MONTREAL – Bell Canada announced Friday it has completed the acquisition of French-language conventional TV network V and ad-supported VOD service Noovo.ca from Groupe V Média.
“Bell Media has the commitment and resources to invest in French-language content necessary to take V forward, and to bring much-needed consumer choice and competition to Québec’s television sector,” said Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada in the press release.
A legal wrench in the works remains, however, in a possible legal challenge by Quebecor Media of the CRTC decision which allowed Bell Media to purchase V. The company recently signaled to the court it may well dispute the CRTC decision, depending on the reasoning behind the Commission’s approval of the deal. The CRTC will release those reasons this coming week. The Regulator announced its approval of the deal last month but not its full thinking behind it.
“We are thrilled to add the first French-language conventional TV network to our portfolio, providing Québec viewers with expanded opportunities for news and entertainment programming on all platforms,” said Karine Moses, president, Bell Media Québec and Bell’s Quebec vice chair. “We are committed to broadening relationships with viewers, local independent producers, and advertisers. Today is only the beginning, and we look forward to the many more exciting developments to come.”
Bell also announced the reorganization of the company’s French-language original programming teams under Suzane Landry, vice-president, French-language content development and programming.
The company has promoted Mélanie Bhérer to general manager, variety, lifestyle, and documentary, and Sophie Parizeau as general manager, fiction and digital content. V’s Brigitte Vincent is now on board as Bell’s general manager, programming strategies, acquisitions and commercialization. All these appointments are effective immediately.
V’s television stations are in Montréal, Québec City, Saguenay, Sherbrooke, and Trois-Rivières, with affiliate stations in Gatineau, Rivière-du-Loup and Val-d’Or. Noovo.ca is an ad-supported VOD service allows viewers to get the latest entertainment from V including unique video, access to stars, and blog posts.
