Global Television president and ceo Jim Sward promises at least 30 new hours of Canadian drama on the network in the coming season. The theme for the new ’99/2000 Global lineup is consistency, with the network knocking Maple Leaf Hockey out of its schedule after more than a decade in favor of new episodes of Global-produced programs.

‘We’ve made the right decision to pass on [Maple Leaf Hockey],’ says Sward, citing the clash of special events and ‘appointment television’ as the instigator for this move. ‘[The decision] takes us one step further, if not all of the way to the promise of commitment to current series programming.’

The only sporting event destined for Global is the NFL Superbowl in January 2000.

Global, which boasts four of the five most-watched Canadian original series, is set to debut the action program Code Name Eternity, produced by Protocol Entertainment. Also coming is mow Task Force Caviar, produced by Nova Scotia’s Big Motion and SDA Productions out of Montreal, and the six-hour made-for-u.s.-cable miniseries Family: The Life and Times of Joseph Bonano, from Montreal’s Productions La Fete.

On the documentary front, there is The Reichmanns (Alan Handel Productions, Montreal), Calling Card for a Revolution – The Montreal Riots (Galafilm, Montreal), Should I Stay or Should I Go: The Canadian Brain Drain (Stornoway) and March of the Living (Cambium Film and Video Productions).

Global also announced it has ordered 27 new episodes of Nelvana’s Bob and Margaret and 13 new episodes of Traders, 22 new episodes of Psi Factor and 22 new episodes of The Outer Limits, all from aac.

Currently in development are new series Hockey Boys, The Freak and Blue Murder.

Despite a funding snub from Telefilm Canada, six new scripts for aac’s Justice are being developed, should the show be granted financing for the 2000/01 season.

‘We have been discouraged by the decision that Telefilm made not to bring back Justice,’ says Sward, who despite the disappointment respects the decision. ‘They are working in the public trust and they invest their money in equities so they expect some sort of return. It is notable that in English-language television in Canada, Telefilm did not support one new primetime series.’

Global’s national vp of programming and productions Doug Hoover announced that because of Global’s continuing focus on the 18- to 49-year-old demographic (65% of its nightly primetime viewing audience falls in that category according to Hoover), some new shows have been licensed by Global. These new programs include Harsh Realm from X-Files creator Chris Carter, the Party of Five spin-off Time of Your Life, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Stark Raving Mad, which will be added to Global’s strong Thursday night lineup.