VisionTV
For the British TV network, see Vision TV Network
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2010) |
| VisionTV | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| VisionTV logo | |
| Launched | September 1, 1988 |
| Owned by | ZoomerMedia |
| Country | Canada |
| Broadcast area | National |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Website | VisionTV |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Bell TV | Channel 261 |
| Shaw Direct | Channel 394 |
| Cable | |
| Available on most Canadian cable systems | Check local listings, channels may vary |
| IPTV | |
| Bell Aliant | Channel 996 |
| Bell Fibe TV | Channel 261 |
| MTS | Channel 20 |
| Optik TV | Channel 156 |
| SaskTel | Channel 23 |
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic.
VisionTV is currently owned by ZoomerMedia, a company controlled by Moses Znaimer. VisionTV's funding comes from cable subscription fees, viewer donations, advertising revenues and the sale of airtime to faith groups.
Contents |
[edit] History and viewership
Licensed in December 1987 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the channel was launched in 1988 and was initially one of Canada's more popular cable channels. However, with the proliferation of new cable channels, and with VisionTV lacking clout with cable carriers due to it being, at the time, owned by a one channel operation owned by a not-for-profit organization rather than a large commercial entity operating many channels, the service has been moved up the dial by carriers and become less available to audiences causing a drop in its viewership. Notably, Rogers Cable's operation in Toronto was criticized in 1997 for moving Vision to Channel 59, rendering it inaccessible to many residents of the city because 59 is the channel most commonly overridden by the lobby camera service in apartment buildings.[1]
Network vice-president Rita Deverell, who hosted interstitial segments between programs, was the network's most prominent on-air personality from its launch until she left in 2002 to work for APTN.
Some evangelical Christian denominations[who?] view the station as liberal in orientation, and thus prefer more evangelically-oriented operations such as the Crossroads Television System (CTS).[citation needed]
The channel was originally operated by a non-profit organization most recently known as S-VOX. In June 2009, S-VOX announced it would sell its broadcasting assets to ZoomerMedia, a company controlled by Moses Znaimer.[2] The sale was approved by the CRTC on March 30, 2010.[3] ZoomerMedia assumed control of S-VOX's broadcasting assets on June 30, 2010. [4]
In December 2010, ZoomerMedia introduced a new logo and on-air identity for the channel with the tagline, "Zoomer Television" (Zoomer being a word coined by Znaimer meaning "boomers with zip"), emphasizing its focus on more general entertainment programming for the 45 and older demographic.
[edit] Programming
VisionTV's programming consists of two programming streams; Mosaic and Cornerstone.
[edit] Mosaic
Its Mosaic block consists of faith related programming representing 75 faith groups within various religious denominations, including Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. While the station sells time to several television evangelists, most of its Christian programming tends to originate from more mainstream denominations such as the United Church of Canada and the Catholic Church.
[edit] Cornerstone
VisionTV's Cornerstone programs include music, feature films, dramas, comedies, documentaries and programming on social issues that explore spirituality, morality, and cultural diversity as well as other general entertainment programming.
The network also sponsors an annual Canadian drama competition, which solicits television series proposals revolving around faith and cultural diversity and then funds a pilot episode for the winning proposal. Two noted Canadian series, Lord Have Mercy! and Da Kink in My Hair, have been developed from pilots commissioned by VisionTV.
[edit] Noted series
[edit] Mosaic series
|
[edit] Cornerstone series
|
Note: This is only a partial list of programs listed as of January 2009.
[edit] References
- ^ Lorna Dueck, "Me TV Bumps God Up The Dial", Crossroads Christian Communications, October 1997.
- ^ VisionTV Board agrees to ZoomerMedia purchase of television properties, VisionTV press release, June 15, 2009
- ^ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-193.htm
- ^ ZoomerMedia Limited Completes Acquisitions and Financing
[edit] External links
- VisionTV
- Broadcaster with Vision profile from For A Change magazine
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
.svg){kind=small}
