City 2014-2015 Primetime Schedule

[lostjon]

City Fall Schedule

All times ET/PT; s = simulcast

Monday
8 p.m. 2 Broke Girls (s)
8:30 p.m. Mom (s)
9 p.m. Scorpion (s) *NEW*

Tuesday
8 p.m. Utopia (s) *NEW*
9 p.m. New Girl (s)
9:30 p.m. The Mindy Project (s)

Wednesday
8 p.m. Hell’s Kitchen (s)
9 p.m. Modern Family (s)
9:30 p.m. Black-ish (s) *NEW*

Thursday
8 p.m. The Bachelor Canada *City Original Program*
9 p.m. Scandal (s)

Friday
8 p.m. Package Deal *City Original Program*
8:30 p.m. The Middle
9 p.m. Utopia (s) *NEW*

Saturday
7-10 p.m. NHL: Hockey Night in Canada *NEW to City*

Sunday
7-10 p.m. NHL: Hometown Hockey *NEW to City*
10 p.m. Revenge (s)

**NOTE: 57th Annual GRAMMY ® Awards, The Country Music Awards, and Peter Pan Live! (*NEW*) will join City’s fall schedule – date and time TBC.

OTHER NOTES:
Other series returning for the 2014/15 season are The Bachelor, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hell’s Kitchen, The Middle, Mike & Molly, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, Revenge, and Scandal.

Modern Family - Weeknights at 7:00pm and 7:30pm
2 Broke Girls - Weeknights at 10:00pm
Two and a Half Men - Weeknights at 10:30pm

Fall premiere dates will be announced in the coming months; shows acquired but not yet listed on the schedule will premiere at a later date in the 2014/15 season.

[lostjon]

City Unveils 2014/15 Prime-Time Schedule

– Diverse fall lineup with eight comedies, three dramas, three reality series, two live event series, and exclusive national NHL games –
– Peter Pan Live! joins lineup alongside returning blockbuster music events, the 57^th Annual GRAMMY Awards^® and CMAs –
– Smash-hit comedy series 2 Broke Girls and Two and a Half Men to air in strip, weeknights from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. –

TORONTO (June 3, 2014) With four consecutive years of growth*, City continues to deliver world-class content with this year’s most diverse schedule of exciting new shows, live events, and NHL programming joining a seasoned stable of returning hits. Hayden Mindell, Vice President of Television Programming & Content, Rogers Media, today unveils City’s 2014/15 fall and mid-season prime-time schedule to the Canadian advertising community during the annual Rogers Upfront event.

“With the most competitive schedule to date, from hockey to comedies, dramas to reality, the 2014/15 City schedule truly has something for everyone,” said Mindell. “Featuring the most diverse variety of programming on any conventional network in Canada, we are offering our viewers the programming they want most, while delivering to our clients reliable and consistent audiences each and every week.”

Up five per cent year over year in audiences P2+*, the City fall/mid-season schedule builds upon a successful foundation of 17 returning series and events with the addition of two new dramas, one new comedy series, and one reality program. Newly acquired programming for the 2014/15 season includes scripted series Scorpion, Black-ish, and Backstrom, alongside new reality series, Utopia, and the new live musical event special Peter Pan Live! All-new seasons of sophomore original series The Bachelor Canada and Package Deal join the prime-time lineup, along with two NHL games each week – Hockey Night in Canada on Saturdays and Hometown Hockey on Sundays.

“I’m excited for City to join in a time-honoured Canadian tradition this year with the addition of Hockey Night in Canadaand Hometown Hockey,”said Mindell. “Hockey is the most coveted content in Canada, and we have PVR-proofed Saturday and Sunday nights on City to become must-see TV for all Canadians.”

Doubling-down on live events programming this year, City remains Canada’s leader in comedy with three of the top five comedies in the country last season, including the #1 new comedy Mom*. With the highest skewing percentage of prime-time viewers under 55 of any conventional network in Canada at 72 per cent*, City is staying true to its younger, urban-oriented audiences through the 2014/15 season by continuing to deliver the programming that most resonates with these viewers, including returning hits 2 Broke Girls, New Girl, and The Mindy Project.

Other series returning for the 2014/15 season are The Bachelor, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hell’s Kitchen, The Middle, Mike & Molly, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, Revenge, and Scandal.

For the remainder of 2014, City continues to be the home to some of the most top-rated live musical event series in the country, including the Country Music Association Awards (CMA Awards) and CMA Country Christmas, as well as Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve with Ryan Seacrest. The highest rated program in network history*, the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards® returns to the City mid-season schedule in 2015, along with GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!.

Following the double-digit growth of the 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. timeslots last year with the addition of beloved comedy Modern Family in strip (up 25 per cent nationally and 13 per cent in the P2+ and A25-54 demos, respectively*), City continues to offer audiences the programming consistency and stability they value by extending this strategy to the 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. timeslots with strip episodes of fan-favourites 2 Broke Girls and Two and a Half Men.

[lostjon]

New Series Descriptions

s = simulcast

FALL – NEW COMEDIES

BLACK-ISH
30-minute scripted comedy series
Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT (s)
National broadcast
Black-ish depicts the life of Andre ‘Dre’ Johnson, who has a great job, a beautiful wife, four kids, and a colonial home in the ‘burbs. But has success brought too much assimilation for this black family? With the help of Dre’s dad, the family attempts to establish a sense of cultural identity that honours their past while also embracing the future.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: ABC/Disney
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Kenya Barris
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: James Griffiths
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Larry Wilmore (The Bernie Mac Show), Anthony Anderson (The Departed), Laurence Fishburne (Hannibal), Helen Sugland (Akeelah and the Bee), Peter Principato (The Joneses), Paul Young (Mad Max), Brian Dobbins (Matumbo Goldberg), and newcomer Tom Russo
CAST: Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson, Guys With Kids), Rainbow Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross, Girlfriends), Pops (Laurence Fishburne, Hannibal)

FALL – NEW DRAMAS

SCORPION
60-minute scripted drama series
Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT (s)
National broadcast
Inspired by a true story, Scorpion is a high-octane drama about an eccentric genius, Walter O’Brien, and his team of brilliant misfits who comprise the last line of defense against complex, high-tech threats of the modern age. As Homeland Security’s new think tank, O’Brien’s “Scorpion” team includes Toby Curtis, an expert behaviourist who can read anyone; Happy Quinn, a mechanical prodigy; and Sylvester Dodd, a statistics guru. Pooling their extensive technological knowledge to solve mind-boggling predicaments amazes everyone, including federal agent Cabe Gallo, who shares a harrowing history with O’Brien. However, while this socially awkward group is comfortable with each other’s humour and quirks, life outside their circle confounds them, so they must rely on Paige Dineen, who has a young, gifted son, to translate the world for them. At last, these nerdy masterminds have found the perfect job: a place where they can apply their exceptional brainpower to solve the nation’s crises, while also helping each other learn how to fit in.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: CBS Studios
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Nick Santora (Prison Break)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Justin Lin (Fast & Furious)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Nicholas Wootton (NYPD Blue), Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (Amazing Spider-Man 2), Heather Kadin (Sleepy Hollow), Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never), and Walter O’Brien
CAST: Walter O’Brien (Elyes Gabel, World War Z), Toby Curtis (Eddie Kaye Thomas, American Pie franchise), Happy Quinn (Jadyn Wong, Cosmopolis), Sylvester Dodd (Ari Stidham, Huge), Cabe Gallo (Robert Patrick, Identity Thief), Paige Dineen (Katharine McPhee, Smash)

FALL – NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES AND SPECIALS

UTOPIA
60-minute reality series
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT & Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT (s)
National broadcast
Utopia is a ground-breaking social television experiment in which 15 individuals, all pioneers of our time, get one year to build an entirely new society – from scratch. They will be leaving their current lives behind to create the ‘perfect world' on a secluded piece of land with no facilities, no laws, and no rules. Will it lead to ultimate happiness? Or complete chaos?
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Talpa
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Conrad Green (Dancing with the Stars) and Jon Kroll (Big Brother, The Amazing Race)

PETER PAN LIVE!
Three-hour live performance special
Date and time TBC
National broadcast
A bold, new, live television production of the classic Broadway musical will bring together friends, families, and anyone who refuses to ever grow up. Following in the footsteps of the phenomenally successful The Sound of Music LIVE! comes this musical masterpiece that tells the beloved story of Peter Pan, the mischievous little boy who ran away to Neverland. Get ready for show-stopping stars, stunning costumes, extravagant sets, and delightful music in this three-hour live event.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Universal

MID-SEASON – NEW DRAMAS

BACKSTROM
60-minute scripted drama series
Date and time TBC
National broadcast
Backstrom is a subversive and comic crime procedural about an unhealthy, offensive, irritable – albeit brilliant – detective, Everett Backstrom, who is brought back from exile to run the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Crimes Unit (S.C.U.). Tasked with navigating the city’s most sensitive and serious cases, Backstrom must solve each crime as he tries, and fails, to change his own self-destructive ways. To no one’s surprise, his return is far from well-received, especially by his commanding officer, Police Chief Anna Cervantes. Backstrom’s second-in-command and the person who supervises the day-to-day operations of the S.C.U. is Detective Nicole Gravely – the ambitious and optimistic yin to Backstrom’s yang. Meanwhile, Gregory Valentine, who serves as Backstrom’s tenant, decorator, and underworld connection, has a genuine fondness for the abrasive cop. Using his dark instincts and peculiar abilities, Backstrom always manages to outsmart his foes, manipulate his peers and, with the help of his eccentric team, solve the case.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20^th Century Fox Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/CREATOR: Hart Hanson (Bones)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Leif G.W. Persson (Backstrom novelist), Kevin Hooks (Last Resort), Niclas Salomonsson (Once Upon a Time) and Mark Mylod (Shameless)
CAST: Everett Backstrom (Rainn Wilson, The Office), Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson, House of Lies), Peter Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha, Ringer), John Almond (Dennis Haysbert, The Unit), Nadia Chichikov (Beatrice Rosen, The Dark Knight), Gregory Valentine (Thomas Dekker, The Secret Circle)

Social Media Links
Like City Facebook.com/Citytv
Follow City @City_tv
Follow City PR @Citytv_PR
Follow City on Instagram

About City
City™ television stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Saskatchewan offer viewers intensely-local, urban-oriented, culturally-diverse television programming. A distinct alternative to other conventional television stations, City engages its viewers with dynamic on-air personalities and delivers an entertaining mix of news, local-interactive formats such as: Breakfast Television and Cityline; as well as local Canadian and US acquired prime time entertainment programming. City is a part of Rogers Broadcasting Limited, a division of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI and NYSE: RCI) which is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. For more information on City stations and programming, visit Citytv.com.

Source:
*BBM Canada, broadcast year 2013/14 to date (Aug 26-Dec15’13, Dec30’13-Feb9’14, Feb24-Apr20’14) vs. same weeks in previous years. 2+ Mo-Su 2a-2a AMA (000) unless otherwise noted.

Media Contacts
Andrea Goldstein, Rogers Media, andrea.goldstein@rci.rogers.com, 647.801.4394
Michelle Lomack, Broadcast, Rogers Media, michelle.lomack@rci.rogers.com, 416.819.2783
Charmaine Khan, Broadcast, Rogers Media, Charmaine.khan@rci.rogers.com, 416.277.0450

Source: http://rogersmediatv.ca/pr_detail.php?id=1062

[InMontreal]

Interesting, they got rid of the entire 10pm lineup... well, expect sunday night NHL overtime to affect Revenge. Will they "join the show in progress" and expect providers to enable simsub ?


Shows assumed to be dropped / moved to another network / forgotten from this press release :

America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
The Biggest Loser (NBC)
Glee (FOX)
Hannibal (NBC)
Last Man Standing (ABC)
Nashville (ABC)
Resurrection (ABC)

[lostjon]

Interesting, they got rid of the entire 10pm lineup... well, expect sunday night NHL overtime to affect Scandal. Will they "join the show in progress" and expect providers to enable simsub ?

I'm guessing you meant Revenge, not Scandal.

Shows assumed to be dropped / moved to another network / forgotten from this press release :

America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
The Biggest Loser (NBC)
Glee (FOX)
Hannibal (NBC)
Last Man Standing (ABC)
Nashville (ABC)
Resurrection (ABC)

America's Funniest Home Videos will probably remain on OMNI and the same could apply for The Biggest Loser. If not, Channel Zero could pick up the latter for CHCH.

Though Glee was not mentioned in this press release, Rogers already confirmed that they acquired the rights to the show for next season (which will be its last), after it moved from Global in January, so I don't expect that to change.

Not so sure about Hannibal - I don't see any other Canadian broadcast networks picking this one up - maybe one of the cable/premium channels perhaps?

Regarding the latter three, Resurrection possibly went to CTV, Nashville perhaps went to Corus for CMT or possibly Channel Zero, and Last Man Standing - well, seeing how City left it off the schedule until midseason, they'll probably do the same again this year or Rogers dropped it for either Corus or Channel Zero to acquire the Canadian rights.

Overall, it was expected that Rogers was not going to acquire much this season, but that's quite a drastic change, with only one new comedy, two new dramas, and one new reality show. And word is that after Rogers, Shaw, and Bell Media finished purchasing at the L.A. Screenings, there were plenty of shows left (http://brioux.tv/2014/05/21097/).

UPDATE: Cougar Town and Glee are confirmed - they are listed among the returning shows on City's 2014 Fall Preview page on their website.

The Biggest Loser has likely been dropped by Rogers - there are no references to the show on either City or OMNI's website as well as the Rogers Media site. Hannibal, Last Man Standing, Nashville and Resurrection are also nowhere to be seen on any of their sites.

[TVViewer]

This is by far one of City's weakest schedules since Rogers has owned the network. They once again only picked up shows that there is no way CTV or Global would want, and they certainly cut costs eliminating about 8 hours of programming. They did ensure that almost every show they have airs in simulcast (although this is easy when you are picking up shows CTV and Global don't want as most shows they don't want air in the same time slots as established hits they want to simulcast) so I will give them credit for that, but out of the 24 hours of their primetime lineup (Sun-Fri 7-11) only 9 hours are in simulcast.

Mondays - They will probably be down on this night the most since their #1 show (HIMYM) has ended. I not only see CTV and Global beating them at 8:00PM & 9:00PM, I see City fighting with CTV Two for 3rd place.

Tuesdays - Should be in 3rd place at both 8:00PM & 9:00PM. Probably do about the same as they did last season

Wednesdays - At 8:00PM, They will be up a lot here from last season as it is the network's #1 show, they will probably perform similar to how CTV Two has done with FOX reality programming in the slot, which for City is a big improvement (this is also a show that will likely gain a lot of PVR viewers) However I don't see any improvements at 9:00PM and I think they will do worse than last season at 9:30PM. In my opinion they picked up the worst new comedy of the year, if not the decade. I can't believe that they decided to only pick up only 4 shows for the entire season and this be one of them.

Thursdays - They should be up at 8:00PM, although again behind CTV and Global. They will be down a lot at 9:00PM though. I don't ever remember a show doing so good in the U.S. yet so horrible in Canada (Global could end up with some pretty fantastic ratings if they happen to simulcast a new FOX drama in the slot) I'm actually surprised they are not simulcasting Thursday Night Football with CBS, it would probably get at least slightly better ratings. In fact, NFL Football Thursdays on City makes more sense than NHL Hockey Sundays on City since on Sundays City will steal viewers away from SportsNet, while on Thursday nights, by keeping Thursday Night Football on SportsNet they are going to lose viewers to CBS (only Rogers cable will likely simulcast Sportsnet over CBS), they could have kept those viewers watching a Rogers station with a City simulcast.

Fridays - It's sad to see Package Deal kick off the night without a lead-in. CTV/CTV2 is going after the reality audience so it does make sense to slot something scripted here and if this was a new promising comedy then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea but this is a show that already struggles in the ratings and they are placing it in a slot where it will barely register and be crushed by the programs airing on CTV, Global, and CTV Two. Considering how many available slots they have they could have easily scheduled it somewhere else. It would probably do better Wednesdays at 9:30PM than what they have scheduled, or Sundays after NHL Hockey.

Sundays - Why is NHL Hockey leading into a low rated female skewing soapy serialized drama going into its 4th season? They couldn't have picked a less compatible show to lead-out of NHL Hockey. Sundays at 10:00PM is another slot where they should have scheduled Package Deal. Also, if NHL Hockey runs over past 10:00PM (and I'm assuming it will on some nights) they wont be able to simulcast anyways (another reason why Package Deal would be ideal as it's only a 30 minute show) and in Toronto it would push back their 11:00PM newscast. Also, what are the City stations in Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton (3 of the 4 largest markets) going to air Sunday nights in primetime if NHL Hockey is over by 7:00PM PT? I really wonder how long this is going to last, this appears to benefit the other conventional networks more than it actually benefits City, instead of chasing viewers of CTV and Global they are chasing viewers of TSN and SportsNet, and Rogers owns SportsNet.

They are no longer a competitor at 10:00PM on any night. You just can't be competitive with strip programming in this slot. Years ago, Canwest tried this with CH (and these were higher rated comedies and most aired in simulcast) and it simply didn't work, it's not working now on CTV Two (although will probably stay as it's cheap) Ironically, Rogers removed strip programming from the 10:00PM time slot on OMNI last season, speaking of OMNI, this is another example of Rogers putting City ahead of OMNI, they have complained about the poor performance of OMNI's strip programming, yet now the 3 highest rated shows Rogers has the syndicated rights to air on City, not OMNI. It's also funny to see them say just a few months ago that strip programming is no longer viable yet 50% of City's weeknight 7:00PM-11:00PM schedule is now strip programming, more than any other conventional network. If they weren't planning to slash millions from their news budget they could have launched a 10:00PM newscast at least in Toronto (many FOX stations have both a 10:00PM and 11:00PM newscast) or launch their own celebrity newsmagazine (the advantage could be that it's produced for late night and therefore can cover late breaking stories), syndicated comedies just seems like giving up, and it is a time slot where syndicated comedies are already airing on CTV Two and some U.S. border stations (which make sure to schedule their programming so that Canadian networks wont be able to simulcast it), so it's not like they are counter-programming. I could see specialty channels like HISTORY and possibly Bravo, Showcase (with shows like Covert Affairs) beating City at 10:00PM.

[InMontreal]

Thursdays - I'm actually surprised they are not simulcasting Thursday Night Football with CBS, it would probably get at least slightly better ratings.

I initially thought Scandal would go to CTV, following what Bill Brioux wrote last week:

Another strategic pick up was How To Get Away With Murder (starring Viola Davis), allowing CTV to simulcast ABC’s entire Thursday night lineup of Shonda Rhimes serial dramas.

http://brioux.tv/2014/05/ctv-now-sta...cs-television/

But yeah, push Bachelor for mid-season, let CTV simulcast the whole Shonda night (for september and october), simulcast the football games.

Fridays - It's sad to see Package Deal kick off the night without a lead-in. Considering how many available slots they have they could have easily scheduled it somewhere else. It would probably do better Wednesdays at 9:30PM than what they have scheduled.

I don't have big hopes for Black'ish, might be cancelled shortly by ABC. They shoud hold Package Deal and schedule it wednesdays 9:30pm after the ABC cancellation.

Sundays - Why is NHL Hockey leading into a low rated female skewing soapy serialized drama going into its 4th season?

Well, simply put, they have a simsub opportunity.
A better suitable show at 10:30pm would be Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which will be unfortunately shelved.
Since 2 Broke Girls will not premiere until November 3rd, it makes sense for City will air 9-9 in post-release mondays at 8pm, but will definately not win the night against Big Bang on CTV.

One other show we forgot about is Cougar Town from TBS, but that's for mid-season.

They are no longer a competitor at 10:00PM on any night. You just can't be competitive with strip programming in this slot.

That is how Rogers is programming FX and FXX. They probably thought it's a winning combinaison and might as well replicate this on City.
But once again, they are wasting 10 hours per week with american syndicated sitcoms at 7pm and 10pm. Might be more enjoyable than Murdoch Mysteries. I don't know how Toronto City News at 11 perform, but by bringing it back at 10pm instead, they'll compete against CBC, but if they program a cancon filler at 11pm (Montreal already gets G4's Reviews on the Run & EP Daily), they'll be able to simsub a 11:35 talk show, like Jimmy Kimmel.

[mtlguy]

Wow, that is a sad schedule. But I understand that they don't want to spend too much money when the same show on City would do about 1/3 or 1/2 of the rating it would get on CTV or Global.

I predict simulcast problem on Sunday night when the cable system, Videotron anyway, will automatically switch to City Sunday at 10pm and it will take a few minutes to realize the game is not over and then they will switch back manually and we will loose the beginning of Revenge every week. Does hockey game telecast ever end before 10pm? I think it spills over a few minutes most of the time.

Tomorrow another day, hopefully Global and Canwest cable channels are going to be more exciting...

[PokerFace]

Fridays seem to be the day of the week that I'm less critical and eager to channel surf (via OTA). That's why I'll often watch Shark Tank, Spun Out, etc., LIVE, instead of waiting to watch online.

I might end up watching Package Deal via OTA (as I channel surf), even though I'm only a moderate fan. If it was on Saturday instead, let's say between 7pm and 8pm, I would also watch it ... because that's when I sometimes tune in for Out There and other channel-surfing content that I don't try to find online.

I would hate it if there was anything on City that I liked, but had to wait until a hockey game ended, to see it. Regular season hockey isn't something I generally watch, but for the first few weeks of the NHL on City, I will sample portions of the games whenever some of my favourite goaltenders are playing. However, after a few weeks of hacking and slashing, I assume I'll go back to the Internet.

My OTA viewing schedule is generally dependent on how long specific shows take to be posted online. The longer they generally take to be posted, the more likely it is that I might use OTA viewing to keep up.

[TVViewer]

I initially thought Scandal would go to CTV, following what Bill Brioux wrote last week:

http://brioux.tv/2014/05/ctv-now-sta...cs-television/

But yeah, push Bachelor for mid-season, let CTV simulcast the whole Shonda night (for september and october), simulcast the football games.

There would just be no way CTV would want it. The show is in the 300,000 to 400,000 range. Although I think CTV will struggle with the CBS comedy block at 9:00PM, it's better than going with ABC for the night. FOX has a new promising drama in the slot with an established hit drama as a lead-in and pretty much no tough competition in the slot, CTV should have gone after that.

I don't have big hopes for Black'ish, might be cancelled shortly by ABC. They shoud hold Package Deal and schedule it wednesdays 9:30pm after the ABC cancellation.

None of the comedies ABC has scheduled in the Wednesday 9:30PM slot have performed well. All have been cancelled by ABC. ABC appears to have this idiotic strategy of putting their worst comedy in the slot hoping it will hang onto the large audience. They certainly did this last season, the critically acclaimed comedies were left to launch on their own with a totally incompatible lead-in while the worst comedies got the 9:30PM slot on Wednesdays. But none sounded this bad. I get that they didn't want to pick up any buzzed about comedies to keep costs down, but they would have been better off picking up no new comedies than this one.

Well, simply put, they have a simsub opportunity.

But as you mention, they wont be able to simulcast if hockey runs over (and I would think on most nights it will) They also have OMNI which has zero U.S. programming restrictions in the 10:00PM hour (and it would only need to air on OMNI in Ontario as they don't appear to have a second NHL game for Western Canada).

They keep eliminating all these supposed benefits of NHL hockey on Sunday nights. They acknowledge that it wont make money for City, so the biggest benefit is already gone, it's doing very little to reduce their spending on U.S. programming as they kept most of their Sunday shows (all it's doing is ensuring that they can't simulcast the Sunday shows they own, they actually reduced spending by eliminating 5 hours of weeknight programming for syndicated repeats, which had nothing to do with hockey on Sundays), it's going to steal viewers from SportsNet instead of CTV and Global, and now they aren't even using it to lead-into a compatible show? Also, since they appear to only have one game, hockey wont even air in primetime for stations in 3 of the 4 largest markets, and since they will want the network to have the same primetime cancon amount, stations in Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton will have to air Canadian content for 3 hours in primetime Sunday nights to match up with Toronto, and this will have to be Cancon filler since they are not going to air new cancon that doesn't air in Ontario. Also, ask CBC how much promos during hockey has helped the ratings for their regular programming. Sports is a borrowed audience. Even if the regular programming audience is smaller, it's better to promote your programming to an audience that will actually be interested in watching your programming as opposed to the sports audience (and on Sunday nights they are probably only going to get the hardcore hockey fans who don't mind watching several hours of it two nights in a row)

A better suitable show at 10:30pm would be Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which will be unfortunately shelved.

Its ratings are horrible, I bet City couldn't get rid of it.

That is how Rogers is programming FX and FXX. They probably thought it's a winning combinaison and might as well replicate this on City.
But once again, they are wasting 10 hours per week with american syndicated sitcoms at 7pm and 10pm. Might be more enjoyable than Murdoch Mysteries. I don't know how Toronto City News at 11 perform, but by bringing it back at 10pm instead, they'll compete against CBC, but if they program a cancon filler at 11pm (Montreal already gets G4's Reviews on the Run & EP Daily), they'll be able to simsub a 11:35 talk show, like Jimmy Kimmel.

It's funny because at the CRTC hearing last month he went into detail about all the downsides of syndicated strip programming (how the same shows are available on U.S. stations at times they can't simulcast, how the deals require you to be stuck with the strip for years, etc.) and how it's not a viable option for OMNI, yet City now has this schedule.

[InMontreal]

There would just be no way CTV would want it. The show is in the 300,000 to 400,000 range.

There's a reason why Rogers complained Person of Interest gained 30% audience when it moved from City to CTV. But, nevermind, with today's press release, it confirms they are keeping the show.
Interesting that if ABC would have kept it at 10pm, City would have drop it.

FOX has a new promising drama in the slot with an established hit drama as a lead-in and pretty much no tough competition in the slot, CTV should have gone after that.

Yeah yeah, we get it, Global has grabbed Gracepoint.

But as you mention, they wont be able to simulcast if hockey runs over (and I would think on most nights it will) They also have OMNI which has zero U.S. programming restrictions in the 10:00PM hour

There's not many choices on TV sundays at 10pm : Revenge on ABC, CSI on CBS, Football on NBC, Fox is already out to local news, and CW is local.

At this moment, no NHL schedule for the 2014-2015 season has been released. Still, saturday is labeled "Hockey Night in Canada" while sunday is labeled "Hometown hockey". Does that mean that if Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg teans are all playing on a sunday, you'll be watching your city's team ("hometown") ? Does that mean that saturday games can be any U.S. team nobody in Canada cares about ?

And if your "hometown" team ain't playing sunday, what will actually air instead ? The next nearby team ? The non-professional teams ? I guess a canadian movie, as I think it was part of their licence renewal condition.

And if NBC wants to air an NHL game, they'll force an afternoon game. Too many variables for now. If it's 100% sure that every sunday night will be filled with an actual game, eastern and western conferences. It wouldn't make sense to dump Revenge to Omni just to have hockey games 50% of the time.

They keep eliminating all these supposed benefits of NHL hockey on Sunday nights.

A regular season hockey game ain't the Superbowl.

Its ratings are horrible, I bet City couldn't get rid of it.

But Global currently has a 30-minutes schedule hole on sunday nights... assuming they picked Mulaney.

[1weasel]

This is by far one of City's weakest schedules since Rogers has owned the network.

No, the worst season was after the purchase of City when they had castoffs Bell didn't want, 3rd rate US cable shows and a few syndicated clunkers.

Ironically, Rogers removed strip programming from the 10:00PM time slot on OMNI last season, speaking of OMNI, this is another example of Rogers putting City ahead of OMNI, they have complained about the poor performance of OMNI's strip programming, yet now the 3 highest rated shows Rogers has the syndicated rights to air on City, not OMNI. It's also funny to see them say just a few months ago that strip programming is no longer viable yet 50% of City's weeknight 7:00PM-11:00PM schedule is now strip programming, more than any other conventional network.

Was thinking the same thing.

If they weren't planning to slash millions from their news budget they could have launched a 10:00PM newscast at least in Toronto (many FOX stations have both a 10:00PM and 11:00PM newscast) or launch their own celebrity newsmagazine (the advantage could be that it's produced for late night and therefore can cover late breaking stories), syndicated comedies just seems like giving up, and it is a time slot where syndicated comedies are already airing on CTV Two and some U.S. border stations (which make sure to schedule their programming so that Canadian networks wont be able to simulcast it), so it's not like they are counter-programming.

Local news at 10 PM does seem like something worth trying.

[ottawasnowdog]

Why would anyone watch City we all have access to American nets.

[InMontreal]

Why would anyone watch City we all have access to American nets.

Tell me, how do you get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and The CW using an antenna from Ottawa ? Seriously.

[mtlguy]

Tell me, how do you get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and The CW using an antenna from Ottawa ? Seriously.

Everyone has cable or satellite or Bell Fibe, Telus or other service provider. I know you don't but you are in a small minority. Personally I don,t know anyone who doesn't have cable or something.

[InMontreal]

Everyone has cable or satellite or Bell Fibe, Telus or other service provider. I know you don't but you are in a small minority. Personally I don,t know anyone who doesn't have cable or something.

Alright, not really the time to turn the thread around. I was only reacting to another one of ottawasnowdog's non-constructive one-liner comment. I mean, "Why would anyone watch City". Seriously, what do you expect them? shut down? Flush all american shows and become independent ? Become a conventional Sportsnet ? WHAT ? What was the point of your contribution message here in this thread ?

As for the "anyone" and "everyone" : did I fail english class again? Because someone is in a "small minority", they count as nothing since anyone else becomes "everyone" ?

[mtlguy]

According to this article from the Huffington Post, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is midseason, but with the photo slides of the shows, it says Tuesday at 10pm...Not too sure if it's an error or what.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06...#slide=3810027

[lostjon]

According to this article from the Huffington Post, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is midseason, but with the photo slides of the shows, it says Tuesday at 10pm...Not too sure if it's an error or what.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06...#slide=3810027

That is an error. The same applies to Parks and Recreation, which is listed for Sundays at 9:30pm, but that is for this summer only. As far as I know, Brooklyn Nine-Nine will be airing in post-release Mondays at 8:00pm until 2 Broke Girls returns in late October/early November. Also, the show has been shelved from its Tuesday 10:00pm timeslot for the time being - in its place are back-to-back episodes of Mike & Molly.

[TVViewer]

There's a reason why Rogers complained Person of Interest gained 30% audience when it moved from City to CTV. But, nevermind, with today's press release, it confirms they are keeping the show.
Interesting that if ABC would have kept it at 10pm, City would have drop it.

You can't compare the two. POI was not an extremely low rated soapy serialized drama going into its 3rd season, it was already a hit pulling in over 1 million viewers, and it moved to a new night. Yes it helps that more people watch CTV and Global, but they can't turn a horribly rated show into a hit. CTV would still do poorly in the slot even if the show had a 50% audience increase. There is just no way they could justify putting this on their schedule, even if they didn't own the rights to the CBS comedies, they would be better off airing something out of simulcast.

There's not many choices on TV sundays at 10pm : Revenge on ABC, CSI on CBS, Football on NBC, Fox is already out to local news, and CW is local.

Now there is, hit animated comedies on Global :)

At this moment, no NHL schedule for the 2014-2015 season has been released. Still, saturday is labeled "Hockey Night in Canada" while sunday is labeled "Hometown hockey". Does that mean that if Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg teans are all playing on a sunday, you'll be watching your city's team ("hometown") ? Does that mean that saturday games can be any U.S. team nobody in Canada cares about ?

And if your "hometown" team ain't playing sunday, what will actually air instead ? The next nearby team ? The non-professional teams ? I guess a canadian movie, as I think it was part of their licence renewal condition.

And if NBC wants to air an NHL game, they'll force an afternoon game. Too many variables for now. If it's 100% sure that every sunday night will be filled with an actual game, eastern and western conferences. It wouldn't make sense to dump Revenge to Omni just to have hockey games 50% of the time.

From my understanding, "Hometown Hockey" doesn't mean local hockey, it's just a national game but the show will be anchored from a different city (like the hometown of a player) each week.

A regular season hockey game ain't the Superbowl.

Tell that to Rogers. They are acting like nhl hockey is the best thing any network could possibly broadcast. They don't seem to be concerned about shoving hockey down the throats of the millions of Canadians who have zero interest in it by forcing it into all of their Rogers media properties, even if hockey doesn't even fit. For example The Today's Parent magazine will apparently feature "pre-game hockey meals for kids" (like any of those crazy hockey parents will actually read a parenting magazine). If you use any Rogers service, be prepared to be bombarded with everything NHL, regardless if you want it or not.

But My point is, there appears to be very few actual benefits to them airing hockey on Sundays on City. Doesn't make money, doesn't air in primetime in Western Canada, steals viewers from Sportsnet, doesn't have a lead-out that will benefit. It gives them Cancon hours, but they only own about 10 hours of new U.S. programming. Yes it will give them a large audience, but they could get a large audience on SportsNet, and since they paid so much for it they don't think they can make money with that large audience on conventional.

But Global currently has a 30-minutes schedule hole on sunday nights... .

Even if they didn’t have the CBS dramas, it still wouldn’t make sense to buy the rights of a horribly rated show viewers have clearly rejected just to simulcast it.

[TVViewer]

Seriously, what do you expect them? shut down?

I honestly wont be surprised if Rogers does shut the network down in the next few years. It doesn't have the things CTV and Global have that are appealing to Bell and Shaw. Nobody is expecting conventional television to turn a profit, but it should at least have something of value. CTV and Global's news operations and U.S. programming are of incredible value for a content company, but if City is destroying the news operations they have and only picking up U.S. shows the other networks didn't want, what is the value to Rogers of operating the network? They put all their eggs in the NHL basket but the reality is they don't need City to air hockey, they don't even need CBC, they could just put it all on SPORTSNET and the sister SPORTSNET channels. They say that the future is content, yet City's schedule only has about 10 hours of U.S. programming, that's not a lot of content for the future, and the content they have isn't that great. I can see CTV and Global still being around in 20 years, the main platform may change, they likely will be subscription services instead of OTA, but they will still be delivering their news and U.S. programming to audiences, i'm not sure if City will be around in 20 years, SPORTSNET yes, but I don't think Rogers is positioning City for the future.

The difference between the Shaw upfronts and Rogers upfronts was night and day. Yes Shaw talked about specialty but they also had large focus on Global from Global primetime to Global News. At the Rogers upfront, they apparently spent more time promoting the lower rated programming on FX and FXX (although these stations had more programming to showcase). City is still the only conventional network without a subscription Go service. They have services lined up for Sportsnet and FX, but not City. At least City got more attention than OMNI. Upfronts is the best place to showcase OMNI’s programming and the network was totally ignored. We know nothing about any of OMNI’s programming plans.