Source : National Post

CTV Inc. is launching MTV in Canada on Mar. 21, replacing a specialty channel known as talktv -- despite objections from CHUM Ltd., which dominates the youth music airwaves in Canada with its MuchMusic channels.

CHUM complained to the federal broadcast regulator in December, stating concerns the MTV alliance would cause CTV to stray from talktv's emphasis on talk and lifestyle shows.

But CTV executives told the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that music videos and clips will not be shown on MTV, and the network will adhere to the original programming promises it made when talktv went on the air in 1996.

Those include a commitment to about 70% Canadian content.

By converting an established analogue channel, CTV will immediately make MTV available to about 4.4 million homes.

Until last year, MTV in the United States was in partnership with Alberta's Craig Media Inc., but the partnership ended shortly after Craig was bought by CHUM. Under Craig, MTV Canada operated as a digital channel that cable and satellite TV distributors were not obliged to carry.

MuchMusic continues to dominate music broadcasting in Canada, with seven million subscribers through cable and satellite, an executive from CHUM said recently.

It is a closely guarded franchise. When Craig was running MTV Canada, CHUM complained to the CRTC about what was being aired on MTV Canada and expressed concerns the U.S. channel was exerting control over the Canadian channel.

Before those disputes, CHUM had a friendly relationship with MTV in the United States, and bought popular programming from the music broadcasting giant, which also produces reality shows.

A Toronto-based media analyst, who spoke on condition his name not be used, said CTV will have a difficult time damaging CHUM's music and youth franchise if it cannot air music video programming on MTV.

However, a source close to CTV said the network plans to use its association with MTV to roll out content on other platforms such as cellphones. Unlike television, fledgling cellphone and iPod broadcasts aren't regulated in Canada.

According to CTV, the company has exclusive access to MTV's digital media assets in Canada, including online, wireless, interactive and video-on-demand.
 
© National Post