The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 2012. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings.
Events
January Date Event2Saskatchewan Communications Network begins carrying entertainment programming from the national schedule of Citytv (owned by Rogers Communications); the network's programming airs under the banner "Citytv on SCN", running daily from 3 p.m.-5:59 a.m. CT. With the move, SCN becomes the second educational cable channel in Canada to offer entertainment programming from a commercial network/system (CTV Two Alberta being the other).Citytv and SCN Sign Affiliate Agreement9The Score Television Network signs an agreement with Fox Sports giving the channel the Canadian television rights to around 250 hours of American collegiate sporting events annually (including rights to college football, basketball and hockey games from the Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA) along with rights to additional programming from Fox Sports Net and Fuel TV.theScore and FOX Sports Channel Sign Collegiate Programming Agreement, Broadcaster Magazine, January 9, 2012.12Rogers Communications launches Sportsnews, a sports-based barker channel initially available on Rogers Cable systems in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.Rogers Launches Sports Cable Service, Broadcaster Magazine, January 12, 2012.13TSN renews its broadcast rights to the Australian Open tennis tournament for ten years through 2021.TSN Secures 10-Year Australian Open Extension , Broadcaster Magazine, January 13, 2012.17Rogers Media announced it would purchase Saskatchewan Communications Network from Bluepoint Investment Corporation, and rebrand the channel as "Citytv Saskatchewan" pending CRTC approval; under Rogers ownership, the channel would continue to carry educational programming from 6 a.m.-2:59 p.m. CT (as per its license as an educational service) and launch an HD simulcast feed.Rogers to buy SCN, launch CityTV Saskatchewan The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved SCN's sale to Rogers Media on June 21.Rogers Media Receives CRTC Approval to Launch Citytv Saskatchewan CNW press release 2012-06-2124CTV Specialty Television rebrands its French-language sports news specialty channel RIS Info Sports as RDS Info.Rogers to buy SCN, launch CityTV Saskatchewan, Broadcaster Magazine, January 24, 2012.25 The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission extends the mandatory basic cable distribution of Pelmorex's weather-oriented specialty channels, English-language The Weather Network and French-language MétéoMédia, to August 31, 2018 (the mandatory distribution term was originally set to run through August 31, 2015).Rogers to buy SCN, launch CityTV Saskatchewan, Broadcaster Magazine, January 25, 2012.
February Date Event21Allarco Entertainment signs a licensing and programming distribution agreement with Starz Media granting Allarco's premium service Super Channel the Canadian broadcast rights to original series produced for and select feature films licensed for broadcast by U.S. premium channel Starz.Super Channel Strikes Licensing Deal with Starz Media, Broadcaster Magazine, February 21, 2012.24Rogers Cable launches NextBox 2.0, allowing subscribers of the Ontario-based cable provider to view recorded television programs on all television sets within the home from a single PVR via a special HD terminal, along with the ability to stream over 20 channels of live television programming on tablet computers within a subscriber's home via a Wi-Fi connection.Rogers Unveils Next Generation TV Technology, Broadcaster Magazine, February 24, 2012.
March Date Event1Rogers Communications signs a carriage agreement with Groupe TVA and Sun Media, allowing Sun News Network, and French-language networks TVA and TVA Sports to be made available on Rogers Cable systems in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.Quebecor and CBC Resolve Dispute, Broadcaster Magazine, March 5, 2012.5Quebecor Media reaches an agreement with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to renew its carriage agreement for five French-language specialty channels operated by Télévision de Radio-Canada (ARTV, Explora, RDI, TV5 Québec Canada and TV5Monde) on its Vidéotron cable systems across Quebec, and allowing the Radio-Canada broadcast network to purchase advertising on different platforms owned by Quebecor.6The CRTC approves a license amendment to allow Viewers Choice to operate as a national service; the pay-per-view television service, owned as a joint venture between Astral Media, CTV Specialty Television Inc. and Rogers Media had been restricted to serve Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces since its 1991 launch.Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-135, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, March 6, 2012.16Astral Media announced an agreement to merge its assets with Bell Media, among them its 18 specialty cable channels (including Family, The Movie Network and Teletoon) and two over-the-air television stations in British Columbia affiliated with CBC Television (CJDC/Dawson Creek and CFTK/Terrace), for $3.38 billion.23Dusk, a Category B specialty channel owned by Shaw Communications and Corus Entertainment, focusing on thriller, suspense and supernatural-themed programming, ends operations after eleven years (the channel originally launched as SCREAM in 2001 to its 2009 rebranding as Dusk).DUSK tv26ABC Spark, a Category B specialty channel (owned by Corus Entertainment) officially debuts, carrying programming primarily from U.S. cable channel ABC Family; the channel "soft launched" three days earlier on March 23.28Explora, a CBC-owned French language Category B specialty channel debuts, featuring science, environment, nature and health programming.30The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announces that the Parliament of Canada will cut its annual budget by 10% (reducing it by $115 million through 2014);CBC to Experience Budget Cut in Federal Budget, Broadcaster Magazine, March 30, 2012 public interest group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting alleges the reduction in funding for the CBC contradicts an election promise by the Conservative Party to maintain or increase funding to the national public broadcaster.Vindictive Cuts Break CBC Promise and Target Canadian Culture, Broadcaster Magazine, March 30, 2012 On April 10, the CBC announced layoffs of 256 positions across its TV and radio services, along with the closures of some overseas news bureaus, and reductions in original programming.Canada’s CBC To Axe Hundreds Of Jobs By July, Deadline Hollywood, April 10, 2012.
April Date Event20During a telecast of CHCH/Hamilton's late-morning newscast, Cogeco and Shaw Cable's transmissions of the independent station were interrupted for around three minutes by an adult specialty channel's broadcast of a hardcore gay porn film. The error, believed to have occurred during cable line repairs, did not affect over-the-air and satellite viewers, and subscribers of other cable and satellite providers.Gay Porn Interrupts Canadian Local TV Newscast, The Hollywood Reporter, April 20, 2012., The National Post, April 20, 2012. 30Fox Sports World Canada, a Category B specialty channel owned by Shaw Media, focusing on international sporting events, ceased operations after eleven years.Fox Sports World Canada Will Shut down April 30Sportsnet announces an agreement with UEFA Europa League securing multimedia broadcast rights to the seasonal matches and the UEFA Europa Cup soccer tournament through the 2014-15 season via the internet and mobile devices as well as television, along with expanded French-language coverage of UEFA matches across digital platforms through an agreement between Sportsnet and TVA Sports.Sportsnet Secures Extension for FA Cup, Broadcaster Magazine, May 4, 2012.
May Date Event3Rogers Media announces its intent to purchase multicultural station CJNT/Montreal from Channel Zero, pending CRTC approval. In tandem with the sale, CJNT began offering programming from Rogers' Citytv and Omni television systems through an affiliation agreement, on June 4, 2012 (CJNT was previously affiliated with the now-defunct CH / E! television system from 2001 to 2009).Citytv expanding into Quebec & Western Canada , CityNews, May 3, 2012. Rogers Media signs a separate long-term affiliation renewal agreement with Jim Pattison Group-owned Citytv affiliates CKPG/Prince George, CFJC/Kamloops and CHAT/Medicine Hat; under the agreement, the three stations' program lineups will follow the scheduling grid of Citytv O&O CKVU/Vancouver effective September 1 and carry 90% of the system's primetime schedule and the majority of its morning and daytime lineup (not accounting breakaways for the station's midday and evening weekday newscasts).Citytv and Pattison Group Sign Affiliate Agreement , Broadcaster Magazine, May 3, 2012.4Sportsnet announces the renewal of its broadcast rights to the FA Cup soccer tournament through the 2017-18 season. The six-year extension also grants multi-platform rights for the broadcasts of up to 59 matches per year via the internet and mobile devices, as well as television.7Shaw Media launches Category B digital specialty channel Nat Geo Wild; the Nat Geo Wild name and logo is in use through a licensing agreement with News Corporation, which also licenses programming and branding to Shaw Media's Canadian version of National Geographic Channel.SHAW MEDIA INVITES VIEWERS TO GET WILDLY CLOSE TO ANIMALS WITH THE LAUNCH OF NAT GEO WILD14Teenage male dance trip Sagkeeng's Finest win the first season of Canada's Got Talent.30Global announces expansions to its O&O stations' local news programming offerings. CIII/Toronto will launch a half-hour noon newscast starting August 27, 2012; CKND/Winnipeg, CFSK/Saskatoon and CFRE/Regina will expand their 10 p.m. newscasts to one hour effective August 20; weekday and Sunday morning newscasts on CHAN/Vancouver, CITV/Edmonton and CICT/Calgary will also be expanded by one hour (to four hours on weekdays and three hours on Sundays) on August 27 and September 2, respectively. CKMI/Montreal and CIHF/Halifax will also debut weekday morning newscasts on January 28, 2013.Global News Boosts Local Programming Across the Country , Broadcaster Magazine, May 30, 2012.
June Date Event7TSN signs a three-year distribution agreement (lasting until 2015) with NBCUniversal Television Canada for the domestic television and radio broadcast rights to the Belmont Stakes.TSN Signs Multi Year Deal for Belmont Stakes, Broadcaster Magazine, June 8, 2012.21Accessible Media launches the Described Video TV Guide, the first audio-described TV listings service for the blind and visually impaired.AMI Launches TV Listing Service for the Blind , Broadcaster Magazine, June 21, 2012.
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