Context: From the perspective of Susanne Boyce, president of programming/chair of the CTV Media Group, last season ‘went phenomenally well.

‘Criminal Minds popped, Grey’s Anatomy rose by about 70% and Corner Gas is still growing. We had no idea when we bought Dancing With the Stars last year that it would be a huge hit [partly] thanks to huge advertiser support.’

Caroline Gianias, SVP, director of broadcast, for Carat Canada, agrees: ‘CTV retained its powerhouse position it started the season with and it had a great year with proven performers, consistent delivery and top-10 programming.’

2006/07 strategy: Boyce rejects the ‘stand pat season’ attributed to CTV by TV critics, given that the net had so few slots to fill that it did little buying at this year’s upfronts, picking up just seven shows. ‘Our overall strategy, as always, is to keep on looking for opportunities and to never be complacent,’ she says. ‘We’re never closed for business, and no time period is closed. If we see something that looks like it may work in, we get it.’

Best bets: ‘The shows I absolutely love include our big Canadian drama series Whistler [which has a summer launch], as well as Justice, 30 Rock and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. That last one’s a given because we just knew that Tommy Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin [The West Wing] would come back with something great.’