Bruce Nelson, executive vice-president of CFCN Communi-cations and spokesperson for the Maclean Hunter Radio/Rawlco new specialty tv service, The Country Network, predicts a real boon for independent producers when Canada’s first country music video channel hits the airwaves come January.

‘Independent producers will be the sole source of our programming as we are a video-only service,’ says Nelson. ‘Between now and the launch date set for January ’95, there will be 20 videos produced in regions across Canada.’ He estimates budgets for a three-minute video to be in the $30,000 range. This amount, he says, has been set purposefully higher than usual to ensure ‘world-class’ production values.

An important part of The Country Network’s application was its plan to promote country music across Canada through a country music road show concept, which will see the staging of country music festivals throughout the country. Talent featured in these events will go on to be featured in separate videos .

What will be unique about the service, says Nelson, is that The Country Network will pay the artists each time their video is aired, which he believes will help to develop and expand the Canadian country music talent base.

The primary mandate of the channel, says Nelson, is to promote Canadian country music as a genre. At the same time, it will take a look at the regional aspects of the music through short programs under the heading of Video Plus. These programs, produced by independent producers, will be in the form of artist profiles and mosaics. Budgeting for this type of programming has yet to be determined.

Nelson says his company has not signed any affiliation agreements or entered into any alliances within the production community yet, for the simple reason ‘that we have to be where the music is and that is all across the country. We want to work with the best producers from all the regions. As a result, there will be no `production center’ for this broadcast service.’

Nelson says the channel will be sold to the consumer primarily through a cross-promotional blitz with all the key country music radio stations across the country. ‘We know that’s where we’ll find our audiences initially.’

Nelson says The Country Network’s approach to marketing will likely be quite different from the other specialty channels. ‘Most of our promotion will take place directly in the community using a more `touchy feely’ kind of approach to establish ourselves at a grassroots level in the country music community,’ he says. ‘We will also take part in most of the country music festivals – promoting the channel and what we’re after. We also realize we have to be relevant to every region in the country.’

The Country Network

P.O. Box 7060 Stn E

Calgary, Alta. T3C 3L9

Tel: (403) 240-5600

Fax: (403) 240-5774

Contact: Kerry Curtis, special projects co-ordinator