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JUST LAUNCHED: CTV Announces Bonus, Seventh Episode Showcasing the Continuing Journey of the Six Chosen Artists from Season 1 of THE LAUNCH, February 21 on CTV


CTV Also Unveils Availability of Extended Director's Cut Version of THE LAUNCH, Exclusively on CraveTV, Premiering January 10

? Originally commissioned for six episodes, CTV expands episode order of all-new, original music series and international TV format with Episode 7 ? JUST LAUNCHED, a continuation of the journey of the six chosen artists' since launching each of their original songs ?
? Also announced today, CTV delivers THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT - extended version episodes of CTV's all-new music series ? slated to debut exclusively on CraveTV, immediately following network broadcast version ?
? Exclusive THE LAUNCH content available on CTV.ca leading up to the premiere, with additional content including never-before-seen video footage, Q&As with celebrity mentors and artists, and informative blogs, to be unrolled each week throughout Season 1 ?

To tweet this release: bmpr.ca/2lOdQHn

TORONTO, Jan. 3, 2018 /CNW/ - Lucky number seven! CTV today announced the expansion of its all-new, original music series and international TV format THE LAUNCH to include a seventh, final episode. JUST LAUNCHED rounds out the highly anticipated inaugural season, with an in-depth look at the continuation of the journey for the six breakthrough artists selected at the end of each episode of the series for the life-changing opportunity to record and launch a new, original song.

Today's announcement comes ahead of THE LAUNCH's world premiere airing next Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, and in super simulcast on CTV Two and Much. THE LAUNCH is also set to air in French on VRAK day-and-date with CTV.

In addition to the series' expansion to seven episodes, CTV also revealed today THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT, an extended version of Episodes 1-6 of THE LAUNCH that will debut exclusively on CraveTV weekly at 10 p.m. ET immediately following the network broadcast. Each episode of THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT takes viewers inside extended auditions of each of the five artists featured in that episode along with comprehensive mentor reactions/feedback, and never-seen-before moments that are exclusive to the CraveTV DIRECTOR'S CUT version of the episode.

Fans are also invited to visit CTV.ca/TheLaunch leading up to and throughout the season for exclusive, expansive digital content featuring THE LAUNCH celebrity mentors and the 30 artists selected to participate in the series' inaugural season. Digital content includes comprehensive Q&As with all artists taking part in THE LAUNCH, now available on the site's video portal. Refreshed Q&A materials featuring each episode's respective artists will be release in advance of the season premiere on January 10, and weekly leading up to each subsequent episode. In addition, CTV.ca is the destination for blogs highlighting Season 1 mentors' greatest achievements, with new blog entries to surface throughout the season and beyond. Following each episode, CTV.ca will release videos featuring extended musical performances, in-studio demos and "first-listens", unique moments between artists and their mentors, and a variety of other exclusive digital content.   

More Information on THE LAUNCH: JUST LAUNCHED

Production of THE LAUNCH's first six episodes wrapped last fall in Toronto, with the additional seventh bonus episode currently in development by the Bell Media Studios team, documenting the up-to-the-minute trajectory and life-changing journey of each week's newly launched artist. JUST LAUNCHED will air one week following Episode 6 on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. MT on CTV and CTV GO.  

Featuring behind-the-scenes moments and outtakes of the six artists chosen to launch their original songs,the one-hour bonus episode includes up-to-the-moment interviews with each selected artist and an all-new interview with series co-creator and world-renowned record mogul Scott Borchetta. The episode also follows each artist back to their respective hometowns after creating their new single; is on the scene with the chosen artists as they watch the broadcast episode for the first time with their nearest and dearest, as viewers across Canada tune in to the episode; and captures each of the six "launched" artists' as they hear their song launch on the radio for the first time. In addition, the bonus episode will feature brand-new performances by each of the chosen artists ? including clips of the first-ever performance of their respective singles outside of their episode.

More Information on THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT

THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT serves up a robust, behind-the-scenes look inside the production of THE LAUNCH, inviting viewers inside the audition process of the five aspiring artists featured in each weekly episode of the inaugural season of THE LAUNCH.  Viewers are also taken inside the intimate, behind-the-scenes moments of post-audition deliberations, feedback, and suggestions provided to the five artists by each episode's celebrity mentor and producer/ songwriter. An authentic, first-hand glimpse into how the music industry's A&R process unfolds, THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT offers a deeper look at the experience of the five artists featured weekly as they take a shot at becoming one of the two artists shortlisted to record the new original song and perform it on stage in front of a live audience. 

As previously announced, international musical icon Shania Twain and award-winning producer/songwriter busbee join THE LAUNCH co-creator and world-renowned music mogul Scott Borchetta in amplifying the experience of five previously announced aspiring artists to be featured in the premiere episode, by providing invaluable industry guidance and mentorship as they audition for the opportunity to perform and record a new original song. The artists featured in Episode 1 include (in alphabetical order):

Episode 1: International musical icon and reigning "Queen of Country Pop" Shania Twain and award-winning producer/songwriter busbee (Jan. 10)

Following THE LAUNCH's inaugural episode, a staggering roster of musical A-listers join Borchetta weekly as mentors in the series' forthcoming episodes. As previously announced, the mentors are paired with groups of five emerging artists per episode as follows:

Episode 2: OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder and Grammy® Award-winner, Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles (Jan. 17)

Episode 3: Eight-time GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum superstar Fergie and Canada's own Stephan Moccio , the music mastermind behind massive, inescapable hits like the quintuple-platinum "Wrecking Ball"(Jan. 24) 

Episode 4: Rock icon and founding member of legendary rock band Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Dann Huff (the producer behind more than 50 #1 hit records) mentor (Jan. 31)

Episode 5: Grammy®-nominated Best New Artist of the Year Julia Michaels ("Issues") and the in-demand songwriter behind chart-topping hits for artists including Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, along with Grammy®-nominated record producer Ian Kirkpatrick (Feb. 7)

Episode 6: Culture Club alumnus and Grammy® Award-winner Boy George; Grammy®-nominated Best New Artist of the Year, international pop sensation and Canadian singer/songwriter Alessia Cara, and Canadian producer extraordinaire Stephan Moccio(Feb. 14)

Episode 7:  THE LAUNCH: JUST LAUNCHED rounds out the highly anticipated inaugural season, with an in-depth look at the continuation of the journey for the six breakthrough artists selected at the end of each episode of the series for the life-changing opportunity to record and launch a new, original song. (Feb. 21)

**Media Note** Download artwork and access full bios for THE LAUNCH mentors and artists at BellMediaPR.ca

THE LAUNCH Season 1 Background:

Debuting a new and unique format documenting an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to break a new artist and bring a song to life, in each close-ended, hour-long episode of THE LAUNCH, five unsigned emerging artists audition for the opportunity to record and perform a new original song written by a world famous songwriter/producer and mentored by a panel of internationally renowned music industry legends. The mentors then decide which version of the song will be released across the country immediately following the broadcast of the episode each week.

Hand-picked from more than 10,000 emerging performers, the artists were selected to be on THE LAUNCH following an international casting call and completion of an extensive A&R and review process. Contending for the opportunity of a lifetime ?to record and perform a new original song written by a world famous songwriter/ producer and mentored by a panel of internationally renowned music industry legends ? the selected artists face the life-altering prospect of being catapulted from discovery to stardom in just 48 hours.

THE LAUNCH was put into development in January 2016. The series was co-developed by and is produced by Bell Media in association with Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group, Paul Franklin of Eureka (MASTERCHEF, THE BIGGEST LOSER), in partnership with John Brunton and Lindsay Cox of Insight Productions (THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, CANADIAN IDOL, THE JUNO AWARDS).

THE LAUNCH is executive produced by Scott Borchetta, Randy Lennox and John Brunton; Paul Franklin and Lindsay Cox are Showrunners and Executive Producers; Executive producers for Bell Media are Robin Johnston and Corrie Coe, who is also Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming, Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.

JUST LAUNCHED is produced by Bell Media Studios. Chris Perez is Supervising Producer. Nanci MacLean is Vice-President and Head, Bell Media Studios. Executive producers for Bell Media are Robin Johnston and Corrie Coe, who is also Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming, Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:
@alessiacara
@BoyGeorge
@Fergie
@iek
@JenniferNettles
@imjmichaels
@NikkiSixx
@RyanTedder
@scottborchetta
@ShaniaTwain
@stephanmoccio
@BellMediaPR
@bigmachine
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@insightprod
@TheLaunchCTV
@iHeartRadioCA

Facebook:
alessiacara
boygeorgeofficial
fergie
JenniferNettlesMusic
juliamichaelsofficial
nikkisixxofficial
RyanTedder1R
ShaniaTwain
StephanMoccio
CTV
TheLaunchCTV
iHeartRadio Canada

Instagram:
@alessiasmusic
@boygeorgeofficial
@busbee
@cloudology
@fergie
@jennifernettles
@imjmichaels
@nikkisixxpixx
@ryantedder
@shaniatwain
@stephanmoccio
@TheLaunchCTV
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@iHeartRadioCA

Website:
www.CTV.ca/TheLaunch

About Big Machine Label Group
Led by Founder, President and CEO Scott Borchetta, the Big Machine Label Group encompasses Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., BMLG Records, Nash Icon Records and publishing company Big Machine Music as well as its own digital radio station, Big Machine Radio. BMLG artists include superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Brantley Gilbert, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Dunn, Cheap Trick and Jennifer Nettles; chart-topping acts Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Brett Young, Aaron Lewis, THE VOICE winner Danielle Bradbery; up-and-comers Midland, Carly Pearce, Delta Rae, The Cadillac Three, Drake White, Tucker Beathard, and Tara Thompson. BMLG also helms soundtracks for the hit TV show NASHVILLE. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT, Teen Choice, MTV, Billboard, People's Choice, and Brit Awards. Big Machine is the first-ever American label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights for its artists and is an industry leader in fighting for artist, songwriter, publisher and record company rights. Visit BigMachineLabelGroup.com for more information.

About Eureka

Eureka is a next-generation production company combining the expertise, credibility and key relationships traditionally found within large multi-national production companies with the energy and nimbleness of a startup. Launched in January 2016, Eureka has offices in Los Angeles and Sydney and produces both unscripted and scripted programs. Within less than a year of opening Eureka has over sixty hours of programming commissioned in 2017 with more series to be announced soon.

About Insight Production Company, Ltd.

Insight Productions, known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts, is Canada's most established content producer. Headed by CEO John Brunton & COO Barbara Bowlby, Insight is an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of hit programming, both scripted and unscripted. THE TRAGICALLY HIP: A NATIONAL CELEBRATION; THE JUNO AWARDS; CANADA'S WALK OF FAME; BIG BROTHER CANADA; HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD; and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA ? the most watched Canadian series on record ? were collectively nominated for 31 Canadian Screen Awards in 2017 taking home 14 statues. Year after year, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA wins the Golden Screen, the CSA for the highest-rated reality program in Canada. Other productions include: CANADIAN IDOL; BATTLE OF THE BLADES; NEVER EVER DO THIS AT HOME; INTERVENTION; TOP CHEF CANADA; READY OR NOT; FALCON BEACH; and A CHRISTMAS FURY. Recently, Insight produced THE TRAGICALLY HIP: A NATIONAL CELEBRATION, a live concert special watched by one in three Canadians. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has since created thousands of hours of groundbreaking and multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. In 2015, Insight received the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's inaugural Icon Award in recognition of its 35th anniversary. For more information visit www.insighttv.com.

About CTV

CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 16 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOURCE CTV



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