ANALYSIS: Rogers-led over-the-top video service Showmi, much weaker than hoped, to launch in November; Bell to launch its own portal in January

HOPES WERE HIGH EARLIER this year when word leaked out that an ambitious over-the-top video partnership aimed at taking on Netflix in Canada (dubbed “Showmi”) was soon to launch. Cartt.ca was the first to report on it and we have been following it through the year.The service was to be a one-stop online space where TV and film content whose Canadian rights – owned by Rogers Media, Shaw Media, Bell Media and Cineplex – would be stacked and available to Canadians for binge watching anywhere, anytime and on any device. At the time, the business plan (Ad-supported? Authenticated? Pure OTT...