After months of speculation there wouldn’t be a third season, the next 22 episodes of Traders will see the light of day on two Canadian networks, CanWest Global and cbc.

It may be a prototype for the shortest second window in history, with CanWest sub-licensing Traders to the cbc in a one-year deal in which the pubcaster owns the rights to a single play of Traders anytime within five days after the Global telecast.

Post two years of flack on the Thursday 10 p.m. slot assigned Traders, CanWest Global Systems president Jim Sward confirms the third season will again see it pitted against ctv property er. Although Slawko Klymkiw, cbc executive director, network programming, wouldn’t confirm, Traders is likely destined for a Friday, 9 p.m. slot in the 1997/98 season.

The deal – the first of its kind for a Canadian primetime drama series – is a product of both a deficit in financing and the need to amortize the cost of quality Canadian drama production, on the parts of both networks.

‘The cbc has less money. Everybody has less money,’ says Klymkiw.

‘We’ve got to be innovative and find the means of keeping quality Canadian productions on the screen. In this case, we’ve struck a fair deal for everybody and in the end, something like this stimulates more Canadian production because each of the players has more money to spend on other Canadian television. It’s good for the industry on the whole.’

Perspectives will vary

Anticipating criticism that CanWest is backing away from its Canadian drama investment, post the Alberta shutout, Sward says perspectives will vary between critics and shareholders.

‘Some people will call this a win/win/win situation for the networks and, since the material portion flows right through to them, for Atlantis too. In addition, if you’re a CanWest shareholder, the balance on this particular program looks a little better, which is also part of the business.’

CanWest and cbc executives have been discussing potential partnership machinations since last year. The proposition at hand came to fruition when CanWest and Atlantis decided on a 22-episode run of Traders. Although Telefilm Canada financing increased to a $5.5 million cap on 22 episodes from $4 million on 13, the uptake wasn’t sufficient to maintain the program’s budget over the additional nine episodes. Enter cbc, which is making up an undisclosed portion of the budget.

Last season’s budget per episode averaged $800,000. Atlantis Communications ceo Michael MacMillan confirms the budget per episode will go up this season courtesy of the deal, but says it will not hit the $1 million mark.

The downside is that the status quo could jeopardize the lucrative advertising deal Global accrued with at least two different insurance companies over the Traders seasons to date. Zurich Insurance and Direct Protect have both tucked up against the program over the past two years, but the new telecast situation may dilute the client/program relationship and deter sponsorship. CanWest and cbc will sell independently on the series next season.

In theory, extended plays could jeopardize a Canadian third window sale for Atlantis. But MacMillan points out that with series programming, the effect could well be exactly the opposite.

‘We thought long about it and we concluded it will only enhance the show. It’s difficult to sell a third or even a second window on a series without substantial ratings. Something well-known and popular increases the value of the franchise.’

Klymkiw, on the job a mere few months, says the deal is an experiment. He expects the audience numbers to increase ‘three- or fourfold’ over CanWest’s average, given the cbc’s national reach. New episodes earlier this season were pulling 2 and 3 ratings in the Toronto/Hamilton skew, according to ACNielsen People Metres.

There is a commitment in place for CanWest and cbc to suss out similar partnerships, say both Sward and Klymkiw. Both broadcasters will operate independent promotion for Traders next season.

The third season of the series will bring it up to 48 episodes. Traders has been sold to more than 20 international territories by Atlantis Releasing, which holds worldwide rights.