Vancouver: Two years after its original application to the CRTC, Vancouver-based TalentVision won approval May 18 to expand from a regional B.C. signal to a national signal.

The expansion means that, in combination with Fairchild TV, parent company Fairchild Media Group of Vancouver will have two national, mostly Chinese-language, pay stations.

TalentVision, which should go national in September, will operate as a Mandarin-language signal with local news programming and imported drama and variety programming from Taiwan and Mainland China.

Fairchild TV will continue to operate as a Cantonese-language signal with local news and imported programming from Hong Kong.

Taking advantage of operational synergies, TalentVision will piggyback on facilities in Toronto and Calgary already operated by Fairchild TV, says Joe Chan, president of both signals.

The national exposure should expand TalentVision’s subscriber base From 15,000 to 50,000, each paying $9.95 for the service, he says. Fairchild TV, meanwhile, has 25,000 subscribers in B.C. and a national audience of 300,000. *