Expressvu launching 14 HD services

[xxxx]

from Nimiq 2 @ 82 degrees

HD Channel #'s

186-HDTV(English)
187:HDTV(French)
261:ABC Boston
262:CBS Boston
263:FOX Boston (pretend HD)
264:PBS Boston
265:CITY-TV Toronto
267:ABC Seattle
268:CBS Seattle
269:FOX Seattle (pretend HD)
270:PBS Seattle

Four test channels:- will be renumbered to Movie Central, The Movie Network, + HDPPV's
9001:TEST1
9002:TEST2
9003:TEST3
9004:TEST4

If approved by CRTC; Discovery + HDNets will be added

[dishrich]

Any word on NBC???

[JohnH]

Channel numbers as follows for NBC:

260 NBC east
266 NBC west

Don't know when, but they are assigned to transponders which are on line at 82w along with the others already mentioned.

[urlybird]

News Release at http://www.newswire.ca/releases/March2003/05/c7173.html

Bell ExpressVu to add 76 new channels to its line-up

Company unveils 'Whole new world of entertainment'

TORONTO, March 5 /CNW/ - Bell ExpressVu today announced it will add 76
new channels to its 300 channel line-up this year.
"We're launching a whole new world of entertainment for our customers,"
Timothy McGee, Bell ExpressVu President, told a press conference held in
Toronto and broadcast via live satellite feed to audiences in Vancouver,
Ottawa and Montreal.
"Bell ExpressVu has led the way in choice and value in programming and
we're now building on that offering with more of what Canadians want in their
television - more high definition TV, more interactive TV and more local and
international programming."
Mr. McGee said Bell ExpressVu would add 11 high definition channels to
its line-up, bringing the total to 13 and making the company the leader in
high-definition programming.
Bell ExpressVu is also expanding its conventional digital lineup with 11
new French, 11 new English local channels, 10 Pay per View channels, and 15
new Galaxy Pay Audio channels, as well as three multicultural local channels
and two French specialty channels - Euronews and Paris Premiere.
The expanded service will also see Bell ExpressVu add seven English
specialty channels and an extensive new lineup of international channels,
including Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Polish and Greek programming.
The announcement coincided with the inauguration of Bell ExpressVu's
expanded Toronto Broadcast Center, a highly sophisticated facility
instrumental in delivering programming to Canadians from coast to coast.
On hand with Mr. McGee were special guests Steve and Cathy Tait, Bell
ExpressVu's first customers, who signed up the day it launched on September
10, 1997.
"Our subscriber base has grown to more than 1.3 million customers since
the Taits signed on with us five years ago," Mr. McGee said. "This has
established Bell ExpressVu as the clear leader in satellite television in
Canada."
Bell ExpressVu is also the leader in overall digital television with an
all-digital signal and approximately 38% of the total digital market.
"In five short years, Bell ExpressVu has created 1,500 new jobs, invested
$1.5 billion in building a state-of-the-art digital satellite television
platform, provided customers with 300 crystal clear all digital video and
audio channels wherever they live in Canada and brought choice and competition
to the marketplace," Mr. McGee said.
As a result of the launch of Canadian satellite, 1.1 million Canadians, a
large proportion of whom live in remote and rural areas, have subscribed to
multi-channel television services. Last year, these additional subscribers
contributed more than $300 million in new subscription revenues for Canadian
broadcasters.
In the past five years, subscribers to Canadian satellite have generated
more than $800 million in new subscription and advertising revenues for
Canadian broadcasters, and ExpressVu alone has directly contributed an
additional $75 million to the creation of new Canadian programming through the
Canadian Television Fund and other funds it supports.
"The expanded programming and services we have announced today underscore
our commitment to provide Canadians with choice and great value in their TV
programming. Additionally, they underscore our commitment to the Canadian
broadcasting industry as a whole," Mr. McGee said.
With more than 1.3 million customers, Bell ExpressVu is Canada's leader
in digital home entertainment and broadcasts more than 300 digital video and
audio channels. Bell ExpressVu was launched in September, 1997 and since then
has become the largest direct-to-home satellite company in Canada and the
fastest growing in North America. Bell ExpressVu is a limited partnership,
wholly owned by BCE Inc.


Bell ExpressVu to add 76 new channels to its line-up

Company unveils 'Whole new world of entertainment'


New programming additions to Bell ExpressVu line-up in 2003
-----------------------------------------------------------

1. Local Television Services - 25 channels

- French Language Local TV - 11 channels
- Rivière du Loup (2); TVA - CIMT, TQS - CFTF
- Rouyn-Noranda; TVA- CFEM
- Sherbrooke (3); SRC-CKSH, TQS-CFKS, TVA-CHLT
- Chicoutimi (2); TVA-CJPM, TQS-CFRS
- Rimouski; TVA-CFER
- Quebec City; SRC-CBVT
- Winnipeg; SRC-CBWFT

- English Language Local TV - 11 channels
- Thunder Bay (2); CBC-CKPR, CTV-CHFD
- Kenora; CTV-CJBN
- Winnipeg; A-channel; CHMI (Craig)
- Calgary; A-channel; CKAL(Craig)
- Toronto; Toronto One; (Craig)
- Victoria; CHUM-NewVI
- Medicine Hat; CBC-CHAT
- Prince George; CBC-CKPG
- Peterborough; CHEX (Corus)
- CBC's Northern Artic West

- Multi Cultural Local TV - 3 channels
- Vancouver; Channel M (Multivision Television)
- Montreal; CH Multicultural CJNT(Global)
- Toronto; OMNI.2 (Rogers)

2. Specialty Pay Audio and Pay per View Channels in standard definition

- French Language - 5 channels
- Euronews; (24 hr news service from a European perspective)
- Paris Premiere; (From France - Paris fashion, arts and
entertainment)
- PPV; 3 channels of movies and events

- English Language - 29 channels
- Leafs TV; Sports; programming dedicated to Leaf fans -
documentaries, highlights, pre-season games (Maple Leaf Sports
& Entertainment)
- Galaxie Digital Audio; 15 new individual music genres for
example: Rap, Hip Hop, Smooth Jazz, Opera, Reggae, Latino;
(CBC)
- MTV2; music videos; (Craig)
- Stampede; Western series, movies; (Craig)
- MuchLoud; rock music videos; (Chum)
- Green Channel; environmental programming and issues; (WETV)
- EWTN; global catholic network
- MuchMoreRetro; music videos from the 70's; (Chum)
- PPV; 7 channels of movies and events

- Third Language Services - 6 channels
- ATN B4U; Bollywood movies, broadcast in Hindi
- ATN Alpha Punjabi; Punjabi channel
- ATN Tamil; Dramas, sitcoms, talk shows for the Tamil community
- TV Polonia; Polish programming
- Odyssey 1 and 2; Greek programming

- HD-TV - 13 total channels, 11 new, 2 existing
- CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, PBS from Boston and Seattle
- CITY-TV; Toronto; (Chum)
- Toronto One; (Craig); later this year
- Pay-TV, PPV movies and events in HD-TV





-30-

For further information: Ron MacInnes, Director - Communications,
Bell ExpressVu, (416) 446-2621, rmacinnes@expressvu.com; Nathalie Moreau,
Manager - Communications, Quebec, Bell ExpressVu, (514) 249-2287,
namoreau@expressvu.com

[gpflepsen]

Can I ask this? How are people in the US getting subscriptions to BEV? Feel free to PM me if it's not appropriate to resond here.

update 3/7/03
Thanks for the info guys. If I was starting out without the equipment, I would consider BEV. But as I already have a full compliment of Dish HD hardware, I can't justify buying redundant equipment just for different serial numbers.

[DarrellP]

It's amazing what a DBS company can provide in the way of HD when they don't have to carry every danged local on the planet.

[gawise]

But they do, Blanche, they do! Canadians are a LOT more progressive about who can watch what locals than the US. The US government is TOO much controlled by the NAB and other broadcast groups.

Greg in Baltimore

[Scott Greczkowski]

Canada is wierd. It's government protects the viewers from certain outside content because it does not contain enough Canadian content, however swearing nudity and sex are allowed on regular over the air broadcasts.

Take a look at the Osbornes, here in the USA MTV bleeped out all the bad words, yet when it aired on CTV in Canada (and over the air network) all the swears were left in place.

Hmm now that I think of it, maybe its not Canada thats weird, perhaps the US is wierd. :)

[Darkman]

hehe :)

i never come here :( - JohnH's link brought me here :)

I see quite a discussion brewing, eh? :)

[Ontarian]

Actually, in many ways we are not so progressive as you think. Getting the CRTC to approve distribution of any foreign channel is sometimes like pulling teeth. They will deny any foreign channel that they consider competitive to Canadian channels. To me thats protectionist and I dont like it. Some of the ones that are approved cant event get program rights settled so we dont get them anyway, like TCM and AMC. Oh well. The one thing we dont have any problems with is out-of-market locals, multiple feeds of the U.S. Networks, and superstations.
Content wise, the nudity and foul language thing on OTA television has never been a problem here for some reason, nobody complains about it, similar to whats on in Europe.

[angiodan]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
Canada is wierd. It's government protects the viewers from certain outside content because it does not contain enough Canadian content, however swearing nudity and sex are allowed on regular over the air broadcasts.

Hmm now that I think of it, maybe its not Canada thats weird, perhaps the US is wierd. :)

As a transplanted Canadian, the Canadian content laws drove me crazy. Maybe thats why I love Rush so much, I heard it all the time! The views on nudity and sex were also very wierd. When I was 19 (in the early 80's; man I'm getting up there!), the strip clubs in Ontario had, and still do have, total nudity. Yet in NY state, no such thing. Yet, you couldn't rent a XXX movie anywhere, and there were porno shops and cinemas all over Niagara Falls and Buffalo NY. Needless to say, the strip clubs in Niagara Falls, Ontario were packed with NY plates. :)

Having been in the US for 10 years now, I would like to have some Canadian programming, and have been seriously looking at getting BEV myself. Maybe I'm just getting old and reminiscent, maybe its been seeing Hockey Night in Canada this past year, but if Charlie added a Canadian package to his International lineup, I think he would do well with subscriptions here in the US. Geez, maybe that should be a request for the Charlie Chat!

[PeterB]

The laws are weird up there but they do seem to have more of the public's interests in mind, rather than the broadcasters "rights".

I do notice, though that the US feeds will have some Network programing switched to a Canadian network if its being aired at the same time.

The thing I still dont get is why its Kraft Dinner or (KD) and not macaroni and cheese. :)

[gpflepsen]

Gee, with NAFTA enacted you'd think Canadian TV would be free to be sold across boarders.

[JohnH]

Originally posted by PeterB
The thing I still dont get is why its Kraft Dinner or (KD) and not macaroni and cheese. :)

It used to be that way in the midwest. That was the name on the box. Good Stuff. :)

[Ontarian]

Hey another weird product oddity aside from Kraft Dinner is with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Here in Canada they are called just Reese Peanut Butter Cups with no 's and its still made by Hershey.

[Jacob S]

Is Ontario and Ontarian another one of those U.S. / Canadian oddities since I seen this double post?

[Ontarian]

My mistake. I use the Handle Ontarian, and Ontario was a Type-o

[Darkman]

JohnH - can you maybe update Lyngsat's Nimiq 2 at 82 West with all the new changes and channels? :)

[Ryan]

The beer in Canada is Labatt Blue and it's usually refered to here in the US as Labatt's Blue.

We're so damn possesive in the states.

[Angelfish]

"The thing I still dont get is why its Kraft Dinner or (KD) and not macaroni and cheese. "

Thier isn't enough REAL cheese in this product to legally call it macaroni and CHEESE.

[Richssat]

How does a US resident go about procuring a BEV system and service? I am guessing it is kind of a "gray area" but I know a lot of folks who would sell body parts to be able to get 12HD channels compared to the 3 that are available on D*

RR

[JohnH]

One should look at the possible content of those 12 channels before getting too excited. I mean ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS put together with possible time shifting still only makes about one full channel. CITY-TVHD might be a nice addition, though.

HDNET(3 channels), Discovery HD Theater, ESPN-HD, NBA-HD games and the upcoming NFL-HD games seem quite a bit more in comparison.

[J.P. LePuck]

City-tv has 1 HD show - Smallsville

Expressvu's owner, Bell Canada, blocked the addition of HDNEt and Discovery HD into Canada. The cable companies had applied to the CRTC for permission.

Another Bell Canada subsiduary, Bell Globemedia, has the Canadian rights for Discovery.

Why would they do this? - under Canadian broadcast request requirements, Bell would actually have to produce some Canadian programming (HD programming in this case). Now Bell, who also owns Canada's largest broadcaster, CTV, is like it's OTA competitor, Global allergic to spending money on producing programming that any people would actually want to watch. So they make their mney rebroadcasting US network programming.

Both companies, would under a free market system, go bankrupt - but bribing officials to the Liberal party (in power) has given them a licence to print money.

This is why a large number of Canadians despise Bell Canada - and refuse to give them any business - opting instead for DBS competitors or cable

[Ontarian]

Actually, I believe several cable companies have recently put in an application to the CRTC to carry HDNet and Discovery HD. I can guarantee their will be an intervention in opposition to Discovery HD getting carriage in Canada because the Canadian owners of Discovery Channel which is Bell Globemedia will cry foul. I think HDNet will get approval but not Discovery HD.

[Darkman]

Bell's subscribers with 6000 are getting new Software Version currently to the IRD (giving them multi-sat install menu, switch check, etc)...

And - the advertising says - those new HD channels are available now as a Free Preview to the Subscribers...

Are there any Subscribers to Bev, who are actually watching those as we speak?

[Scott Greczkowski]

A lot of the shows on Discovery HD are Canadian made. So they do have a good amount of Canadian content available to air in HD.

[Darkman]

Something i saw somewhere:

-------

Here are the repoint/upgrade schedule details from a Feb 21st expressvu news letter.

HDTV & DirecPC
Phase 1 - March/April
*********************
HDTV DirecPC BusinessTV TRN(PPV) subs needing repoint 17-18K subs

Ethnic
Phase 2 - April/May
********************
Fairchild TalentVision DWelle SaTV & Pride 35-40K subs

Locals
Phase 3 June/July
******************
Kenora ThuderBay Terr. Kittimat Pr George 35K subs
----------

Those are the dates that dealers will be going out to repoint dishes.


The channels listed will be moving to the 82 sat. Some of the locals
are new„£.they will be put on the 82 sat.
-----

Observation: This would mean people of "homosexual" orientation, that are more likely Most definatly interested in Pride - will need to get themselves to 82 location for sure :)

[Darkman]

JohnH - You got PM

It is about E-mail i just sent you - it came back undelivered somehow - so check it out - and let me know what is up with it?