Bell Media Reveals Canadian First-Look Strategy for "Project Latte"

–Select Canadian productions to premiere first on "Project Latte" –
– CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE is first title to get "Project Latte" first-look screening –
– Canada's most-acclaimed and most-watched original primetime programming comes to "Project Latte," including SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, FLASHPOINT, THE LISTENER, THE BORGIAS, and DEGRASSI –

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TORONTO, Dec. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Bell Media announced today a first-look strategy for its subscription on demand video streaming service that will see episodes of original Canadian series premiere on "Project Latte" 24 hours in advance of their network television premieres. The announcement was made as Bell Media revealed the premium Canadian scripted content that will be available on the service, representing the most-acclaimed and most-watched original primetime programming in Canada. It was also confirmed today that CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE will be the first Canadian program to receive a first-look screening on "Project Latte" ahead of its linear television premiere.

The first-look strategy is designed to provide crucial samplings of episodes ahead of their regular network airings, while providing an additional platform to proudly showcase Canada's independent productions. Series that receive first-look screenings will stack on "Project Latte" for their entire current-season run, which will be immediately complementary to the past-season episodes also on the service.

In 2015, Bell Media original productions SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, SPUN OUT, and more will receive a first-look premiere on "Project Latte," becoming the only titles on the service with past and in-season episodes available. The announcement comes as additional drama titles were announced for "Project Latte," and on the eve of a major announcement tomorrow confirming final details for the service.

**Media Note** Photography available online at BellMediaPR.ca.

"Our first-look execution not only provides terrific value to customers of Project Latte, but represents an additive strategy, delivering a Canadian advantage for our production partners," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, Bell Media. "It demonstrates pride of place for our original productions and the value they provide. With complete past seasons along with the current, in-season episodes available on the service, it helps build the profile of these series for discovery by even more TV viewers."

With more than 40 titles comprising nearly 1,000 assets at launch, "Project Latte" will feature more primetime original Canadian television programming than any other similar service. At launch, premium, non-kids Canadian programming on "Project Latte" will total more than 12% of the service's entire catalogue, with more original content to be added regularly.

Curated to reflect "Project Latte's" commitment to premium TV programming, Canadian titles announced today represent more than 200 Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Canadian Scripted Programming on "Project Latte"

Drama

• Recently renewed for a fourth season, SAVING HOPE is currently Canada's most-watched original drama series, with an average audience of 1.5 million viewers on CTV. SAVING HOPE will be featured in "Project Latte's" first-look strategy, where new episodes will appear on the service 24 hours in advance of their linear TV debut. At launch, 41 episodes will be available.
• DEGRASSI is simply one of the most successful original dramas in Canadian television history. Seen around the world and the recipient of a Peabody Award, the Emmy-nominated series will live in "Project Latte's" Teen Drama category.
• All three seasons and 29 episodes of the Golden Globe Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning historical drama and international co-production THE BORGIAS (2011-2013) will be featured.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Bell Media previously announced its Sci-Fi & Fantasy collection would exclusively feature some of its most successful original productions:

• ORPHAN BLACK, the conspiracy clone thriller and smash hit international success starring Tatiana Maslany.
• BITTEN, Space's most-watched original series of all time about the world's only female werewolf.
• And the upcoming KILLJOYS, the interplanetary space drama from ORPHAN BLACK producers Temple Street Productions.

Comedy

• Bell Media announced today that the unedited theatrical cut of the upcoming feature film CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE, to be released in cinemas nationwide tomorrow, will have a special first-look, advance screening window on "Project Latte" before making its linear television debut.
• One of the most successful original comedy series in Canadian history, all 107 episodes and six seasons of the CTV hit CORNER GAS (2004-2009) will also live on "Project Latte."
• Both the complete first season and the upcoming second season of Dave Foley's current original comedy SPUN OUT, returning in early 2015 on CTV, will be available.

Crime & Mystery

"Project Latte's" previously announced Crime & Mystery Collection will also feature hit original programming from Bell Media:

• With an average audience of 1.3 million viewers, the CTV crime procedural MOTIVE is one of Canada's most-watched original dramas. All 26 episodes of the first and second seasons, along with weekly first-look episodes from the upcoming third season, will be featured.
• One of the most successful original drama series of all time, FLASHPOINT (2008-2012) has been credited with advancing the renaissance in Canadian TV drama. All five seasons and 75 episodes will be available on "Project Latte."
• Licensed in over 120 markets and seen in 33 languages, CTV's THE LISTENER is one of Canada's most successful drama series. "Project Latte" will feature all 65 episodes from the series' five seasons (2009-2014).
• Returning for its second season in early 2015, "Project Latte" proudly features the critically acclaimed police drama 19-2, Bravo's #1 new series of 2014, and a Top 3 program overall.

Today's announcement is the latest in a series of programming confirmations by Canada's premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, code-named "Project Latte" and set to launch this month. Devoted exclusively to the best content on television, the service will feature thousands of hours of content representing TV's top premium brands, including the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue; an unmatchable comedy slate headlined by SEINFELD and featuring every single episode of MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS; TV programming not found anywhere else in Canada, including MANHATTAN; a Superhero collection headlined by some of the most-watched television programs on air including ARROW and THE FLASH; a Sci-Fi & Fantasy collection led by genre blockbusters ORPHAN BLACK and DOCTOR WHO; a collection of premium TV programming expressly dedicated to music and its icons; as well as additional premium drama programming from Hollywood and the U.K. Additional details about "Project Latte" will be announced at a press conference tomorrow.

About "Project Latte"
Created for TV lovers and devoted exclusively to television, "Project Latte" is Canada's premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, "Project Latte" will feature more than 10,000 hours of premium non-kids TV programming, with more than 320 unique TV titles at launch, ramping up to more than 600 titles in its first year. Designed to complement traditional television and available to all TV providers, to date "Project Latte" will be offered via set-top box to TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV subscribers at launch. The service will also be available via mobile apps, the web, game consoles, and smart TVs. Set to launch later this year, "Project Latte" is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company.

About Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO video streaming services, including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

SOURCE Bell Media