Dusk (TV channel)
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Corus Entertainment (51% & managing partner) Shaw Media (49%) |
Dusk (branded as DUSK) was a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment and Shaw Media. Dusk broadcast programming consisting of films, television dramas, and reality TV, and documentary-style television series from the thriller, suspense and supernatural genres.
History
In November 2000, Corus, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated, was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel called HorrorVision, described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty television service designed for Canadian adults 18-49. Programming will consist of horror and thriller movies and series as well as occasional magazine style shows focusing on the genre."[1]
The channel was launched as Scream on September 7, 2001 as a joint venture between Corus Entertainment and Alliance Atlantis. Programming on Scream focused primarily on horror, thriller, and suspense films and television series.
On January 18, 2008,[2] a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners known as CW Media,[3] acquired 49% of Scream through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in a trust in August 2007.[4]
On September 9, 2009, Scream was re-launched as Dusk. With the re-launch, the channel began to focus more on supernatural and suspense programming and less on "gore" in an effort to appeal to a broader viewer demographic, in particular, women.[5]
On October 27, 2010, ownership changed once again as Shaw Communications gained a 49% stake in Scream as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media.[6][7]
On February 10, 2012, Dusk revealed through an announcement via its Twitter and Facebook accounts, that it would be ceasing operations on March 23, 2012.[8][9] A statement later announced on the channel's website stated the channel was being shuttered for strategic reasons in an effort to concentrate on "areas of expertise."[10] Corus has since indicated more specifically, through CRTC filings, that Dusk was discontinued in order to proceed with the launch of ABC Spark, such that Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct could carry the latter while complying with the CRTC's "3:1 ratio" policy (which limits the proportion of specialty channels carried from companies affiliated with a particular service provider).[11]
The last program aired on Dusk was the 1990 film Ghost, which was aired in a 24-hour marathon on March 22; the channel signed off the air at 6:00am ET on March 23, 2012.
References
- ^ Decision CRTC 2000-527 CRTC 2000-12-14
- ^ Canwest Global receives final CRTC approval for acquisition of Alliance Atlantis CNW press release 2008-01-18
- ^ Goldman's happy ending at CanWest The Globe and Mail 2010-05-03
- ^ CanWest Completes Acquisition of Alliance Atlantis Investor Point 2007-08-15
- ^ Scream TV to lose gore after Dusk falls this September Media in Canada 2009-06-26
- ^ Shaw Communications closes purchase of Canwest TV assets, rebrands as Shaw Media
- ^ CRTC approves Shaw’s purchase of the Canwest Global television properties
- ^ Dusk Twitter page
- ^ Dusk Facebook page
- ^ Corus pulls plug on Dusk Cartt.ca 2012-03-27
- ^ Corus Entertainment. "CRTC Application 2012-0197-0 (.zip format)". Retrieved 2012-04-11.