A Pamela Anderson cooking show and a new docuseries from Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are among the homegrown highlights of Corus Entertainment害羞草研究所檚 TV plans, with the broadcaster害羞草研究所檚 content boss touting a focus on unscripted 害羞草研究所淐anadian content that can compete with the rest of the world and isn害羞草研究所檛 hamstrung by regulations.害羞草研究所�
Corus revealed a fall/winter lineup for its specialty properties and flagship Global that add 害羞草研究所淧amela害羞草研究所檚 Cookin害羞草研究所� With Love害羞草研究所� to Food Network Canada and 害羞草研究所淏uilding Baeumler害羞草研究所� to HGTV Canada.
Also heading to HGTV Canada is Kristen Coutts害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淏eer Budget Reno,害羞草研究所� the fall luxury reno show 害羞草研究所淗ouse of Ali害羞草研究所� with Ali Budd, and a second season of Anderson害羞草研究所檚 reno show 害羞草研究所淧amela害羞草研究所檚 Garden of Eden,害羞草研究所� set for winter.
Troy Reeb, executive vice president of networks and content, said the media giant is leaning into lifestyles and reality fare after the CRTC eased rules around its obligations to produce homegrown scripted drama and comedy.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not that we don害羞草研究所檛 love our Canadian dramas, it害羞草研究所檚 just that to make those big, scripted shows requires you to have budgets that compete with Hollywood, and that害羞草研究所檚 very difficult for Canadian companies,害羞草研究所� Reeb said Wednesday.
害羞草研究所淲hen it comes to the unscripted space, we know we can make competitive shows that sell around the world, that can compete with the best of the world.害羞草研究所�
The CRTC said last month it had granted Corus害羞草研究所檚 request to reduce the amount it spends on so-called 害羞草研究所減rograms of national interest害羞草研究所� to five per cent of its revenue, down from 8.5 per cent.
Reeb pointed to the success of the Baeumlers害羞草研究所� HGTV Canada tropical restoration show 害羞草研究所淚sland of Bryan害羞草研究所� as an example of an unscripted series that was competitive globally and which Corus could make 害羞草研究所渁t a price point that works.害羞草研究所�
Reeb said 害羞草研究所淏uilding Baeumler,害羞草研究所� which follows Bryan and Sarah and they grow their individual and family ventures, will showcase more of the 害羞草研究所減ersonality dynamic害羞草研究所� between the couple that has made their shows resonate with audiences.
Greg McLelland, Corus害羞草研究所� executive vice president and chief revenue officer, said unscripted series are a 害羞草研究所渉uge害羞草研究所� part of the broadcaster害羞草研究所檚 strategy from a 害羞草研究所減ure revenue standpoint害羞草研究所� in part because it害羞草研究所檚 easier to work sponsorships into those shows.
害羞草研究所淲hen we have those unscripted Canadian shows, our sales teams get extremely excited because we can now put brands right into the show, and we can extend the brand with those hosts because we害羞草研究所檝e had such a long relationship with them and they害羞草研究所檙e great people to work with,害羞草研究所� he said.
Other unscripted shows include History Channel害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淵ukon Rescue,害羞草研究所� a new docuseries following an emergency response team, and 害羞草研究所淪ounds Black,害羞草研究所� a four-part documentary about the origins of Black music in Canada featuring Kardinal Offishall, Maestro Fresh Wes, Deborah Cox and more.
Global害羞草研究所檚 homegrown scripted fare includes the B.C.-shot crime drama 害羞草研究所淢urder in a Small Town害羞草研究所� with Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk, set for fall, and the mid-season return of the Victor Garber legal drama 害羞草研究所淔amily Law.害羞草研究所�
The channel害羞草研究所檚 hip-hop drama 害羞草研究所淩obyn Hood,害羞草研究所� a reimagining of the Robin Hood tale by Director X that premiered last September, is not returning due to poor ratings, said Reeb.
Global害羞草研究所檚 fall lineup includes U.S. imports delayed by last year害羞草研究所檚 Hollywood actors and writers strikes, including CBS害羞草研究所� gender-swapped 害羞草研究所淢atlock害羞草研究所� starring Kathy Bates and the Damon Wayans comedy 害羞草研究所淧oppa害羞草研究所檚 House,害羞草研究所� in which he plays a divorced radio host navigating his love life while parenting his adult son, played by Damon Wayans Jr.
Groups representing Canadian actors, writers and producers have said eased spending rules for Corus will hurt local creators and result in fewer original homegrown stories, but Reeb said Corus is 害羞草研究所渄oing more than our part to support the Canadian ecosystem.害羞草研究所�
He said more of the onus for CanCon should fall on streaming giants like Netflix and Disney Plus.
害羞草研究所淲e are a small part of the massive media ecosystem that is increasingly occupied by foreign streaming giants and foreign tech giants that are coming into Canada and gobbling up parts of the market and parts of the revenue streams. It害羞草研究所檚 incumbent on everybody to play their part,害羞草研究所� he said.
Reeb added that Corus 害羞草研究所渨ill air more Canadian content across our networks this year than all of the streaming services combined,害羞草研究所� including its news programs and unscripted series.
On Tuesday, the CRTC said online streaming services operating in Canada will be required to contribute five per cent of their revenues to support local news and the production of Canadian content.
Corus must contribute 30 per cent of its revenues to Canadian content.
Reeb said the move is 害羞草研究所渁 very nice start.害羞草研究所�
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