Hunting shows to be cancelled on Global Television

Last week the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) announced that Global Television (in partnership with Shaw Media) will be removing hunting related TV shows from Global’s TV 2013 line-up. This cancellation will impact a block of 11 half-hour shows that run every Saturday and Sunday morning. Specifically, Global’s programming change will kick: Angler and Hunter TV, Canada in the Rough and The Canadian Tradition.

These cancellations come as a surprise to the shows’ producers because of comments made in 2011 by Shaw Media’s National Sales Manager:

“It is such an honor to accept this award on behalf of Shaw Media and Global Television. We are thrilled to have this type of programming on our station. Our Canadian block, we call it the great Canadian outdoor block, consists of approximately 11 half-hour shows. The numbers each week, Saturday and Sunday mornings, we have just over a million viewers tuning in which is phenomenal. So we know that people are watching and we love that… The message that anglers and hunters are putting out there about conservation, each day its becoming more and more important… The audience is so vast, it’s not just for your serious anglers and hunters, it captures a very broad audience. As broadcasters that’s very important to us because it’s not just a targeted audience. It can reach a lot of people so we can do a lot with that… we’re going to keep growing and growing that time block.” Entire OFAH article

It would seem ratings and viewership numbers are strong for the impacted programming. Insiders to the hunting industry feel that the sudden cancellation, by Global TV, was instigated by a brief blog post on Vancouver’s Humane Society website entitled, Why does Global Television glorify hunting?.

An online petition to show support for a motion for Global TV to reverse it’s decision can be viewed and signed here. It is this blogger’s opinion that more is at stake here than some hunting shows being cancelled. Take a moment to have a look at that petition. The response so far has exceeded projected timelines!