Category 1 specialty channel

A Category 1 specialty channel is a Canadian specialty television channel which, as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, must be carried by all digital cable and direct broadcast satellite providers that have the capability to do so. Canadian content levels on Category 1 channels are required to be at a minimum of 50 percent.

Like older specialty television services licensed prior to digital channel capacity expansion, Category 1 channels are protected as to format. They have been licensed to broadcast within defined formats which are not provided by or overly close to existing protected channels, and Category 1 formats are protected themselves from close direct competition from Category 2 channels, the junior category of digital channels which was introduced at the same time.

It is expected that, henceforth, most or all new Canadian specialty channels will be licensed as Category 2 channels.

Category 1 channels

* ARGENT
* The Biography Channel
* bold
* BookTelevision
* Discovery Health
* documentary
* FashionTelevisionChannel
* G4techTV Canada
* ichannel
* IFC
* mentv
* MTV2
* Mystère
* Mystery TV
*
* OUTtv
* RIS
* travel + escape

Defunct Category 1 channels

* WTSN, one of the original Category 1 licensees, ceased broadcasting on September 23, 2003 for financial reasons.

Category 1 channels that were never launched

* Perfecto, La Chaîne - was the licence for a French language digital channel with programming related to fashion and design. It was owned by Astral Media and CHUM Limited with each company owning 50%.
* Télé Ha! Ha! - as the licence for a French language digital channel with programming related to comedy and humour. It was owned by Groupe TVA (60.2%), Les Films Rozon (19.9%) and BCE Média (19.9%).

ee also

* List of Canadian specialty channels
* List of Canadian television channels

External links

* [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2000/DB2000-449%20to%20469.htm CRTC list of all 21 original category 1 licensees]