CMT (Canadian TV channel)

CMT
Current CMT Canada logo.
Launched January 1, 1995 (1995-01-01)
Owned by Corus Entertainment (90%, managing partner)
Viacom International Media Networks (10%)
Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Country Canada
Language English
Broadcast area Nationwide
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario[1]
Formerly called New Country Network (1995–1996)
Sister channel(s) W Network
YTV
ABC Spark
Treehouse TV
Teletoon
Website www.cmt.ca
Availability
Satellite
Bell TV Channel 575 (SD)
Shaw Direct Channel 583 (SD)
Channel 187 (HD)
Cable
Available on most Canadian cable systems Consult your local cable provider for channel availability
IPTV
Bell Aliant Fibe TV Channel 216 (SD)
Channel 423 (HD)
Bell Fibe TV Channel 575 (SD)
Channel 1575 (HD)
Bell MTS Channel 109 (SD)
Channel 1109 (HD)
Optik TV By Telus Channel 9555 (SD)
Channel 555 (HD)
SaskTel Channel 14 (SD)
Channel 314 (HD)
VMedia Channel 38 (SD)
Zazeen Channel 56 (SD)

CMT is a Canadian English-language Category A cable and satellite specialty channel that is owned as a joint venture between Corus Entertainment (which owns a controlling 90% interest) and Viacom (which owns the remaining 10%), owners of the flagship CMT cable channel in the United States.

As with its American counterpart, CMT previously devoted a large amount of its programming to country music, with such programming as music videos and concert specials. Overtime, the channel shifted its focus towards family-oriented programming in the form of sitcoms, reality shows, and lifestyle programming, to the point where music programming was eventually axed in August of 2017.

It is one of two Viacom-branded channels that are owned by Corus; the companies also partner on Nickelodeon.

History

First and only New Country Network logo used from 1995 to 1996.
Second CMT logo used from 2000 to 2006.

Prior to the launch of CMT Canada, the American-based country television network, Country Music Television, had been available in Canada since 1984, one year after the channel's launch in the United States.[2]

In June 1994, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) licensed a series of new Canadian specialty television channels; among the ones whose licence was granted was The Country Network, whose programming provisions required it to primarily feature country music videos (a minimum of 90%). The licence was granted to a partnership between Maclean-Hunter (which owned 60% majority control) and Rawlco Communications (which owned the remaining 40%).[3]

Third CMT logo used from 2006 to 2008.
Fourth CMT Logo used from 2008 to 2010.
Fifth CMT Logo used from 2010 to 2015.

At this time, the CRTC had a policy that if a Canadian specialty service was licensed and that service's format was competitive with a foreign service's format that was licensed to operate in Canada, the foreign service could be dropped from the list of channels eligible for cable carriage in Canada.[3] Due to Country Music Television's competitive format, the CRTC terminated CMT's eligibility rights in Canada as a foreign service on June 6, 1994.[4] Television distributors such as cable and satellite television operators could continue distributing Country Music Television until The Country Network began operations.[3]

In March 1994, one year before the channel's launch, Maclean-Hunter had been purchased by Rogers Communications.[5]

On January 1, 1995, the channel launched as New Country Network (NCN). On that date, Canadian pay television service providers were no longer allowed to offer Country Music Television.[6] In retaliation to being barred from Canada, the American service launched a complaint under the North American Free Trade Agreement and ceased carriage of videos by Canadian artists without major U.S. record deals.[7]

After months of negotiations, the matter was settled when it was announced that CBS Cable, then owners of CMT, would purchase a minority stake in the service. NCN was relaunched as CMT on October 31, 1996.[7] The majority interest was acquired by Shaw Communications at the same time; it was later included in the spinoff of the broadcasting assets then owned by Shaw as Corus Entertainment in 1999. The controversy also resulted in an effective change to CRTC policy – if a foreign channel is already available in Canada and a new Canadian equivalent is subsequently licensed, cable providers are no longer required to drop the foreign service.

In 2016, as part of the removal of the genre protection rules, the CRTC approved the transition of CMT to its new standard conditions of license for discretionary services; these changes removed the requirement for CMT to air any music programming at all. Corus stated in its description of service for CMT that it would be devoted to comedy and reality programming, films, and "one of a kind music programming". Despite the changes, Corus must still invest at least 11% of CMT's annual gross revenue to fund the production of Canadian music videos, but they no longer necessarily have to be for country music videos.[8]

On August 28, 2017, as part of the 2017-18 broadcast season, CMT dropped all country music video programming from its schedule. The change in programming was widely criticized by stakeholders in Canada's country music industry, due to the loss of what had been a major promotional platform for Canadian performers; Corus stated that it would still promote Canadian country music through its other platforms (including its country music radio stations and Global programming).[9][10]

CMT HD

CMT HD is a high definition simulcast feed of CMT, which broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. In early 2014, Telus TV announced on its website that it would carry the HD feed of CMT Canada.[11]

Programming

When CMT was launched as New Country Network on January 1, 1995, the CRTC required that 90% of the station's programming consist of music videos.[12] The CRTC dropped that requirement to 70% on February 28, 2001, and reduced it even further to 50% on February 28, 2006.[13][14] With the retirement of genre protection rules in 2016, CMT was no longer required to air music videos, leading to the channel dropping music programming altogether the following year.

Today, CMT primarily airs sitcoms, late-night talk shows, game shows, reality shows, and lifestyle programming with no relation to country music. In contrast, its American counterpart has downplayed its focus on country music in favor of "southern"-themed entertainment programming.

The last music video to be aired on CMT Canada was "Move" by Luke Bryan.

Hosts/presenters

See also

References

  1. ↑ "VAP | CMT.ca". Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Will country music videos set off culture war? Some facts to keep in mind as U.S. trade negotiators threaten retaliatory strikes". Toronto Star. 1995-02-11.
  3. 1 2 3 "Decision CRTC 94-284". CRTC. 1994-06-06.
  4. ↑ Larry LeBlanc (24 December 1994). A Breakthrough Year for Canadian Acts. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 53–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ↑ THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Canadian Media Giants to Merge The New York Times 1994-03-09
  6. ↑ "U.S. country TV drops Canadian videos". Toronto Star. 1995-01-10.
  7. 1 2 "TRUCE DECLARED IN THE CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC WAR". CNN. 1995-08-21.
  8. ↑ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-39". CRTC. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  9. ↑ "CMT Is Giving The Boot To Country Music". FYIMusicNews. 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  10. ↑ "Canada's Country Music Television To Stop Playing Music Videos the final music video to be aired on CMT was Move by Luke Bryan". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  11. ↑ TV Highlights
  12. ↑ Decision CRTC 94-284
  13. ↑ Decision CRTC 2001-154
  14. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-52
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