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| Pridevision Announces Expansion and the Launch of a New Gay Channel |
| Posted
on Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 08:40 PM |
Starting in mid-March under new ownership, PrideVision will launch a new channel called OUTtv. On that date, the current premium channel PrideVision now commonly referred to by most cable/satellite operators as HARD on PrideVision will see its hard core gay adult content expanded to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. OUTtv will also launch on that date -- without any hard-core adult programming -- and will be a 24/7 GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) category 1 lifestyle channel that will be offered with other digital channels in packages or on an ‘a la carte’ basis.
The newly named OUTtv, the world’s first GLBT television network was recently issued a category 1 license by the CRTC and therefore must be sold in a package as well as an ‘a la carte’ basis. Since OUTtv is mandatory carriage, all Class 1 and 2 digital cable and satellite providers must make OUTtv available no less favourably than other Category 1 services such as TechTV, Mystery and TravelTV.
Both channels will be available to Rogers Digital Cable customers starting in mid-March per agreements signed last week.
“PrideVision needed to divide into two channels due to high demand and the tremendously broad range of programming to serve the GLBT communities better,” says Bill Craig, the new President of both OUTtv and HARD on PrideVision. “Because OUTtv will have dramatically increased reach through package distribution, it will substantially increase relevant programming for the GLBT community and will include daily live news, event coverage and call-in programming currently not available on any other mainstream channel.”
The recent move to the state-of-the-art broadcast facility at Stornoway Communications allows OUTtv access to a modern studio with the ability to handle multiple viewer phone calls and other interactive services. As there was a strong dichotomy in the gay community between ‘adult’ erotica and non- explicit content, all hard-core adult programming will be removed from OUTtv but will continue with HARD on PrideVision featuring a newly expanded slate of gay adult programming not currently available anywhere else in Canada.
About OUTtv
Owned by 6166954 Canada Inc, which is a private consortium that was brought together to purchase PrideVision from Headline Media Group. Shareholders include independent television production companies such as Re:Source Media headed by Kevin Fox and Peace Point Entertainment Group Inc., headed by Les Tomlin, president, and co-executive producer of GLBT travel series, BUMP! Another new shareholder with a substantial presence in Canada is Pink Triangle Press, the country’s largest and longest running gay and lesbian media group, a not-for-profit organization that has been a driving force in the gay and lesbian community for over 30 years. As one of the world’s first gay publishers PTP has a long history of speaking across and expanding borders for gays and lesbians. With its award-winning Xtra! gay and lesbian community newspapers in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, PTP boasts a national readership of over 175,000. Shareholder and president Bill Craig is a long-time television veteran who built and operated three regional sports networks in the U.S. owned by Fox and NBC/General Electric as well he was a staff member of the CRTC.
OUTtv is a digital specialty network providing programming of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (“GLBT”) community and GLBT-positive viewers across Canada. Originally launched in September 2001, it is the world’s first GLBT network to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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