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W Network (often referred to only as W) is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. W Network broadcasts lifestyle and entertainment programming aimed at women. The channel is available in two time shifted feeds, East (operating from the Eastern Time Zone) and West (operating from the Pacific Time Zone). ==History== In June 1994, Linda Rankin, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated, (later incorporated as Lifestyle Television (1994) Limited, principally owned by Moffat Communications) was granted a television broadcasting licence by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to operate a channel called ''Lifestyle Television'', described as offering "information and entertainment programming of particular interest to women."〔(Decision CRTC 94-282 ) CRTC 1994-06-04〕 The channel subsequently launched on January 1, 1995 as Women's Television Network (WTN).〔(Has WTN gone too soft? (Does anyone really mind?) ) ''Herizons'' 1997-03-22〕 Like Moffat's other cable television operations, WTN was headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Linda Rankin served as the president of the network from its launch. Programming on the network was originally largely focused on lifestyle programming that many had suggested was "feminist" in nature.〔 Such programming included female takes on traditionally male-dominated activities such as fishing and mechanics, with ''Natural Angler'' and ''Car Care'', respectively. While other programs, such as ''Go Girl!'', took a comedic approach at parodying typical female-targeted talk shows that discussed subjects such as beauty, fashion, etc.〔Taddeo, Julie Anne, and Ken Dvorak. ''The Tube Has Spoken: Reality TV & History''. University Press of Kentucky. Print〕 Other programs included films, current affairs, and occasionally sports. The channel suffered from low ratings in the beginning. Of the slew of new channels launched on January 1, WTN was initially the lowest rated channel on average.〔(Special Report: TV Specialty Services: New nets get qualified thumbs up ) Strategy Magazine 1995-10-02〕〔(LIPSTICK IMPERIALISM AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER: WOMEN AND MEDIA AT THE CLOSE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ) United Nations' Division for the Advancement of Women & Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development December 1995〕 Linda Rankin later resigned in August 1995 citing "differences in management philosophy".〔(Rankin departs WTN ) Playback Magazine 1995-08-28〕 In December 2000, Shaw Communications announced it intended to purchase Moffat.〔(Cabler Shaw nabs Moffat ) Variety 2000-12-10〕 The deal was later closed in early 2001. Shaw announced in March 2001 that it would sell WTN to Corus Entertainment, a company that it spun off in 1999, for $205 million CAD.〔(Corus buying WTN, selling Family Channel ) CTV 2001-03-06〕 Once Corus took ownership of the channel, it moved operations from Winnipeg to Toronto in mid-January 2002, laying off 50 employees in the process.〔(Corus uproots WTN to Toronto, lays off 50 ) Playback Magazine 2001-11-26〕 Subsequently, Corus relaunched the network as "W" on April 15, 2002 with a more entertainment-oriented mix of recent dramas and movies. On the same date, Corus launched the west coast feed.〔(Corus Entertainment To Launch W, A Revitalized Women’s Television Network ) Channel Canada 2002-06-30〕 In 2009, Corus Entertainment acquired SexTV: The Channel from CTVglobemedia, and relaunched the channel as ''W Movies'' on March 1, 2010, a 24-hour film-focused spinoff channel of W Network.〔"(Corus shuttering Discovery Kids, will re-brand Sex TV and Drive-In Classics channels )", ''CARTT.ca'', September 29, 2009〕 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「W Network」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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