New Canadian Talk Series THE SOCIAL Joins CTV's #1 Daytime Lineup, Weekdays Beginning Sept. 2

- Walmart partners with THE SOCIAL for monthly in-show segments and seasonal integrations -

- Topical daily gabfest airs live weekdays at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. AT) on CTV and CTV Mobile, with encores at 2 p.m. ET on CTV Two and 7 p.m. ET on E! -

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TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2013 /CNW/ - CTV announced today the premiere date of its brand new original daily talk series THE SOCIAL. The network invites viewers to sit down, grab a coffee, and join the conversation weekdays at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. AT) following local news beginning Monday, Sept. 2 (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). Co-hosted by a distinct group of lively women with varying perspectives, THE SOCIAL joins Canada's #1 daytime lineup with news anchor Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, relationship expert Cynthia Loyst @cynthialoyst), Canada's foremost gossip blogger Lainey Lui (@LaineyGossip, and entertainment reporter Traci Melchor @stayfabulous).

CTV also announced today its first sponsorship for the series - a premier, custom, 52-week partnership with Walmart that will include monthly in-show segments as well as seasonal integrations to help viewers stretch their budget. Walmart is also partnering with THE SOCIAL to recognize and reward inspirational Canadian moms as part of its third annual 'Mom of the Year' campaign. The 'Mom of the Year' partnership will include in-show integrations and a co-branded promo spot featuring talent from THE SOCIAL which will encourage viewers to go online and nominate a special mom in their lives with the winner receiving $100,000 for the charity of her choice.

**Media Note** Download photography of the cast of THE SOCIAL at BellMediaPR.ca. For a behind-the-scenes look at the hosts at their photo shoot, click here.

"THE SOCIAL is the perfect complement to our strong and diverse roster of daytime programming," said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. "Touching on the most talked-about subjects of the day, THE SOCIAL is sure to not only capture the attention of our viewers, but also involve them in the conversation."

"Anchored by four engaging hosts who will get Canadians talking and a top-notch production team, Bell Media In-House Productions is ready to deliver a second hour of not-to-be-missed original daytime content," said Rick Brace, President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production.

"THE SOCIAL is like the lunch date with friends you wish you had time for every day," said Michelle Crespi, Executive Producer, THE SOCIAL. "Viewers will laugh, learn, and connect. Plus, the conversation lives on 24 hours a day on TheSocial.ca and on our various social media platforms."

The Hosts on THE SOCIAL:

• "People are going to be shocked, I think, about who is liberal about things and who's not so liberal." - Melissa
• "When the four of us get together, it's kind of an explosion." - Cynthia
• "We love our friends and we are supportive of them - but that doesn't mean we see eye-to-eye all the time." - Lainey
• "Coming together and being better for it, that's what THE SOCIAL is about." - Traci

The Hosts on Each Other:

• "Not only is she funny and her comments always poignant, they're so well timed she should be a comedian." - Melissa on Traci
• "She's fierce, she's opinionated, she's a bit snarky, and she's unapologetic." - Cynthia on Lainey
• "She's professional, and she's capable. She is kind of like the discussion boss." - Lainey on Melissa
• "And then there's Cynthia. Articulate. Brilliant." - Traci on Cynthia

THE SOCIAL delivers an innovative forum for viewers to debate and discuss the topics of the day by interacting with the co-hosts through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Each show kicks-off with a round-table chat featuring the buzz-worthy subjects Canadians are talking or Tweeting about, including headlines of the day, celebrity news, and trending topics. The round-table is followed by lifestyle segments inspired by viewers, while celebrity guest co-hosts will also stop by to join the panel discussions.

THE SOCIAL airs weekdays at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. AT) on CTV, 2 p.m. ET on CTV Two, and 7 p.m. ET on E! THE SOCIAL also airs live on CTV Mobile (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times), as well as on demand across CTV's digital platforms: including CTV.ca, TheSocial.ca, the CTV App, the CTV Mobile channel on Bell Mobile TV, and through video on demand partners such as Bell Fibe TV following the broadcast.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@TheSocialCTV
@melissagrelo
@cynthialoyst
@LaineyGossip  @stayfabulous

Facebook:
facebook.com/TheSocial

Instagram:
instagram.com/TheSocialCTV

Pinterest:
pinterest.com/TheSocialCTV

About THE SOCIAL
Produced by Bell Media In-House Productions, THE SOCIAL brings a fresh, daily, perspective on the up-to-the-minute news, pop culture and lifestyle topics that matter most to Canadians in a socially interactive format. The series is co-hosted by Melissa Grelo, Lainey Lui, Cynthia Loyst, and Traci Melchor. Michelle Crespi is Executive Producer. Laura Scarfo is Supervising Producer. Nanci Maclean is Executive Director, Bell Media Production. Catherine MacLeod is Senior Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and Bell Media Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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 12 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is part of 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.

Image with caption: "THE SOCIAL co-hosts (L to R) Cynthia Loyst, Traci Melchor, Melissa Grelo, and Lainey Lui (CNW Group/CTV)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130814_C6019_PHOTO_EN_29858.jpg

SOURCE: CTV

Emily Alonzo, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.2664 or [email protected]
Christy Sullivan, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]