's most prestigious night.

THE OSCARS
Sun., Feb. 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on CTV and CTV GO
Hosted by award-winning star of the stage and screen Neil Patrick Harris, THE 87^th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS^® air live across the country from the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood and Highland Center^® in Hollywood. Confirmed presenters include last year's Oscar winners Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey, and Lupita Nyong'o; Oscar nominees Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Reese Witherspoon; and A-listers Jennifer Aniston, Sienna Miller, David Oyelowo, Chris Pratt, John Travolta, Kerry Washington, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Kevin Hart, Shirley Maclaine, Chris Pine, Miles Teller, Naomi Watts, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Lopez, Chloë Grace Moretz, Eddie Murphy, and Margot Robbie. Confirmed performers at this year's awards show include Oscar and Grammy-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson, country superstar Tim McGraw, Brit Phenom Rita Ora, Oscar nominees Common with John Legend, Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and actor Adam Levine, and Canadian pop duo Tegan and Sara reteam with comedy-music trio The Lonely Island. Plus, six-time Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Lady Gaga will make a special tribute performance, and actress and singer Anna Kendrick will make a special performance.

ETALK Oscar Programming on CTV:

ETALK PRESENTS: ROAD TO THE OSCARS 2015 – NEW SPECIAL
Mon., Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO
Leading up to the most anticipated night in Hollywood, ETALK presents viewers with a guide to the biggest movies and the nominees over the past year. Hosted by ETALK Anchor Ben Mulroney and Co-Anchor Danielle Graham, the half-hour special features interviews with Oscar nominees including, Julianne Moore, Michael Keaton, Eddie Redmayne, Bradley Cooper, and Benedict Cumberbatch.  An encore presentation airs Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. ET on CTV.

ETALK'S ULTIMATE OSCAR GUIDE 2015 – NEW SPECIAL
Sat., Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO
ETALK presents everything viewers need to know about this year's hottest Oscar races and the stars to watch at The 87^th Annual Academy Awards. The one-hour special features ETALK's Ben Mulroney, Danielle Graham, Lainey, Devon Soltendiek, and Executive Producer Morley Nirenberg, as they highlight the Oscar race, and feature interview clips with nominees including Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, the cast of Boyhood, Michael Keaton, Eddie Redmayne, Bradley Cooper, and more. Plus, the special also includes an exclusive interview with this year's Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris.

ETALK
7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two, and 6:30 p.m. ET on E!
Beginning Thursday, Feb. 19, the ETALK team, including Ben Mulroney, Danielle Graham, Lainey, and Jessi Cruickshank, report on location from outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, bringing viewers pre-award show highlights and behind-the-scenes coverage as crews continuously setup for Hollywood's biggest night. ETALK will also bring viewers exclusive party coverage from Canada Stars, a party that celebrates Canadian talent in the entertainment industry. Then on one of ETALK's most-watched broadcasts of the year (Feb. 23), the team provides viewers with exclusive coverage of the most buzzed-about Oscar after parties including Elton John's annual post-Oscar bash, the Governor's Ball, and Vanity Fair party, plus candid backstage moments, and exclusive red carpet highlights not seen during Sunday night's live broadcast.

ETALK continues to reign as Canada's #1 entertainment news program and averaged 708,000 viewers each night. ETALK has also continued to see growth over ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT CANADA (Global), leading by +76% with total viewers, as well as +84% A18-34, +106% A18-49, and +98% A25-54.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television 
@etalkCTV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences – @TheAcademy 
Ben Mulroney – @BenMulroney 
Danielle Graham – @DanielleGraham
Lainey – @LaineyGossip
Traci Melchor – @stayfabulous
Devon Soltendieck – @DSoltendieck
Jessi Cruickshank – @JESSI

Facebook:
Facebook.com/CTV
Facebook.com/etalkCTV

Instagram:
@BellMediaPR 
@CTV_television
@ETALKCTV

About ETALK
Hosted by Anchor Ben Mulroney, with Co-Anchor Danielle Graham, Reporters Lainey Lui, Traci Melchor, Devon Soltendieck, and L.A. Correspondent Jessi Cruickshank, ETALK is the #1 most-watched entertainment newsmagazine in Canada. From the OSCARS^® and the EMMY^® Awards, to the GOLDEN GLOBE^®, and JUNO Awards, ETALK is front-and-centre, delivering up-to-the-minute news in film, television, music, and more. Celebrating both home-grown talent and international stars, ETALK became the first daily Canadian entertainment newsmagazine when it launched in 2002. ETALK is produced by Bell Media Production, and Morley Nirenberg is Director of Production and Executive Producer. Nanci MacLean is Vice-President, Bell Media Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President - CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming. More information about ETALK can be found at etalk.ca, as well as on Facebook and @etalkCTV. 

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. 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: Numeris (BBM Canada), Sept 22-Dec 14, 2014

SOURCE CTV

Jacqui VanSickle, CTV Networks, 416.384.5091 or [email protected]; Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]