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Headline, Industry News
Leafs to blame for cancelled shows? Quips producer: ‘One more reason to hate’
Friday March 14th 2008TORONTO — As if the dismal Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t been heaped with enough scorn by hockey fans, the struggling squad may also be to blame for the recent cancellation of several high-profile CBC shows including, ironically, the steamy nighttime NHL soap “MVP.”
The producer of “MVP” says she was recently warned by CBC programming director Kirstine Layfield that if the Leafs failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, the public broadcaster’s arts and entertainment division would take a $10-million hit that would put some of the network’s much-heralded new shows at risk.
CBC broadcasts a considerable number of playoff games and the Leafs are traditionally the leading ratings generator, particularly in the post-season.
While the team isn’t technically out of the playoffs yet, hopes are dim that it can stage a last-minute rally and make it into post-season play. It would be the third season in a row that the Leafs failed to make the playoffs.
“We talked to Kirstine a couple of weeks ago and she said with that ($10 million) cut, either everyone had to do their shows for less or at least one series was going to have to go. Wouldn’t that be insane if the Leafs were to blame?” Mary Young Leckie, who’s also the creator of “MVP,” said Monday.
“It’s just another good reason to hate the Leafs.”
The CBC announced Friday that “MVP,” “JPod” and “Intelligence” had been cancelled.
But Layfield denied Monday that Matts Sundin and the boys were entirely to blame, and added later in the day that Leckie had misunderstood her comments, saying the Leafs are “just one of many factors going into how much money there is.”
“Ultimately our revenues pay for our programming and a lot of what we make depends on how hockey performs, but really, shows get renewed based on their performance,” Layfield said.
She added the CBC has new shows waiting in the wings to replace the cancelled ones, though didn’t provide any details.
The whackings were puzzling to all of the show’s producers, especially since at least two of those shows were drawing younger viewers – something the CBC has long been trying to do.
“This show accomplished what it set out to do, which was to attract a huge youth demographic,” said Leckie. “Our audience demographic ratings were unbelievable; they were to drool for. Last week, 72 per cent of audience was in the 24-50 age group, which was unheard of, and what we were told they wanted.”
J.B. Sugar, executive producer of “JPod,” was equally perplexed. Even in the difficult Friday night time slot that “JPod” had recently been shuffled to, he said the numbers for the black comedy, about a group of Vancouver video game programmers with an amusing marijuana grow-op subplot, were rising among young viewers.
“We did find that the numbers went up and stayed up and maintained and were actually steadily growing a little bit on Friday nights,” he said in an interview from Vancouver.
He added he wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Leafs were the culprits.
“The ad revenue that would have come in for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs would have been significant to the network, so that makes sense,” he said. “I know that hockey certainly drives the schedule over there and possibly the finances too.”
Chris Haddock, producer of the critically adored drug drama “Intelligence,” reiterated his accusation that the CBC mysteriously did next to nothing to promote his show, especially prior to its second season launch, while in the meantime it’s been getting attention from international buyers.
“It’s been such an undermined program, and it’s peculiar – to this point, none of the decision-makers have called me to tell me that the show is cancelled or why or to have a conversation with me. No one seems to be taking responsibility for it,” he said.
“I’ve had calls from the advertising industry over the last year and they are also befuddled, because they thought it to be a very attractive show, so obviously there’s an appetite out there that advertisers are aware of, so it’s all very odd.”
Haddock also pointed out the lunacy of the CBC gauging a show’s popularity, especially among young viewers, on the weekly BBM ratings since so many young television fans don’t own their own homes and so cannot be counted, and many of them watch TV on the Internet.
“The ratings themselves have been questioned very profoundly all over the world about their accuracy and their relevance because you have to be a homeowner,” Haddock points out.
“So university students don’t get counted, a person who is a renter doesn’t get counted, a lot of people under 30 don’t get counted, so it’s absurd on many, many levels. I mean do you have to buy a home to get counted in the ratings?”
Source: The Canadian Press
Headline, Industry News
Leafs to blame for cancelled shows? Quips producer: ‘One more reason to hate’
Friday March 14th 2008TORONTO — As if the dismal Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t been heaped with enough scorn by hockey fans, the struggling squad may also be to blame for the recent cancellation of several high-profile CBC shows including, ironically, the steamy nighttime NHL soap “MVP.”
The producer of “MVP” says she was recently warned by CBC programming director Kirstine Layfield that if the Leafs failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, the public broadcaster’s arts and entertainment division would take a $10-million hit that would put some of the network’s much-heralded new shows at risk.
CBC broadcasts a considerable number of playoff games and the Leafs are traditionally the leading ratings generator, particularly in the post-season.
While the team isn’t technically out of the playoffs yet, hopes are dim that it can stage a last-minute rally and make it into post-season play. It would be the third season in a row that the Leafs failed to make the playoffs.
“We talked to Kirstine a couple of weeks ago and she said with that ($10 million) cut, either everyone had to do their shows for less or at least one series was going to have to go. Wouldn’t that be insane if the Leafs were to blame?” Mary Young Leckie, who’s also the creator of “MVP,” said Monday.
“It’s just another good reason to hate the Leafs.”
The CBC announced Friday that “MVP,” “JPod” and “Intelligence” had been cancelled.
But Layfield denied Monday that Matts Sundin and the boys were entirely to blame, and added later in the day that Leckie had misunderstood her comments, saying the Leafs are “just one of many factors going into how much money there is.”
“Ultimately our revenues pay for our programming and a lot of what we make depends on how hockey performs, but really, shows get renewed based on their performance,” Layfield said.
She added the CBC has new shows waiting in the wings to replace the cancelled ones, though didn’t provide any details.
The whackings were puzzling to all of the show’s producers, especially since at least two of those shows were drawing younger viewers – something the CBC has long been trying to do.
“This show accomplished what it set out to do, which was to attract a huge youth demographic,” said Leckie. “Our audience demographic ratings were unbelievable; they were to drool for. Last week, 72 per cent of audience was in the 24-50 age group, which was unheard of, and what we were told they wanted.”
J.B. Sugar, executive producer of “JPod,” was equally perplexed. Even in the difficult Friday night time slot that “JPod” had recently been shuffled to, he said the numbers for the black comedy, about a group of Vancouver video game programmers with an amusing marijuana grow-op subplot, were rising among young viewers.
“We did find that the numbers went up and stayed up and maintained and were actually steadily growing a little bit on Friday nights,” he said in an interview from Vancouver.
He added he wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Leafs were the culprits.
“The ad revenue that would have come in for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs would have been significant to the network, so that makes sense,” he said. “I know that hockey certainly drives the schedule over there and possibly the finances too.”
Chris Haddock, producer of the critically adored drug drama “Intelligence,” reiterated his accusation that the CBC mysteriously did next to nothing to promote his show, especially prior to its second season launch, while in the meantime it’s been getting attention from international buyers.
“It’s been such an undermined program, and it’s peculiar – to this point, none of the decision-makers have called me to tell me that the show is cancelled or why or to have a conversation with me. No one seems to be taking responsibility for it,” he said.
“I’ve had calls from the advertising industry over the last year and they are also befuddled, because they thought it to be a very attractive show, so obviously there’s an appetite out there that advertisers are aware of, so it’s all very odd.”
Haddock also pointed out the lunacy of the CBC gauging a show’s popularity, especially among young viewers, on the weekly BBM ratings since so many young television fans don’t own their own homes and so cannot be counted, and many of them watch TV on the Internet.
“The ratings themselves have been questioned very profoundly all over the world about their accuracy and their relevance because you have to be a homeowner,” Haddock points out.
“So university students don’t get counted, a person who is a renter doesn’t get counted, a lot of people under 30 don’t get counted, so it’s absurd on many, many levels. I mean do you have to buy a home to get counted in the ratings?”
Source: The Canadian Press
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Headline, Industry News
Leafs to blame for cancelled shows? Quips producer: ‘One more reason to hate’
Friday March 14th 2008TORONTO — As if the dismal Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t been heaped with enough scorn by hockey fans, the struggling squad may also be to blame for the recent cancellation of several high-profile CBC shows including, ironically, the steamy nighttime NHL soap “MVP.”
The producer of “MVP” says she was recently warned by CBC programming director Kirstine Layfield that if the Leafs failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, the public broadcaster’s arts and entertainment division would take a $10-million hit that would put some of the network’s much-heralded new shows at risk.
CBC broadcasts a considerable number of playoff games and the Leafs are traditionally the leading ratings generator, particularly in the post-season.
While the team isn’t technically out of the playoffs yet, hopes are dim that it can stage a last-minute rally and make it into post-season play. It would be the third season in a row that the Leafs failed to make the playoffs.
“We talked to Kirstine a couple of weeks ago and she said with that ($10 million) cut, either everyone had to do their shows for less or at least one series was going to have to go. Wouldn’t that be insane if the Leafs were to blame?” Mary Young Leckie, who’s also the creator of “MVP,” said Monday.
“It’s just another good reason to hate the Leafs.”
The CBC announced Friday that “MVP,” “JPod” and “Intelligence” had been cancelled.
But Layfield denied Monday that Matts Sundin and the boys were entirely to blame, and added later in the day that Leckie had misunderstood her comments, saying the Leafs are “just one of many factors going into how much money there is.”
“Ultimately our revenues pay for our programming and a lot of what we make depends on how hockey performs, but really, shows get renewed based on their performance,” Layfield said.
She added the CBC has new shows waiting in the wings to replace the cancelled ones, though didn’t provide any details.
The whackings were puzzling to all of the show’s producers, especially since at least two of those shows were drawing younger viewers – something the CBC has long been trying to do.
“This show accomplished what it set out to do, which was to attract a huge youth demographic,” said Leckie. “Our audience demographic ratings were unbelievable; they were to drool for. Last week, 72 per cent of audience was in the 24-50 age group, which was unheard of, and what we were told they wanted.”
J.B. Sugar, executive producer of “JPod,” was equally perplexed. Even in the difficult Friday night time slot that “JPod” had recently been shuffled to, he said the numbers for the black comedy, about a group of Vancouver video game programmers with an amusing marijuana grow-op subplot, were rising among young viewers.
“We did find that the numbers went up and stayed up and maintained and were actually steadily growing a little bit on Friday nights,” he said in an interview from Vancouver.
He added he wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Leafs were the culprits.
“The ad revenue that would have come in for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs would have been significant to the network, so that makes sense,” he said. “I know that hockey certainly drives the schedule over there and possibly the finances too.”
Chris Haddock, producer of the critically adored drug drama “Intelligence,” reiterated his accusation that the CBC mysteriously did next to nothing to promote his show, especially prior to its second season launch, while in the meantime it’s been getting attention from international buyers.
“It’s been such an undermined program, and it’s peculiar – to this point, none of the decision-makers have called me to tell me that the show is cancelled or why or to have a conversation with me. No one seems to be taking responsibility for it,” he said.
“I’ve had calls from the advertising industry over the last year and they are also befuddled, because they thought it to be a very attractive show, so obviously there’s an appetite out there that advertisers are aware of, so it’s all very odd.”
Haddock also pointed out the lunacy of the CBC gauging a show’s popularity, especially among young viewers, on the weekly BBM ratings since so many young television fans don’t own their own homes and so cannot be counted, and many of them watch TV on the Internet.
“The ratings themselves have been questioned very profoundly all over the world about their accuracy and their relevance because you have to be a homeowner,” Haddock points out.
“So university students don’t get counted, a person who is a renter doesn’t get counted, a lot of people under 30 don’t get counted, so it’s absurd on many, many levels. I mean do you have to buy a home to get counted in the ratings?”
Source: The Canadian Press
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