OutTV (Canadian TV channel)

OutTV (stylized OUTtv) is a Canadian English language specialty channel that was launched on September 2001. It broadcasts general entertainment and lifestyle programming aimed at the LGBT community.

"OutTV" redirects here. For the Netherlands-based international counterpart, see OutTV (European TV channel).
OutTV
LaunchedSeptember 7, 2001 (2001-09-07)
Owned byOUTtv Media Global Inc.
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersVancouver, British Columbia
Formerly calledPrideVision TV (2001–2004)
HARD on PrideVision (2004–2005)
Sister channel(s)OutTV (European TV channel)
Websiteouttv.ca
Availability
Satellite
Bell Satellite TVChannel 609 (SD)
Shaw DirectChannel 574 (SD)
Cable
Available on most cable systemsChannel slots vary on each provider
IPTV
Bell Aliant Fibe TVChannel 249 (SD)
Bell Fibe TVChannel 1609 (HD)
Bell MTSChannel 295 (SD)
Channel 1295 (HD)
Optik TVChannel 347 (SD)
Channel 9347 (HD)
SaskTelChannel 108 (SD)
Channel 408 (HD)
VMediaChannel 269 (SD)
ZazeenChannel 137 (SD)

The network is owned by OUTtv Media Global Inc., majority owned (51%) by Ronald N. Stern through OM Acquisitions.

History

As PrideVision
Logo as PrideVision TV used from 2001 to 2004.

The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as PrideVision TV. Owned by Headline Media Group, it was Canada's first 24-hour cable television channel targeted at LGBT audiences.[1] It was also the second LGBT-focused channel to be established in the world, after the Gay Cable Network in the U.S., which shut down in 2001. PrideVision TV was one of 21 digital specialty services that were granted a Category 1 license by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on November 24, 2000; all digital cable and direct broadcast satellite providers would be obliged to carry the network in their lineup. Headline Media Group owned 70.1% of the licence, while Alliance Atlantis owned the remaining interest.[2] In February 2001, before the channel was launched, Alliance Atlantis sold its entire interest in the licence to Headline Media Group, which became the sole owner of the licence.[3]

The network launched with a lineup of lifestyle and general entertainment programming, consisting of dramas, comedies, feature films, documentaries and talk shows during the day and in prime time, as well as pornographic films nightly after 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

As PrideVision, the channel maintained a national advisory committee to provide input and feedback on the station's programming and its effectiveness at serving LGBT communities.[4] The committee included businessman and activist Jim Deva, Outlooks publisher Roy Heale, Egale Canada executive director John Fisher, Suzanne Girard of Divers/Cité, Carmela Laurignano of Evanov Communications, Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray, Toronto city councillor Kyle Rae, Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto pastor Brent Hawkes, Ruby Hamilton of PFLAG and Halifax businesswoman Shelley Taylor.[4]

Carriage difficulties

PrideVision had considerable difficulty building an audience in its early years, due primarily to its pornographic programming: the network did not have a timeshift channel for the west coast, which led to PrideVision's adult content airing as early as 9:00 p.m. in the Pacific Time Zone. As such, the channel was marketed by many television providers as a standalone, premium service adult channel, rather than in a bundle with other specialty services, considerably reducing the number of potential subscribers. The channel also faced particular resistance from Shaw Cable, the largest cable television provider in Western Canada, which was accused of constraining the availability of PrideVision during the channel's first few months in operation. During a three-month long free preview period that was mandated by the CRTC to help launch the slate of new digital specialty channels that had launched at that time, Shaw customers who tuned to PrideVision were prompted with a screen and had to navigate through various others to ultimately come to the conclusion that they were to be charged a 1¢ fee to view the channel. This process would have to repeated every time a customer turned back to PrideVision, including the 1¢ fee.[5] This process was not required for any other similarly-licensed specialty channel. PrideVision took its concerns to the CRTC, who sided with the network and ordered Shaw to properly offer a free preview of PrideVision to its customers.[6]

Mounting issues with distribution, disputes with television service providers, slow growth among digital channels as a whole among the industry,[7] and faced with criticisms of providing a weak mix of programming,[8] PrideVision was losing a considerable amount of money. The channel's subscriber base grew much more slowly than expected, with only roughly 20,000 subscribers by the end of 2002[9][10] compared to channels such as IFC, which had over 520,000 subscribers in the same time period.[10] To help grow its subscriber base, PrideVision offered another free preview period to its distributors, and launched an advertising campaign comparing this business situation to impotency. Many in the gay community interpreted this as the company blaming them for the channel's problems, although the owners denied this.[8] Despite this, PrideVision's subscriptions did increase slowly. In an effort to reduce its losses, staff at PrideVision were cut from 25 to 10,[9] most of its original programming was dropped, and the street-level studio on Church Street in Toronto was closed in December 2002.[11]

Sale, split, and re-launch as OutTV

On December 3, 2003, Headline Media Group announced that it was selling a majority interest in PrideVision to 6166954 Canada, Inc., a consortium led by broadcaster William Craig. Craig would own the majority share in the company and act as managing partner, while Pink Triangle Press and various other independent production companies and investors held minority stakes. Headline Media retained a minority stake in the company.[12] The transaction was finalized later in 2004.

In September 2004, 6166954 Canada submitted an application to the CRTC for a new premium service, which would be devoted to gay adult programming.[13] In November, PrideVision expanded its adult programming—now branded as Hard on PrideVision—into primetime (from 9:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. Eastern Time), in preparation for the expansion of the block into a 24-hour service, alongside a non-adult network tentatively named "Glow TV".[14]

Logo as Hard on PrideVision used from 2001 to 2004.

In February 2005, it was officially announced that PrideVision would drop its adult programming and re-launch as OutTV in March 2005, alongside the launch of the new channel known as Hard on PrideVision. Its license was approved on March 4, 2005.[15] Craig explained that the split was necessary for multiple reasons: the removal of adult programming would make OutTV more attractive to television providers and improve its distribution, and the narrower focus would allow the two networks to expand their lineups with more programming of interest to the LGBT community.[16]

Logo as OUTtv used from 2005 to 2008.

Hard on PrideVision was expected to launch on April 7, 2005, but the launch was delayed to April 12 due to difficulties gaining carriage. Concurrently with the official launch of Hard, PrideVision was re-branded as OutTV, with a 24-hour lineup of general entertainment and lifestyle programming. Even with the launch of Hard and the removal of all adult content from the newly renamed OutTV, the channel was still facing resistance from Shaw Communications and its national satellite television service, Star Choice. Both distributors wanted to continue packaging OutTV as a standalone premium service rather than a general interest specialty channel, which most other major television providers had done.[17] OutTV filed a complaint with the CRTC; however, the parties settled their disagreement before the matter was taken to a hearing before the CRTC and had agreed on a packaging deal. A similar deal was made with Bell later that year.[18]

Acquisition by Shavick Entertainment
Logo as OUTtv used from 2008 to July 1, 2012.

On July 19, 2006, Shavick Entertainment, a film and television producer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced it would acquire the majority interest in both OutTV and Hard on PrideVision from William Craig. Shavick also announced plans to rename OutTV, upgrade the technology infrastructure, and provide a wider variety of programming to the channel. Shavick listed its Hollywood-based partner Regent Studios, owners of American LGBT channel here!, as a major content provider to the channel.[19]

In 2008, the channel ended its long-standing dispute with Shaw Cable, securing an agreement that would see the channel marketed and distributed in the same package as other Category A digital channels.[20]

On December 3, 2009, the CRTC approved an application that would see HardTV sold and spun off into its own company, 4510810 Canada Inc., a company owned by Pink Triangle Press (55%) and Peace Point Entertainment (45%). The transaction closed at a later date.

On May 23, 2012, OutTV announced that it had passed 1 million subscribers, and would launch a High definition feed on July 2, 2012. Concurrently, the network also introduced a new logo and refreshed on-air branding.[21] The HD simulcast feed was launched on July 2, and the new website was launched on January 17, 2013.

In December 2012, Shavick Entertainment purchased Pink Triangle Press's 24.94% interest and Peace Point Entertainment Group's 15% interest in the channel.[22]

Under Shavick's management, the channel has seen significant increases in its subscriber base, going from just 185,000 subscribers when they first purchased the channel[23] to over 1.2 million today.[24] The channel's improved ratings have been driven most significantly by the hit reality series RuPaul's Drag Race,[25] although the channel has also seen ratings success with Sex & Violence, an original drama series created by Canadian film director Thom Fitzgerald.[26] A nationwide free preview period in March 2014 saw the network achieve fully 300 per cent higher ratings than the same month in the previous year,[25] and led to a rise in new subscriptions in the months following the preview.

In 2013, the channel applied to the CRTC to have its Canadian content commitment reduced from 49 to 35 per cent of revenues.[27] According to chief operations officer Brad Danks, the library of viable LGBT-themed Canadian programming is limited enough that the channel has sometimes had to rely on repeat airings of programming from other networks, such as the talk shows 1 Girl 5 Gays and Steven & Chris, on "not obviously gay" programs such as The New Addams Family, and on overscheduling multiple airings of the same programming, to meet its licensing obligations.[27]

OutTV is also a partner with Wolfe Video in GayDirect, a premium subscription channel for LGBT content on YouTube.[24]

Acquisition by Ronald N. Stern

In November 2016, the CRTC approved the sale of the channel from Shavick Entertainment and the other minority owners to a new company, OM Acquisition. OM is owned and controlled by Ronald N. Stern, who is also president of Stern Partners, a conglomerate whose other holdings include a share in the Winnipeg Free Press. It was revealed through CRTC filings that the new owners intend to purchase additional channels, including international channels, and launch an online streaming service.[28] Media reports revealed on January 11, 2017 noted that the agreement to purchase the channel closed in December 2016 and that the new owners of OUTtv will shift focus from the specialty channel to its online subscription service, OUTtvGO. Citing positive audience trends for adopting online television services and sagging cable subscription numbers, the television service is expected to close at a later date, however, the company revealed that the channel will remain on the air until at least 2020.[29] The agreement was later modified to include minority owners, James Shavick, Bradly Danks, Phillip Webb, and other minority owners at 2%.[30]

Programming
Main article: List of programs broadcast by OUTtv

OutTV's programming includes both original Canadian content and rebroadcasts of LGBT-interest programming originating on other networks, as well as programs purchased from the American networks Logo and Here!, and from broadcasters in the United Kingdom and Australia.

The channel receives its highest ratings overall for the Canadian airings of RuPaul's Drag Race.[25] During some RuPaul's Drag Race seasons, the channel also produced its own short series of weekly commentaries on the program, hosted by Richard Ryder in character as drag queen Wilma Fingerdoo.[31] Notably, OutTV still broadcasts the Drag Race backstage aftershow Untucked,[30] which was dropped from Logo's schedule in 2015 and now airs in the United States after Drag Race on VH1. The channel also aired RuPaul's Drag Race UK, airing day-and-date with their domestic premieres.

In June 2019, OutTV and Bell Media's Crave announced that they had co-commissioned a Canadian version of RuPaul's Drag Race, Canada's Drag Race.[32] The series was originally announced as airing on both services,[33] although to date it has not actually aired on OutTV despite having premiered on Crave in July 2020.

As of 2017, the channel continues to air reruns of the North American version of Queer as Folk. Despite the show's LGBT themes, however, it aired on Showcase rather than OutTV during its original run in the early 2000s.

International distribution

In mid-2006, OutTV ventured into its first international market when it reached a deal with SelecTV to distribute the network on its lineup in Australia through a package called "CurveTV". However, in early 2007, OutTV and the CurveTV package was discontinued due to a low number of subscriptions.

On April 4, 2008, a European version of OutTV initially launched in the Netherlands through a licensing agreement with the newly formed Dutch company, OUTTV Media Group.[34] In the years since the Dutch channel was launched, the channel had launched in several additional countries including Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Luxembourg, and Austria, while also launching in Israel through a similarly-branded channel called PRIDEtv in 2019.[35] Although the channel was initially launched through a licensing deal, it is unknown whether that relationship currently stands, as the programming and branding remain separate other than the name, and all references to eachother's networks have been removed from each networks respective websites.

OUTtv launched as a month long experimental pop-up channel, from October 4 to November 4, 2018, on MultiChoice's DStv in South Africa.[36]

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References
  1. "PrideVision TV: Canada's GLBT Television Station". lesbianlife.about.com. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
  2. Decision CRTC 2000-456; CRTC; 2000-12-14
  3. Decision CRTC 2001-54; CRTC; 2001-02-09
  4. "National advisory council to guide PrideVision programming". Broadcaster, February 18, 2002.
  5. Struggle for your TV set Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine; Xtra!; 2001-10-04
  6. CRTC Rules In Favor Of Gay-themed Channel; AllBusiness.com; 2001-10-02
  7. "Digital channels inching towards profits". Playbackonline.ca.
  8. Gays Snub Pridevision; Windy City Times; 2003-04-23
  9. "PrideVision & prejudice". www.diversitywatch.ryerson.ca. Archived from the original on 2005-12-28. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
  10. "2002-2006 Individual Pay, PPV, VOD, and Specialty Services Financial Records" (PDF). CRTC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-01. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  11. PrideVision shutters studio; Playback Magazine; 2002-12-19
  12. Headline Media Group sells PrideVision to Bill Craig Archived 2008-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; Channel Canada; 2003-12-09
  13. "Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2004-6-2". CRTC. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  14. "PrideVision changing its format in preparation of new adult-only channel". Press release. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  15. "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2005-89". CRTC. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  16. "Pridevision Announces Expansion and the Launch of a New Gay Channel". Press release. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  17. OUTtv hearing; Playback Magazine; 2005-05-23
  18. OUTtv settles with Shaw; Playback Magazine; 2005-08-01
  19. Shavick Entertainment Acquires OUTtv; Canada's Must-Carry Gay & Lesbian Television Network to be Expanded and Upgraded by Leading Production Company; BNET; 2006-07-19
  20. "Shaw moves OUTtv down the dial". The Globe and Mail, December 15, 2008.
  21. OUTtv Brand Refresh | Unveils New Logo | Launches HD Services | Reaches 1 Million Subscribers | New Website OUTtv press release 2012-05-23
  22. Shavick increases stake in OUTtv from 52 to 95% Archived 2013-01-15 at Archive.today Cartt.ca 2012-12-19
  23. "Owners brought gay TV network from bland to just fabulous". Vancouver Sun, July 3, 2008.
  24. "Gay-and-lesbian TV channel goes global". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 2013.
  25. "OUTtv triples AMA ratings during free preview". Media in Canada, June 2, 2014.
  26. "More Sex and Violence on OUTtv". Mediacaster Magazine. Business Information Group. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  27. "Stuck on the gay CanCon TV treadmill". National Post, May 4, 2013.
  28. CRTC Application Number 2016-0958-8; Approved Date 2016-11-25
  29. "OUTtv joins the Netflix generation". Daily Xtra, January 11, 2017.
  30. "New owners, CEO for Canadian LGBT net". TBI Vision, January 12, 2017.
  31. "Richard Ryder brings his comedy to Ottawa". Daily Xtra, March 27, 2013.
  32. Ritchie, Kevin (2019-06-27). "A Canadian version of RuPaul's Drag Race is happening". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  33. "Crave's Drag Race Canada on starting line". C21media. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  34. OUTtv Signs Licensing Deal to Create the Netherlands` First Gay Lifestyle Television Network Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine; Echelon Magazine; 2008-04-24
  35. NETTA LAUNCHES PRIDEtv IN ISRAEL, OUTTV Media press release, 06-14-2019
  36. "OUTtv is coming to Mzansi". Independent Online, September 4, 2018.
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