TORONTO – Sounding not unlike the advice sometimes given in its namesake magazine (er, not that we’d know for sure…) Corus Entertainment CEO John Cassaday said he isn’t willing to “settle” for an average distribution deal when it comes to the company’s youngest digi-net, Cosmopolitan TV.
While the channel is carried by corporate relative Shaw Communications as well as Bell ExpressVu, neither Rogers Cable nor Cogeco Cable in the east, for example, carries the channel, which was launched on Valentine’s Day this year, and was profiled by Cartt.ca.
While Cassaday wasn’t specific about the carriage terms Corus is demanding for CosmoTV, he said the company is holding out for a better option than the ones the cable companies are offering. “They have offered us a reasonably good level of penetration,” he told a conference call with industry analysts on Wednesday.
“But we have taken the view that this is not like a new pet channel – that this is an important brand that is being launched which is being supported with outstanding programming. It has a great brand and good parentage (Hearst, publisher of Cosmopolitan Magazine is a minority partner),” so Corus is negotiating “for a position we think is justified, given the level of commitment that we have to the brand and that is what’s taking so long,” said Cassaday.
“Like most things in life ‘not settling’ is the right strategy,” he added.
“We could have been on, on February 14th like we were with our customers in other parts of the country but we have not been willing to settle on this one and we think ultimately we will work something out with them,” where the channel will reach the five million subscriber mark in short order.
“That’s a great base for us to sell advertising and a great opportunity to serve that young female demo which is of value to (the distributors) as much as it is to our advertising partners and us,” explained Cassaday.
