DIGITAL SPECIALTY CHANNELS BEGIN JOINT PROMOTION
By Adnews Staff
A group of Canadian television service providers and digital broadcasters have begun promoting a joint programming, marketing and distribution initiative called "31 Days of Great TV." During the month of January, approximately 40 digital specialty channels will be available for free to viewers capable of receiving them. The purpose of the endevour is to raise awareness of these channels and to encourage Canadians to subscribe to them. Media companies participating in the program include Alliance Atlantis Communications, CanWest MediaWorks, CBC, CHUM Television, Corus Entertainment and CTV. Participating television carriers include Bell ExpressVu, Star Choice, Cogeco, Rogers, Shaw, Videotron and others. The offer is being promoted with print and television advertising. The creative was produced in-house by staff from the participating firms. The media will likewise be drawn from properties owned by these companies. Television advertising began on Wednesday on some channels and will continue to roll-out for several days. The print campaign will begin next week in CanWest newspapers. A Web site for the initiative has also been constructed at <http://www.greattv.ca>. Approximately four million Canadian homes are capable of receiving digital channels, according to the program's organizers.