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CRTC Approves More Channels

98K views 234 replies 53 participants last post by  MCIBUS 
#1 ·
Here's a list of New channels recently approved by the CRTC.

Ethnic

ECG-Hindi Woman's TV2 http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-219.htm

Soundview Entertainment-4E TV http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-227.htm

soundview Entertainment-RIK SAT http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-228.htm

ATN-UTV Movies http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-239.htm


English

Cycle TV- http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-270.htm

The ethnic ones are I guess ok for those of those ethnic background

I know I'll be getting two of them if Bell Fibe adds them.

As for Cycle TV not a cyclist so not sure how big the industry is in biking or if many would sub to this channel?
 
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#3 ·
Nice that you can apply for a licence when you have absolutely nothing to show for it. The company hasn't even yet been formed let alone named. I suspect this is a hedge play. The holder has obtained this licence to keep out other players unless they are willing to buy his licence. Free enterprise at its worst? Best?

Note that this doesn't always work. The guys who owned the HD only channels a few years ago applied for licences for a range of specialty services that never saw the light of day (fortunately). Not one of the channels has seen the light of day so far.
 
#5 ·
Maybe they do now but not so earlier. There were dozens of HD licences granted between 2005-2008 that never came to anything. It was clear that some people were grabbing licences on various subjects in the hope that they could make a killing when a serious programmer came along who wanted to offer programming on that subject. Some held onto the licence for years before giving up when they couldn't find a taker.
 
#11 ·
I'm not sure of your point.
For category C digital channels, there is very little basis for the CRTC to deny an application, especially for ethnic channels that do not compete with protected licensees.

I was talking about the fact that it would be of little use to apply for a channel for the sole purpose of selling it to someone else (either before launching, or within the first license term), since there would be very little likelihood of the CRTC approving the necessary license transfer application.
 
#6 ·
Although I 'm not that skilled in the CRTC 'ways" it appears to me other then the ethnic service from what I can tell they seem to approve any that comes across their desk.Though its very rare to see a ethnic service licensed to keep out the original one.

As for the English & French ones, not that much on the french licencing channels, but on the English side I don't know but in some case I know Broadcasters or personal owners just look for a licence to just keep out the US one, even though its a 80% to 20% chance of not getting the US one approved. In other cases I just seems "crazy" at some of the channels they approve for just approving them?

I can't say if these "crazy channel" have any chance of launching or getting picked up by some provider or if they'll even have sub base that I can't answer, but how many channels have been licensed since 1984 have either never launched or have but failed or shut down(not re-brand or replaced by another channel)?

I don't know but sometimes the CRTC is like just handing out candy at Halloween, but in this case its licenses.
 
#12 ·
It is perfectly reasonable for the CRTC to licence these and other channels. They are not requiring anyone to carry them or anyone to subscribe to them. This is the way it is supposed to work.

As noted above, the CRTC will generally not approve a transfer within the first term, so trafficking of licenses shouldn't happen.

The only thing they should do more effectively is hold the licencees to the format they are licenced to provide.
 
#13 ·
@jaxon .... Especially in the radio market. There was situation about twenty years ago in Toronto that I thought bordered on the absurd. Four different applicants applied to the CRTC for a licence for a new radio station. All intended to offer the same format which was also the format the CRTC wanted to licence because that format was not currently available in the local market. The applicant that won ran the format for about six months and then decided arbitrarily to change it completely. The CTRC barely blinked as it approved the change. I had to wonder why at that point the CRTC hadn't gone back to the three unsuccessful applicants to see if any off them were still interested in continuing the original format instead of letting the current holder make a really drastic change.
 
#16 ·
CRTC should FORCE Licencee To Launch.

Personally I think the CRTC should "force" the Licencee to launch,. If a broadcaster or person obtains a licence and its the same as a US version they should be forced to launch. The CRTC should say to the licencee that you have until the end of your licence to launch and no extensions on your licence if not the US one will be automatically approved for carriage in Canada. If you launch your channel and then change formats again the US one will be re-automatically approved for coverage in Canada.

I can almost bet you you'll see channels launching and no re-branding of channels.
 
#20 ·
#27 ·
From the CRTC release:
Anthem Media Group Inc., a corporation ultimately controlled by Leonard Asper

Leonard Asper(Asper family - Canwest/Global) is well known in the broadcast industry. Anthem also owns the Fight Network and a couple other online "broadcasting" endeavors.

Yes a small fry in the Canadian Broadcasting Industry, but perhaps not a no name.
 
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