The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 2012. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings.
Events
January
Date
Event
2
Saskatchewan Communications Network begins carrying entertainment programming from the national schedule of Citytv (owned by Rogers Communications); the network's programming airs under the banner "Citytv on SCN", running daily from 3 p.m.-5:59 a.m. CT. With the move, SCN becomes the second educational cable channel in Canada to offer entertainment programming from a commercial network/system (CTV Two Alberta being the other).[1]
9
The Score Television Network signs an agreement with Fox Sports giving the channel the Canadian television rights to around 250 hours of U.S. collegiate sporting events annually (including rights to college football, basketball and hockey games from the Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA) along with rights to additional programming from Fox Sports Net and Fuel TV.[2]
TSN renews its broadcast rights to the Australian Open tennis tournament for ten years through 2021.[4]
17
Rogers Media announced it would purchase Saskatchewan Communications Network from Bluepoint Investment Corporation, and rebrand the channel as "Citytv Saskatchewan" pending CRTC approval; under Rogers ownership, the channel would continue to carry educational programming from 6 a.m.-2:59 p.m. CT (as per its license as an educational service) and launch an HD simulcast feed.[5] The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved SCN's sale to Rogers Media on June 21.[6]
Allarco Entertainment signs a licensing and programming distribution agreement with Starz Media granting Allarco's premium service Super Channel the Canadian broadcast rights to original series produced for and select feature films licensed for broadcast by U.S. premium channel Starz.[9]
24
Rogers Cable launches NextBox 2.0, allowing subscribers of the Ontario-based cable provider to view recorded television programs on all television sets within the home from a single PVR via a special HD terminal, along with the ability to stream over 20 channels of live television programming on tablet computers within a subscriber's home via a Wi-Fi connection.[10]
Quebecor Media reaches an agreement with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to renew its carriage agreement for five French-language specialty channels operated by Télévision de Radio-Canada (ARTV, Explora, RDI, TV5 Québec Canada and TV5Monde) on its Vidéotron cable systems across Quebec, and allowing the Radio-Canada broadcast network to purchase advertising on different platforms owned by Quebecor.[11]
Dusk, a Category B specialty channel owned by Shaw Communications and Corus Entertainment, focusing on thriller, suspense and supernatural-themed programming, ends operations after eleven years (the channel originally launched as SCREAM in 2001 to its 2009 rebranding as Dusk).[14]
26
ABC Spark, a Category B specialty channel (owned by Corus Entertainment) officially debuts, carrying programming primarily from U.S. cable channel ABC Family; the channel "soft launched" three days earlier on March 23.[15]
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announces that the Parliament of Canada will cut its annual budget by 10% (reducing it by $115 million through 2014);[17] public interest group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting alleges the reduction in funding for the CBC contradicts an election promise by the Conservative Party to maintain or increase funding to the national public broadcaster.[18] On April 10, the CBC announced layoffs of 256 positions across its TV and radio services, along with the closures of some overseas news bureaus, and reductions in original programming.[19]
April
Date
Event
20
During a telecast of CHCH/Hamilton's late-morning newscast, Cogeco and Shaw Cable's transmissions of the independent station were interrupted for around three minutes by an adult specialty channel's broadcast of a hardcoregay porn film. The error, believed to have occurred during cable line repairs, did not affect over-the-air and satellite viewers, and subscribers of other cable and satellite providers.[20][21]
Sportsnet announces an agreement with UEFA Europa League securing multimedia broadcast rights to the seasonal matches and the UEFA Europa Cup soccer tournament through the 2014-15 season via the internet and mobile devices as well as television, along with expanded French-language coverage of UEFA matches across digital platforms through an agreement between Sportsnet and TVA Sports.[23]
May
Date
Event
3
Rogers Media announces its intent to purchase multicultural stationCJNT/Montreal from Channel Zero, pending CRTC approval. In tandem with the sale, CJNT began offering programming from Rogers' Citytv and Omni television systems through an affiliation agreement, on June 4, 2012 (CJNT was previously affiliated with the now-defunct CH / E! television system from 2001 to 2009).[24]
Rogers Media signs a separate long-term affiliation renewal agreement with Jim Pattison Group-owned Citytv affiliates CKPG/Prince George, CFJC/Kamloops and CHAT/Medicine Hat; under the agreement, the three stations' program lineups will follow the scheduling grid of Citytv O&OCKVU/Vancouver effective September 1 and carry 90% of the system's primetime schedule and the majority of its morning and daytime lineup (not accounting breakaways for the station's midday and evening weekday newscasts).[25]
4
Sportsnet announces the renewal of its broadcast rights to the FA Cup soccer tournament through the 2017-18 season. The six-year extension also grants multi-platform rights for the broadcasts of up to 59 matches per year via the internet and mobile devices, as well as television.[23]
Global announces expansions to its O&O stations' local news programming offerings. CIII/Toronto will launch a half-hour noon newscast starting August 27, 2012; CKND/Winnipeg, CFSK/Saskatoon and CFRE/Regina will expand their 10 p.m. newscasts to one hour effective August 20; weekday and Sunday morning newscasts on CHAN/Vancouver, CITV/Edmonton and CICT/Calgary will also be expanded by one hour (to four hours on weekdays and three hours on Sundays) on August 27 and September 2, respectively. CKMI/Montreal and CIHF/Halifax will also debut weekday morning newscasts on January 28, 2013.[27]
Accessible Media launches the Described Video TV Guide, the first audio-described TV listings service for the blind and visually impaired.[29]
July
Date
Event
4
Corus Entertainment and Astral Media launch a Canadian version of Cartoon Network as a Category B digital specialty channel; the channel follows the same scheduling format as the flagship U.S. channel (owned by Time Warner subsidiary Turner Broadcasting System, with the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim branding in use through a licensing agreement with TBS/Time Warner) programming aimed at children is offered from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. ET and Adult Swim programming aimed at older teenagers and adults aged 16–34 from 9 p.m.-6 a.m. ET.[30][31]
18
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission makes a ruling to phase out the Local Programming Improvement Fund, which was created in 2008 to fund improvements to locally-produced programming on television stations outside of major metropolitan areas during the global recession and the digital television transition, by August 31, 2014. In accordance with the ruling, contributions to the fund will be gradually reduced until it is phaseout is completed, and monthly surcharges imposed by Canadian cable and satellite companies to their customers that were added to the fund will be removed from customers' bills.[32]
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission approves Shaw Media's licence application for a British Columbia-centered 24-hour regional news channel operated by CHAN/Vancouver. The channel (tentatively named Global News: BC 1) is projected for an early 2013 launch.[34] Shaw announced the launch of the channel on January 11.[35]
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation shuts down 620 analog transmitters across Canada that carry programming from its English-language network CBC Television and French-language network Télévision de Radio-Canada.[37] The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications commission granted the CBC's request to revoke the licences for the analog transmitters on July 17.[38]
Government-operated provincial educational broadcaster TVOntario begins the initial phase of the shutdown of its network of 114 analog transmitters across Ontario, with medium and full-powered transmitters ceasing operations in 14 markets.[39]
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission approves a proposal by BCE, Inc. to establish a Broadcasting Accessibility Fund, an independent fund designed to support technological initiatives that would improve access to Canadian television and radio for people with disabilities.[43]
Bell Media and Rogers Media finalize the joint acquisition of a controlling ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (which owns Leafs TV, GolTV and NBA TV Canada).[46] The $1.07 billion purchase, which was announced on December 9, 2011[47] and received CRTC approval on August 16, will have both companies acquire individual stakes in the company totaling 65.5%. Kilmer Sports and BCE Master Trust Fund will each retain the remaining stakes.[48]
25
Rogers Media enters into an agreement to acquire the assets of Score Media (owners of The Score Television Network). In addition to full ownership of The Score network, the acquisition by Rogers also includes a 10% equity interest in Score Media's digital media assets (comprising the network's website and mobile applications, whose ownership will be spun out to Score Media's existing shareholders) as well as ownership of The Score Fighting Series and closed captioning service Voice to Visual, Inc.[49]
27
Through brand licensing agreements with A+E Networks, Shaw Media rebrands two Category B digital specialty channels as Canadian versions of A+E-owned U.S. cable channels: female-targeted Showcase Diva is rebranded as Lifetime, while The Cave relaunches as H2.[50][51]
Rules regarding the volume of television commercials passed by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission go into effect. The rules require Canadian broadcasters and programming distributors to control the loudness of commercials during breaks within television programs through new international standards for measuring and controlling television signals, though it applies only to digital television services (the rules are similar to legislation passed in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission, which will adopt the same international standard by the end of 2012).[53]
Mpix and its multiplex channel MorePix undergo rebranding and name changes to align the two movie channels closely with parent premium service The Movie Network: Mpix is rebranded as The Movie Network Encore, while MorePix becomes The Movie Network Encore 2. TMN Encore 2 and The Movie Network's MFest multiplex channel also launch high-definition simulcast channels, resulting in all of TMN's channels broadcasting their programming in the format.[56]
October
Date
Event
5
CBC/Radio-Canada President and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix is reappointed to a second term.[57]
TSN and Sportsnet each secure Canadian broadcast rights to the Barclays Premier League. The deal with Sportsnet is an extension to a long-standing agreement with the association football league, while TSN's deal is a new agreement to take effect starting with the 2013–14 season in which the league's games will be shared between TSN, RDS and Sportsnet through the 2015–16 season.[59][60]
November
Date
Event
1
Sportsnet strikes a 10-year multiplatform agreement for exclusive national broadcast rights to the British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario Provincial Curling Championships, in which the men's and women's championship events will be available on Sportsnet's linear cable channel, online and through mobile platforms through 2023.[61]
December
Date
Event
1
Channel Zero launched Rewind, a Category B specialty channel which features films from the 1970s and 1980s with a target audience aimed at adults 35 and older. Rewind replaced the Movieolashort film channel on most cable and satellite providers, with Movieola is now existing only as a mobile application domestically and as an online-only channel on the Hulu streaming service in the United States thereafter.[62]
31
Citytv has rebranded to simply City. This change has occurred since October 2012 as a "soft rebrand" when the City stations (CHMI-DT in this case) began to phase in a modified branding, with a new logo consisting of just the name "City", and some promotions using the verbal branding "City Television" instead of Citytv. The change marks the first major alteration to the Citytv brand since its introduction in 1972. The new City branding was launched during its New Year's Eve special.[63]
Series currently listed here have been announced by their respective networks as scheduled to premiere in 2012. Note that shows may be delayed or cancelled by the network between now and their scheduled air dates.
Lead puppeteer for Canadian children's series Fraggle Rock and various Canadian produced specials, as well as various character on American series Sesame Street.
^"Shaw Media to Launch All-News Network in BC". Broadcaster. 11 January 2012. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012. Shaw Media announced today that it has filed an application with the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission for a regional, Global BC-driven all-news specialty channel. Shaw Media is expected to launch B.C.'s first all-news channel by the summer of 2012.
