This has been the most muted upfront TV season I can remember. That impression may, admittedly, be due to the fact that I’ve seen a lot of them, but also I think it is because all the action and excitement and, frankly, a great deal of the audience, has shifted over to the streaming side.
May the 9th not be with you. Journalists across Canada took hits on all fronts Thursday. The Globe and Mail announced it is offering voluntary buyouts to save $10M annually. Should the target not be reached, the union representing Canada’s national newspaper workers says downsizing will follow. Rogers, meanwhile, after sending writers “Save the Date”
You’ve undoubtedly seen all those ads on bus shelters, billboards and even on television. Instead of declaring when Big Bang or Schitt’s Creek or the new CBC series Coroner will be air, they simply say when each series will start “streaming.” Here’s why: a report last April suggested that streaming will surpass broadcast viewing in Canada by 2020. Yes, next
Further proof that the Canadian television gravy train has stopped running: Corus announced Wednesday morning that COO and EVP Barbara Williams is retiring. This announcement comes on the heels of the departure of another top-ranking Canadian private network official: Sportsnet President Scott Moore. Williams enjoyed a long and profitable run as the chief show fetcher
Time to give some credit where credit is due. Last year’s Corus upfront, I whinged here, seemed a tad awkward. There were super short interview opportunities and a great gulf, in the the group I was in at least, between the talent and the reporters. This Wednesday, things were greatly improved. For starters, this year’s
Last June, at the Corus upfront in Toronto, myself and several other TV beat writers were in a room awaiting Shamar Moore to come in and tell us all about S.W.A.T. The remake of the mid-’70s cop show, premiering Thursday night, was one of Global’s major prime time acquisitions this season. Just before Moore walked into the room, we
The third and final leg of Canadian Upfront Week occurred Thursday in Toronto. This was Corus’ turn to host reporters and, later, advertisers. The press deal started early with breakfast up in the showy sixth floor event space. Corus enjoys one of the most beautiful work spaces in Toronto as has been pointed out here before. A
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. That would be early May, as creatives get the good or bad word about series’ survival. Not returning to CraveTV is What Would Sal Do?, a funny and outrageous little comedy starring Dylan Taylor as Sal, a Sudbury, Ont., slacker whose mother thinks he’s the (possible)