|
Super Channel is a Canadian English language Category A premium cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the Allard family through Allarco Entertainment 2008, Inc. Super Channel's programming primarily includes theatrically released motion pictures and original television series, along with boxing and mixed martial arts matches, and occasional stand-up comedy specials. 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 are now known as Movie Central (in Western Canada) and The Movie Network (in Eastern Canada). The Allards were the original owners of what is now Movie Central, and later re-acquired rights to the Superchannel trademark. Unlike these two regional services, Super Channel is authorized to operate across Canada, making it the country's only national general-interest pay television service (in legal technicalities, it is also one of two national pay television services in Canada, alongside Family Channel, although 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.〔(Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2005-6 ) July 21, 2005〕 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.〔(BOOMTV licence applications )〕 * 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.〔(TCFC licence application )〕 * 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.〔(Spotlight licence application )〕 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.〔(HBO Canada coming, but with a catch ), Grant Robertson, ''The Globe and Mail'', September 23, 2008〕 The Allarco application was approved on May 18, 2006, while the other three applicants were rejected.〔(Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-193 ), May 18, 2006〕 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.〔(Is this a new pay-TV service or a rerun? ), Barbara Shecter, ''National Post'', July 30, 2007〕 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. 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,〔(Allarco Entertainment 2008 (Super Channel) plan meets creditors approval ), Digital Journal, 31 August 2010〕 was later approved. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Super Channel (Canada)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|