Jan 7, 2008

– Instruments again allowed for Auditions –
– Canadian Idol “Easy Access” Auditions return –

Toronto, ON (January 3, 2008) – CTV has announced details of the sixth cross-country audition tour for Canada’s #1 Summer Series, beginning this month, as the 2008 Audition Tour gets set to kick off Saturday, January 26 at the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton. As announced last night on eTalk , the 10-city tour will cross the country, hitting malls in nine more cities through mid-April. In a Canadian Idol first, the hometown of reigning Idol Brian Melo – Hamilton, Ontario – has been added as a stop on the 2008 Audition Tour.

CTV also announced today that due to the success of the addition of musical instruments last season – a North American first for Idol which will now be seen in the upcoming season of American Idol on CTV– all singer/musicians are once again welcome to audition for Canadian Idol with instruments in 2008.

In 2007, a whopping 42% of gold ticket winners in Season 5 played a musical instrument. “When CTV announced the addition of musical instruments last year, I knew I had to try out,” said Season 5 champion Brian Melo. “I am so grateful that I did! It has changed my life forever. ”

“ Canadian Idol continues to defy expectations,” said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. “This show has established itself as the place to be for undiscovered Canadian talent and guest stars alike. We look forward to meeting a new crop of hidden talent this year."

Auditions will be held in the following 10 cities on the dates listed below. The first four audition venues have been announced; the remaining six venues will be revealed at later dates (all information subject to change).

City    Dates   Venues 
Edmonton, AB    January 26/27   West Edmonton Mall     
Calgary, AB     February 2/3    Sunridge Mall  
Vancouver, BC   February 9/10   Metropolis at Metrotown
Winnipeg, MB    February 23/24  St. Vital Centre       
Hamilton, ON    March 1/2       To Be Announced
Ottawa, ON      March 8/9       To Be Announced
Montreal, QC    March 15/16     To Be Announced
Halifax, NS     March 29/30     To Be Announced
St. John’s, NL  April 12        To Be Announced
Toronto, ON     April 19-20     To Be Announced

The 2008 Canadian Idol “Easy-Access” tour continues to make it easy to audition. As in 2007, there is no need to line up, as competitors can choose the day and time they want to try out. Registration is open between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on each day of auditions. As well, almost all auditions are scheduled on weekends and most of the auditions will be held at shopping malls.

Auditions for Canadian Idol are open to all Canadians between the ages of 16 and 28 (inclusive) as of January 25, 2008. For more information about Canadian Idol , registration forms, rules and regulations, visit the series’ official website at idol.CTV.ca.

Competitors will be judged evenly on their singing, whether playing instruments or singing a cappella . Those choosing to play an instrument will also be judged on their playing abilities.

Season 6 of Canadian Idol will return to CTV this June, building on the success of its fifth season in 2007, which, once again, was the most-watched program of the summer on Canadian television. The non-simulcast Idol drew 23 per cent more viewers last season than the second most-ranked series on Canadian TV of the summer, America’s Got Talent (CTV/NBC). Last September’s season finale saw nearly five million Canadians tune in to some or all of the broadcast. When Hamilton’s Brian Melo was revealed as the 2007 Canadian Idol champion in the final minutes, a remarkable 2.75 million Canadians were watching.

Canadian Idol was created by Simon Fuller and is produced in association with CTV by Insight Productions. John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby are Executive Producers. Ed Robinson is Executive Vice President, Programming, CTV Inc. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.

FremantleMedia is one of the largest international creators and producers of programmed brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FremantleMedia has production offices in over 20 countries worldwide, providing local sales and production support for its international TV brands such as Idols and the world’s longest running game show, The Price is Right.

The company’s licensing operation, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, exploits FremantleMedia’s many strong brands across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing. Fremantle International Distribution, the company’s international distribution division licenses over 20,000 hours of programming to 150 countries worldwide. FremantleMedia is the content arm of the RTL Group, Europe’s largest television and radio broadcast company. For further information please see FremantleMedia’s website www.fremantlemedia.com .

CTV, Canada's largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It has the number-one national newscast, CTV National News With Lloyd Robertson , and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada's premier multi-media company which owns CTV Inc. and The Globe and Mail. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country, and leading national specialty channels. Other CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and in Dome Productions, a North American leader in the provision of mobile high definition production facilities. More information about CTV may be found on the company website at  www.ctv.ca .