This year害羞草研究所檚 Canadian Screen Awards won害羞草研究所檛 have a host 害羞草研究所� a move organizers say is a deliberate attempt to try something new amid a 害羞草研究所渃risis害羞草研究所� of declining ratings and not something done out of necessity, like with the Oscars.

Beth Janson, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, says the traditional approach of trying to attract viewers and channel-surfers by having a famous face as host is 害羞草研究所渁 very old-fashioned way of thinking,害羞草研究所� since TV audience habits have changed.

害羞草研究所淎wards show are just trending down, down and down 害羞草研究所� 20 per cent per year, for most of them 害羞草研究所� which to me indicates obviously a big crisis, as someone who produces one of these shows,害羞草研究所� Janson said in a phone interview.

害羞草研究所淏ut I also think that this environment allows us to take a few risks.害羞草研究所�

The academy puts on the annual Canadian Screen Awards, which honour homegrown talent in film, television and digital media. This year害羞草研究所檚 nominees will be announced on Feb. 7.

Last year害羞草研究所檚 show had two hosts who both live and work in Canada: comedians Jonny Harris and Emma Hunter. Previous hosts have included Canadian names who have largely built their careers in the U.S. 害羞草研究所� Howie Mandel, Norm Macdonald, Martin Short, and Andrea Martin.

Janson said after assessing shows of the past, she convinced the board to go with no host about two months ago. That was before comedian Kevin Hart backed out of hosting this year害羞草研究所檚 Oscars due to controversial statements he made in the past, leaving the Academy Awards with no MC.

害羞草研究所淚 think our country is different and we need to have a different style of awards show 害羞草研究所� and I think that can be better and it can be something 害羞草研究所� that people enjoy watching,害羞草研究所� Janson said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 excited about that. I害羞草研究所檓 not scared of it.害羞草研究所�

Janson害羞草研究所檚 team hired an all-female writers害羞草研究所� room for this year害羞草研究所檚 show, which will include pre-taped comedy bits.

Shelagh O害羞草研究所橞rien will direct the March 31 broadcast gala on CBC. Jennifer Dettman, executive director of unscripted content at CBC, is the show害羞草研究所檚 programming executive.

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害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a big risk. It could totally fail,害羞草研究所� Janson said. 害羞草研究所滲ut in my mind our ratings would drop 20 per cent anyways, probably, on traditional television.

害羞草研究所淪o this is the time to take a chance.害羞草研究所�

Janson said the show will have 害羞草研究所渁 clever opening number害羞草研究所� that will use a lot of talent in the room but won害羞草研究所檛 be a song-and-dance performance.

Overall, the Canadian Screen Awards will have an air of levity and a 害羞草研究所渢hroughline害羞草研究所� narrative 害羞草研究所渢hat will make the show in and of itself a thing and a piece of entertainment that we can really be proud of 害羞草研究所� and that shows off the best of what we害羞草研究所檙e doing right now in the country,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e really approaching the show as a platform for Canadian comedy right now,害羞草研究所� Janson said, pointing to the success of shows including 害羞草研究所淏aroness von Sketch Show,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟etterkenny,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淪chitt害羞草研究所檚 Creek,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲orkin害羞草研究所� Moms,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淢ohawk Girls害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淜im害羞草研究所檚 Convenience.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭here is a huge moment happening in Canada right now around comedy that I think we害羞草研究所檙e going to look back on with the same significance as the 害羞草研究所楽CTV害羞草研究所� or the 害羞草研究所楰ids in the Hall害羞草研究所� eras, which is that we have these really interesting voices, they害羞草研究所檙e really incredibly original. We害羞草研究所檙e not just trying to copy the States.害羞草研究所�

Janson noted the show will still be the same two-hour length.

She hopes it will become an event audiences look forward to watching and not just be 害羞草研究所渁bout who害羞草研究所檚 nominated or how many American celebrities are there.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e need to try to figure out what the future of awards shows is going to be,害羞草研究所� Janson said.

害羞草研究所淢illennials don害羞草研究所檛 like awards, they like appreciating everyone for their unique differences, so how do you do an awards show in that sort of environment? This is our attempt at an answer to that.害羞草研究所�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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