TORONTO – Bell Media is featuring a full day of non-stop programming designed to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health to mark Bell Let’s Talk Day on Tuesday, Feb. 12.
From news and sports to business and lifestyle, Bell says all areas of the company are engaged to deliver a programming slate that elevates the important conversation about mental health. Anchored by the prime-time special premiere of Let’s Talk: A Marilyn Denis Special at 7 p.m. ET on CTV, Bell Media announced today details of feature programming in support of the third annual Bell Let’s Talk Day on CTV, CTV Two, CP24, BNN, CTV News Channel, MuchMusic, MTV, Discovery, E!, SPACE, TSN, RDS, TheLoop.ca and its digital, local radio, and TV properties.
Throughout the day, various Bell Media properties will feature regular updates on-screen of text, Twitter and long distance call activity, representing both the spreading conversation, and the additional funds to be dedicated to mental health by Bell.
“We’re proud to play a part in keeping the conversation going about mental health,” said Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media. “Our audiences have told us how much they appreciate this programming, so this year we’ve dedicated dozens of hours of new original programming and related coverage across all platforms in support of this year’s Bell Let’s Talk Day.”
Clara Hughes, Serena Ryder, Dr. Marla Shapiro, and new national ambassador for Bell Let’s Talk Day, Seamus O’Regan, are some of the personalities on tap to support Bell Media’s day of special programming. Bell Media also enlists the help of many mental health experts specializing in eating disorders, anxiety issues, and various therapies that can change and save lives.
Canada AM gets the conversation going at the top of the morning with a discussion on mental health in the workplace, BNN explains why investing in the brain can pay big dividends, Daily Planet takes a look at Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the use of meditation in place of medication, and TSN presents the new documentary Talk To Me. Marilyn Denis is dedicating her first CTV prime-time broadcast to raising awareness for mental health in the day’s flagship program Let’s Talk: A Marilyn Denis Special, featuring Canadian Olympic Champion Clara Hughes and Dr. Marla Shapiro sharing their personal connections to mental illness. The special also highlights conversations with other real people sharing their stories about living with mental illness and how to treat it.
Additionally, local CTV television stations and Bell Media radio outlets from coast-to-coast will engage their communities in the conversation by featuring local mental health experts and shedding light on community initiatives supporting those suffering from mental illness.