TORONTO – International TV Internet broadcaster JumpTV announced today it has partnered with Quebecor Media’s Canoe.TV to broadcast selected channels on a free to consumer, ad-supported, basis within Canada.
The Canoe network attracts approximately eight million unique visitors per month in Canada, says the press release, and includes content sites such as Canoe.ca, Canoe.qc.ca, La Toile du Quebec, Canoe Money, the TVA network site and the LCN site.
Recently launched Canoe.TV will initially carry five of JumpTV’s premium international television channels: MBC1 (Arabic), CVM TV (Jamaica), AAJ TV (Pakistan), Sahara Filmy (India) and RTP International (Portugal). The number of JumpTV channels available to Canoe.TV users is expected to increase over the next several months, say the companies.
In addition to JumpTV’s live channels, Canoe.TV will work with independent production companies in Canada to produce exclusive content and will also broadcast a wide selection of on-demand video content from JumpTV as well as partners such as the CBC, House and Home, The Fight Network and Just For Laughs, among others.
Canoe intends to sell advertising in connection with Canoe.TV and share an amount of the advertising revenue with its content partners including JumpTV.
"We believe there is strong consumer demand for online video and we are excited to be entering this rapidly growing space through our newly launched Canoe.TV. JumpTV was a natural choice when looking to expand our offering to include television from around the world as clearly they have the largest selection of premium international content available on the web," said Pierre Karl Peladeau, president and CEO of Quebecor Media, in the release.
“We believe that Canadian companies active in promoting their brands online can uniquely connect with foreign born Canadians by advertising alongside JumpTV international television content,” said John Baptiste, head of global distribution for JumpTV.
"Moreover, Canada represents a significant market opportunity for JumpTV’s international television and sports content as cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Quebec City are incredibly ethnically diverse."
In the United States, JumpTV offers approximately 120 of its 300 international television channels from 75 countries on a free to consumer, ad supported basis, with the balance of its channels offered on a subscription basis. In all other countries, JumpTV international channels are on a subscription basis.
JumpTV’s 175 sporting properties which include approximately 135 US colleges and universities are offered worldwide on a subscription basis for premium content with significant free to consumer content offered as well.
