Banff, Alta.: Social satirist and tv gladiator Michael Moore captivated jetlagged, pitch-worn producers and journalists earlier this month when he made a pair of tour-de-force stops at the Banff Television Festival to promo The Awful Truth.

The half-hour series, in which Moore makes big businesses and small minds squirm in front of his muck-raking camera, was produced last year by Channel 4 for the u.k. and for Bravo in the u.s. This year’s 12 episodes are produced by Salter Street Films, which has sold first window to Bravo! in Canada, with a Sept. 9 launch. Salter Street International has presold season two to Bravo in the u.s. and Channel 4 in the u.k., and has world rights in all media. ssi has already sold consecutive windows to SBS Australia and The Comedy Channel, and expects major interest in Europe.

Although the critics love Moore and his show – and his Banff audience gave his ‘Evening with Michael Moore’ chat-and-clip session a resounding standing o – Moore told a news conference earlier in the day he’d rather be on ‘broadcast’ television. But the show doesn’t qualify as Cancon, although Moore offers a long list of key Canadian crew, had a Canadian grandfather and can sing O Canada in both official languages.

He told journalists he’s not exactly content with The Awful Truth’s 11:30 p.m. Saturday time slot – even with Sex and the City as a lead-in – and isn’t worried by competition from the likes of Saturday Night Live on Global. He says snl and Mad tv are just ‘stupid American shows that have bastardized any Canadianness that they had….Our show is not just funny, you have to think as well. We don’t just make the show for the hip-eoisie [that’s like bourgeoisie] – young people are not the only target.’

How did The Awful Truth move from its initial producers at Channel 4 to Salter? ‘Their lawyers talked to my lawyers,’ said Moore, gyrating his hands. But Salter exec producer Michael Donovan says, in fact, that ‘c.a.a. [Creative Artists Agency] did the deal.’ www.salter.com