Montreal: Radio-Canada is marking its remarkable 50 years of television by introducing 20 new shows for the 2002/03 season, highlighted by seven new drama series and two returning miniseries, says Suzanne Laverdiere, interim director-general of programming.

Primetime highlights for the new season include contemporary sitcoms like Rumeurs and Le Plateau, both from scriptwriters new to TV; the controversial political satire Bunker, le cirque; the in-house teleroman L’Auberge du chien noir from the writers of the hit teleroman 4 et demi; acclaimed playwright and novelist Michel Tremblay’s first TV series, Le Coeur decouvert; and SRC’s first Acadian drama, Samuel et la mer.

Big-budget returning series include the epilogue to the youth street drama Tag, the six-hour criminal biker drama Le Dernier Chapitre II and Music-Hall II, scripted by producer Fabienne Larouche.

SRC is the leading investor in independent Quebec TV production with combined licence fee payments in all categories of $40.7 million for its 2002/03 season, representing just over 36% of $111.7 million in cumulative production budgets and 504 new hours of TV. The investment, adds Laverdiere, does not include licences or equity investments in Canadian cinema, approximately $4 million annually.

Laverdiere says Quebec TV is increasingly open to popular international trends whether it’s more intimate, thirtysomething dramas like last season’s hit series La Vie, la vie (Cirrus Communications/Lux Films) or comic book-style suspense series like Les Aventures tumulteuses de Jack Carter (Cirrus), in production this fall/winter for broadcast during the 2003/04 season.

And while the network remains receptive, and ultimately makes the decisions, the source for new programming ideas is the artists and producers themselves, she says. ‘Rumeurs and Le Plateau are in a way the follow-up to the opening we had with La Vie, la vie.’

Top-rated shows

Top-rated returning shows with network audiences of one million and more include the musical/karaoke game show La Fureur (Guy Cloutier Productions); the $6.3-million, six-hour miniseries Music-Hall (Aetios Production), both featuring the very popular Veronique Cloutier; the sixth and final season of the zany sitcom Un Gars, une fille (Avanti Cine Video); the hilarious news spoof magazine Infoman (Zone 3), featuring Jean-Rene Dufort; and the six-hour drama Le Dernier Chapitre II/The Last Chapter (Productions Tele-Action), a $10.6-million double-shoot also broadcast on CBC.

The network has increased its overall drama and sitcom slate this season, investing $20 million in licences for independently produced series and programs. The licences are triggering total dramatic production budgets in the order of $71.3 million, says Laverdiere.

Shot film-style in terms of the use of locations, editing and F/X, are series like Music-Hall II, Samuel et la mer (Grana Productions/Cite-Amerique), starring Philippe Melanson, Le Dernier Chapitre II, Tag (Zone 3) and the conversational Luc Dionne- and Pierre Houle-scripted political satire Bunker, le cirque (Zone 3), 11 hours budgeted at $10.3 million.

A second dramatic production category is represented by series such as Rumeurs (Sphere Media +), 26 half-hours scripted by youth series writer Isabelle Langlois and budgeted at $4.4 million, and Le Plateau (MaxFilms Television), 26 half-hours scripted by actor Ken Scott and budgeted at $2.8 million. These shows typically have extended broadcast runs, use exterior locations but with considerably smaller production crews, and are originated in video or DV formats. The category, sometimes called ‘teleromans-plus,’ also includes the new Michel Tremblay-scripted drama Le Coeur decouvert (Communications Claude Heroux Plus), 13 hours budgeted at $3.1 million. Inspired by the author’s novel of the same name, it’s Tremblay’s first TV series and chronicles the lives of a gay male couple.

More drama

SRC has always been a program producer, in all categories, including teleromans (drama), children’s and public affairs.

This year, the network is programming four hours of in-house drama each week, including popular teleromans Mon Meilleur Ennemi; Les Super Mamies, scripted by Lise Payette and starring Rita Lafontaine and Genevieve Rioux; L’Auberge du chien noir, written by Sylvie Lussier and Pierre Poirier; and the revamped 7 p.m. (Tuesday through Thursday) lead-in series Virginie, scripted by Fabienne Larouche and starring Chantal Fontaine.

Stephane Turcotte, former head of SRC’s youth department, is director of internal drama production.

Other indie-produced series this season include the four-part miniseries Quadra (Bloom Films 1998) from director/writer Jean Claude Lord, the docudrama Ecole de Danse (Galafilm), the first season of the CBC miniseries Trudeau (Big Motion Pictures) and the ‘urban game show’ Chasse a l’Homme (Zone 3).

Also on tap are the returning series Fred-Dy (Pixcom), Le Monde de Charlotte (Sphere Media +) and the sitcom Catherine (Avanti), starring the talented Sylvie Moreau.

New children’s block

SRC is investing $5.9 million in independently produced youth programming this season, representing 111.5 new hours and $14.3 million in cumulative production.

Highlights include the 12th season of the ‘ado teleroman’ Watatatow (Vivaclic), which will air its 1,000th episode; the second season of the Prix Gemeaux-nominated series Ayoye! (Telefiction); and Sofa, the new theme show for the network’s weekend morning programming block, which also incorporates other series, including animation series (Rolie Polie Olie, Sagwa, Arthur, Mona, Titi & Grosminet, Wounchpounch, La Legende de Tarzan, etc.).

Laverdiere says SRC decided to take a chance on the new (produced in-house) Monique Lamarre concept, which features three young animators (two guys) and a motion-control ‘virtual’ gal, as well as topical discussions, live commentary and webcam broadcasts originated from across the country.

Vivaclic producer Jean-Pierre Morin has built quite an empire in recent years and is producing 104 half-hours of Watatatow, budgeted at $6.8 million.

SRC’s youth block accepts neither advertising nor sponsorships. Judith Gay is director of the youth programming department.

Changing CTF policies

SRC no longer has a guaranteed Canadian Television Fund envelope, and like other broadcasters has been obliged to significantly increase licence fee bids.

‘The difference between Radio-Canada and other broadcasters in one sense is that we initiate projects in all admissible categories,’ says Laverdiere. She says the current CTF policy ‘is extremely expensive’ and worries that broadcasters won’t always be able to maintain the current level of licence fees.

In variety programming, SRC is investing $14 million in licences, representing $20 million in production and lower level CTF participation, and $1 million in licences for indie-produced documentary programs representing $6.1 million in budgets. Doc productions are often financed through multiple broadcaster windows, typically with RDI, Tele-Quebec, Canal D, CBC, ARTV and CBC Newsworld.

Laverdiere has filled the post previously held by Daniel Gourd, interim VP French television, the post held by Michele Fortin.

Interim appointees taking on Laverdiere’s multiple duties are Marie-Andree Poliquin (independent production) and Louise Lantagne (independent drama and Canadian cinema). Laverdiere retains responsibility for acquisitions.

SRC had a 20% market share in Quebec primetime TV last fall.

-www.radio-canada.ca