Comedy Gold to be sold to Wow!

[InMontreal]

CRTC Notice of hearing
31 May 2018
Gatineau, Quebec

2. WOW! Unlimited Networks Inc.
Across Canada
Application 2017-1027-8

Application by WOW! Unlimited Networks Inc. (WOW) for authority to acquire from Bell Media Inc. (the vendor) the assets of the national English-language discretionary service known as Comedy Gold.

WOW is also requesting a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the service.
(...)
In the first broadcast year following the acquisition and in each subsequent broadcast year, WOW would devote, by condition of licence, at least 10% of the previous year’s gross annual revenues of the undertaking to the acquisition of or investment in Canadian programming.
(...)
Pursuant to the asset purchase and sale agreement, WOW would purchase the assets of the undertaking for $6,866,892.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-106.htm

That sale was revealed by late october 2017 via a locked Cartt article. See here : http://discuss.channelcanada.com/sho...2653#post72653

[GoLocal]

Because Bell Media owns the Comedy Network brand (of which Comedy Gold is an extension), I'm guessing a rebranding of Comedy Gold will be in order once the sale goes through.

[lostjon]

Because Bell Media owns the Comedy Network brand (of which Comedy Gold is an extension), I'm guessing a rebranding of Comedy Gold will be in order once the sale goes through.

I would think so. Especially if the intention is to convert it into a channel that will compete with the likes of Corus’ kids specialty channels.

From the listings I’ve seen in the meantime, it’s become another dumping ground for reruns of sitcoms now cancelled and that previously aired on Much and Comedy including Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Jim Gaffigan Show and Impastor, along with Everybody Hates Chris and Community. As for CanCon round out the rest of the schedule, there’s Comedy Now, Spun Out and Corner Gas.

Corus should do something similar with Dejaview - either sell it off to another party, rebrand (perhaps a revival of Teletoon Retro?) or shut it down.

[InMontreal]

Corus should do something similar with Dejaview - either sell it off to another party, rebrand (perhaps a revival of Teletoon Retro?) or shut it down.

Bell and Corus could potentially rebroadcast their respective retro channel as an OTA digital sub-channel of the main network.

They're idiots. Their OTA transmitters are under-used.

[ottawasnowdog]

What type of programs does WOW have.

[bigoranget]

Honestly, I have no idea why a company would want to launch another kids channel. Kids don't watch traditional TV that much. I wouldn't be surprised if DHX eventually kills Family Channel, Family Jr and CHRGD. I believe that may be their long term goal. The have licensing agreements with streaming providers like Netflix.

[InMontreal]

Honestly, I have no idea why a company would want to launch another kids channel. Kids don't watch traditional TV that much.

Yeah, poor kids. Back in the 80' on saturday and sunday mornings, conventional networks had programming for kids, cartoons and anime, adventures, and a host to fill the minutes between shows. They also had a cable specialty without much violence and sexism, but also entertaining. The episode ran for 22-25 minutes without or little interruptions, then there were fillers, and move to the next show.

Nowadays, we have a bunch of kids channels, broadcasters just download episodes of shows they bought, put the files in the hard-drives cluster, schedule their respective airtimes in the software, add the same "home cleaning" ads on every commercial breaks, and go home, leaving the system on automatic mode, unattended, no soul...

It's easier and less boring for kids to find stuff on Youtube, Netflix and other apps. PVR shows and skip the commercials, that's for older kids.