City Adds Seven Original Canadian Series to 0-4 Prime-Time Schedule

Newly commissioned reality series Meet the Family joins prime-time schedule this fall

Multi-camera original comedy Package Deal gets new, fall prime-time timeslot

Seed renewed for Season 2; returns with 13 half-hour episodes in 2014

Mother Up! with Eva Longoria joins mid-season schedule in 2014

Three OLN original series - Storage Wars Canada, The Project: Guatemala and returning hit The Liquidator - to also air on City this fall

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TORONTO (June 4, 2013) Marking the most robust lineup of original Canadian programming the network has ever produced, City today announced seven original series five new and two returning join the network's 2013-14 prime-time schedule.

The announcement was made today as part of Rogers Media's 2013 Upfront presentation.

Our strategy for the past two years has been to grow our slate of original Canadian programming. We have invested in great Canadian series, both scripted and non-scripted, on City and OLN, and it has resulted in our strongest and most robust Canadian lineup ever for the networks, said Scott Moore, President of Broadcast, Rogers Media.

Scripted original comedy Package Deal is part of City's winning comedy block on Mondays this fall, airing at 8:30 p.m. ET. Three all-new original reality series, Storage Wars Canada, The Project: Guatemala, and the newly commissioned Meet the Family, also air on City in prime time this fall, as does OLN's hit returning original series The Liquidator. Beginning mid-season, new original animated adult comedy series Mother Up!, starring and executive produced by Eva Longoria, will air exclusively on North American television on City.

Along with the new schedule, City announced today it has greenlit Season 2 of its original single-camera, sperm-donor comedy Seed, with an additional 13 half-hour episodes from Vancouver-based Force Four Productions. Premiering to critical acclaim this past February, Seed returns to Halifax this summer to begin production. Recognized for its rich characters, quick-wit, and edgy writing, Seed has been nominated for an international 2013 Banff Rockie Award in the category of Best Sitcom.

For all its originals, City will have a strong digital presence with live chats, blogs, bloopers, and exclusive video content for web that will engage and enhance the viewing experience.

Our investment in Canadian content and the increase in the number of original series is a testament to our belief that City's original content can go head-to-head with any programming on television today, said Claire Freeland, Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media. City is committed to developing, creating, and airing compelling content that resonates specifically with our younger-skewing and urban-oriented audiences.

In addition to these seven original series, The Bachelor Canada the #1 new Canadian show and a top 10 new show in Canada for last fall* begins production on Season 2 in 2014. A guilty pleasure for all women, the show is slated to air in fall 2014 and will engage across multiple platforms with more co-viewing and dual-screen experiences, becoming the talk of social yet again in 2014.

All original series are commissioned and developed by City's original content team. For Rogers Media, Claire Freeland is director of original programming, Malcolm Dunlop is executive vice president, programming and operations, and Scott Moore is president of broadcast.

New Original Series Descriptions

PACKAGE DEAL

30-minute comedy

Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT

Produced by Thunderbird Films

Package Deal is the story of three overly close brothers and the woman who comes between them. Danny is the smart, good looking, and successful lawyer brother; Sheldon is the stubborn, politically incorrect, and bossy salesman older brother; and Ryan is the sensitive, slightly metrosexual, and former house-husband brother. Sharing more than just a last name, they are overly involved in each other's lives until Kim, a beautiful, smart, and funny woman, begins dating Danny and finally cuts his umbilical cord from his brothers.

ALL CANADIAN EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Andrew Orenstein (Malcolm in the Middle, 3rd Rock from the Sun), Tim Gamble (Mr. Young, The Funny Pit), Michael Shepard (Mr. Young, Endgame)

ALL CANADIAN CAST: Danny (Randal Edwards, The Killing, Degrassi: The Next Generation), Kim (Julia Voth, I), Ryan (Jay Malone, Monk), and Sheldon (Harland Williams, Theres Something About Mary)

THE PROJECT: GUATEMALA

60-minute reality competition

Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Produced by Buck Productions

Hosted by ultra-marathon runner and adventurer Ray Zahab, The Project: Guatemala follows nine privileged young adults who believe they've been selected for a reality adventure in an exotic location. However, when they arrive at their destination in Tecpan, Guatemala, they quickly learn what they'll be doing has little to do with sand, surf, and luxury. Instead, they are enlisted to give back and help a local Guatemalan charity organization build a structure for The Project Somos Children's Village.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Canadian Sean Buckley (Canada's Best Beauty Talent, Saw Dogs), Peter Tortorici (3rd Rock from the Sun, Chicago Hope, Murphy Brown, Cosby)

CAST: Canadian Ray Zahab (Host, Running the Sahara)

STORAGE WARS CANADA

30-minute reality series

Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Produced by Proper Television

Storage Wars Canada is a modern-day treasure hunt, as six professional buyers use their knowledge, expertise, and wit to bid on the contents of abandoned, repossessed, and forgotten storage containers. With mere minutes to scan the contents of a locker using only the beam of a flashlight, the high-stakes fun begins when the buyers have to out-bid each other for the locker, which could be fu

LINK:	http://www.rogersmediatv.ca/pr_detail.php?id=891...
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