Razer
Encyclopedia
MTV2 is a Canadian
English language
Category A specialty channel
. MTV2 is a lifestyle and general entertainment channel aimed at youth and teen audiences, airing a mix of music video programs, drama, comedies, talk shows and more.
MTV2 is owned by Bell Media, with the MTV2 name licensed from the American service MTV2
, which is owned by MTV Networks
, a division of Viacom
.
's MuchMusic
.
Nonetheless, in August 2001, Craig Media announced that it had reached an agreement with MTV Networks
to license programming and the MTV
brand in Canada for the channel, prompting a pre-launch name change to MTV Canada. Prior to the channel's launch, Craig purchased TD Capital Group's interest in the channel and it launched on October 18, 2001. Shortly after, Craig sold a minority interest in the service to MTV Networks. MTV Canada aired a mix of Canadian made programs, including Pepsi Breakout
and MTV Select
, as well as American MTV shows such as TRL
and The Real World
.
CHUM soon filed complaints with the CRTC, arguing that MTV Canada was violating its conditions of licence, exceeding its limit of 10 per cent music videos, becoming a direct competitor to MuchMusic. Craig was later forced to make changes to reduce its percentage of music-related programming.
However, these changes were soon rendered moot as Craig was acquired by CHUM Limited
on December 1, 2004, prompting MTV Networks to exercise its right, due to a clause in its contract, to terminate the licensing agreement with Craig if a change in control were to happen. CHUM was required to pay $10 million CAD in licensing fees to MTV Networks for the time remaining in their contract. The contract termination also meant that MTV Networks was no longer able to retain interest the channel channel.
On June 9, 2005 CHUM announced it would rebrand the channel as Razer, a change that took effect on June 30 of that year. Later in the year, Bell Globemedia
(later CTVglobemedia) struck a licensing agreement with MTV Networks to launch its own MTV channel (previously known as talktv) in early 2006.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia
announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD
, including its interest in Razer. The sale, also needing approval from the CRTC, was approved on June 8, 2007, with the transaction completed on June 22.
On August 1, 2008, Razer was relaunched as MTV2
. Unlike Canada's previous MTV2 (now PunchMuch
), of which the vast majority was music videos, the new channel became much closer in format to its U.S. counterpart; in fact, due to quirks in their respective licences, it airs significantly more music programming than the current main MTV channel in Canada.
Ownership changed hands once again when on September 10, 2010, BCE (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of $3.2 billion CAD. The deal which required CRTC approval, was approved on March 7, 2011 and closed on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Category A specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
. MTV2 is a lifestyle and general entertainment channel aimed at youth and teen audiences, airing a mix of music video programs, drama, comedies, talk shows and more.
MTV2 is owned by Bell Media, with the MTV2 name licensed from the American service MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, which is owned by MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
, a division of Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
.
History
On November 24, 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced the licensees of the new, much-sought after, category 1 digital services. Craig Media, in partnership with TD Capital Group Ltd, was granted a licence for a youth lifestyle service known as Connect. One of the licence's conditions was that the channel could not devote more than 10 per cent of its schedule to the airing of music videos, in order to avoid direct competition with, at the time, CHUM LimitedCHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
's MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
.
Nonetheless, in August 2001, Craig Media announced that it had reached an agreement with MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
to license programming and the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
brand in Canada for the channel, prompting a pre-launch name change to MTV Canada. Prior to the channel's launch, Craig purchased TD Capital Group's interest in the channel and it launched on October 18, 2001. Shortly after, Craig sold a minority interest in the service to MTV Networks. MTV Canada aired a mix of Canadian made programs, including Pepsi Breakout
Pepsi Breakout
Pepsi Breakout was a Canadian television series broadcast on A-Channel, MTV Canada, and Toronto One. The show was made up of concert and backstage footage of a Canadian band filmed by fans in attendance who are given digital camcorders....
and MTV Select
MTV Select
MTV Select was a television program airing weekday afternoons on MTV across Europe launched in 1997...
, as well as American MTV shows such as TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
and The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
.
CHUM soon filed complaints with the CRTC, arguing that MTV Canada was violating its conditions of licence, exceeding its limit of 10 per cent music videos, becoming a direct competitor to MuchMusic. Craig was later forced to make changes to reduce its percentage of music-related programming.
However, these changes were soon rendered moot as Craig was acquired by CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
on December 1, 2004, prompting MTV Networks to exercise its right, due to a clause in its contract, to terminate the licensing agreement with Craig if a change in control were to happen. CHUM was required to pay $10 million CAD in licensing fees to MTV Networks for the time remaining in their contract. The contract termination also meant that MTV Networks was no longer able to retain interest the channel channel.
On June 9, 2005 CHUM announced it would rebrand the channel as Razer, a change that took effect on June 30 of that year. Later in the year, Bell Globemedia
Bell Globemedia
Bell Media is the mass media subsidiary of BCE . Its operations include television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , Digital Media, and Internet properties.Bell Media is the successor-in-interest to Baton Broadcasting...
(later CTVglobemedia) struck a licensing agreement with MTV Networks to launch its own MTV channel (previously known as talktv) in early 2006.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, including its interest in Razer. The sale, also needing approval from the CRTC, was approved on June 8, 2007, with the transaction completed on June 22.
On August 1, 2008, Razer was relaunched as MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. Unlike Canada's previous MTV2 (now PunchMuch
PunchMuch
Juicebox is a Canadian English language Category B music video specialty channel owned by Bell Media.Juicebox is a commercial-free service that broadcasts music videos aimed at kids, specifically, pre-teens...
), of which the vast majority was music videos, the new channel became much closer in format to its U.S. counterpart; in fact, due to quirks in their respective licences, it airs significantly more music programming than the current main MTV channel in Canada.
Ownership changed hands once again when on September 10, 2010, BCE (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of $3.2 billion CAD. The deal which required CRTC approval, was approved on March 7, 2011 and closed on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.
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