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Family Channel (Canadian TV channel)

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For other uses, see The Family Channel.
Family Channel
CountryCanada
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerDHX Media

Family Channel,[1] branded as Family (stylized family) since 1999, is a Canadian English-language Category A cable and satellite television channel that is owned by DHX Media. Originally positioned as a family-oriented network, by the late 1990s, Family had shifted its focus towards a predominantly youth audience, catering towards children and teenagers between 8 and 14 years of age[2] with mainly children's television series, as well as some theatrically released and made-for-television movies targeted towards the demographic.

Although it is licensed as a premium television service, the channel is carried on the basic tiers of most Canadian subscription television providers, and is also carried by Flow Cable in Jamaica[3] and on Cable Bahamas in The Bahamas.[4] Family is headquartered in the Brookfield Place office complex, near the Financial District of Downtown Toronto. It has transmitted from Corus Quay since at least 2014.[5]

As of March 2013, Family Channel is available to approximately 6 million pay television households in Canada;[6] it also has the highest total viewership among Canada's children's television channels.[7] It transmits three feeds: Eastern Time Zone feeds in both standard definition and high definition, and a Pacific Time Zone feed solely in standard definition.

History

Early history

File:Family Channel.svg
Family Channel's original logo, used from 1988 to 1999. The "Channel" font was slightly different from 1997 to 1999.

Family Channel was licensed as a pay television service by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on December 1, 1987; it was originally operated as a joint venture between Allarcom Pay Television Limited (which was later acquired by Western International Communications, whose properties are now owned by Shaw Media - through its take over of Canwest Global - and the rest of WIC properties owned by Corus Entertainment) and First Choice Canadian Communications Corporation (the operators of fellow premium service First Choice, now known as The Movie Network, and by then a division of Astral Communications and now apart of Bell Media), with both companies owning a 50% stake in the service.[8]

The network officially launched on September 1, 1988 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time (in Eastern Canada) and Mountain Time (in Western Canada). During its first decade, Family Channel's programming format during this time mirrored that of then fellow premium service The Disney Channel in the United States, which has served as the primary source of Family's imported American programming since its launch. Family's programming lineup consisted mainly of domestic and foreign-imported live-action and animated series (with many of the imported series produced by The Walt Disney Company's television production units – Walt Disney Television, and eventually Touchstone Television, now ABC Studios), feature films from the Walt Disney Pictures library, classic films from other American and Canadian film studios, and specials (mostly concerts, documentaries and animated specials). At the time of its launch, Family Channel had broadcast for 16½ hours each day, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Eastern and Pacific Time.

Family was originally offered by cable companies as a standalone channel that required an additional monthly subscription fee. In October 1997, most domestic cable and satellite providers started offering the channel as part of a package with that year's wave of new specialty channels. While Family initially continued its "pay" format, including broadcasts of older Disney movies which would be repeated several times a month, it soon changed its programming practices to the point that it now operates as a de facto specialty channel, much like similarly themed channels such as YTV. However, in line with CRTC regulations for premium channels, the channel does not broadcast commercials, and does not interrupt most programs aside from running promotions for its programs and contests underwritten by a sponsor between shows (the latter being the only form of commercial advertising that the network airs).

Rebranding and change in focus

Original version of current logo, used from October 1, 1999 to January 11, 2011.

On October 1, 1999, Family Channel underwent a significant rebranding, introducing a new logo – a lowercase "f" enclosed in a circle – to replace the "paint and sun" design used since the channel's launch. In 2000, Corus Entertainment acquired Western International Communications' stake in the service and subsequently sold it to Astral in 2001. By this point, Family – whose programming had been targeting a broader family audience throughout its schedule, save for some programs targeted mainly at children interspersed within its daytime lineup – began to target a dual audience: kids and teenagers during the daytime, and families at night. Gradually, though, the channel's programming shifted more towards children with feature films being the only family-oriented programming featured on the channel by the mid-2000s.

In February 2007, Family began airing short programs from Disney Channel (such as Disney's Really Short Report, Meet the Family and the Movie Surfers behind-the-scenes segments for Disney-produced films), alongside the channel's own interstitials such as music videos ("FamJam"), contest promotions, and movie interviews produced by now-former corporate sister The Movie Network. On July 1, 2007, Family became the last English-language children's network in Canada to switch to a 24-hour broadcast schedule. On January 11, 2011, Family debuted an updated logo and on-air identity to coincide with the launch of its new high-definition feed.[9]

Sale to DHX Media

On March 4, 2013, following the Competition Bureau's approval of Bell Media's acquisition of Astral Media, Bell announced that it would sell Family and five other channels (Disney Junior English and French, Disney XD, MusiMax and MusiquePlus), in an attempt to relieve concerns surrounding Bell's total market share in English-language television following the merger (Bell's original proposal, which would have included the networks, was rejected by the Bureau in 2012 as it would have given Bell a 42% share of the English television market).[10] Bell filed a new application for the proposed takeover with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on March 6, 2013;[11] the CRTC approved the merger on June 27, 2013,[12] with Family Channel and the other Astral channels that were put up for sale concurrently being placed in a blind trust held by businessman and former Montreal Canadiens president Pierre Boivin, pending their sale to a third-party.[13]

On November 28, 2013, DHX Media announced that it would acquire Family, the two Disney Junior channels, and Disney XD for $170 million. While the Halifax-based company already distributes and produces a large library of children's television series (particularly through its 2012 purchase of the Cookie Jar Group, which gave it ownership of the program libraries of Cinar and DIC Entertainment), the purchase marks DHX's first foray into broadcasting. DHX has indicated that it would leverage its resources and library to add more original, Canadian-produced programming to Family under its ownership.[7][14][15][16][17]

The acquisition of Family Channel and its sister networks by DHX was approved by the CRTC on July 24, 2014.[18][19] Under DHX ownership, the network is subject to new licensing conditions which require that at least 60% of the Canadian programming broadcast by the network on an annual basis be produced by companies other than DHX.[1] The acquisition was finalized on July 31, 2014, with Family and its sister networks becoming part of a newly formed division of the company known as DHX Television.[20]

Loss of Disney Channel programming rights

On April 16, 2015, it was announced that Corus Entertainment had acquired Canadian rights to Disney Channel's programming library, and that it would launch a Canadian version of Disney Channel in September 2015. Corus subsequently launched new Disney Junior and Disney XD channels as well. DHX's programming agreement with Disney ended January 2016.[21]

As a result of these changes, Disney programming was phased out of Family Channel's lineup throughout the remainder of 2015, and its Disney XD and Junior networks were rebranded Family Chrgd, Family Jr., and Télémagino respectively.

New programming launch

Alongside new and original productions, the DHX reached new output deals with AwesomenessTV, Dreamworks Animation, and Mattel in 2015 for programming based on their properties across its networks.[21][22][23][24][25][26]

On June 9, 2015, it was announced that a new incarnation of the Degrassi franchise, Degrassi: Next Class, would move to Family in 2016. The show is produced by Epitome Pictures, whom DHX had acquired in 2014.[27][28] The program premiered on January 4, 2016 alongside a new primetime block known as "F2N". The F2N block is positioned towards an older teenage audience than the "tween" audience that Family has typically targeted; DHX Television senior vice-president Joe Tedesco explained that the company had original series in development for Family in case it ever did lose its output deal with Disney, and that these decisions were based on a goal to build a "strong lineup" of programs, and was not financially motivated. Tedesco went on to explain that the F2N block was meant to create a "meaningful destination" for teens, and in the case of Degrassi—a series that has historically dealt with teen issues, encourage family viewing.[29]

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Family Channel

Family's lineup primarily consists original and imported series aimed at pre-teens and young teenagers, a daytime block of preschool-oriented programs, and a primetime block featuring reruns of sitcoms and other programs aimed at an older teenage audience.[29]

Historically, Family had been the main Canadian outlet for the programming of the U.S. cable network Disney Channel, including its live-action and animated programs, as well as its made-for-TV filmss. Family began to phase out Disney programming in late 2015 following Corus Entertainment's acquisition of exclusive Canadian rights to Disney Channel's programming and associated brands. For a period, the network also aired programming from Disney Channel's spin-off network Disney XD; these programs were phased out following the launch of a local Disney XD channel run by Family in 2012. Family has also acquired and aired programming from other sources, including previous live-action Nickelodeon series, and the Australian series The Elephant Princess). Since the loss of Disney programming, the majority of Family's acquired programming has come from AwesomenessTV, a joint venture of DreamWorks Animation and Hearst Corporation, as part of an output deal with DHX.[29]

Family airs films on Friday and Saturday evenings and on weekend afternoons; they consist of either theatrical releases, or, previously, Disney Channel made-for-TV films. Family commissioned its first original movie, Vacation with Derek, a movie based on the popular original series Life with Derek, which premiered on the channel in June 2010. In addition, Family Channel has also been involved in one other made-for-TV film co-production, the 2010 film 16 Wishes, which was co-produced in association with Disney Channel and MarVista Entertainment.

As it is a premium service, Family does not air traditional commercial advertising, nor does it air commercial breaks during most programs. The network does air promotions in between programs, and in some cases during programs, for its own programming and underwritten contests, along with interstitial segments such as FamJam (which airs teen pop music videos), and in the past, selected interstitial segments from Disney Channel U.S., and features on upcoming family films produced by former sister The Movie Network.

Original programming

Past and present original programs produced for Family include: Template:Multicol

Template:Multicol-break

Template:Multicol-end

Upcoming original programming

Template:Multicol

  • Backstage (2016)[36]
  • Savvy (2016)[37]
  • The Wonderful Wayneys[38]

Template:Multicol-end

Programming blocks

Current

  • Family Jr. on Family – features shows targeted at children aged 3–9, that airs Monday to Friday's 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Eastern and Pacific Time. It primarily targets preschoolers as Family's usual target audience of older children and teenagers are in school at that time.
  • F2N – Launched January 4, 2016, this primetime block is aimed at an older teenage audience, anchored by Degrassi: Next Class and 8 series acquisitions from AwesomenessTV.[29][39]

Seasonal

  • Christmas – Family Channel's December schedule usually focuses on Christmas-themed programming, with the title of the branding changing every year. Since 2011, Family has branded its holiday season programming lineup as "Twistmas". The block features various Christmas-themed films (including Disney Channel Original Movies such as The Ultimate Christmas Present, 'Twas the Night, and Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!), along with Christmas episodes of the network's original and imported series.
  • Big Ticket Summer – The network runs summer programming blocks every year with differing themes. Since 2011, Family Channel has branded its summer programming lineup as "Big Ticket Summer". This block airs during the months of July and August to take advantage of the largest possible children's audience, and features new episodes of Family Channel series that premiere on Friday evenings. The channel also runs "stacks" or mini-marathons of a certain show throughout the day that leads into a new episode of that program. Interstitial segments aired between shows include the "Big Ticket Summer Playlist," featuring music video playlists of popular songs from major artists. At the end of each summer, Family holds the "Big Ticket Summer Concert," a tour featuring popular artists and music groups from the United States and Canada (in 2014, the concerts were held in Toronto, Halifax, and Edmonton. In 2015, the concerts were held in Abbotsford, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto and St. John's.

Former

Family Jr.

Main article: Family Jr.

Family Jr. is a multiplex service of Family Channel that features programs aimed at a preschool audience. It originally launched on November 30, 2007 as the Playhouse Disney Channel,[42] and was re-launched as Disney Junior on May 6, 2011, following the launch of the brand in the United States earlier that year.[43] On September 18, 2015, due to Corus Entertainment's acquisition of rights to Disney's children's programming and brands, the channel was re-branded as Family Jr.[44][45]

Because Family is licensed as a premium service, which allows for the addition of multiplex channels that are consistent with the programming requirements designated by the network's licence, no additional licence was required to launch the service. Existing subscribers of Family are automatically eligible to receive Family Jr. free of charge, subject to carriage by their television service provider; however, it is not available on a standalone basis. The use of Family's existing licence also allows the service to compete with the preschooler-targeted specialty channel, Treehouse TV, despite the format protection guidelines for specialty channels enforced by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. This is so, because Family's nature of service is to broadcast programming targeted toward "youth to age 17," in which case, a preschool audience would qualify.[46]

A French-language version of the channel, now known as Télémagino, was launched on July 5, 2010 as Playhouse Disney Télé; it also changed its name to Disney Junior on May 6, 2011 to coincide with the rebranding of the English channel. Unlike the English-language Family Jr., Télémagino operates under a separate Category B license.

Family Chrgd

Main article: Family Chrgd

Family Chrgd (pronounced "charged", stylized Family CHRGD) is a Category 2 digital cable and satellite television channel as a spin-off of Family Channel that features programs aimed towards children aged 6–12.[47] It originally launched on June 1, 2011 as Disney XD.[48] Its future lineup will feature new seasons of its original slate, in addition to new shows produced by DHX subsidiaries and other studios (such as the aforementioned Fangbone!), as well as new program supply agreements with Mattel.[45] The re-branding took effect on October 9, 2015.[47] Unlike Family Channel, Family Jr., and Télémagino, Family Chrgd operates as an advertiser-supported service.

Other services

  • Family HD – On January 11, 2011, Family Channel launched Family HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast of the East Coast standard definition feed.[9] Most of the channel's original programs as well as Disney Channel-produced programs produced from 2009 onward are produced and broadcast in HD, along with feature films, Disney Channel original movies made after 2005 and select episodes, films and series produced before 2009.
  • Family OnDemand – Family OnDemand is the channel's video on demand service that is available to subscribers of the channel at no extra cost; it features select episodes of original series produced by Family Channel, as well as original programming supplied by Disney Channel, which provides the vast majority of the American program content on the linear Family channel. Disney Junior On Demand, a VOD service for multiplex channel Disney Junior, launched on May 6, 2011.[49]
  • Family Go – Family Go is an app available on the App Store and Google Play store. It is available to subscribers of Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct. It allows streaming of Family Channel shows.

References

  1. ^ a b "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-388". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  2. ^ "About Us". Family.ca. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  3. ^ "Flow Cable channel lineup". Flowjamaica.com. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  4. ^ Cable Bahamas channel lineup Template:Wayback
  5. ^ http://www.corusent.com/home/Corporate/PressReleases/tabid/1697/Default.aspx?Id=2858
  6. ^ "Family Channel | Family Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD Available on Free Preview in March". Newswire.ca. March 1, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "DHX Media to buy Family, other children's channels". Toronto Star. November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  8. ^ "Decision CRTC 87-905". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
  9. ^ a b "Family Channel turns on new look". Playbackonline.ca. January 11, 2011.
  10. ^ "BCE takeover of Astral OK'd by Competition Bureau". The Montreal Gazette (via The Canadian Press). March 4, 2013. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  11. ^ "Astral and Bell Comment on New Acquisition Application to CRTC". Broadcaster Magazine. March 6, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "CRTC approves Bell-Astral merger". CBC News. June 27, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  13. ^ "Canadian Kids Comedy Hits iTunes Before TV, But Not in Canada - UPDATED". MediaCaster Magazine. July 10, 2013.
  14. ^ "DHX to acquire Family Channel, three others from Bell Media". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  15. ^ Etan Vlessing (August 20, 2012). "DHX Media expands by buying Cookie Jar Entertainment". KidScreen. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  16. ^ Steve Clarke (August 20, 2012). "DHX grabs Cookie Jar: Canuck kids' entertainment companies combine". Chicago Tribune (via Variety. Retrieved December 26, 2012. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  17. ^ "DHX Media receives CRTC approval on $170M acquisition of Family Channel and three other children's channels". DHX Media. July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Etan Vessing (July 24, 2014). "DHX Media approved for Family Channel takeover". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  19. ^ "DHX Media closes Family Channel acquisition and announces management changes". Canada Newswire. July 31, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  20. ^ a b "Corus Entertainment snaps up Disney content from DHX Media, plans to launch Disney channel in Canada". Financial Post. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  21. ^ "DHX to Bring AwesomenessTV Shows to Canadian Television". Variety. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  22. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Inks Strategic Content Pact With DHX Media". Deadline.com. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  23. ^ "DHX MEDIA TO EXTEND FAMILY CHANNEL BRAND, FEATURE NEW AND ORIGINAL CONTENT". DHX Media. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  24. ^ "DHX-Disney Divorce Almost Done". Cartt.ca. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  25. ^ "Corus gains Canadian rights to Disney Channel content". The Globe and Mail. Canadian Press. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  26. ^ "DHX Media buys Degrassi TV studio". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  27. ^ "Degrassi: Next Class to debut on Family Channel, Netflix". CBC News. June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  28. ^ a b c d Vlessing, Etan. "Why Family is going to be just fine without Disney". Cartt.ca. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  29. ^ Ginger Bertrand (July 12, 2012). "Principal photography starts on THE NEXT STEP a new tween drama from Temple Street Productions for Family Channel". Astral. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  30. ^ "Try It". Family. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  31. ^ http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1176555/family-channel-disney-junior-and-disney-xd-partner-to-promote-active-lifestyles-during-healthy-me-week
  32. ^ "IT'S NOT OVER! DEGRASSI: NEXT CLASS DEBUTS ON FAMILY CHANNEL IN JANUARY 2016". DHX Media. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  33. ^ "Temple Street Productions and DHX Television Announce Principal Photography on New Tween Drama The Music Room (Working Title)". DHX Media. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  34. ^ "Family Channel Orders The Music Room From Temple Street Productions and the Creator of the Network's Hit Series The Next Step". DHX Media. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  35. ^ a b "Family Channel heads Backstage". Kidscreen. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  36. ^ http://kidscreen.com/2015/09/22/canadas-family-channel-gets-savvy-with-tween-girls/
  37. ^ "DHX's Family greenlights The Wonderful Wayneys". Kidscreen. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  38. ^ "'Degrassi: Next Class' Creator Talks Switch to Netflix: "That's Where the Kids Are"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  39. ^ "Disney". Channels in portofolio. Inner Consulting Group. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  40. ^ "Radio Disney brings more music to Family.ca". Article.wn.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  41. ^ "Playhouse Disney splashes out for Canuck launch". KidScreen. November 1, 2007.
  42. ^ "Disney Junior launches May 6 with new programs and a nod to Classic Disney Characters and Magic". Canada Newswire. March 3, 2011.
  43. ^ "DHX Television's Rebranded Family Jr. and Télémagino Networks Revealed Today" (Press release). DHX Media. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  44. ^ a b Dickson, Jeremy (August 21, 2015). "DHX TV reveals fall skeds for rebranded channels". Kid Screen. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  45. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-386". Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. Retrieved November 28, 2002.
  46. ^ a b "DHX Television's Family Chrgd to Go to Air". October 7, 2015.
  47. ^ "Astral Launches Disney XD June 1, 2011 - Kids' Specialty Channel and Multi-Platform Brand to Debut Across Canada". Canada Newswire. March 11, 2011.
  48. ^ "Disney Junior On Demand". Disneyjunior.ca. August 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
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