Buzzr pressed in Canada

US gameshow network Buzzr is expanding north of the border into Canada, marking what its owner claims is the first time a multicast channel has done so.

Buzzr will go out exclusively in Canada on commercial network Yes TV, which distributes to about seven million viewers, as a three-hour programing block.

From tonight, the channel will broadcast Monday to Friday from 1am to 4am, branded as Buzzr After Hours and comprising a total of 15 hours of classic US gameshows such as To Tell the Truth, What’s My Line and Double Dare.

FremantleMedia North America launched Buzzr last year as a means of exploiting its extensive back catalogue of gameshows, featuring titles such as Family Feud and Beat the Clock.

“Bringing our retro game show programming to Yes TV represents the first international expansion of the Buzzr brand,” said Ron Garfield, executive vice president and general manager of Buzzr. “Canadian distribution has been an important goal for building on Buzzr, and we can’t wait for the Canadian viewers to have an opportunity to experience our phenomenal vault of content.”