[cyclist44]

On Sunday August 27th CMT Canada Stopped airing country music videos. So this channel now consists of just airing old Sitcoms that can be watched on dozens of other channels. This channels has nothing to do with country music except for maybe reruns of Reba.

This channel should be renamed or better yet just dropped. I would to see Bell Satellite TV replace this channel with The Big Ten Network.

 

[Murrango]

I haven't watched that channel in a long, long time.

CMT Canada was dead to me when they dropped the weekly Grand Ole Opry broadcast.

 

[thenewdc]

Rogers still doesn't carry CMT in HD either.

 

[cyclist44]

Bell Satellite TV only carries CMT in SD.

 

[reidw]

How about this? In order to keep as many different formats available to viewers as possible:

When a TV service announces that it wants to change the current format of their service to something different, the CRTC should, before the approving the change, ask if there is any organization willing to keep the current format. If someone steps forward and assuming that the bidder's plan is considered viable, the CRTC would hand the licence over to the new bidder. Only if there are no qualified takers willing to keep the current format would the CRTC grant the service the right to change.

In my opinion there is probably a provider who would be willing to assume CMT's designated role as a purveyor and promoter of country music. (and another who would be willing to offer real History or real Science or real Arts & Entertainment, or real <you name it>. Those providers are shut out by the current system.

 

[Phils]

Nashville is still there although the season (maybe the series) is over.

 

[Dr.Dave]

@reidw the CRTC changed their policy so that they no longer restrict the type of programs that a general entertainment channel can show. The only restriction is for live sports. Any existing channel can change its format to country music without any CRTC intervention. Anyone can start a new channel with that format without the need for CRTC approval until they reach 200,000 subscribers. The difficulty would be getting carriage on the BDUs like Bell, Rogers and Shaw.

Overall, I think the TV music video genre is dying. MUCH dramatically scaled back their music videos and sold the Much music genre channels to Stingray. I think one of the French music video channels also changed formats.

CMT lost over one third of their subscribers in the broadcast year ended August 31, 2016 and that was even before pick and pay took effect in December 2016.

 

[Tridus]

A music video TV channel makes little sense in a world where Youtube and Vevo exist. That's the problem. If I want to watch a music video, I can, right now, anywhere, from a massive catalog.

Paying for a TV channel so I can watch what they pick, when they say, only on the TV at home is a rather uncompetitive alternative.

 

[DSgamby]

My most watched channel is Juicebox and all they play is videos.
@Phils Nashville is not on CMT. It is on W.

 

[thenewdc]

CMT will likely get rebranded at some point.

 

[reidw]

It may and it may not get rebranded. One of the reasons for using initials for a service's name is to hide the original purpose of the service. Some examples:

A&E was Arts and Entertainment
OLN was the Outdoor Life Network
W was The Women's Network
CMT was Country Music Television
MM was Much Music
TLC was The Learning Channel (the most blatant subversion of the original)

Even without a change to the brand over time most of us forget what the original purpose was which is of course what the owners of the service want to have happen. They get away with it because no one, as Dr dave pointed out to me, makes it their job to ensure that a service sticks to its mandate.

 

[Dr.Dave]

I looked back and and Corus didn't mention CMT in the upfront press releases. I read a few months ago they plan to shut down some channels, so this may be one of them. Right now its all filler with old sitcoms, along with old episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos, Undercover Boss Canada, etc. Corus probably realized they just had too may redundant channels after they bought all the channels from Shaw Media.

They did add Jimmy Kimmel Live in the same timeslot as ABC East starting Sept. 18. It looks like The Comedy Network decided to drop the late-night talk show.

 

[Dr.Dave]

CMT Has Stopped Playing Country Music Videos So Vintage TV Moves in to Take Up the Slack
Excerpts from the press release:

Vintage TV Canada has announced plans to invest in the country music market with new programming designed specifically for fans of the genre.

The news comes as CMT (Country Music Television) Canada stopped playing music videos on the channel to refocus programming in other areas. Vintage TV Canada has stepped up to the plate to ensure that country music fans are still able to access high-quality content from both emerging and established country artists.

Vintage TV Canada’s Creative Director and legendary broadcaster, Alan Cross comments:

“There have always been millions of country fans across Canada, as well as a vibrant domestic country scene from coast-to-coast. As a channel that loves good music of all genres, Vintage TV Canada will ensure that the country music fan is not forgotten and that country music artists are given the support and visibility they deserve.”

More details about the new country music programming for Vintage TV Canada will be unveiled in due course.

Comment: According to https://vintagetv.ca/ they are available on Rogers Cable, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct.

 

[cyclist44]

CRTC should put a limit on how many episodes of a particular show for example Every Body Loves Raymond runs all day and night on some days on CMT.

 

[Dr.Dave]

Bell Media has picked up some programming that CMT Canada used to carry. I'm a little surprised about the country music block on Much that they licensing from the CMA. We'll see if it works for them.

Country Music Fans Rejoice! CTV and the Country Music Association Partner to Deliver THE 51st ANNUAL CMA AWARDS to Canadians, Airing November 8 on CTV Two - Bell Media

CTV has partnered with the Country Music Association to deliver THE 51st ANNUAL CMA AWARDS to Canadians, airing Wednesday, November 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two. Broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return as CMA AWARDS hosts for the 10th year in a row.

Musical collaborations include Kelsea Ballerini and Reba McEntire; Dierks Bentley and Rascal Flatts; Maren Morris and Niall Horan; and Brad Paisley and Kane Brown. Also, slated to perform this year are Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, and Underwood. 2017 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee and 16-time CMA Awards winner Alan Jackson will also take center-stage.

“The CMA AWARDS is undoubtedly country music’s most important night, making it the perfect complement to CTV’s dynamic must-see awards lineup,” said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. “Adding the CMA Awards to our awards portfolio provides us another opportunity to give viewers yet another world-class live event, while showcasing country music to Canadians from across the country.”

In conjunction with the acquisition of THE 51st ANNUAL CMA AWARDS, Much launches a new one-hour country music block on Sundays at 11 a.m. ET beginning November 5, featuring new country hits and classic fan favourites. The programming block will include hits from chart-topping artists including Dallas Smith, Florida Georgia Line, Jess Moskaluke, Sam Hunt, and many more.

 

[cyclist44]

Nice to see that Country Music Videos are back on air. The only thing is that they are on at a bad time Sunday Morning where very few people are watching TV.

The CMT Canada channel is still a dumping ground for half hour shows already shown on other channels and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

 

[Dr.Dave]

Previously posted in the Corus thread: CMT will air back-to-back episodes of The Guest Book on Friday, October 27 at 9 PM ET, followed by back-to-back episodes of season 1 of Odd Mom Out at 10 PM ET. Both series are new to linear TV in Canada, although some episodes of Odd Mom Out were available on shomi before that service shut down.

Vintage TV shows a program called Vintage Country on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. I assume it has music videos, but I don't know if this is a new program or not.