 | |
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) 480i (SDTV/4:3 letterbox) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Québecor Média TVA Group (51%) Sun Media (49%) |
| History | |
| Launched | April 18, 2011 |
| Replaced | "Sun TV" (CKXT-DT) |
| Closed | February 13, 2015[1] |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Conservatism in Canada |
|---|
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Sun News Network (commonly shortened to Sun News) was a Canadian English language Category C news channel owned by Québecor Média through a partnership between two of its subsidiaries, TVA Group (which maintained 51% majority ownership of the company) and Sun Media Corporation (which held the remaining 49% interest).[2][3] The channel was launched on April 18, 2011 in standard and high definition[4] and shut down February 13, 2015.[1] It operated under a Category 2 (later classified as Category C) licence granted by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in November 2010,[5][6] after the network aborted a highly publicized attempt for a Category 1 licence (later classified as Category A) that would have given it mandatory access on digital cable and satellite providers across Canada.
Sun News was distributed by most major cable and satellite providers across Canada[7] but was included in channel tiers subscribed by only 40% of all Canadian households (5.1 million homes with a pay television subscription).[8] Quebecor had sought wider distribution for Sun News since its launch,[9] most notably making an unsuccessful request for mandatory carriage on basic cable and satellite tiers in 2013.[10] Sun News was simulcast on CKXT-DT (channel 51), a general entertainment independent television station based in Toronto (with repeaters in Southern and Eastern Ontario) that was branded as "Sun TV" before it began simulcasting Sun News from the network's launch until Quebecor surrendered the CKXT licence in the fall of 2011.[11] The existence of Sun TV prior to Sun News (and the fact a similar on-screen logo was used for the CKXT venture) has resulted in Sun News sometimes being erroneously referred to as "Sun TV".
The network, known for its right-of centre editorial stance, was plagued with poor viewership: the network reported an average of 8,000 viewers, which was significantly lower than its competitors, CBC News Network and CTV News Channel. This lack of viewership has been attributed in part to failing to gain mandatory carriage, which their competitors enjoyed, by the CRTC.[1] Following failed attempts to sell the network to ZoomerMedia (a company owned by Canadian television executive Moses Znaimer) and Leonard Asper, Sun News Network abruptly signed off on February 13, 2015 at 5:00 a.m. ET.
- ^ a b c "Sun News Network to shut down: sources". CBC News. February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ "Quebecor fires warning shot at all-news networks", from Globe and Mail, June 15, 2010
- ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-882, published 11/26/2010
- ^ "Sun News Network rises today," from torontosun.com, 4/18/2011
- ^ "CRTC gives green light to Sun TV," from The Globe and Mail, November 26, 2010
- ^ "Sun TV’s conservative 24-hour news service gets the green light", Toronto Star, November 26, 2010
- ^ "Find Sun News on Your TV!". Sun News Network. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
- ^ "Sun TV's abandonment of principles is TV comedy gold," from The Globe and Mail, 4/27/2013
- ^ "Sun News Network launches with anchor as Sunshine Girl," from The Globe and Mail, 4/18/2011
- ^ "Sun News Network’s fate unknown after CRTC rejects bid to be carried on basic cable," from Toronto Star, 8/8/2013
- ^ Krashinsky, Susan (August 18, 2011). "Sun News gives up over-the-air licence". Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved August 19, 2011.