Eighteen new French-language specialty channels will make their pitch to the CRTC at hearings beginning Dec. 7. They are:

– Radio-Canada

The three SRC-managed applications are:

– Reseau des Arts, an arts, doc, biography and performance service with some international films, in partnership with Bell Satellite and Paris-based cultural network La Sept-arte, 20% each;

– Reseau de l’Histoire, a history channel partnered with Bell (ExpressVu) and the National Film Board.

– Reseau de l’Economie, a consumer-information service, partnered by bce (40%) and several non-financial institutions including L’Office de la protection du consommateur du Quebec (publisher of Protegez-Vous), Universite de Laval, Universite de Moncton, University of Alberta, Ecole hec, Universite d’Ottawa and College Universitaire de Saint-Boniface.

– Group TVA

Group TVA-managed applications are:

– Canal Savoir-Faire, a tva-controlled (40.3%) ‘how-to’ and learning/lifestyle proposal partnered with Cinar Films, Telemedia and Serdy Video, each with 19.9%. The service proposes practical advise ranging from gardening to home repairs and cooking;

– Canal des Affaires, a business/ finance service partnered with The Globe and Mail (19.9%), Publications Transcontinental, publisher of Les Affaires (19.9%), Radio-Nord (22.6%), Fintel, representing the Caisse de Depot and wic (10%), and Sobela, a company owned by Bernard Lamarre, former president of SNC/Lavalin (5%);

– Canal Evasion, a tourism/ adventure channel partnered with bce, the controlling shareholder at 65.1%, Serdy Direct and possibly Canal Voyages of France, which has an option;

– Tele Ha! Ha!, a multifaceted comedy channel partnered with Avanti Cine Video and Sherbrooke’s Societe Nouvelle de Production, owned by producer Bernard Fabi; and

– Tele-Classiques, a heritage application in which tva and Group tva are equal partners.

– Reseaux Premier Choix

Premier Choix has five applications:

– Canal Histoire, a 24-hour history channel proposal and equal partnership with Toronto-based Alliance Communications;

– Canal Fiction, a Canadian and international drama channel, also partnered with Alliance;

– Canal Justice, a channel offering ‘a window on our judicial system’ as well as series and films on great international trials;

– La Chaine Gourmande, a food and wine channel; and

– Canal 7-77, a family entertainment channel ‘with a large touch of Disney magic.’

Premier Choix operates Canal d; Canal Famille, the top-rated children’s service; ppv service Canal Indigo; and Super Ecran, the French-track pay-tv movie channel.

– Radiomutuel

Radiomutuel’s specialty applications are:

– Tele-Passeport, a travel channel partnered with Astral (20%) and Netstar;

– Canal Chez-Moi, which includes a 20% ownership participation by HGTV Canada, a subsidiary of Atlantis Broadcasting. hgtv will provide up to 25% of Chez Moi’s programming; and

– Canal z, a mix of science, sci-fi and technology.

Radiomutuel exec vp Paul-Emile Beaulne says attempts to cut a deal with tva and Bell on a merged travel channel folded when they became ‘too complicated.’

Radiomutuel holdings include the outdoor poster company Omni, 11 Quebec-based radio stations and health/lifestyle specialty tv service Canal Vie. It also shares an interest with managing partner CHUM Ltd. in MusiquePlus and Musimax.

– Others

Also on the rolls are Cablo ‘g,’ a regional information service application sponsored by community and cable interests in the Gaspe Peninsula, and Reseaux des nouvelles technologies, a Radio Nord national ‘technology’ application.