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Super Channel (Canadian TV channel)

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This article is about the present-day Canadian premium channel owned by Allarco Entertainment. For the pay cable service in Western Canada formerly called Super Channel from 1983 to 1984 and 1989 to 2001, see Movie Central.
Super Channel
CountryCanada
HeadquartersEdmonton, Alberta
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerAllarco Entertainment[1]

Super Channel is a Canadian English language Category A premium cable and satellite television channel that is owned by Charles and Peter Allard through Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc. Super Channel's programming primarily includes theatrically released, first to television motion pictures and television series, along with documentaries and concerts. All programming is unedited and commercial free.

The current Super Channel service was launched in 2007, and is not affiliated with the two pre-existing English-language premium channels which used the name at various times prior to 2001, which were later known as Movie Central (in Western Canada; defunct since March 2016) and The Movie Network (in Eastern Canada, and operating nationally since March 2016). The Allards were the original owners of what was last known as Movie Central, and later re-acquired rights to the Superchannel trademark. Prior to 2016, Super Channel was the only general-interest English-language pay television service authorized to operate nationally. (Officially, Family Channel is also a national pay television channel, but that service operates as a de facto basic tier specialty channel in most areas.)

Super Channel is available on nearly all major cable and satellite providers including Telus Optik TV, Bell TV, Shaw Direct, Access Communications, Cogeco, Rogers Cable, Shaw Cable, Eastlink and other providers. 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.

History

Allarco was one of four applicants for new pay television licences that were considered at a public hearing held by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on October 24, 2005.[2] Its competing applicants 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.[3]
  • The Canadian Film Channel, proposed by Channel Zero Inc. It proposed to broadcast 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.[4]
  • Spotlight Television, to be controlled by George Burger, a former executive at Alliance Television, and professional 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.[5] 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 October 2008 under the auspices of TMN/MC.[6]

The Allarco application was approved on May 18, 2006, while the other three applicants were rejected.[7]

The Allard family were also the original owners of Movie Central, which during their stewardship until 2001 was known as "Superchannel", rendered as a single word title unlike the current service (for a time in the 1980s, First Choice (now 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.[8]

Super Channel was launched on November 2, 2007 on Bell TV as a six-channel service. Super Channel's parent company, Allarco Entertainment, entered into the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act on June 18, 2009.[9] On August 31, 2010, its creditors unanimously approved a restructuring plan for the company under the act. The restructuring plan, which needed approval of the court,[10] was later approved.

Channels

List of channels

Depending on the service provider, Super Channel provides up to eight multiplex channels – four 24-hour multiplex channels, all of which are simulcast in both standard definition and high definition – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service (Super Channel On Demand). Super Channel broadcasts its primary and multiplex channels on an Eastern Time Zone schedule, operating a singular feed for all channels, this results in the difference in local airtimes for a particular movie or program between two geographic locations being three hours at most.

Channel Description and programming
Super Channel 1 The flagship feed; this channel carries general interest movies, television series, documentaries and concerts.
Super Channel 2 This channel focuses on a diverse selection of movies, series and documentaries.
Super Channel 3 This channel focuses on documentaries, film festival selections, world cinema, comedy films and television series.
Super Channel 4 This channel features television series, documentaries, and movie titles including weekly horror double bills.

Other services

Super Channel HD

Super Channel HD is a high definition simulcast feed of Super Channel that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. In addition to its main channel, Super Channel also operates high definition simulcast feeds of all three multiplex channels. Initially, Allarco launched two 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 feed of the same name, while Super Channel HD 2 initially aired programming from the three remaining SD feeds. In February 2013, Allarco launched HD feeds for the remaining channels, Super Channel 3 and Super Channel 4, with each HD channel now simulcasting their standard definition equivalent.

Super Channel On Demand

Super Channel operates a subscription video-on-demand television service called Super Channel on Demand, which is available at no additional charge to new and existing subscribers of Super Channel. Content featured on the service includes movies, acquired foreign series and special features previously seen on the linear television network. Super Channel On Demand's rotating program selection incorporates select new titles that are added each Friday, alongside existing program titles held over from the previous one to two weeks. Super Channel On Demand launched in February 2008, on Cogeco Cable systems in Ontario. It is available nationally by satellite providers Shaw Direct and Bell TV, and regionally by cable providers Rogers Cable, Access Communications, Cogeco, Novus, Shaw Cable, Westman Communications, Source Cable, EastLink and Vidéotron, and IPTV providers Telus TV, Bell Aliant TV, Bell Fibe TV, MTS TV and SaskTel.

Programming

Super Channel has positioned itself as a complementary service to The Movie Network and, formerly, Movie Central. The channel offers a diverse selection of television series, theatrically released and first to television movies [11] and niche programming. Its lineup includes various top American series as well as international series, primarily from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Programming also includes critically acclaimed documentaries, concerts, and foreign films. [12]

The network has program supply deals with Starz, Channel 4, and Maple Pictures.[13][14] Unlike The Movie Network and Movie Central, Super Channel has pledged to reinvest 100% of its profits in funding Canadian programming.[15][16]

List of programs broadcast by Super Channel

Includes current and past programming.

Original programming

Acquired programming

References

  1. ^ Allarco Entertainment 2008, Inc.
  2. ^ Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2005-6 July 21, 2005
  3. ^ BOOMTV licence applications
  4. ^ TCFC licence application
  5. ^ Spotlight licence application
  6. ^ HBO Canada coming, but with a catch, Grant Robertson, The Globe and Mail, September 23, 2008
  7. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-193, May 18, 2006
  8. ^ Is this a new pay-TV service or a rerun?, Barbara Shecter, National Post, July 30, 2007
  9. ^ Vlessing, Etan (June 18, 2009). "Super Channel files for bankruptcy protection". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ Allarco Entertainment 2008 (Super Channel) plan meets creditors approval, Digital Journal, 31 August 2010
  11. ^ Super Channel Website
  12. ^ Super Channel website
  13. ^ Channel 4 International and Super Channel announce pay TV agreement
  14. ^ Super Channel and IMG Media announce programming agreement
  15. ^ Allarco licence application
  16. ^ Kelly, Brendan (2006-05-18). "Canada switching on new feevee net". Variety. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  17. ^ "Super Channel Announces Start of Production on Original Scripted Comedy Series". Broadcaster, August 19, 2015.
  18. ^ http://www.superchannel.ca/series/episode/16197346/Descendants-of-Darkness-Ep-03
  19. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-12/naruto-film-on-canada's-ytv-anime-on-super-channel
  20. ^ FX Canada announces programming highlights Digital Home 2011-10-11
  21. ^ Dynamic programming slate unveiled for premier specialty channel FX Canada, launching Oct. 31 Channel Canada 2011-10-11
  22. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-12/naruto-film-on-canada's-ytv-anime-on-super-channel
  23. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-12/naruto-film-on-canada's-ytv-anime-on-super-channel
  24. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-12/naruto-film-on-canada's-ytv-anime-on-super-channel
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