CTV and Bravo! Announce Multi-Platform Broadcast Details for THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE, November 11

For Immediate Release (October 23, 2008)

- Comprehensive coverage of the prestigious literary awards to air on CTV, Bravo!, BookTelevision, Star! and CP24 -

- Gala dinner to be broadcast live to the world on the CTV Video Player -

- Giller.CTV.ca offers expanded online content including bios, synopses, excerpts, interviews and videos -

- Last year's Giller broadcast watched in part by close to two million viewers;

winner's book sales spike by over 600% following CTV broadcast -

Toronto, ON (October 23, 2008) - CTV announced today its extensive multi-channel, multi-platform campaign in support of THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE. Hosted by CANADA AM's Seamus O'Regan, the 15th anniversary of the prestigious literary award is broadcast live on Tuesday, November 11 at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo! and then again Wednesday, November 12 at 10 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET and Saturday, November 15 at 5 p.m. ET on CTV (visit ctv.ca and bravo.ca to confirm local broadcast times). The gala will be streamed to readers around the world on CTV.ca and will also be available on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca immediately following the broadcast.

** Media Note ** - Download photos for THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE at ctvmedia.ca.

THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE unites readers and writers across the country to a celebration of Canadian literature attended by Canada's literary community, celebrities and VIPs. Last year's broadcast on CTV was a success both on-air and at bookstores: the event was watched in part by close to two million viewers*, making it the most-watched Giller to date, while last year's winning book, Elizabeth Hay's Late Nights on Air, experienced a 628% spike in sales in the week following the CTV broadcasts.**

"THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE is not just a tribute to the art of writing, but also a celebration of the act of reading," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "Bigger than one night in a hotel ballroom, it's something ordinary Canadians participate in on an individual basis right across the country, the moment they pick up a nominated book. Congratulations to all of the finalists, and to all the readers who will enjoy their work."

"We're absolutely delighted that for the 4th year in a row, CTV is making certain that The Scotiabank Giller Prize reaches the widest possible audience," said Founder of the Prize Jack Rabinovitch. "By using all of its broadcast and on-line platforms, CTV is able to get the word out across the country and around the world about these outstanding authors and their books."

As the national broadcaster of The Scotiabank Giller Prize for the fourth consecutive year, CTV's family of channels - including Bravo!, BookTelevision, Star! and CP24 - support the event with unprecedented programming on their news, entertainment and online properties (see below for complete details). Additionally, CTV's online presence includes expanded coverage at its dedicated Giller Prize website, giller.ctv.ca, including author bios, excerpts from the shortlisted books, interviews, videos and more.

Leading up to the live broadcast of THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE, CTV's comprehensive coverage includes the following (all times ET; check local listings):

CTV

ETALK

In the weeks leading up to the November 11 broadcast, ETALK taps renowned pop culture guests to interview the finalists, including an interview with Joseph Boyden, author of Through Black Spruce by The Tragically Hip's Gord Downie (airdates and full list of guest interviewers to be announced at a later date). Then, on awards night, ETALK'S Elaine "Lainey" Lui dishes about the A-list attendees at the hot literary event before The Scotiabank Giller Prize is handed out. On November 12 at 7 p.m. ET (check local listings), ETALK features highlights from the Gala Ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto.

CANADA AM

On the morning of the big event, viewers can look ahead to THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE broadcast with a preview of the awards ceremony on CANADA AM on Tuesday, November 11. Then, on Wednesday, November 12, the morning after the ceremony, CANADA AM features an interview with the Giller Prize winner live in studio.

CTV News

CTV News features coverage of the Giller Prize on CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LLOYD ROBERTSON, local CTV newscasts and CTV Newsnet following the award presentation. Additionally, CTV Newsnet broadcasts interviews with the finalists in advance of the highly anticipated announcement on November 11.

Bravo!

On the evening of the highly anticipated Gala Ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Bravo! broadcasts the announcement of this year's prize winner live on Tuesday, November 11 at 9 p.m. ET. BRAVO!NEWS attends the black-tie event to catch all the excitement surrounding the ceremony. Bravo!'s coverage airs on rotation for seven days on CP24 beginning Friday, November 14, and on Bravo! beginning Monday, November 17.

ARTS & MINDS SPECIAL - THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE SHORTLIST

On Saturday, November 1 at 6 p.m. ET, award-winning journalist Sandra Martin moderates a lively roundtable of award-winning authors and writers in this pre-Giller rundown of the five short listed books. The panelists - Katherine Ashenburg, Randy Boyagoda, Don Gillmor, Steven W. Beattie and Tina Srebotnjak - each champion a nominated novel, make their predictions, and discuss the importance of the prize itself. Encore presentations of this discussion air on Sunday, November 2 at 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, November 4 at 9 a.m. ET and Wednesday, November 5 at 10 p.m. ET.

Then, on Saturday, November 22 at 6 p.m. ET, ARTS & MINDS, Bravo!'s weekly half-hour arts magazine, wraps up THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE broadcast with an in-depth segment about the prize, the ceremony and the newly crowned winner. Encore presentations air on Sunday, November 23 at 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, November 25 at 9 a.m. ET, and Wednesday, November 26 at 10 p.m. ET.

TURNING PAGES - THE LIFE AND LITERATURE OF MARGARET ATWOOD

On Tuesday, November 11 at 10 p.m. ET, this one-hour documentary presents the many faces of 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize jurist Margaret Atwood into a layered portrait that is rarely revealed to the public. The special look at the internationally best-selling writer features interviews with Atwood's family, close friends and former boyfriends, in addition to television clips with revealing interviews about the acclaimed Canadian author.

BookTelevision

BookTelevision airs encore presentations of THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE on Wednesday, November 12 at 9 p.m. ET, Thursday, November 13 at 6 a.m. ET, 12 noon and 6 p.m. ET, and Saturday, November 15 at 10 p.m. ET.

Additionally, the Bravo! ARTS & MINDS SPECIAL - THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE SHORTLIST, featuring a panel of authors and writers discussing the Giller Prize contenders, airs Wednesday, November 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET and Saturday, November 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Star!

In the weeks leading up to the awards ceremony, Star! broadcasts encore presentations of ETALK's Giller coverage. Then, on November 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET, an encore of ETALK features highlights from the Gala Ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. Encore presentations of THE 2008 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE air Friday, November 14 at 9 p.m. ET and Sunday, November 16 at 9 a.m. ET.

The finalists for this year's Scotiabank Giller Prize are: Joseph Boyden for Through Black Spruce, Anthony De Sa for Barnacle Love, Marina Endicott for Good to a Fault, Rawi Hage for Cockroach and Mary Swan for The Boys in the Trees. These books were shortlisted by an esteemed judging panel comprised of award-winning author Margaret Atwood; Liberal MP, Foreign Affairs critic and author Bob Rae; and renowned international journalist, professor and author Colm Toibin. The winner of this year's Giller is awarded $50,000, while each finalist receives $5,000.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize website also features the highly-successful "Guess the Giller" contest, whereby anyone across the country can enter at guessthegiller.ca to win one of 60 sets of autographed shortlisted books or the grand prize, an all-expense paid trip for two to one of Canada's leading literary festivals.

About Bravo!

Bravo! is an oasis in the television landscape where viewers make a regular appointment with the arts. Whether it's a classic opera, an art documentary, a concert performance in the Bravo! Concert Hall, or a cutting-edge film, Bravo! gives viewers an opportunity for enriching and thought-provoking experiences. Make an appointment with the arts each night on Bravo! (www.bravo.ca). Bravo! is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company.

About BookTelevision

BookTelevision is: heroes, heroines, villains, settings, stories, fact, fiction, writers, and icons. BookTelevision is Canada's only television channel devoted to the writing that propels our daily lives, spoken, written or wired. Daily themes - Mystery, True-Crime, Romance, Classics, Non-Fiction, Comics, and Cinema - as well as profiles of both established and up-and-coming authors offer programs for readers and viewers of all tastes. BookTelevision, is a division of CTV Limited and wholly owned by CTVglobemedia. For more information, log on to www.booktelevision.com.

About Star!

Star! is Canada's Entertainment Channel dedicated to the world of showbiz news and information. Star! is the premiere source for entertainment news and information, behind-the-scenes features, candid interviews with the world's biggest stars and the best live red carpet coverage of awards, premieres and galas from the world of entertainment. Star! is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company. For more Star! programming information, visit www.star-tv.com.

About CTV

CTV, Canada's largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It has the number-one national newscast, CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LLOY ROBERTSON, and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada's premier multi-media company which owns CTV Inc. and The Globe and Mail. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country, and leading national specialty channels. Other CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and in Dome Productions, a North American leader in the provision of mobile high definition production facilities. More information about CTV may be found on the company website at www.ctv.ca.

*Source: BBM Nielsen Media Research

**Source: BookNet Canada