Life signs

Specialty channel Life Network has added two more original Canadian series to its production slate: North Shore Communications’ The Training Room and Spring River Productions’ Cross Country Cookin’ have been signed for 22 half-hour episodes each.

The Training Room, budgeted at about $12,500 per episode and hosted by Debbie Van Kiekebelt and Toronto Blue Jays’ trainer Tommy Craig, will give the latest developments in sports training. It is scheduled to air in January 1995.

Cross Country Cookin’ will travel across Canada in search of simple regional recipes. Currently in production, Cross Country Cookin’ is budgeted at about $40,000 per episode. Lynne Louise will host the series, which will broadcast in February 1995.

Increases at Astral

The year-end financial report from Montreal-based Astral Communications points to an increase in revenues to $354.9 million for the year ending Aug. 31, 1994, up $20 million from the preceding year. Operating earnings total $21.6 million, up 22% over last year, while net profit rose to $10.2 million, up 38% from the previous year.

Gold Ribbon for Rogers

Rogers Communications president and ceo Ted Rogers has won the Canadian Association of Broadcasters 1994 Gold Ribbon for broadcast excellence. The award will be presented at the cab convention, Nov. 8 in Winnipeg.

Dreams discovered

Calgary-based Route 66 Productions’ documentary series about the history of the automobile, Chrome Dreams, has been sold to London, Eng.-based specialty channel Discovery Europe. Vancouver’s Northern Lights Releasing holds the worldwide distribution rights for the four one-hour episodes. The Canadian home-video rights and a u.s. television sale are currently being negotiated.