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Cbc
CBC is Canada's national public broadcaster, commissioning scripted drama, comedy, and docuseries rooted in Canadian cultural identity while actively pursuing international co-production partners across the UK, US, and Australia.
Current mandate
CBC occupies a distinctive position in the Canadian media landscape as the country's public broadcaster, commissioning content that explicitly serves Canadian cultural identity. Its current strategic moment is defined by a dual mandate: anchoring prestige scripted drama and comedy to major Canadian talent while simultaneously expanding its international co-production footprint with partners in the UK, US, and Australia. A feature-length special on the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey tournament, produced with Blink49 Studios in cooperation with the NHL and NHLPA, exemplifies the broadcaster's interest in culturally resonant, event-driven programming. The special is set to premiere on CBC and its streaming service CBC Gem ahead of the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, underscoring the broadcaster's ability to position tentpole content around major cultural moments.
Recent commissioning activity, concentrated in the 90-day window tracked by ScriptMatch, reveals a broad genre appetite. Drama commissions include "Blessed Sacrament" (10x60', Sphere Media and Debut Content), "Cold Country" (6x60', Sphere Media), and "Junior" (8x60', Conquering Lion Pictures, Heavy Lifting Productions, and Lionsgate Canada). Comedy commissions span a Canada/UK co-production ("Committed," Cameron Pictures and Fabel Productions), a Canada/Norway co-production ("The Posse," 8x30', New Metric Media and Rubicon TV), and a workplace half-hour ("The Ambassador," 10x30', Amaze Film and Television). Docuseries commissions include "Barnburners," "Burger Month," "Doula: A True Crime," "Power Play," "Running Smoke," and "Snow King: From Olympian to Narco." Indigenous and nature themes, alongside true crime and sports, appear as recurring content pillars. CBC Kids is separately active at Annecy/MIFA 2026, seeking international animation co-production partners for preschool and tween series with culturally distinct Canadian narratives, with the Kindred framework with ABC Kids Australia providing a formal co-development channel.
Material reaches CBC primarily through established Canadian production companies and international co-production partners. The recent commissioning slate shows consistent relationships with companies such as Sphere Media, Conquering Lion Pictures, and New Metric Media, as well as international partners including Fabel Productions (Norway) and Cameron Pictures (UK). CBC Kids' Kindred framework with ABC Kids Australia represents a named, documented co-development channel for children's animation. No unsolicited pathway is documented in ScriptMatch's tracked deal flow; every observed commission traces to an established production company or a formal co-production arrangement.
Signature peaks
- 3 Recent Orders Drama Series Commissions — Blessed Sacrament, Cold Country, and Junior all commissioned via Sphere Media, Conquering Lion, and Lionsgate Canada partnerships.
- UK, Norway, Australia International Co-Productions — Active co-production deals span Canada/UK (Committed) and Canada/Norway (The Posse), with the Kindred framework linking CBC Kids to ABC Kids Australia.
- 4 Nations Face-Off Special Event Tentpole in Production — Feature-length hockey special produced with Blink49 Studios, made with NHL and NHLPA cooperation, set to premiere on CBC and CBC Gem.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- drama
- Territory focus
- Canada
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Every commission tracked by ScriptMatch traces to an established Canadian production company (Sphere Media, Conquering Lion Pictures, New Metric Media, Amaze Film and Television) or a formal international co-production arrangement with partners in the UK, Norway, or Australia. CBC Kids' Kindred framework with ABC Kids Australia is a named, documented co-development channel for children's animation, and CBC Kids is actively seeking animation co-production partners at Annecy/MIFA 2026.
- Deal structure
- CBC commissions original series and feature-length specials directly from Canadian production companies and international co-production partners, typically retaining Canadian broadcast and streaming rights (CBC and CBC Gem); international rights on co-productions are shared with co-producing partners, as seen in the Canada/UK and Canada/Norway deals on the current slate.
Recent acquisitions
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Barnburners
-
Blessed Sacrament
10×60', Sphere Media, Debut Content
-
Burger Month
-
Cold Country
6×60', Sphere Media
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Committed
Canada/UK copro, Cameron Pictures, Fabel Productions
-
Doula: A True Crime
-
Junior
8×60', Conquering Lion Pictures, Heavy Lifting Productions, Lionsgate Canada
-
Power Play
Market context
CBC's 4 Nations Face-Off special, produced with Blink49 Studios and backed by NHL cooperation, signals the broadcaster's appetite for culturally resonant, event-driven content that sits at the intersection of sport, politics, and national identity.
CBC occupies a distinctive position in the Canadian media landscape as the country's public broadcaster, commissioning content that explicitly serves Canadian cultural identity. Its current strategic moment is defined by a dual mandate: anchoring prestige scripted drama and comedy to major Canadian talent while simultaneously expanding its international co-production footprint with partners in the UK, US, and Australia. A feature-length special on the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey tournament, produced with Blink49 Studios in cooperation with the NHL and NHLPA, exemplifies the broadcaster's interest in culturally resonant, event-driven programming. The special is set to premiere on CBC and its streaming service CBC Gem ahead of the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, underscoring the broadcaster's ability to position tentpole content around major cultural moments.
Common questions about Cbc
Does CBC accept unsolicited scripts?
No unsolicited pathway is documented in ScriptMatch's tracked deal flow. Every observed commission traces to an established Canadian production company, such as Sphere Media or Conquering Lion Pictures, or to a formal international co-production arrangement. Writers looking to reach CBC are best positioned by attaching a recognized Canadian producer or co-production partner before approaching the broadcaster. CBC Kids' Kindred framework with ABC Kids Australia is a named, formal co-development channel for children's animation.
What budgets does CBC typically work at?
Budget figures are not disclosed in CBC's tracked commissioning activity. However, recent drama orders run to episode counts of 6x60', 8x60', and 10x60', suggesting mid-to-high-range Canadian television budgets consistent with prestige scripted production. Comedy commissions include 8x30' and 10x30' formats. The feature-length 4 Nations Face-Off special, produced with NHL and NHLPA cooperation, indicates capacity for larger event productions alongside its regular series slate.
What festivals does CBC source content from?
CBC Kids is actively attending Annecy/MIFA 2026, seeking international animation co-production partners for preschool and tween series. For the broader scripted slate, ScriptMatch's tracked deal flow does not document a specific festival acquisition pattern; commissions appear to flow through established production company relationships rather than festival market pickups. Writers and producers targeting CBC are more likely to find traction through producer attachments than through festival-driven acquisition routes.
How do I get my script in front of CBC?
The most documented route is through an established Canadian production company. Recent commissions came via Sphere Media, Conquering Lion Pictures, New Metric Media, and Amaze Film and Television, among others. International writers can also approach through co-production partners in the UK, Norway, or Australia, as CBC has active co-production relationships in all three territories. CBC Kids' Kindred framework with ABC Kids Australia is a named formal channel for children's animation co-development.
What genres is CBC currently acquiring?
CBC's recent 90-day commissioning window covers drama (including prestige long-form series), comedy (half-hour workplace and co-produced formats), and docuseries (true crime, sports, and character-driven factual). CBC Kids is separately seeking preschool and tween animation with culturally distinct Canadian narratives. Across all genres, CBC prioritizes stories rooted in Canadian cultural identity, including Indigenous themes, nature, hockey and sports culture, and narratives that reflect the country's multicultural character.
Is CBC currently active in the market?
Yes. ScriptMatch tracked 14 unique deals in the 90-day window ending mid-August 2026, spanning drama, comedy, and docuseries. A feature-length special on the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey tournament is currently in production with Blink49 Studios. CBC Kids is attending Annecy/MIFA 2026 to seek animation co-production partners. The broadcaster's latest tracked signal dates to August 2026, and 55 decision makers are currently monitored by ScriptMatch, indicating a broad and active commissioning operation.
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Related reading
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