CTV and Global Climb Into Bed

WOW. IN HIS inimitable way, Jim Henshaw actually tipped this last night when he broke the story that the assets of the Naked News were being transferred to Canwest Global for integration into its news structure.

Turns out there was more than a grain of truth to that. But it's only the first wave. Global will be rebranding its 11pm newscast as Global National Naked News in an attempt to compete with the talk shows on the other nets, and specifically Jon Stewart on CTV.

That's a deal that's supposedly been in the works for a long time. But it's been supplanted in recent weeks by the financial woes and sturm and drang over the network trouble.

If my sources are right (and I have several in both companies) today at 5:30, Ivan Fecan and Leonard Asper will meet on a stage at Queen and John street to announce that Global and CTV are merging.

The new company, CTV CanGlobemedia, will own several stations that compete in different markets, which the CRTC has up til now considered a no-go (they forced CTV to sell the Citytv stations to Rogers when they took over CHUM, remember.) But the prescence of Moore at today's presser suggests that those kinds of regulatory hurdles have all been worked out. I guess they had a lot to talk about in those dozens of lobbying meetings before the CRTC in the last few months.
CTV CanGlobemedia is also going to announce a massive rebranding for its two national networks, CTV and Global, and here's where the big gamble comes in. There's going to be a shuffling of U.S. program assets between the two stations. The 11 o'Clock Global National Naked News is going to be the flagship of the new network, which is being called "Global Dude."
"Global Dude" is going to focus all of its promotional, programming, and advertising might on male-centred series, specifically those that appeal to the 18-49 male demo that has flown conventional TV in droves over the last few years.

Low cost, guycentric Comedy Network shows like Keys To The VIP and The Jon Dore Television Show should find new audiences and new exposure on Global Dude, along side some of the "tougher" crime and guy shows: The Unit, Criminal Minds, 24, Dollhouse, The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, and two of the three CSI's.

CTV CanGlobemedia is also close to a deal where they will be simulcasting shock jock Howard Stern's morning Sirius Radio show five days a week from 7-10 am on Global Dude.

The third CSI, CSI: Miami, is being retained on the CTV network because of its high proportion of female viewers. CTV's U.S. program offerings are going to be aligned along a concerted and concentrated effort to appeal to Canada's female viewers. Global shows such as 90210, Brothers and Sisters, Bones, Project Runway Canada and The Office, will join CTV's heavy female favorites American Idol, Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Private Practice and the like.

Supposedly the sticking point that might have sunk the whole deal was both networks fighting over HOUSE. It's not clear who got that show. HEROES will go to Showcase.

Expecting a huge outcry from competition watchdogs and the like, CTV sweetened the pot by agreeing not to close the two local stations it announced it was closing last month. And the merged company will immediately offer stations in the money-sinkhole E! and A channel chains to community groups like the one being headed up by CHCH booster Donna Skelly.

It's thought that this is the sweetening the Government needed to sign off on pressuring the CRTC to rubberstamp the deal. The CRTC wanted to hold Hearings, but Moore indicated that Heritage was prepared to overrule whatever process the CRTC instigated to make the deal happen.

So today at 5:30, Moore will get up on the stage, flanked by Asper and Fecan, and say that they've saved local Television. Then, for the entertainment portion, Rockers Nickelback --- fresh off their massive Juno win, will perform a set said to "embody the spirit of 'Global Dude,'" followed by sensitive singer-songwriter Serena Rider and Nelly Furtado, who will "kick it for all the CTV girls." The event will be co-hosted by Rick the Temp, whose soft eyes make him a natural on his new home on CTV, beside Ben Mulroney, and Tanya Kim and Leah Miller, who'll apparently be hosting a new Friday night Wrestling show for the boys on Global Dude.
The show will also feature the first Live Remote from the Global National Naked News Team. They're going to have to figure that out by next winter.

CTV CanGlobemedia is expected to immediately petition the CRTC for a reduction in its CanCon obligations.