These 23 new licensees mean murky days for all, including producers.

With the exception of the fab four destined for analog – teletoon, The Comedy Network, The History & Entertainment Network and N1 Headline News – all in start-up mode with some idea of what programming they’re in search of and their independent production needs, everyone else is pretty much in limbo until the cable companies come up with a tangible plan.

What follows is an outline of all the licensees, including detailed information on the four guaranteed a Sept. 1 start-up.

For the 13 English-language services granted a licence to negotiate with cable, projected spending on Canadian programming and independent production is on paper, but with the caveat that the numbers are written in sand until a subscriber base and a launch date nailed down.

French services

Four of the five French-language applications made it through the licensing process, Le Canal Nouvelles, Le Canal Vie, Musimax and the French-language version of teletoon (see p. 17). All are licensed for basic distribution in Quebec and are slated for launch in September 1997.

Musimax

Based in CHUM Group’s MusiquePlus Montreal studios, Musimax is the French-language version of chum’s new MuchMoreMusic for the adult 35-54 set, featuring contemporary pop, rock oldies and French classics, country, jazz and classical music.

With a sub rate set at $0.15, Musimax is a partnership of chum and Radiomutuel, with each holding a 50% stake.

Musimax will devote 65% of its programs to the exhibition of music videos. Canadian content will make up 60% of the broadcast week and 60% of the evening hours. Not less than 30% of the total number of videos presented each week must be Canadian.

Taking the French-language component into consideration, not less than 20% of the total music videos throughout the week must be French-language for the first two years of operation, rising to 30% by the beginning of year three.

Musimax will contribute not less than $250,000 to chum’s Videofact development and production fund for Canadian videos in year one and not less than 5% of the previous year’s gross revenue in the licence years following.

The service is committed to a seven-year injection of $2.3 million to the existing Videofact clip production program, with the goal of producing much-underfunded jazz, country and classical clips, in addition to a seven-year commitment to spend $5.8 million on new independent Canadian documentary and musical specials, including $3.9 million on acquisitions.

Total projected revenues for year one are $5 million, including $3.7 million in sub fees and advertising revenues of $1.3 million.

The service will create some 30 new jobs.

Le Canal Vie

Owned by Radiomutuel, one of the largest broadcasting groups in Quebec, Le Canal Vie is offering information and entertainment programming focusing on lifestyle, physical and mental health, and outdoor activities.

The format will run a variety of forms including news, documentaries, films, magazines, roundtables and talk shows, seeking in particular, a 35 to 64 demographic.

Le Canal Vie will carry 42 hours of original programming each week in its three core subjects, eight hours a day Monday to Friday between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. and two hours on weekends.

Its Cancon commitment comes in at 50% Canadian overall from 6 a.m. to midnight, 60% between 6 p.m. and midnight.

Radiomutuel will spend a minimum of $7.5 million on acquisition or investment in Canadian programming in the year following the first year of operations, and 45% of the previous year’s gross revenue in the years following until the end of the licence term. Spending on Canadian in year seven of the licence is projected at $9.5 million for a total of $57 million over the years of the licence term.

In terms of a commitment to the independent production sector, Canal Vie has committed to spending 80% of its total programming budget on Canadian programs, 86% of which will be new productions and 14% acquisitions. At least 80% of its Cancon hours will be produced by the independent sector. The remaining 20% will be produced by third parties under contract, with Radiomutuel retaining control of the rights. No in-house production is anticipated.

Total investment on independent production is pegged at $15 million in year one and $18.7 million in year seven.

Canal Vie intends to contract out virtually all aspects of its operation – studio space, the delivery of its broadcast signal, and other operations, including promotion and marketing.

Subscriber fee is set at $0.15 on basic. Radiomutuel also has interests in an outdoor poster display company, Omni, and is an equal partner with the Toronto-based CHUM Group in Musimax.

The new service is creating 24 new full-time jobs.

Le Canal Nouvelles

Le Canal Nouvelles, wholly owned by Tele-Metropole, is a 24-hour, headline news, French-language service to be distributed in Quebec. Start date is anticipated for early September 1997.

Although lcn will use Tele-Metropole’s news-gathering resources (Tele-Metropole owns six of the 10 stations in the tva network), Renee-Claude Menard, director of communications for tva, says she expects lcn will create the 33 new full-time jobs as outlined in its original application and staffing is expected to begin in January.

lcn has a staff and technical co-operation agreement with Television Quatre Saisons and will have access to national news from ctv and ctv’s N1.

lcn intends to invest $27.3 million in Canadian news programming over seven years, including $1.1 million for independently produced programming. Year one investment is pegged at $3.5 million.

Tele-Metropole’s downtown Montreal newsroom and studio facilities will be home base for lcn, and the service will distribute its broadcast signal via Teleport’s satellite uplink.