The "success" of the new digital and specialty Canadian
TV channels approved last Friday by the Canadian Radio and
Telecom Commission (CRTC) (see THE DAILY, 11/27) "will be
determined by their ability to sell their vision and
strategy to the cable channels for carriage, and ultimately
the consumer," according to William Houston of the Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL. Category 2 channels approved include must
still work out carriage deals, and sports channels permitted
by the CRTC included, E-Sports, which will show features and
information on athletes; three hockey channels; TSN2;
Sports2; and The Baseball Channel. Houston writes that one
"trend to watch" in the growth of digital channels is
leagues "circumventing traditional broadcasters by
establishing their own channels." For example, the
application for one of the Category 2 hockey channels came
from NHL VP/Hockey Operations Jim Gregory. The NHL,
"through Gregory, is pursuing the development of its own
channel" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/28). Meanwhile, Maple Leaf
Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Richard Peddie
"doesn't rule out carrying" AHL St. John's Maple Leafs games
"or even" Maple Leafs games on the newly-approved Maple
Leafs channel "in the future" (TORONTO STAR, 11/28).