This season, public broadcaster Radio-Canada decided to shake up its late afternoon/early evening schedule. Traditionally, youth shows were on until 5:30, followed by the news hour, then a variety or (usually) a popular game show at 6:30, the latest being
L'Union Fait La Force. The new schedule saw the cancellation of youth programming (replaced by a homegrown The View at 4:00), followed by news at 5:00, and a variety talk show at 6:00. L'Union Fait La Force was shipped off to a Friday-Sunday (!) dinnertime slot, the strangest scheduling I can remember.
The gamble didn't pay off; viewers tuned out in droves, preferring their news at dinnertime. TVA, which often programmed a game show of its own at 6:30, hit the jackpot with Le Cercle, a version of the popular European game La Cible. (Unaired Fox concept "Face Off") Radio-Canada's talk show tanked.
Bonus: see the dynamic intro and set of
Le Cercle! (15 MB .MPG)
Now, less than 2 days after a new programming director came into power, Radio-Canada announced it would bring back the news from 6:00-7:00 and, more importantly for this group, L'Union Fait La Force, every weekday at 5:30.
It's a relief to see both powerhouse game shows, each deserving a spot on the air, being spared a ratings battle.
