Canadians launch fall schedules with US imports

Canadian broadcasters have announced their fall lineups with a raft of US acquisitions secured at the LA Screenings as well as a number of locally produced series.

Global, CTV and Rogers-owned CityTV returned from the screenings with suitcases full of the latest acquisitions with Canadian unions including ACTRA once again calling on increased regulations on the amount of Canadian content that broadcasters must air.

Global acquired CBS Studios International’s Hawaii Five-O, NBC Universal Television Distribution’s anthology series Love Bites, comedy Outsourced and Jimmy Smith-fronted legal drama Outlaw and will launch local series including E1 Entertainment-produced cop series Rookie Blue, which will simulcast on ABC and procedural Shattered.

CTV has picked up CBS Studios International’s Tom Selleck-fronted cop drama Blue Bloods, Jim Belushi’s legal comedy The Defenders, Warner Bros International Television Distribution comedies ?@#$ My Dad Says and Mike & Molly as well as The Conan O’Brien Show and the US remake of Simon Cowell-fronted entertainment format The X Factor, which will bow in 2011.

Rogers has acquired Warner Bros International Television Distribution’s Jerry Bruckheimer-produced cop series Chase, JJ Abrams spy drama Undercovers and Disney Media Distribution’s legal drama The Whole Truth.

Meanwhile, public broadcaster CBC is launching two new locally produced comedies including Men With Brooms, from Little Mosque on the Prairie writer Paul Mather and Insecurity, created by Corner Gas producer Virginia Thompson.