GATINEAU – The CRTC today announced the approval of 10 new Category 2 third-language digital TV channels.
The commission has approved Music Television Español, Spanish Sports TV1, Spanish Sports TV2, Spanish Entertainment TV 1, Spanish Entertainment TV 2, Italian Entertainment TV (all from Telelatino Network Inc.), FLS Movie Channel (from Fairchild Television Ltd.), and Venus TV—Indian Pop Music, Venus TV—Punjabi Pakistani, and Venus TV—Sikh Culture and Religion (all from Golden Tunes Productions Inc.)
Music Television Español would be devoted to the Spanish-speaking community, airing music-related programming such as videos, concerts, performances, movies, and artist interviews. It would broadcast not less than 85% of its programming and Spanish and not more than 15% in either English or French.
Spanish Sports TV1 would air shows about sports, including sports events, interviews, and documentaries, aiming for a 12 to 40 demographic. It would also air no less than 85% Spanish programming and no more than 15% English and French programming.
Spanish Sports TV2 would air Spanish-language sports programs aimed at the 25 to 54 year-old demographic. It would also air no less than 85% Spanish programming and no more than 15% English and French programming.
Spanish Entertainment TV 1 would be aimed at a female and youth audience, airing Spanish-language dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, news, and sports. It would also air no less than 85% Spanish programming and no more than 15% English and French programming.
Spanish Entertainment TV 2 is going after a male audience, showing general entertainment shows such as dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, news, talk shows, and sports. It would also air no less than 85% Spanish programming and no more than 15% English and French programming.
Italian Entertainment TV would air general entertainment shows such as dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, news, talk shows, and sports. It would also air no less than 85% Italian programming and no more than 15% English and French programming.
FLS Movie Channel would consist of feature films, made-for-TV feature films and long-form documentaries in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and other East Asian languages. Fairchild proposed that not less than 40% of all programming would be in the Mandarin language, not less than 40% would be in the Cantonese language, and the remaining 20% would be in Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and other East Asian languages. The licence allows for up to 10% of programming in one or both official languages.
All the preceding channels asked for and were granted a request to air up to six minutes per hour of local and regional advertising.
Venus TV (Indian Pop Music) would play Indian pop music, consisting of up to 75% programming in Punjabi, and 25% in Hindi. It would air music videos and other music-related programming. It can air up to 10% programming in English and/or French.
Venus TV (Punjabi Pakistani) would air not less than 90% of its programming in Punjabi and its dialects. It would broadcast documentaries, drama, comedy, movies, music videos, and other shows. It can also air up to 10% of programming in English and/or French.
Venus TV (Sikh Culture and Religion) would cover issues relating to Sikh culture, heritage, and religion around the world. It would air news, documentaries, dramas, comedies, movies, music videos, and religious programming. It proposed to air no less than 60% of programming in Punjabi, and no more than 40% in English. The licence allows up to 40% programming in either English or French.
All the licences will expire on Aug. 31, 2013. The services must be launched within 36 months of the decision or they will have to request an extension.
The proposals were submitted under the commission’s new “open-entry” approach to third-language Cat 2s. The CRTC does not consider the impact that a new Cat 2 may have on an existing Cat 2, but does try to ensure that new entrants don’t directly compete with any existing pay or specialty services, including the must-carry Cat 1s.
