Anticipating its 20 anniversary, the Gemini Awards are heading in a new direction, with Global Television producing the gala broadcast. But there is a back-story here that shows tepid support of the event from the English-Canadian networks.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television says it is happy to have landed its lovefest of English-Canadian TV at Global, which will air the Gems gala on Nov. 19. The Gems have aired on CBC in all but one previous edition, but Global, with its hit primetime U.S. series, can potentially reach more viewers than the Ceeb with its promotions. The net announced this year’s nominees on its fledgling Entertainment Tonight Canada, and says it will continue to use the program to build viewer interest leading up to the event.

But, according to CBC, the Gems didn’t end up on Global by design.

A well-placed source at the Ceeb recounts that Slawko Klymkiw, its now-departed executive director of network programming, had decided that the pubcaster had shouldered the responsibility of producing the awards broadcast long enough, and it was time for private casters to step up. It was surprising to hear that the Ceeb would willingly part with the Gems, as no other night of the year provides as much validation for what the pubcaster does. Many of CBC’s programs do not draw large audiences – nor are they necessarily designed to – but they do haul in a lot of trophies.

But CBC is not leaving the Geminis altogether. In fact, the net says it intends to air Global’s broadcast in a second window a day or two later. What the Ceeb does not want to do is pay to produce the awards show. With government funding on the wane, the Ceeb is looking to cut costs wherever it can. Some think the recent staff lockout was nothing more than a way for the pubcaster to save on payroll. CBC will, however, produce a 20th anniversary Gemini retrospective to air on the net on Nov. 17.

Klymkiw’s original concept not only had a private caster producing the event, but all three major networks airing it simultaneously. A radical notion, but to him, the only way to really get Canadians to watch. And so Global came aboard as the primary caster. Ironic, given that Global can’t point to any nominees of its own in the Gems’ best MOW, miniseries, drama or comedy series categories – the selling points of the night – unless you count its second-window airing of ReGenesis. But, desperate for some goodwill with the domestic production sector, and learning from CTV that Canadian shows can equal success, the net seized the baton.

Then Global, in negotiation with the Academy, scheduled the Gems on a Saturday night. This is only fitting, as it’s a time when Canadian programming has historically been hung out to dry – when viewers are either out of the house or watching Hockey Night in Canada. Even CBC, upon hearing about the timeslot, balked at its own simulcast concept. The pubcaster explains that it has a contractual obligation with the NHL, but even if they could get out of that for one night out of the season – say, flip their games to other sports nets ­- do you think they would? Of course not. The Gems don’t tend to draw huge numbers, while hockey is hot again and the CBC needs the revenue.

Academy chair and CHUM exec Paul Gratton acknowledges that the simulcast idea was on the table. ‘There were a variety of discussions and many scenarios floating around, and that would be one of them, but it wasn’t the only one,’ Gratton says. ‘That probably wasn’t the most realistic scenario.’

For its part, CTV says it has no plans to air the awards. As it stands, the net has more hit U.S. shows than it knows what to do with, so it’s not surprising that it wouldn’t want to make room in its lineup for the Gems. Top CTV programming execs were at MIPCOM at the time of this writing and could not be reached for comment, but a network spokesperson questioned whether Global would be willing to have another private caster airing its telecast. Barbara Williams, CanWest Media Works SVP programming, also at the French TV market, says that Global had not been involved in any discussions about a multicast, but, ‘In the future, Global would be happy to join in any conversation about the best way for our industry to support this important event.’

Although the multicast idea is noble, I doubt its effectiveness. Having the nets band together to take over the airwaves with the Gems is tantamount to trying to coerce viewers into watching whether they want to or not – ‘because it’s good for them.’ TV viewers don’t want what’s good for them. They want Desperate Housewives.

But all three nets should commit to airing some form of Gemini-related programming. While Global and CBC have already made their commitments, CTV could, for example, air a one-hour special one week before the awards that profiles the nominees, so viewers know who they will be cheering for.

Whether the awards show itself needs to change to be more effective is a separate conversation, but the broadcasters have it in their power to build critical mass for the Gems, and by extension, their own Canadian programs. They just have to demonstrate the full-fledged will to do so.