Shaw Media Dominates Specialty Television with Massive New Series and Record-Breaking Returning Hits in 2014/15 Programming Lineup
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SHAW MEDIA DOMINATES SPECIALTY TELEVISION WITH MASSIVE NEW SERIES AND RECORD-BREAKING RETURNING HITS IN 2014/15 PROGRAMMING LINEUP Blockbuster Series Outlander Debuts on Showcase Sunday, August 24 Canadian Mega Hits Vikings, Timber Kings, and Chopped Canada Return with New Seasons Star-Studded Series and Specials Light Up the Schedule with Adrien Brody, Kristen Connolly, Ellen DeGeneres, Minnie Driver, Brendan Fraser, Anthony Head, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Liotta, Olivier Martinez, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Bill Paxton, William Shatner, and More New Channel Brands – FYI™ and Crime + Investigation™ (CI) – Bolster Shaw Media’s Dynamic Specialty Offerings For additional photography and press kit material visit: http://www.shawmedia.ca/media and follow us on Twitter at @shawmediaTV_PR For Immediate Release TORONTO, June 3, 2014 – Shaw Media today announced its powerful lineup of colossal premieres and returning hits anchoring its 2014/2015 schedule. This past broadcast year, Shaw Media owned four of the Top 10 and seven of the Top 20 specialty channels*, more than any other Canadian broadcaster. After claiming 14 of the top 20 specialty program spots** this year, Shaw Media solidifies its position as the leading specialty content provider with an aggressive slate of original content and blockbuster premieres, adding over 50 new series, over 90 returning series, and two new channel brands to the powerhouse portfolio. “Shaw Media consistently delivers top performing specialty content year after year,” said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President, Content, Shaw Media. “With a stellar slate of new series and a lineup that celebrates proven homegrown successes, Shaw Media is set to once again dominate the industry as the home for top specialty content in Canada.” A top destination for the biggest and boldest series, Showcase’s fall schedule is headlined by two of the most buzzed about new specialty dramas. The Canadian broadcast premiere of the epic series Outlander airs Sunday, August 24. Based on the best-selling novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander follows the story of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is forced to marry a chivalrous young Scottish warrior, Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). Also premiering this fall is the supernatural drama Dominion. Starring Christopher Egan, Tom Wisdom, Roxanne McKee, Alan Dale, and Anthony Head, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic future in which an army of lower angels, assembled by the archangel Gabriel, has waged a war of possession against mankind. Based on the best-selling novel by Anita Diamant, the new miniseries The Red Tent is the sweeping biblical tale of Dinah (Rebecca Ferguson), the daughter of Leah (Minnie Driver) and Jacob (Iain Glen) and will premiere on Showcase this fall. Viewers can also look forward to the Canadian premiere of Satisfaction, new seasons of the hit sci-fi dramas Lost Girl and Haven, and in 2015, Showcase’s #1 series** Helix returns for a second season. Canada’s #1 specialty entertainment channel*, HISTORY®, is lining up a fall schedule showcasing a star- studded miniseries, a hard-hitting documentary, multiple new series, and returning fan-favourites. Starring Adrien Brody and Kristen Connolly, the four-hour miniseries Houdini traces the arc of Houdini’s life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame. Airing as part of HISTORY’s annual Days of Remembrance in November, the Canadian original documentary March to the Pole follows four injured Canadian soldiers trekking to the High Arctic as part of their recovery. The fall schedule also features new series including The Hunt, Down East Dickering, Pawnography, and Biker Battleground Phoenix. From the Alberta badlands to the Bay of Fundy, the Canadian original docu-series Dino Hunt, premiering in 2015, unravels prehistoric mysteries and unearths incredible new dinosaur discoveries happening in Canada. Also set to debut in 2015 is the star-studded eight- hour miniseries Texas Rising. Returning in 2015 are Vikings, the #1 specialty entertainment drama for two consecutive years**, and Yukon Gold, HISTORY’s #1 Canadian documentary series for the past two years**. Kicking off an impressive starting lineup for the fall season on HGTV Canada is the brand new series Reno Rookies starring ex-CFL player turned DIY guru Sebastian Clovis. Teaming up with homeowners struggling to complete projects, Sebastian coaches them through their mishaps and adds a few ideas of his own to create stunning reveals that make these homes the MVP of the neighbourhood. Also joining the game this fall is a brand new season of Holmes Makes It Right with Canada’s Most Trusted Contractor Mike Holmes. In winter 2015, HGTV Canada presents a star-studded schedule with the return of the channel’s record-smashing #1 series ever Timber Kings** and the addition of Ellen DeGeneres’ design competition series Ellen’s Design Challenge. Also returning are new seasons of House of Bryan featuring Bryan Baeumler and Income Property starring Scott McGillivray, as well as the all-new series from rock star contractor Paul Lafrance, Custom Built. Food Network Canada rolls out a delicious fall lineup with the premiere of Food Truck Face Off, hosted by ex- NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer, which pits wannabe food truck-owners against each other in a curbside fight for hungry customers. Also new this fall is Carnival Eats, which takes a look at outrageous Canadian fair foods and the wacky personalities that create them. Joining these scrumptious series are the returns of fan-favourites Donut Showdown, Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off, and Barefoot Contessa. With a richness of diverse cultures, patriotic ingredients, and multi-generations of family recipes to draw from, the Great Canadian Cookbook special calls upon Canadians to share their favourite recipes and food stories. A digital first initiative, the special slated to air in winter 2015 will be packed with food, heart, and a whole lot of fun, eh. Rounding out the network’s schedule is a second helping of the network’s #1 series of 2014, Chopped Canada**, also set to debut in winter 2015. Slice continues to sizzle with a new lineup of raucous reality and luxurious lifestyle programming. In addition to its popular mainstays like the Real Housewives franchise, Slice is serving up a sexy dish of new shows this fall with Ladies of London, a new docu-series following a group of elite British socialites and American expats enjoying the upper crust of the high-society world, and Handsome Devils, a dramatic exploration of 10 real-life crimes of passion. Also new to Slice’s luscious lineup are Southern Charm, See No Evil, Online Dating Rituals of the American Male, The Singles Project, and Million Dollar Listing Miami, in addition to the return of fan- favourites Mob Wives, Ex-Wives of Rock, and Strangers in My Home. With the most engaging characters and riveting stories, Lifetime’s fall schedule delivers a slate of steamy new dramas, buzzed-about reality series and star-studded movies. Viewers can look forward to new Lifetime original movies, including the Civil War-era drama, Deliverance Creek, starring Lauren Ambrose and Wes Ramsey. Airing in 2015, the new drama Un-Real centres on Rachel (Shiri Appleby), a young staffer working on a hit dating competition show whose sole job is to manipulate relationships among the contestants to get the dramatic and outrageous footage that the program’s executive producer demands. This fall on DIY Network Canada, rapper-turned-renovator Vanilla Ice is back with an all-new season of Vanilla Ice Goes Amish, while another musician is putting down his guitar and picking up a hammer. Follow Daryl Hall, the lead vocalist of Hall & Oates, as he renovates a 1780s Connecticut home to its former glory in Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall. Further packing the fall schedule with stardom is William Shatner in his brand-new series The Shatner Project, which documents the ups and downs of his home renovation. Extending Shaw Media’s specialty offerings are two dynamic channel brands: FYI™ and Crime + Investigation™ (CI). Launching this fall, FYI offers contemporary lifestyle programs that spark inspiration, imagination, and innovation amongst its younger, upscale viewers. With an off-script format engaging this new generation’s multi- faceted lifestyle, FYI hosts a hub of modern lifestyle programming featuring health and wellness and food and fashion. Crime + Investigation (CI) strives to engage viewers’ minds and crime solving skills, drawing the audience into investigations by offering a behind-the-scenes look at gripping, unforgettable crime stories. CI, launching December 2014, takes viewers on an emotional and thrilling journey into the intricate and suspenseful world of true crime and criminal investigation. SHOWCASE Outlander (Canadian Broadcast Premiere) FALL 2014 Outlander spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure in one epic tale. It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire's heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. Adapted from Diana Gabaldon's international best- selling books, Outlander is executive-produced by Emmy® Award winner Ronald D. Moore. Starring Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies, Graham McTavish, Gary Lewis, Lotte Verbeek, and Duncan Lacroix. Dominion (Canadian Broadcast Premiere) FALL 2014 Based on characters from the film Legion, Dominion is an epic supernatural drama set in the year 25 A.E. In this transformed post-apocalyptic future an army of lower angels, assembled by the archangel Gabriel, has waged a war of possession against mankind. The archangel Michael, turning against his own kind, has chosen to side with humanity against Gabriel.