As part of YTV’s integrated initiative to blaze a new trail, the network brought veteran children’s television programmer Peter Moss on board as vice-president of programming and production. Formerly executive producer for the Children’s Television Workshop and Creative Head of Children’s Programming at CBC, Moss now oversees all YTV programming acquisitions and scheduling as well as the expansion and development of independent co-productions and YTV’s in-house production arm.

‘This year we are investing heavily in the extraordinary talent available in Canada through our co-productions and our own YTV Productions,’ says Moss. ‘YTV is strengthening its line-up of programs and is working with some of Canada’s finest animators and producers.’

Some of the producers that YTV has teamed up with over the past 10 years are Nelvana Enterprises, Cinar Films, Protocol, Breakthrough Entertainment, Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance/Atlantis, DECODE Entertainment, Mind’s Eye, Galafilm, Credo, Forefront Entertainment, Atlantis Releasing and Radical Sheep Productions.

From its inception, YTV has triggered over $550 million in Canadian production by partnering with the independent production community across the country. Currently, approximately 64 per cent of YTV’s prime time programs (6pm – 12midnight) are Canadian as reflected in the 98/99 Fall schedule. Each year, at least 35 per cent of the previous year’s gross revenue is invested into new Canadian programming. Since 1988 YTV has commissioned over 1250 hours of Canadian first-run original programming.

‘In Canada, we have generous public support for independent producers, but they can’t access it without a promise of broadcast,’ says Moss. ‘So, usually we’re first in with the money, and that allows them to go ahead and produce. This means that we also have creative input in terms of scripts, cast and the direction of the production. These are relationships that for the most part have been built up over a long period of time,’ adds Moss.

Those long-term relationships add up to a schedule that is diverse with lots of Cancon, along with international favourites. Daytime programming is focused on the new ‘YTV Jr.’, which, says Moss, is distinguished from Treehouse TV by having programs that are designed for slightly older pre-schoolers (4 to 5 year-olds) and having a variety of shorts, such as The Toothbrush Family, Dawdle the Donkey, The Adventures of Spot and The Crayon Box. Also new to the YTV sked is Blue’s Clues, one of the highest-rated programs on Nickelodeon. Daily at 4 p.m. ‘The Zone’ kicks in, with live segments, interviews and antics by popular hosts Paul McGuire and Phil Guerrero interspersed with a line-up of weird and edgy animation. Prime time is an eclectic mix of half hours, including the MTV-produced Daria, about a hip teenager with loads of attitude, The New Addams Family, produced by Canadian, James Shavik, The Worst Witch from Galafilm, Lassie from Cinar, Goosebumps from Protocol and Animorphs from Scholastic Productions in co-operation with Protocol. Wicked Wednesdays features award-winning computer animation from Mainframe with ReBoot and Beasties and the new Shadow Raiders. Spine Chilling Saturdays serves up spooky fare with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and a double-header of Goosebumps.

The company’s in-house production arm, YTV Productions, which operates out of two studios at YTV’s Toronto headquarters, is involved in several types of production: live interstitials for ‘The Zone,’ short programs for YTV Jr., Uh-Oh! The Game Show, a sitcom and magazine style programs, on-air promotions and the production of the annual YTV Achievement Awards. ‘We’ve had incremental growth in the area of production,’ says Moss. ‘Our YTV Jr. shows like nanalan’, Pet Squad, Little Big Kid and Fuzzpaws are new additions to our pre-school programming. Our magazine shows, like Warp and Alpha to Omega are wacky, high-energy, live action programs and Uh-Oh! The Game Show concentrates on connecting with our viewers by shooting on location across Canada.’

‘Although we have high-quality in-house productions in place,’ adds Moss, ‘our focus continues to be on developing co-productions with the very talented independent production community in Canada.’