When Playback went to the offices of YOU: Your Channel to check on how things are going since you received specialty channel status, we found ourselves in the midst of a whole lot of shakin’ going on.

‘We’ve got a million things to do,’ says you president and ceo Denis Harvey.

The service, which has been granted a six-year licence, had proposed a cable fee of 30 cents per month per subscriber, to be raised one cent a year in subsequent years. However, the crtc asked for a lock at 30 cents per month for the first five years, rising one cent in the last year of the licence.

At the moment, you’s team consists of Harvey, Janice Platt (vice-president programming), Juris Silkans (vice-president Atlantis Communications), Alexandra Brown (director of communications), Todd Goldsbie (marketing), and most recently, Merv Stone (acquisitions). you will do the majority of its hiring in September and Harvey hopes to have a team of 50 players by broadcast day, Jan. 1, 1995.

And what kind of prelaunch extravaganza can we expect from you? It’s too early to say. Harvey expects that a committee comprised of the Canadian Cable Television Association and the new specialty channels will be set up so that all successful applicants can launch in unison with a good promotional campaign. ‘But for now the major task,’ he says, ‘is programming.’

you began talking to independent Canadian producers six months ago looking for program ideas. Although the service is close to signing contracts with some of these independents, Harvey maintains there is still a ‘long way to go’ before the goal of 10 hours of 17 all-new, all-original and all-Canadian programs is realized.

you is in final negotiations with Stone Soup Productions, a Toronto-based independent headed by Janice Dawe, Susan Fleming and Anne Pick, for 13 one-hours of Harrowsmith Country Life.

As well, Cindy Hamon-Hill of Calico Pix and Amanda Enright of Fleeting Glimpse Productions are negotiating with you for 13 half-hour episodes of a gardening program, The Marjorie Harris Show. If you likes what it sees in the rough cuts, a deal for 26 or 39 more episodes could be contracted.

The service is also in negotiations with Soma Productions for three half-hour shows and with Breakthrough Films and Television for an unspecified program.

The remainder of programming which is not original will consist of shows purchased from Canada and other countries. For the past seven months, you has been looking at tapes of programs that fit the lifestyle channel mandate and is now in the process of making suitable acquisitions.

Licence fees will range from $1,500 to $35,000 per half-hour (an average of about $13,000 per half-hour) depending on the program.

you is also currently dealing with real estate agents, looking to lease or buy a building to house a new studio, control room and several editing suites. It hopes to have a decision on a building and start design and construction within the next few weeks.

One major development which might occur in the near future; you may not be you for very much longer. ‘We haven’t finally decided on what we want to call the channel,’ says Harvey.

YOU: Your Channel

65 Heward Avenue

Toronto, Ont. M4M 2T5

Phone: (416) 462-0246

Fax: (416) 462-0254

Contact: Denis Harvey