CBC-TV IS HOME TO THE TOP TWO CANADIAN SERIES', DRAGONS' DEN AND MURDOCH MYSTERIES, THIS WINTER

CBC is home to the two top-rated Canadian series’ this winter, with the critically-acclaimed MURDOCH MYSTERIES ending its sixth season as Canada’s number one drama and DRAGONS’ DEN continuing to hold its spot as the highest-rated Canadian unscripted program on television. Each week, over 1.2 million Canadians tuned-in to the sixth season of MURDOCH MYSTERIES making it CBC’s most watched scripted program. The winter, the crime-drama earned a top-spot as the second highest rated program, following DRAGONS’ DEN of all Canadian entertainment series. Garnering growing audience numbers and boasting enthusiastic and engaged fan-bases, MURDOCH MYSTERIES and DRAGONS’ DEN return to CBC-TV in the fall 2013 and winter 2014 seasons.

“Despite the challenges of working through a season affected by budget reductions, CBC’s winter season is a proven success,” said Kirstine Stewart, executive vice-president, English services. “MURDOCH MYSTERIES boasted steady audience growth and impressive numbers throughout the season, earning the title of second highest-rated Canadian entertainment program, second only to another perennial favourite, DRAGONS’ DEN.”

MURDOCH MYSTERIES reached a program milestone on CBC-TV, as the homegrown series gained all-time highs in audience ratings. The season six premiere episode debuted to series high numbers with an audience of over 1.3 million viewers. On an average week, 2.2 million Canadians tuned-in to CBC-TV to catch the drama and over the course of the season, one-in-five Canadians was tuned-in to MURDOCH MYSTERIES. Each week, the series held steady with strong viewer numbers, boasting increased audience growth which continued throughout the season. The ongoing success has earned the period crime-drama a seventh season on CBC next winter, with an extended 18 episode run.

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

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Cathleen Saville, Publicist, CBC

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