Super Channel (Canada)
| Super Channel | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Super Channel logo | |
| Launched | November 2, 2007 |
| Owned by | Allarco Entertainment |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Country | Canada |
| Broadcast area | National |
| Headquarters | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Website | Super Channel |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Bell TV | 326-329 (SD) 1277, 1278 (HD) |
| Shaw Direct | 161-164 (SD) 270, 271 (HD) |
| Cable | |
| Available on many Canadian cable systems | Check local listings, channels may vary |
| IPTV | |
| Bell Aliant TV | 584-587 (SD) 582, 583 (HD) |
| Bell Fibe TV | 326-329 (SD) 1326, 1327 (HD) |
| MTS | 511-514 (SD) 435, 436 (HD) |
| Optik TV | 230-233 (SD) 635, 636 (HD) |
| SaskTel | 210, 213 (SD) 510, 511 (HD) |
Super Channel is an English language Canadian Category A premium television service. It is owned by the Allard family through Allarco Entertainment Inc.
The current Super Channel service was launched in 2007, and is not affiliated with the two pre-existing English-language premium operators which used the name at various times prior to 2001, which are now known as Movie Central (Western Canada) and The Movie Network (Eastern Canada). The Allards were the original owners of what is now Movie Central, and later re-acquired rights to the Superchannel trademark. Unlike these two regional services, Super Channel is authorized to operate across Canada, making it Canada's only national general-interest pay TV service.
Super Channel is available on nearly all major cable and satellite providers including Bell TV, Shaw Direct, Access Communications, Cogeco, Rogers Cable, Shaw Cable, EastLink and more. Super Channel was granted as a "must carry" service by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), meaning all television service providers must carry the service on their systems.
Contents |
History [edit]
Allarco was one of four applicants for new pay licences that was considered at a CRTC public hearing on October 24, 2005.[1] Its competitors were:
- BOOMTV, to be operated by the Archambault unit of Quebecor Media. While it was expected to compete directly with the existing general-interest services – The Movie Network and Movie Central (TMN/MC) in English Canada and Super Écran in French Canada – Archambault indicated that its services would have regularly favoured first-run dramatic series. Archambault was also the only applicant for a French-language service, but indicated that this licence would be worthless without an English counterpart.[2]
- The Canadian Film Channel, proposed by Channel Zero Inc. It proposed to exhibit 100% Canadian content and be funded entirely by the operators of TMN/MC, in an amount equal to 12.9% of these services' gross revenues, to be required by condition of licence. Neither incumbent indicated approval for such a use of its revenues.[3]
- Spotlight Television, to be controlled by George Burger, a former executive at Alliance Television, and pro-sports mogul Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of the private investment company Kilmer Van Nostrand, which proposed a premium service much in the same vein as TMN/MC.[4] It is believed that, had Spotlight's application been successful, it would have been branded as a Canadian version of the American service HBO; an "HBO Canada" channel was launched in 2008 under the auspices of TMN/MC.[5]
The Allarco application was approved on May 18, 2006, while the other three applicants were rejected.[6]
The Allard family were also the original owners of Movie Central, which during their stewardship until 2001 was known as "Superchannel" (single word). (For a time in the 1980s, First Choice The Movie Network had also used the "Superchannel" name under a co-branding agreement.) The "Movie Central" name was adopted shortly after Corus Entertainment acquired the service, but Corus maintained ownership of the "Superchannel" trademark. Just before the new channel's launch, the Allards re-acquired the rights to the "Superchannel" name under undisclosed terms.[7]
Super Channel was launched on November 2, 2007 on Bell TV with all six channels. In February 2008, Super Channel launched an On Demand channel on Cogeco Ontario systems, since that time, most other television providers have added Super Channel On Demand.
Super Channel's parent company, Allarco Entertainment, entered into CCAA on June 18, 2009.[8] On August 31, 2010, its creditors unanimously approved a restructuring plan for the company under Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act. The restructuring plan, which needed approval of the court[9] was later approved.
Channels [edit]
Super Channel has eight multiplex channels — four standard definition and four high definition channels — and a subscription video-on-demand service (Super Channel On Demand):
- Super Channel 1: the flagship feed; general interest films and television series.
- Super Channel 2: action, horror, science fiction, anime, gaming, music, extreme sports.
- Super Channel 3: documentaries, film festival selections, world cinema, comedy, television series.
- Super Channel 4: premium programming including Canadian content
Super Channel broadcasts the main channel and its multiplex services on an Eastern Time Zone schedule.
Other services [edit]
Super Channel HD [edit]
Initially, Allarco launched 2 high definition feeds upon the launch of the service in November 2007: Super Channel HD 1 and Super Channel HD 2. Super Channel HD 1 simulcasted the standard definition (SD) feed of the same name, while Super Channel HD 2 initially aired programming from the 3 remaining SD feeds. In February 2013, Allarco launched HD feeds for the remaining SD feeds, Super Channel HD 3 and Super Channel HD 4, with each HD channel now simulcasting their SD equivalent.
Super Channel On Demand [edit]
Super Channel On Demand is a subscription video-on-demand service of Super Channel. The service delivers content from Super Channel including movies, acquired foreign series and special features previously seen on the network. It is available on most cable and satellite providers at no additional cost to subscribers of Super Channel.
Programming [edit]
Super Channel has positioned itself as a complementary service to The Movie Network and Movie Central. In addition to exclusive movie[10] output deals with major Hollywood studios such as 20th Century Fox, it offers a diverse selection of premium series[11] and niche programming. Its lineup includes various top British and American series, live concerts, anime, foreign films and documentaries. It also airs live championship boxing and mixed martial arts from Showtime and Hennessy Sports under the "Super Channel Fights" brand.[12][13]
The network has program supply deals with Starz, Channel 4, and Maple Pictures.[14][15]
Unlike The Movie Network and Movie Central, Super Channel has pledged to reinvest profits in Canadian programming.[16]
List of programs broadcast by Super Channel (Canada) [edit]
Acquired programming [edit]
- Beaver Falls
- The Big C
- Boss
- Bullet In The Face
- Burn Notice
- City Homicide
- The Closer
- Falling Skies
- Foodland
- Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
- Homeland
- Inbetweeners
- The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
- Justified
- Leverage
- Love/Hate
- Magic City
- Major Crimes
- Peep Show
- Portlandia
- Rizzoli & Isles
- Skins
- Sons of Anarchy (current seasons only; FX Canada now owns repeat rights to early seasons)[17][18]
- Southland
- Tangle
- The Whitest Kids U' Know
References [edit]
- ^ Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2005-6 July 21, 2005
- ^ BOOMTV licence applications
- ^ TCFC licence application
- ^ Spotlight licence application
- ^ HBO Canada coming, but with a catch, Grant Robertson, The Globe and Mail, September 23, 2008
- ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-193, May 18, 2006
- ^ Is this a new pay-TV service or a rerun?, Barbara Shecter, National Post, July 30, 2007
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i1cb4423097de6eb19f5d83a4defc2290
- ^ Allarco Entertainment 2008 (Super Channel) plan meets creditors approval, Digital Journal, 31 August 2010
- ^ Super Channel Website
- ^ Super Channel Website
- ^ Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution & Canada's Allarco Entertainment announce new multi-year agreement
- ^ Super Channel website
- ^ Channel 4 International and Super Channel announce pay TV agreement
- ^ Super Channel and IMG Media announce programming agreement
- ^ Allarco licence application
- ^ FX Canada announces programming highlights Digital Home 2011-10-11
- ^ Dynamic programming slate unveiled for premier specialty channel FX Canada, launching Oct. 31 Channel Canada 2011-10-11
External links [edit]
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