CMT (Canadian TV channel): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|CountryTelevision musicchannel televisionformerly channelfocused on country music}}

| logo = CMT 2017Canada 2015 logo.pngsvg

| owner = [[BellCorus MediaEntertainment]] (brand90%, licensingmanaging frompartner)<br />[[Paramount Networks Americas]] (10%)

| former_names = New Country Network (1995–19961995–96)<br />Country Music Television (1996–2006)

| sister_channels = [[CTVW Comedy ChannelNetwork]]<br>[[MuchABC (TV channel)|MuchSpark]]<br>[[MTVShowcase (Canadian TV channel)|MTV]]<br>[[Crave (TV network)|CraveShowcase]]

| website = {{urlURL|cmt.ca}}

'''CMT''' is a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] [[English language]] [[Discretionary service|discretionary]] [[specialty channel]] owned as a by[[joint venture]] between [[BellCorus MediaEntertainment]] with(which owns a licensingcontrolling agreement90% frominterest) and [[Paramount Networks Americas]] (which owns the remaining 10%), owners of the flagship [[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]] channel in the United States. Originally an ad-supported network, it transitioned to premium, non-commercial operation when it was transferred to Bell, but allowed it to operate multiplex feeds (similar to [[Crave (TV network)|Crave]]).

As with its U.S. counterpart, CMT previously devoted a large amount of its programming to [[country music]], with such programming as music videos and concert specials. Over time, the channel shifted its focus towards family-oriented general entertainment such as [[Sitcom|sitcomssitcom]]s, to the point where music programming was eventually axed in August 2017.

It is one of threetwo Paramount-branded channels that are owned by BellCorus; the companies also partner on [[MTVNickelodeon (Canadian TV channel)|MTV]] and [[MTV2 (Canadian TV channel)|MTV2Nickelodeon]] (which areis wholly owned by BellCorus).

In June 1994, the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) licensed a series of new Canadian specialty television channels; among the ones whose licence was granted was '''The Country Network''', whose programming provisions required it to primarily feature country [[music video]]s (a minimum of 90%). The licence was granted to a partnership between [[Maclean-Hunter]] (which owned 60% majority control) and [[Rawlco Communications]] (which owned the remaining 40%).<ref name="Original Decision">{{cite web| title=Decision CRTC 94-284|publisher=CRTC|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1994/DB94-284.HTM|date=1994-06-06|access-date=January 19, 2009|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607165937/http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1994/DB94-284.HTM|url-status=live}}</ref>

At this time, the CRTC had a policy that if a Canadian specialty service was licensed and that service's format was competitive with a foreign service's format that was licensed to operate in Canada, the foreign service could be dropped from the list of channels eligible for cable carriage in Canada.<ref name="Original Decision"/> Due to Country Music Television's competitive format, the CRTC terminated CMT's eligibility rights in Canada as a foreign service on June 6, 1994.<ref name="Inc.1994">{{cite bookmagazine|author=Larry LeBlanc|title=A Breakthrough Year for Canadian Acts|workmagazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53|date=24 December 1994|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=53–|issn=0006-2510|access-date=December 14, 2016|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119173149/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53|url-status=live}}</ref> Television distributors such as cable and satellite television operators could continue distributing Country Music Television until The Country Network began operations.<ref name="Original Decision"/>

In March 1994, one year before the channel's launch, Maclean-Hunter had been purchased by [[Rogers Communications]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/09/business/the-media-business-canadian-media-giants-to-merge.html?src=pm THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Canadian Media Giants to Merge] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307031258/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/09/business/the-media-business-canadian-media-giants-to-merge.html?src=pm |date=March 7, 2016 }} The New York Times 1994-03-09</ref>

On January 1, 1995, the channel launched as '''New Country Network''' (NCN). On that date, Canadian pay television service providers were not allowed to offer Country Music Television.<ref name="TS 2">{{cite web| title=U.S. country TV drops Canadian videos|publisher=Toronto Star|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/21197606.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+10%2C+1995&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=U.S.+country+TV+drops+Canadian+videos&pqatl=google|date=1995-01-10|access-date=July 5, 2017|archive-date=November 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108013933/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/21197606.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+10,+1995&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=U.S.+country+TV+drops+Canadian+videos&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> In retaliation for being barred from Canada, the U.S. service launched a complaint under the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] and ceased carriage of videos by Canadian artists without major U.S. record deals.<ref name="CNN Money">{{cite web| title=TRUCE DECLARED IN THE CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC WAR|publisher=CNN|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/08/21/205389/index.htm|date=1995-08-21|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=May 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521124623/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/08/21/205389/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

After months of negotiations, the matter was settled when it was announced that [[CBS Cable]], then owners of CMT, would purchase a minority stake in the service. NCN was relaunched as CMT on OctoberSeptember 3114, 1996.<ref>RPM Magazine - September 16th 1996 [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/90s/1996/RPM-1996-09-16.pdf]</ref><ref name="CNN Money"/> The majority interest was acquired by [[Shaw Communications]] at the same time; it was later included in the spinoff of the broadcasting assets then owned by Shaw as [[Corus Entertainment]] in 1999. The controversy also resulted in an effective change to CRTC policy – if a foreign channel is already available in Canada and a new Canadian equivalent is subsequently licensed, cable providers are no longer required to drop the foreign service.

These programming changes took effect on August 28, 2017, when CMT dropped all country music video programming from its schedule. The change in programming was widely criticized by stakeholders in Canada's country music industry, due to the loss of what had been a major promotional platform for Canadian performers; Corus stated that it would still promote Canadian country music through its other platforms (including its country music [[Corus Radio|radio stations]] and some [[Global Television Network|Global]] programming).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2017/08/23/cmt-giving-boot-country-music|title=CMT Is Giving The Boot To Country Music|date=2017-08-23|work=FYIMusicNews|access-date=2017-08-30|language=en|archive-date=August 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830234704/http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2017/08/23/cmt-giving-boot-country-music|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite newsmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7942069/canadas-country-music-television-to-stop-playing-music-videos|title=Canada's Country Music Television To Stop Playing Music Videos|workmagazine=Billboard|access-date=2017-08-30}}</ref> This change left Canada without a country music related channel until 2019|archive-20, when rival broadcaster [[Stingraydate=August Group]] launched [[Stingray Country]] across most major and select minor TV providers across Canada. Meanwhile30, the channel's U2017|archive-url=https://web.Sarchive. counterpart would continue with both its org/web/20170830073306/http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7942069/canadas-country -music-television-to-stop-playing-music-videos|url-status=live}}</ref> lineup.

{{As of|August 2023}}, CMT's current programming consists primarily of acquired sitcoms, talkdramas shows,(specifically game''[[Degrassi: showsThe Next Generation]]''), reality shows, and lifestyle programming, alongsome withof which are reruns of Canadian-produced series sourced from Corus' sister networks to fulfill [[Canadian content]] obligations. InIt additionno tolonger showsoriginates sourcedany fromoriginal programming of its U.S counterpartown, CMTnor previouslydoes producedit itsair ownany original programming (suchemanating asfrom ''[[Karaokethe StarAmerican Jr.]]'',CMT ''[[Torichannel &such Dean:as Cabinthe Fever]]'', & ''[[TheCMT WilkinsonsMusic (TV series)|The WilkinsonsAwards]]''), with(which theremains muchavailable ofto channel'smost countryCanadian music-relatedcable programmingsubscribers hosted bythrough [[PaulCBS]] McGuire (television hostaffiliates)|Paul McGuire]].

* Nicola Jones (was at [[CHCH-DT|CHCH]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Ontario]]) - now deceased (October 2014<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fragomeni|first=Carmela|date=October 21, 2014|title=Remembering CHCH's Nicola Jones|language=en|work=The Hamilton Spectator|url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2014/10/21/remembering-chch-s-nicola-jones.html|access-date=2021-08-25|issn=1189-9417|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825213452/https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2014/10/21/remembering-chch-s-nicola-jones.html|url-status=live}}</ref>)

[[Category:Analog cableCable television networkschannels in Canada]]