APTN Announces Spring ’08 Schedule Launch

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) is pleased to announce the launch of its new spring 2008 line-up, featuring more new series and brand new seasons of returning favourites, including Gemini and Alliance for Children and Television (ACT) award-winning series renegadepress.com. APTN’s popular movie slots will feature new and returning blockbuster titles including the network premiere of the wildly popular Moccasin Flats movie of the week, Redemption. More than 20 documentary offerings round out the schedule.APTN new series offerings include the world premieres of MyTV and La Piqûre targeting Aboriginal youth, while garage enthusiasts will get another dose of Brian “The King” White and his Mad Mohawk Kustom crew as Rez Rides returns for a much anticipated second season. The Gemini Award-winning children’s series Wapos Bay also returns with a brand new season as does the animated favourite Raven Tales.

During the month of March, host Cheryl McKenzie will wrap up APTN National News: Contact’s eighth season with an exciting lineup of topics each Wednesday live at 8 pm ET, leading to a two-hour season finale March 26th which will take a special look at the impact of Pierre Trudeau’s controversial White Paper. Holly Bernier hosts APTN National News: Primetime and Todd Lamirande the Daytime edition, rounding out the APTN current affairs team.

Special programming of note for the spring/summer season will include APTN’s second annual Aboriginal Solidarity Day celebrations. The network will broadcast a two-hour celebration of Our Peoples live from the Forks in Winnipeg and from Yellowknife, NWT, June 21st.

“APTN is pleased to again offer a diverse and exciting new schedule to our viewers,” said Jean LaRose, APTN Chief Executive Officer. “Our commitment to developing and supporting excellence in Canadian Aboriginal broadcasting has resulted in a spring launch that includes a strong blend of our most popular shows and some of the most innovative new programming on television.”

To provide viewers with the most regionally relevant programming possible, APTN has begun implementing unique scheduling on its two southern feeds. Beginning March 3, 2008, APTN will broadcast six hours of unique programming on each of its East and West feeds. Please see the attached scheduling grid to view the affected time slots. (Please note that some cable/satellite providers in the West are not yet offering APTN’s West feed thus discrepancies in scheduling information may occur).

APTN’s new programming for the spring, 2008 season includes (please see attached Spring ’08 Preview for additional information):

renegadepress.com V – New Season Premiere – Final Season
Launches: Monday March 3 @ 8:30 pm PT (West) and Wednesday March 5 @ 5 pm ET (East),

MyTV – World Premiere
Launches: Monday, March 3rd @ 8 pm PT (West only) and Saturday, March 8th @ 6 pm ET/PT

Warriors: TKO – World Premiere
Launches: Wednesday, March 5th @ 5:30 pm ET (East) and Saturday, March 8th @ 2 pm ET/PT

Rez Rides II – New Season
Launches: Wednesday, April 16th @ 8:30 pm PT (West only) and Friday, April 18th at 7 pm ET/PT (East and West)

La Piqûre – World Premiere
Launches: Monday, March 3rd @ 7 pm ET (East), Thursday, March 6th at 8:30 am PT (West) Broadcast in French

Wapos Bay II – New Season
Launches: Thursday, March 6th @ 7:30 pm ET/PT

About APTN:
September 1, 2007 marked the eight-year anniversary of the launch of the first national Aboriginal television network in the world with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples to share with all Canadians and viewers around the world. APTN is available in approximately 10 million Canadian households and commercial establishments with cable, direct-to-home satellite (DTH), telco-delivered and fixed wireless television service providers. APTN does not receive government funding for operations but generates revenue through subscriber fees, advertising sales and strategic partnerships. APTN broadcasts programming with 56% offered in English, 16% in French and 28% in Aboriginal languages. For program schedule or for more information, please contact APTN at (204) 947-9331 or toll-free at 1-888-278-8862, or visit the website at www.aptn.ca.