CALGARY – Saying it’s just being consumer-friendly, Shaw Communications today added Rainbow Media’s American Movie Classics to its analog channel lineup.
Shaw is believed to be the first Canadian carrier to offer the 24-hour classic-movie-based network (which also offers some original content, too), even though the channel has been on the CRTC’s eligible satellite list for years.
What’s always held AMC back were the Canadian copyrights it didn’t have, an issue "that’s been dealt with," Shaw Communications president Peter Bissonnette told Cartt.ca this afternoon.
AMC has the Canadian rights to most of its programming and for the titles that it doesn’t, it will simple air another movie, added Bissonnette. So, the service won’t be exactly the one seen Stateside.
To make room for AMC, Shaw bumped The Golf Channel "a low-rated service," said Bissonnette, to digital.
Having already moved Corus Entertainment’s Encore Avenue to analog – as well as launching Turner Classic Movies earlier this year on analog – Shaw is taking a bit of a different tack by bolstering its traditional lineup while other MSOs push everything onto digital.
"Analog is still the predominant service package our customers are enjoying," said Bissonnette. "With 30% of our customers digital and 70% analog, it’s about being customer friendly… they’re really grateful for it – and then they’re less likely to go somewhere else."
Bissonnette added that many of the company’s digital subscribers have an analog-only TV sets in other rooms of their house and appreciate the additions to Shaw’s analog service. A strong analog package is an important competitive advantage, he added. "We’re on record saying we plan to offer analog for a long time."
– Greg O’Brien
