Global Television is boasting a new schedule with an increased dose of new Canadian, half-hour, primetime series for the 2000/01 season, unveiled at a press conference June 5 in Toronto.

At the same event last year, critics questioned Global for offering only one new weekly Canadian series on its ’99/00 roster (Code Name Eternity).

In contrast, this year Global will air half a dozen new Cancon shows in primetime. They include: Salter Street’s historical comedy Blackfly, with 13 half-hours created by and starring Ron James; Lone Eagle Entertainment’s Popstars, a 13-part docusoap that will follow five young women and document their progress as a pop group; Big Sound (previously known as The Agency), with 22 half-hours about a music talent agency, produced by Peace Arch Entertainment and executive produced by David Steinberg (Seinfeld); and the crime-busting series Blue Murder, the sole new hour-long, Canadian drama under the Global banner, produced by Barna-Alper Productions.

Global affiliate Fireworks Entertainment also brings two new series to the Global sked: Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda and Queen of Swords.

Returning Canadian series include Trilogy Entertainment’s The Outer Limits (22 new hours) and Nelvana’s Bob and Margaret (26 new half-hours).

With substantial Canadian content now on the roster, the new question is where these new shows will be placed within the Global weekly schedule, which has to contend with the solidly performing simulcasts from the likes of nbc and Fox. Global insists the Canadian shows will be placed favorably in the lineup, although the shows’ current early evening placements are not yet gospel.

These Canadian offerings will be plugged in amongst new imports including Boston Public (from David E. Kelley) and Deadline (from Dick Wolf), and returning faves like The Simpsons and X-Files.

Global’s programming strategy reflects its belief that ‘time poverty’ is making half-hour programs more appealing to viewers than hour-long dramas, says Doug Hoover, Global’s national vp of programming and promotions. Global’s skewed 18-to-49 target audience seems to prefer the shorter format to others, he adds. Sitcoms have also proven more lucrative in reruns, says Hoover, using the example of That 70’s Show, which retains 93% of its first-run audience in repeats, versus the popular drama Dawson’s Creek, which only retains 62%. Further, he says, last summer a reported 14 of the 20 highest-rated shows on Canadian television were sitcoms, and of those 14, Global aired 11.

Little leisure time

‘We’ve become a society with many riches but very little leisure time,’ says Hoover. ‘Time poverty has an enormous influence on how we watch television, thus the decline in audience for movies-of-the-week and the dramatic reduction on the numbers of miniseries.”

Global’s programming strategy for this season is ‘to target younger viewers and favor half-hour programs, with the opportunity for Internet tie-in. You will see this clearly as we launch programs like Popstars, Big Sound and Fearsum (a new series from the creators of The Blair Witch Project),’ says Hoover.

Global’s president Kevin Shea says the face of the network could dramatically change over the next year, pending the crtc’s decision regarding Global’s bid to purchase wic’s assets. He expects a decision will be handed down this month or in early July.

‘Clearly it will have a significant impact on Global Television Networks in Canada over the course of the next year,’ says Shea. ‘[With the wic assets] we will truly become a national network.’

According to Global statistics presented at the event, 71% of all Canadian anglophones are currently able to see Global’s programming. If the wic acquisition takes place, Global will stand to pick up wic’s local stations in b.c., Alberta (where Global is all but non-existent) and Ontario, giving the network the opportunity to reach 88% of English-speaking households.

Global is also looking to purchase wic’s stake in robtv, and based largely on its success with Prime tv, has applied for 36 new Canadian specialty channels.