CBC announced plans Thursday (June 1) to launch more free streaming channels including one dedicated to comedy and several focused on local news as it dives deeper into online options favoured by younger audiences.
While announcing its fall/winter lineup the public broadcaster said two ad-driven streamers will debut this fall with 2024 expected to see more free, ad-supported television, or FAST channels. They join CBC News Explore, which premiered last November to offer a deeper dive into current affairs and news topics.
CBC Comedy will offer a constant feed of CBC series, sketch comedy and standup specials including current episodes of 鈥淩un the Burbs,鈥 鈥淪on of a Critch鈥 and 鈥淪ort Of,鈥 as well as past seasons of defunct shows 鈥淜im鈥檚 Convenience,鈥 鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥 and 鈥淏aroness Von Sketch Show.鈥
CBC News BC will stream local news from the West Coast and be the first of multiple local news streamers planned for connected TVs, the CBC News App and CBC Gem.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to launch a couple more that are more regionalized, localized and potentially over time, continue to launch more and more and more of those,鈥 said CBC executive vice-president Barbara Williams.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e pretty straightforward. They鈥檙e pretty easy to launch. The younger demo that doesn鈥檛 necessarily have a cable subscription still really enjoy the lean-back streaming experience and they鈥檙e discovering FAST channels of all types on their connected TVs and other devices.鈥
CBC announced the plans alongside its upcoming programming lineup for the main network and CBC Gem, much of which won鈥檛 land until winter 2024.
Additions set for the new year include the workplace comedy 鈥淥ne More Time鈥 from comedian D.J. Demers, the police series 鈥淎llegiance,鈥 the Vancouver-set procedural 鈥淲ild Cards,鈥 and the reality competition 鈥淭he Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down.鈥
Williams said the lineup reflects a heavy investment in nurturing new talent and finding new voices.
鈥(We鈥檙e) constantly thinking about: 鈥榃hose voice are we not hearing from? What story are we missing? What story is not being told by the, maybe, traditional broadcasters? Who doesn鈥檛 have access to be able to tell their story?鈥 she said.
New this fall are previously announced extended versions of two feature films, reimagined for the small screen: the five-part Indigenous residential school saga 鈥淏ones of Crows,鈥 and three-part tech series 鈥淏lackBerry.鈥
They join returning fall series 鈥淪ort Of,鈥 鈥淭his Hour Has 22 Minutes,鈥 鈥淗eartland,鈥 鈥淢urdoch Mysteries鈥 and 鈥淪kyMed.鈥
鈥淩un the Burbs鈥 and 鈥淪on of A Critch鈥 are set to return in winter 2024.
Returning reality fare this fall includes 鈥淏est in Miniature,鈥 鈥淒ragons鈥 Den,鈥 鈥淔amily Feud Canada,鈥 鈥淭he Great Canadian Baking Show鈥 and 鈥淪till Standing,鈥 with reality series set for 2024 including 鈥淏ollywed,鈥 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Ultimate Challenge,鈥 鈥淧ush鈥 and 鈥淪tuff the British Stole.鈥
New fall documentary series include 鈥淏lack Life: Untold Stories鈥 and 鈥淪wan Song,鈥 billed as a character-driven series following Karen Kain鈥檚 final year with the National Ballet of Canada.
The winter doc lineup includes new series 鈥淔or the Culture with Amanda Parris鈥 in which the broadcaster hosts conversations that centre Blackness and 鈥淭he Nature of Things,鈥 which welcomes new hosts Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan.
The summer lineup includes third seasons of 鈥淢oonshine鈥 and 鈥淩ace Against the Tide,鈥 both returning July 16.
Williams said the broadcaster is focused on ensuring audiences can find the best of CBC, no matter the platform, and to 鈥渉ave everything, everywhere.鈥
Over the past year, Canadians have streamed more than 34 million hours of content on CBC Gem, she said. More than half of those viewers watched on a connected television, such as a smart TV or one connected to a streaming device such as Apple TV or Roku.
鈥淚f people鈥檚 choice is, 鈥業 just want Gem,鈥 we want to be sure as much as possible that everything is there for them,鈥 said Williams.
鈥淚f people just really want a cable subscription, we want to be sure that TV and (CBC) News Network is there for them and the Documentary Channel. If people really are just, 鈥業鈥檓 only interested in mobile, just give me dot-ca and give me the news app,鈥 then guess what 鈥 you can find Explore on the (CBC) News app.鈥
New short-form series headed to CBC Gem this fall include six 10-minute episodes of 鈥淭he Bannocking,鈥 about a journalism student who returns home to uncover the truth about the abandoned residential school; eight episodes of the 15-minute 鈥淗ow to Fail as a Popstar,鈥 an adaptation of Vivek Shraya鈥檚 hit play and book about 鈥渁 young queer brown boy, growing up in Edmonton trying to achieve pop stardom;鈥 and six 15-minute episodes of 鈥淚 Hate People, People Hate Me,鈥 billed as an offbeat comedy that explores queer identity.
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
