Source: Globe and Mail

Next year, it'll be all about dance at CTV.

A week after the popular So You Think You Can Dance Canada wrapped up its glitzy first season, the broadcaster announced yesterday it would put its other heavyweight reality talent show on a one-year "rest," deciding not to air Canadian Idol in 2009.

Idol finished its sixth season this fall. The show remains a ratings monster, scoring an average of 1.47 million viewers in September, according to ratings tracker BBM Canada.

But with the success of Dance – which crowned Montreal dancer Nico Archambault its inaugural winner earlier this month after some 3.5 million votes were cast – CTV appears to have elected to not to produce the costly Idol in a year when advertising revenues are expected to drop sharply.

The move would preserve cash as the networks brace for a recession.

"As a result of the current economic climate, production of Canadian Idol will rest for the 2009 broadcast year," the brief company statement read.

CTV cautioned that it isn't cancelling the popular show, saying that Idol programs in Russia, Germany and the Netherlands each took "rests" and returned for another season.

Idol staff were told of the decision on Monday after CTV informed the show's producer, Insight Productions, that the program was being put on hold.

The network is retaining the rights to the series.

CTV is owned by CTVGlobemedia, which also owns The Globe and Mail.

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