ShopTV Canada

2025-02-11T10:07:58Z

2001:569:74E3:4000:7D94:CA51:3E42:D9AA:

{{Infobox television channel
| name = ShopTV Canada
| logo = SHOPTV.png
| logo_caption = '''ShopTV Canada logo'''
| logo_size = 250px
| launch_date = 1996
| closed_date = November 2013
| picture_format = [[480i]] ([[Standard-definition television|SDTV]])
| network =
| owner = [[Torstar|Torstar Media Group Television]]
| country = Canada
| area = National
| headquarters = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| former_names = Direct To You (1996 – 1997)<br>Toronto Star TV (1997 - 2003)
| replaced =
| sister_channels =
| timeshift_service =
| website = [http://www.shoptvcanada.com ShopTV Canada]
| terr_serv_1 =
| terr_chan_1 =
| sat_serv_1 =
| sat_chan_1 =
| sat_serv_2 =
| sat_chan_2 =
| cable_serv_1 =
| cable_chan_1 =
| sat_radio_serv_1 =
| sat_radio_chan_1 =
| adsl serv 1 =
| adsl chan 1 =
| online_serv_1 =
| online_chan_1 =
}}
'''ShopTV Canada''' was a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] [[English language]] [[cable television]] [[direct response television]] shopping service owned by [[Torstar|Torstar Media Group Television]].

==Programming==
ShopTV Canada featured direct response advertising in short and long form with lengths ranging from 30 seconds to 28.5 minutes from a wide range of categories including automotive, beauty & personal care, entertainment, health & fitness, home improvement, and real estate.

One of the more notable infomercials aired on the channel was the [[Magic Bullet (appliance)|Magic Bullet]].

==History==
The channel was launched in 1996<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-590.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-590] CRTC 2010-08-18</ref> by [[Rogers Cable]] under the name ''Direct To You'', with the [[tagline]] ''"The Infomercial Channel"''.

In March 1997, Torstar announced that it would purchase the channel from Rogers Cable for [[Canadian dollar|$]]1.7 million, with the intention of rebranding the channel to align it with the [[Toronto Star]] newspaper, the [[flagship]] brand of Torstar Corporation.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Torstar+Corporation+-+Company+Update.-a019183943 Torstar Corporation - Company Update.] Torstar press release via The Free Library 1997-03-04</ref>

In October 1997, Torstar renamed the network ''Toronto Star TV''. While under the direction of Rogers Cable, the channel exclusively aired [[infomercials]], however, with the name change to Toronto Star TV, Torstar injected news and information into its schedule, blurring the lines between a shopping channel and a news channel. This was done so in an effort to boost subscriptions to the ''Toronto Star'', by offering a glimpse of what readers could expect from the newspaper itself. The channel also began producing in-house infomercial content for third party clients.<ref>[http://strategyonline.ca/1999/08/30/26506-19990830/ TSTV offers sales pitch for Toronto Star] Strategy Magazine 1999-08-30</ref>

In April 2003, Torstar rebranded the network, this time as ''ShopTV Canada'',<ref>[http://tmgtv.ca/mediareleases/030414.php Torstar Media Group Television Launches New Brand] TSMG press release 2003-04-14</ref> in an effort to better reflect the type of programming the channel broadcasts.
[[Image:Toronto StarTV.png|150px|thumb|Logo while under the name '''Toronto Star TV''']]

On November 6, 2013, it was noted that the channel had been shut down either that day or very shortly before. On Rogers' cable systems in the Toronto area (the only providers carrying it at that point), its channel position was replaced for [[digital cable]] customers with a free-preview channel (initially carrying [[Nickelodeon (Canada)|Nickelodeon]]), and was not replaced for analog customers, although its slot is now occupied by [[WGRZ]] Buffalo in some areas.

==Licensing==
ShopTV Canada was classified as a teleshopping service by the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC), and thus, was exempted from requiring a CRTC-issued licence to operate and most other CRTC requirements to which pay TV and specialty channels are subject.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1995/PB95-14.HTM EXEMPTION ORDER RESPECTING TELESHOPPING PROGRAMMING SERVICE UNDERTAKINGS], CRTC, 1995-01-26</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://shoptvcanada.com/ ShopTV Canada]

{{Ontario TV}}
{{Torstar}}

[[Category:English-language television stations in Canada]]
[[Category:Shopping networks in Canada]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2013]]
[[Category:Defunct specialty television channels in Canada]]
[[Category:Torstar]]

Ichannel

2025-02-11T10:05:58Z

2001:569:74E3:4000:7D94:CA51:3E42:D9AA:

{{lowercase title|title=ichannel}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = ichannel
| logo = Ichannel.svg
| logo_caption = '''ichannel logo'''
| logo_size = 150px
| launch_date = September 7, 2001
| closed_date = August 15, 2016
| picture_format = [[480i]] ([[SDTV]])
| network =
| owner = [[Stornoway Communications]]
| country = Canada
| area = National
| headquarters = [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]]
| former_names =
| replaced =
| sister_channels =
| website =
| sat_serv_1 =
| sat_chan_1 =
| sat_serv_2 =
| sat_chan_2 =
| cable_serv_1 =
| cable_chan_1 =
| iptv_serv_1 =
| iptv_chan_1 =
| iptv_serv_2 =
| iptv_chan_2 =
| iptv_serv_3 =
| iptv_chan_3 =
| iptv_serv_4 =
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| iptv_chan_5 =
| iptv_serv_6 =
| iptv_chan_6 =
| iptv_serv_7 =
| iptv_chan_7 =
}}
'''ichannel''' was a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] [[English language|English-language]] [[Category A services|Category A]] [[specialty channel]] owned by [[Stornoway Communications]]. Its programs focused on [[Public affairs programming|public]], social, and [[current affairs (news format)|current affairs]]. Its programming included [[films]], [[documentaries]], and [[talk show]]s.

==History==
[[File:Ichannel original logo.PNG|left|thumb|Original logo used from 2001 - 2004]]
In November 2000, a partnership between [[Stornoway Communications]] and [[Cogeco]] was granted a category 1 television broadcasting licence by the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) called ''The Issues Channel'', described as "a national English-language specialty television service dedicated to public affairs programming, that will examine matters of public interest and concern in an engaging format."<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2000/DB2000-463.htm Decision CRTC 2000-463] CRTC 2000-12-14</ref>

The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as '''ichannel'''.<ref>[http://www.newtechmagazine.com/issues/printer.aspx?aid=1000013950 Stornoway acquires Movieola] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422180950/http://www.newtechmagazine.com/issues/printer.aspx?aid=1000013950 |date=2012-04-22 }} New Technology Magazine 2001-10-03</ref>

In January 2004, the CRTC approved an application for Stornoway to acquire Cogeco's interest in the service.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2004/db2004-2.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-2] CRTC 2004-01-07</ref>

On August 15, 2016, iChannel ceased broadcasting, after Stornoway requested that the CRTC revoke its license “due to the inability to secure sustainable packaging by Canadian BDUs [Beoadcasting Distribution Undertakings].” The station's ad revenues had fallen from $405,966 in 2012 to $78,798 in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Regan |title=Stornoway shutters iChannel |url=https://mediaincanada.com/2016/08/17/stornoway-shutters-ichannel/ |work=Media in Canada |date=August 17, 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[CPAC (TV channel)|CPAC]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Television news in Canada}}

[[Category:Defunct specialty television channels in Canada]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2001]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in Canada]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:2016 disestablishments in Canada]]

{{Canada-tv-station-stub}}

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

ShopTV Canada

Ichannel