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CosmoTV and IFC to shut down Sept. 30, 2019

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corus
19K views 27 replies 20 participants last post by  Zank Frappa 
#1 ·
#3 · (Edited)
No they are just being shut down. I was subscribed to IFC but decided to FLEX it out on my IGNITE TV after learning it was shutting down to a channel I don’t really care a lot about. I only did that because I had all of the channels I wanted already and I had to pick something. Maybe a better channel will be offered to FLEX it out again for in my my package someday.
 
#10 ·
Those channels meant something back when they first came out...when was it late 90s? The so-called Digital Package. IFC, Book TV, Fashion TV, Sex TV, Drive In, Scream. But they lost their appeal quickly after a few years when their owners decided to cut back on new programming. In the end they all became CSI channels. I used to really like Drive In back in the day, lots of good culty 60s/70s films.
 
#14 ·
I believe they bid on these channels to prevent an incursion of US channels. They played the 'Canadian Culture' card knowing full well there wasn't enough Canadian content. Now they are shutting them down because the channels aren't mandatory and not enough of the public is subscribing led by the exodus of people who prefer to stream their content. And they remain content by continuing to freeze out US channels.
 
#15 ·
CRTC rules and the market have changed since these channels were first licensed. Specialty channels are no longer required to adhere to genre requirements so licensing a station by genre can less easily be used to exclude a US channel. The CRTC was always reluctant to license US stations for carriage but it is less likely to do so now.

Media ownership is now concentrated in the hands of fewer owners to usually also own BDUs so they can effectively block carriage of US stations on their own. If a popular new station starts up in the US, they just sign licensing agreements with the US owner and rebrand one of their existing stations.

Obtaining carriage is much more difficult than obtaining a license. Independent broadcasters are dwindling not so much due to lack of content as lack of carriage. That's partly due to a glut of channels but also due to media concentration. The major broadcasters just make carriage and sufficient subscriber levels difficult to obtain and then wait for the channel to fail outright or buy it at fire sale prices.
 
#16 ·
I actually find it insane that the likes of Fashion TV and Book TV are profitable. How many people really watch these channels? In all honesty, these channels should be relegated to the top tier package which has less subscribers or not included in any packages at all. Same with Dejaview and a few other channels. They have been on auto pilot for years.

I noticed that Nickelodeon is selling content directly via Amazon. Curious to see if Nickelodeon will maintain their relationship with Corus for linear TV rights or if they will eventually abandon Corus and sell directly. With the Viacom+CBS merger, you might even see Nickelodeon content on CBS All Access.
 
#26 ·
It appears Corus is the one responsible for that Nick content on Amazon in Canada:
For side-splitting, kid-friendly fun all day, every day, all Nickelodeon fan-favourite shows are available through the Nickelodeon Channel with Amazon Prime Video Channels.
I know they do grab VOD deals for these shows and sometimes sell them to Netflix or stream them on YouTube. YTV's YouTube channel streams Invader Zim and another Corus one has Avatar: The Last Airbender.

At least in the short term, I don't think Viacom is the one Corus needs to worry about. They seem to believe that selling content to Bell is the better choice than trying to pump up CBS All Access in Canada. Nick and Corus have a very long relationship together. No reason to believe that would change. Disney and Warner, though? Hard to tell. Warner is doing the same thing as Viacom with the DC Comics shows, but that's probably because DC Universe is a dead-end service in the U.S. They certainly hope that won't be the case with HBO Max.
 
#17 ·
Corus to shutter CosmoTV and IFC
A Corus spokesperson told Cartt.ca the company didn’t try to sell the channels to another broadcaster, and instead it opted not to renew its licensing agreements in order to close them. “We regularly review our portfolio of channels to ensure that they align with our strategic direction. As part of that review, we’ve decided to not renew our agreements for Independent Film Channel (IFC) and Cosmopolitan TV (Cosmo TV),” said Corus in an e-mailed statement.
 
#19 ·
It sad that they didn't recycle those license for something like adding a time shifting for 2 of there channels or create a retro style channel of an existing channel, (how many time I saw people wanting a YTV Retro channel or to bring back Teletoon Retro, for a few examples...

These 2 licences can have potential, I guest they didn't see that...
 
#20 · (Edited)
I always wanted a Disney Retro channel but Corus never saw the potential I guess. Now Disney Plus is coming out here in November with a lot of retro Disney shows and movies.its just another reason why people have turned to streaming.

If people can’t find what they want to watch from cable they will look elsewhere. Corus had their chance to do something great, it’s a shame with all the possibilities they have had.

YTV Retro and the return of Teletoon Retro would have been awesome ! I know so many people who hated it when TR went away.
 
#21 ·
^^

One of the reason why I will subscribe to Disney + to watch/re-watch shows that use to air on Disney Channel. I didn't always had access to Disney Channel, so there are few shows that I missed.

I also read that there's currently a merger between Viacom (Nickelodeon) and CBS, so the back catalog of Nickelodeon (that also air on YTV) shows could end up on CBS All Access, I might subscribe if they do. I know there some Nick shows on Netflix.
 
#22 ·
One of the reason why I will subscribe to Disney + to watch/re-watch shows that use to air on Disney Channel.
Just so you are aware, the back catalog at least right away isn't that comprehensive. There is no sign of any of their big hits over the past 20 years like the original Lizzie McGuire series, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, Good Luck Charlie etc.
 
#27 ·
I think Shaw Broadcast Services and various Canadian Cable TV, Satellite TV and IPTV providers in Canada should apply to the CRTC for authority to add the U.S. Pay Cable/Satellite specialty channel IFC (formerly Independent Film Channel) to the list of of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and Part III Eligible Satellite Services of non-Canadian programming services. In no case can an undertaking distribute more than five channels of non-Canadian-originated services received by satellite linked with Canadian pay television services, regardless of the number of Canadian pay television services distributed by the undertaking, the American Version of IFC (formerly known as Independent Film Channel) would replaced the Canadian version of Independent Film Channel (IFC Canada) and American Pay Cable - Satellite specialty channel WeTV (formerly known as Romantic Classics and Women's Entertainment) would replace Cosmopolitan TV Canada on digital cable in Canada. IFC (formerly known as Independent Film Channel) and WeTV (formerly known as Romantic Classic Channel and Women's Entertainment Television) is on Galaxy 14 Satellite at 125.0°W and 4060 Vertical - DVB-S2/8PSK SR 32700 - FEC 5/6 C/N lock: 9.4 dB.

Independent Film Channel U.S. made on a debut when it launch 25 years ago on September 1, 1994 as a U.S. Premium Pay TV service that run from September 1, 1994 to December 7, 2010, then Independent Film Channel became a U.S. Cable Specialty Channel on December 8, 2010 and started to air original programming like Portlandia, Onion News Network, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, The Whitest Kids U' Know, Sherman's Showcase, Baroness von Sketch Show, Brockmire, Stan against Evil, Night Flight, Comedy Bang! Bang!, FOD TV, Comedy Crib, The Birthday Boys, The Spoils of Babylon, The Spoils Before Dying, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings, Food Party, Bunk, Documentary Now: Co-Op Sing – Along and Documentary Now. IFC also carries off network shows like Two and a Half Men, That 70’s Show, Pee-wee's Playhouse, Batman, The Three Stooges and Star Trek: The Original Series, IFC carries some independent films by independent film producers and the independent film companies. Independent Film Channel became IFC 5 years ago on January 9, 2014 and carry the programming line up. IFC (U.S. Network) has a HD digital specialty signal in High Definition at 1080i (HDTV) and 480i [SD] virtual PSIP in Standard Definition 24 Hours a Day/7 Days a Week.

We TV (formerly known as Romantic Classics from 1997 to 2000 and Women’s Entertainment from 2000 to 2006) is a U.S. Cable Specialty Channel that launch 22 years ago on September 1, 1997 and is known as We TV as of January 1, 2001. We TV carries original programming like Beyond the Pole, Bossip on We TV, Braxton Family Values, Bridezillas, Bridezillas: Scared Fit, David Tutera’s CELEBrations, David Tutera Unveild, My Fair Wedding, My Fair Wedding: Unveild, Extreme Love, Growing Up Hip Hop, Growing Hip Hop: Atlanta, Growing Hip Hop: New York (beginning August 29, 2019), Hustle & Soul, Love After Lockup, Love After Lockup: Life After Lock Up, Love Blows, Mama June: From Not to Hot, Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, Marriage Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition, South of Hell, Untold Stories of Hip Hop (beginning September 26, 2019) and Joseline Take Miami (coming Winter/Spring 2020). We TV also carries off – network tv programs like CSI: Miami, House M.D., How to Get Away with Murder, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Madam Secretary, Will & Grace, Monk, Criminal Minds Ghost Whisperer, Ned and Stacey and The Naked Truth. We TV has a HD digital specialty signal in High Definition at 1080i (HDTV) and 480i [SD] virtual PSIP in Standard Definition 24 Hours a Day/7 Days a Week.
 
#28 ·
Documentary Now.
This show is so under rated.

I am a huge fan of documentaries and the all star cast of writers, producers and actors have NAILED these parodies of famous documentaries. I think my favorite one was the parody of the Maysles's brothers 1968 "Salesman", instead of it being a documentary of slimy guys pitching Bibles to the poor in Massachusets it's slimy guys pitching globes.

If you are a fan of comedy and documentaries this is a must see, some better than others but they have really captured the zeitgeist of each documentary they parody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTFIajIDusQ
 
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