CTV Ratings Release: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA Finale Finishes No. 1

     - 2.35 Million Watching as TARA-JEAN Named Canada's Favourite Dancer -
       - Two-Hour live Season Finale sweeps timeslot with key adult and
           female demos; charts series high 1.7 million viewers -
       - Surges 19% compared to Season One Finale in key A25-54 demo -
             - Season 2 finishes with 9% growth over Season 1 -
           - Season 3 Audition Tour begins in Toronto November 14 -

TORONTO, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Last night, 2.35 million viewers were watching as TARA-JEAN was crowned Canada's Favourite Dancer during the season finale of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA. The two-hour live dance extravaganza won its timeslot with total viewers and sweeps key demos, including young A18-34 and the three key female demos both nationally and in the key Toronto market, and finished with a series high average audience of 1.7 million viewers: more viewers than the inaugural Season One Finale and up 19% in the key A25-54 demo alone.

In all, nearly 6 million (5.8 million) viewers tuned in to some part of the Finale broadcast on CTV, preliminary overnight data from BBM Canada confirms.

The SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA Finale capped another winning night for CTV, which started at 7 p.m. ET with DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (1.35 million), followed by THE AMAZING RACE (2.6 million) at 8 p.m. ET. The Finale (9 to 11 p.m. ET) stomped on its timeslot competition, delivering 111% more viewers than its closest competitor BROTHERS AND SISTERS (799,000), 174% more viewers than FAMILY GUY (617,000) and 387% more viewers than AMERICAN DAD (347,000).

The SO YOU THINK CAN DANCE CANADA phenomenon continues to sweep the nation, with 9% more total viewers compared to Season 1*. Since being crowned Canada's first female Favourite Dancer last night, TARA-JEAN kicked off a whirlwind media junket this morning completing 45 interviews with various media outlets across Canada. The 20-year-old Lethbridge, Alberta native also received a cheque for $100,000 and the keys to a 2010 Mazda 3 Sport.

    (xx) Media Note (xx) - Download photos from last night's finale of SO YOU
    THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA at ctvmedia.ca/dance2009.

The series may have wrapped, but dancers will have their chance in the spotlight when the Season 3 Audition Tour travels to five cities across Canada this winter with confirmed stops in Toronto on Saturday, November 14, Montreal the weekend of November 28 and Vancouver on Saturday, December 5. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. in all cities. Auditions will also be coming to Calgary and an East Coast City to be announced. Confirmed dates and venues will be announced as information becomes available.

For those who missed this week's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA finale, viewers can catch an encore on MuchMusic on Sunday, November 1 beginning at 6 p.m. ET (visit muchmusic.com to confirm local broadcast times).

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, and is produced in association with CTV by Danse TV Productions. Sandra Faire and Trisa Dayot are Executive Producers. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.

CTV, Canada's Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts, entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. CTV Inc. is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada's premier multi-media company, which also owns Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. CTV is the official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad. More information about CTV may be found on the company website at www.ctv.ca.

    Source: BBM Canada, preliminary data
    Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research
    Mark II meters.
    * Season 1: September 11, 2008 - December 7, 2008. Season 2:
    September 1, 2009 - October 25, 2009.

For further information: Allie Page, CTV Inc., (416) 384-4596 or allie.page@ctv.ca