WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Television will premiere its newest original series, "Saving Hope," on Tuesday, October 13, at 11|10c. The 13-episode first season will air each Tuesday as part of a two-hour block featuring back-to-back new episodes, with encore runs on Friday nights starting at 11|10c.
"Saving Hope" is the latest in a string of successful scripted original series offerings for the network, including "The Listener," "Flashpoint," and a robust slate of original movies. "Saving Hope" also joins ION's highly-acclaimed library of drama series, including "Criminal Minds," "Blue Bloods," and the recently launched "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: SVU.'"
In "Saving Hope," the Hope Zion Hospital is left in chaos when its charismatic Chief of Surgery, Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks), falls into a coma, putting his fiancé and fellow surgeon, Alex Reid (Erica Durance), in a state of shock. As the action unfolds, the comatose Harris explores the hospital halls in the form of a spirit, helping other patients who are also in "limbo." Along with newly arrived star surgeon, Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies), Reid races to save Harris' life and the lives of others as they deal with the complicated and courageous decisions that are made daily. The series also stars Huse Madhavji, Julia Taylor Ross and Kristopher Turner.
Created by Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebner, "Saving Hope" is produced by ICF Films, in association with Entertainment One (eOne) and CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. The series is executive produced by Ilana Frank for ICF Films and David Wellington, John Morayniss for eOne, and Lesley Harrison, as well as Brebner and Aaron Martin, who also serve as showrunners. eOne handles the worldwide rights to the series in all media.
Beginning today, ION Television launches its "Give Hope" campaign, which includes partnerships with three leading national charitable organizations, including Feeding America®, Rebuilding Together and Joyful Heart Foundation. The month-long affiliation will include a monetary donation to each foundation from ION Television on behalf of its participating viewers.
"We are thrilled to launch our 'Give Hope' initiative and to begin new partnerships with three of the nation's leading charitable organizations," said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO of ION Media Networks. "We look forward to sharing their message with our viewers and to helping contribute to these wonderful foundations.
To participate, ION Television is inviting viewers to share their hopes for a better tomorrow through a dedicated website at http://iontelevision.com/give-hope. Whether it impacts their family, neighborhood, or the country, ION will encourage viewers to share their inspirational message and their positive hopes for the future. For every hope shared, ION will make a contribution to the charity selected by the submitter on their behalf. Viewers will be able to choose from one of the following three organizations:
Feeding America: A nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger by helping provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. For more, visit feedingamerica.org.
Rebuilding Together: A leading nonprofit in safe and healthy housing that provides low-income homeowners with critical repairs and revitalizes the communities in which they live – completing nearly 10,000 rebuild projects across its affiliate network each year. For more, visit rebuildingtogether.org.
Joyful Heart Foundation: A national organization whose mission is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues. For more, visit joyfulheartfoundation.org.
ION Television will also choose from its collection of viewer hopes and feature them on-air as part of a special segment during the holiday season.
About ION Television
A leading U.S. general entertainment network, ION Television combines high-quality programming and dependable distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth. Its "Positively Entertaining" network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. ION Television has grown its Adults 25-54 audience by 160% since its 2007 launch and has consistently remained among the top 15 entertainment networks. For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.
About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company's comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.