CALGARY – This week, Shaw Communications removed four channels, BBC Kids, Court TV Canada, Discovery Kids and TV Land Canada from the channel lineups on Shaw Digital Cable and satellite service Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice).
CTVglobemedia owns TV Land Canada and Court TV and while TV Land was carried only by Shaw Direct, Court TV was carried on cable and satellite.
Canwest-owned BBC Kids was carried by cable and satellite, too, and Corus Entertainment’s Discovery Kids was just available on Shaw Direct.
All three programmers confirmed that the channels have either already been removed, or are about to be. Each are category two digital specialties.
Sources at each of the companies say they were not given reasons for the distribution losses, but Shaw Direct is telling customers it is to make way for new high definition channels.
According to CRTC documents, BBC Kids lost $1 million in 2008 (broadcast year ended August 31), on $4.4 million in revenue and nearly two million subscribers; Discovery Kids earned a profit of $407,000 in 2008 on revenue of $3.74 million and just over a million subscribers.
As for the CTVgm properties, CourtTV posted a $1.6 million profit in the 2008 broadcast year (ended August 31st) on revenue of almost $4.9 million and 1.13 million subs. TV Land Canada saw a profit of $350,000 on $3.12 million in revenue and just over a million subscribers.
Sources at all three broadcasters indicated their ongoing support for the channels, in spite of the distribution losses.
– Greg O’Brien
