Toronto, ON (Dec. 20, 2011) – CTV announced today its mid-season schedules for CTV and CTV Two, including its latest acquisition: the much buzzed-about adventure-horror series “The River,” from “Paranormal Activity” director Oren Peli and starring Canadians Bruce Greenwood and Leslie Hope. “The River” brings to four the number of new series set to join the CTV schedules in early 2012, following a fall season that saw CTV deliver six out of the Top 6 new series on Canadian television. A thrilling take on a search and rescue mission in the Amazon, “The River” joins the highly anticipated debuts of big ticket television series “Smash,” “Missing,” and “GCB.” 

•        Drama of Broadway proportions sets the stage for Steven Spielberg’s musical drama “Smash” (Feb. 6), starring Debra Messing (“Will &Grace”) and “American Idol” runner-up and songwriter Katharine McPhee
•        Texas-sized grown up mean girls comedy-drama is unleashed in “GCB” (March 4), starring Leslie Bibb (“Iron Man”) and Kristin Chenoweth (“Glee”)
•        A European backdrop of intrigue sets the scene for the riveting action-drama “Missing” (March 15), starring Golden Globe nominee Ashley Judd.

“With its mix of big ticket drama, comedy, performance, competition, awards and sports, CTV’s new mid-season lineup is exactly what viewers have come to expect from Canada’s #1 network,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. “These new buzzed-about series coupled with fall hits and returning favourites ensure CTV remains the destination for Canadian viewers in every timeslot, night after night, week after week.”

Propelled to new heights last season with an average audience of 2.8 million viewers by the addition of judges J.Lo and Steven Tyler, last season’s #2 series “American Idol” makes its triumphant return to CTV’s mid-season schedule with a Jan. 18 season premiere. Returning hits also includes last years break-out hit, singing sensation “The Voice,” which premieres Feb. 5 immediately following Super Bowl XLVI®; the 20th season of Canada’s #1 reality series “The Amazing Race” (Feb. 19); and Season 2, Part 2 of the award-winning hit comedy “Hot in Cleveland” (Jan. 10) with Betty White and friends.

As announced earlier this month, CTV debuts, in tandem with MuchMusic, the new original no-holds-barred relationship drama “The L.A. Complex” in a special super-simulcast, conventional/specialty, television premiere event (Jan. 10).
  
Viewers can also look forward to the return of this fall’s new hit series on CTV, including Canada’s #1 new drama “Once Upon a Time” (Jan. 8) and the #1 new comedy “Whitney” (Jan. 10), along with “Pan Am” (Jan. 8), “Up All Night” (Jan. 12), and “Grimm” (Jan. 13). Also back is Canada’s most-watched program “The Big Bang Theory” (Jan. 12); surging comedy “Two and a Half Men” (Jan. 2); Emmy-favourite “Mike & Molly” (Jan. 2); and Canada’s #1 drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”(Jan. 5).

CTV’s top-rated event programming continues with The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards® (Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. on CTV); “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” (Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. on CTV); Super Bowl XLVI® (Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. on CTV); The 83rd Annual Academy Awards® (Feb. 26 at 8:30 p.m. on CTV) and The 2012 Juno Awards (April 1 on CTV).

On Canada’s third-ranked private network CTV Two, the top-rated “American Idol” audition (Jan. 19) and results episodes bolsters the network’s mid-season schedule along with all-new seasons of reality favourites “Undercover Boss” (Jan. 15); “America’s Next Top Model” (premiere date tba) with new judge Kelly Cutrone; and “Shark Tank” (Jan. 20), among others.

Catch up on full episodes of CTV and CTV Two series on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca and on CTV Mobile on Bell Mobile TV for smartphones and superphones. Plus, catch behind-the-scenes extras and cast interviews for many hit CTV and CTV Two programs.

See below for a list of premiere dates for new series, new returning series, returning fall series and special event television. All dates are subject to change. All times in ET/PT. Visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times.

MID-SEASON 2011 PREMIERE DATES:

New Series Premieres:

Monday, Feb. 6
SMASH at 10 p.m. (CTV)

Tuesday, Feb. 7
THE RIVER at 9 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, March 4
GCB at 10 p.m. (CTV)

Thursday, March 15
MISSING at 8 p.m. (CTV)

Mid-Season Premieres:

Tuesday, Jan. 10
HOT IN CLEVELAND at 8:30 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, Jan. 15
UNDERCOVER BOSS at 8 p.m. (CTV Two)

Wednesday, Jan. 18
AMERICAN IDOL at 8 p.m. (CTV)

Thursday, Jan. 19
AMERICAN IDOL (Audition/Results) at 8 p.m. (CTV Two)

Friday, Jan. 20
SHARK TANK at 8 p.m. (CTV Two)

Sunday, Feb. 5
THE VOICE at 10 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, Feb. 19
THE AMAZING RACE at 8 p.m. (CTV)

Special Event Television:

Tuesday, Jan. 10
THE L.A. COMPLEX at 9 p.m. – Super-simulcast premiere in tandem with MuchMusic (CTV)

Sunday, Jan. 15
 The 69th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS® at 8 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, Jan. 29
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON at 8 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, Feb. 5
SUPER BOWL XLVI® at 6 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, Feb. 26
THE 83rd ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS® at 8:30 p.m. (CTV)

Sunday, April 1
THE 2012 JUNO AWARDS (CTV)