GATINEAU – The CRTC on Thursday shot down three applications for new digi-nets by High Fidelity HDTV.
The channels were to be called Diversion HD, Diversion SD and Canada HD Network.
Since the Diversion brand was to be a standard definition and high definition movie channel – albeit ad-supported and not pay – the Commission decided it was too close to other pay TV movie channels already in existence and contrary to its “one-per-genre” pay and specialty service policy.
With the Canada HD Network, HiFi was attempting to create a general interest high definition category two digital channel that would compete with the U.S. cable channel HDNet, which is widely carried in Canada.
However, technology is not supposed to be a delineation point for the Commission and because Canada HD Net’s programming would have been pretty broad-based and competitive with other existing channels, it was denied, too.
High Fidelity HDTV operates four 24/7 HD channels right now: Rush HD, Equator HD, Oasis HD and Treasure HD.
