RezX TV Wins National Award, Season 3 set to launch Province Wide (Dec 18), SIGA announced as Sponsor, New Co-Host Revealed

The past Summer, RezX and Access Communications, were the recipient of the “Best News Program“ for the 2016 Tuned In Awards (hosted by the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA)). With the award, they also won $1,000.00 to donate to a charity of their choice, as Chris Tyrone Ross, Executive Producer of RezX, chose Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Regina, SK.

“Our homeless issue in this city and province is something I’m very sensitive to, so helping the homeless has always been something I’ve done and tried to do, so I immediately requested that we donate to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, because of the positive things they do in the community, so hopefully this donation will help them in their efforts” says Ross.

Joseph Miller, Executive Director of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission was grateful to receive the donation.

“Souls Harbour Rescue Mission Mission has been serving Regina and Southern Saskatchewan, and even Saskatoon and the Northern regions of the province for over 26 years. Today, we provide a feeding program for 200 people per day, we offer emergency shelter for men, transitional housing for women, a free clothing outlet, we have a 60 spot subsidized daycare, an ‘at-risk’ youth center, and addiction program for women and their children, and affordable housing for ‘hard to house’ individuals,” says Miller.

“RezX and Access Communications donation of $1,000 will go towards the construction of more affordable housing suites through the Samaritan Project. This project is both an ‘environmental’ and ‘social’ initiative, and is scheduled to begin construction in July of 2017 with a completion date of July 2018. As part of the overall project we will be adding 16 more suites for the those needing a safe place to call home. This donation will help us achieve that goal!”.

RezX Coming to Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current through Shaw TV

With a national award behind RezX and the donation to Souls Harbour, all the attention now turns to Season 3 as RezX has some huge announcements that should help build anticipation.

First, under a new deal with Shaw TV, RezX is now province wide, making the show available in additional cities of Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Swift Current. Last month, RezX met with Shaw, who loved the idea of bringing the show to their community channel (Channel 10) for Season 3, who will broadcast the show in partnership with Access7.

RezX will also continue its partnership with Access Communications airing the show on its community channel, Access 7 (Channel 7)  to 104 Communities in Saskatchewan (including Regina, North Battleford, Fort Qu’Appelle, Lac La Ronge and many others).

Through Access and Shaw, RezX will air every Sunday at 8:30pm province wide (Channel 7 – Access Subscribers and Channel 10 for Shaw TV Subscribers). The Season Premiere “Christmas Episode” is set for December 18th, with a special screening set for December 21st during Mispon FIlm Festival (location to be confirmed).

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) will also continue its sponsorship in Season 3 (after sponsoring Season 2), as they believe the show has a positive impact on their communities which they say, aligns with SIGA’s community involvement and commitment to corporate social responsibility.

“SIGA is proud to be the title sponsor of RezX Season 3 and to be partnering with RezX (Indigenous Media) and Access Communications to bring this Indigenous news and lifestyles show to more than 100 Saskatchewan communities. We’re always pleased to be able to help First Nations communities tell their stories – ones that reflect First Nations culture and values,” says SIGA President and CEO Zane Hansen.

RezX Selects New Co-Host in Tyler Tootoosis

(Tyler Tootoosis original audition video)

As for the show itself, RezX has finally found a new co-host after former Co-Host Cadmus Delorme left the show to lead his community last season, as Chief of Cowessess First Nation. This has left some big moccasins to fill, so RezX held open auditions with an online voting round narrowing it down to two finalists, as producers selected Tyler Tootoosis.

Tootoosis, 35, is from Poundmaker First Nation and currently attending the University of Saskatchewan taking the ITEP Program (Indian Teachers Education Program). He is in his final year, taking classes that are offered in North Battleford, SK. In his spare time, he enjoys horseback riding, fishing, and playing basketball.

We asked Tyler what it felt like being chosen as RezX’s new Co-Host.

“I am super excited to become the new Co-Host. In the words from Star Trek “to explore new places and meet new faces to boldly go where no Indian has gone before” are my exact thoughts. What I’m looking forward to in Season 3 is to gain a unique experience in meeting new people and hearing amazing stories,” says Tootoosis.

Erin Goodpipe, who is now entering her third season with the show, shared the excitement.

“I am extremely excited to no longer have to speak to only myself anymore! Having Tyler as a male perspective will definitely balance out the feminine side of the show and add more appeal to our audience. Tyler is such a buoyant, exuberant person who adds a lot of spice to any situation and conversation. Through his humour and down-to-earth personality, he ensures that we are doing things the Indigenous way, we are doing things our way and in that, staying true to our communities and identity. I am excited to be have him as a co-host!”

Erin also talked about her hopes for Season 3 in respect to Indigenous Storytelling.

“I am looking forward to getting more engaged in the community and telling our stories true to our identities. I am very excited to report on stories that reflect the passion of community, through activism, art or events. All of these stories point to a reclamation of what it means to be Indigenous through (Indigenous) ways of knowing and being. It’s really a new era and movement that we get to report on,” says Goopipe.

Chris Tyrone Ross, Executive Producer is just happy to see the show progress.

“Everything is a work in progress for us, Season 1 was starting something brand new because none of us had done TV before (except for RezX Producer, Shauneen Pete, who had produced community television before). Season 2 was training and learning more as we went, but Season 3 is all business now. We have a new co-host in Tyler, who I think fills the void left behind from Cadmus with his humour and personality, add that to our long partnership with Access7 and Shaw’s involvement with new markets, and this feels like a brand new show all over again” says Ross.  

RezX is also making some adjustments to the show’s format that will make the show more socially conscious of the issues affecting Indigenous peoples while also being entertaining to keep people watching. The RezX team are also focused on producing high quality production, and most importantly telling Indigenous stories the right way”.

Season 3 is set to premier with a Christmas Special on Access7 and ShawTV, set to air at 8:30pm on Sunday, December 18th, as Season 3 will continue in January 2017.

– RezX TV