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When A Rare Hit Canadian Show Plays Second Fiddle To Simulcasting
I'm not going to reignite the old argument about whether CanCon is a good CRTC policy. It's here and has been for many years. But sometimes you have to wonder just how much those charged with showing it value the programs they've made - especially when there's money at stake.
As Exhibit A, we come to the CTV show "Transplant," which is a Canadian hit and has even been picked up for a second go-round by NBC. It has been in the Monday 10 PM timeslot since its debut last year, and it occupied that space again this season.
Except for this Monday night.
It's been suddenly dislodged from its regular time by a new episode of ABC's "The Good Doctor."
Why? The latter show wasn't expected to return to the American network until late March or April, by which time Transplant would have finished its season. It was displaced by a show ABC was running called "The Promised Land." But the drama tanked in the ratings so badly, the Alphabet net had no choice but to immediately remove it from the schedule, and move up the timeline for "The Good Doctor's" return.
CTV had a new episode of Transplant scheduled for that space. Instead, it's been yanked so they can simulcast the show with ABC. Transplant will now air out of pattern on Tuesday night instead, opposite the State of The Union, so there's no American competition and no simulcast.
It could be argued that it's a good move for CTV. But changing a hit Canadian show to an alternate timeslot where fans may not be aware it's gone with no real publicity simply to take advantage of simsub, speaks volumes to me about how much they value the program. You don't remove a continuing show away from where viewers expect it unless you intend to leave it there for good. Especially when the change was so sudden that not all DVRs were updated to reflect it.
I can only conclude that CTV apparently values an American show and its simsub money far more than one of its own. They couldn't have known about Promised Land's early cancellation. But think what it would have said about their own show - one that they paid for! - had they left it in its normal place and shown The Good Doctor on Tuesday instead (when oddly, there would have been no U.S. competition at all, what with the Joe Biden address and response on opposite it.)
We've had a lot of controversy here about CanCon over the years. The very least CTV could do is demonstrate that it values its own show by leaving it where viewers expect it.
Instead, we now know what they value a whole lot more.
- paterson1
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Re: When A Rare Hit Canadian Show Plays Second Fiddle To Simulcasting
This happens more than you would think. It all comes down to ratings and money. The Good Doctor will have higher ratings than Transplant would have and CTV doesn't want to bring in less money if running The Good Doctor with no simsub. Also Bell pays big dollars for US programming and they are all about getting the best return, This is getting harder since OTA ratings here and in the US are going the wrong way.
Even a show like Corner Gas that had the best sitcom ratings for a few years was bounced around the CTV schedule and still managed to have a great run with ratings never under 1 million. However too often Corner Gas was on at a "special time" which never helps a shows numbers.
I am surprised that CTV and Global don't give more promo for some of their homegrown series. Global in particular has had some great domestic dramas but did a poor job of promoting them. On top of this shows like Rookie Blue, Mary Kills People, Andromeda, Combat Hospital were moved around the schedule to accommodate a US show that often had about the same ratings.
One big problem for Canadian drama's is the fact that most of the Canadian public aren't even aware of them or discover the show at the very end of the 8 or 13 week run.
If US prime time programming from the big 4 networks continues to tank in the ratings especially in America, maybe this won't be as big a problem in a few years. OTA networks are becoming less important and Bell with their many specialty channels have been spending more money every year on Canadian dramas and comedy that are only seen on these channels and not CTV, and simsub is not an issue.
- paterson1
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Re: When A Rare Hit Canadian Show Plays Second Fiddle To Simulcasting
Bell is also realizing that most of the money to be made is with streaming original programming rather than on conventional networks.
Craves first original series was Letterkenny back in 2015. In six years Crave now streams 42 original series and specials and Letterkenny continues with new episodes. It has been their most successful original program in Canada and internationally. A spinoff of Letterkenny will have it's debut in the spring. Shoresy also will be running on Hulu internationally.
Just a few weeks ago Crave had the debut of an original sitcom called Pillow Talk and five episodes are currently streaming with five more yet to come.
- paterson1
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Re: When A Rare Hit Canadian Show Plays Second Fiddle To Simulcasting
Actually CTV running Transplant last night at 10pm may have been a brilliant scheduling move. Not mentioned in all of this was the State of the Union address with coverage from 9pm to 11pm. CBS, NBC,ABC and FOX all ran the broadcast. Transplant at 10pm on CTV was the only new scripted program on the conventional networks, and was one of the few alternatives on OTA television.
Could be that this had as much to do with the schedule change as the simsub of The Good Doctor, and little to do with playing second fiddle. CTV likely was the winner both Monday and Tuesday at 10pm. And if a lot of people bailed on the address prior to 10pm even more so. Latest Numeris Transplant was the 6th most viewed show in the top 30.
Last edited by paterson1 (March 2, 2022 3:16 pm)
- Radiowiz
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Re: When A Rare Hit Canadian Show Plays Second Fiddle To Simulcasting
The thing tor remember, whether we like it or not, is that modern technology allows CTV to run banner advertising during the program.
A short quick ad during the program along the bottom of the screen letting viewers know when Transplant will air never hurts any.