Sun Media chief Pierre Karl Peladeau, seen in Toronto in June, said his new 24-hour news channel 'will aim to challenge conventional wisdom and offer Canadians a new choice and a new voice on TV.' (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press) Sun TV News, Quebecor's all-news network, has been approved by Canada's broadcast regulator.
The CRTC announced on Friday that it has granted the forthcoming national news service approval to broadcast as an English-language, Category 2, specialty TV channel.
In its statement, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission reiterated "the importance of maintaining and enhancing the plurality of editorial voices in local and national markets and ensuring that Canadians are exposed to an appropriate plurality of those voices."
"The licensing of additional competitive mainstream national news services is one means of achieving this objective," the CRTC statement added.
The CRTC's list of Category 2 specialty channels is wide-ranging and includes services such as Animal Planet, National Geographic Channel, the NHL Network, GameTV and Nickelodeon.
"Today marks the dawn of a new era for Canadian news media," Quebecor Media president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau said in a statement reacting to the CRTC announcement.
"[Sun TV News] will aim to challenge conventional wisdom and offer Canadians a new choice and a new voice on TV."
Run by Quebecor's TVA Group and Sun Media divisions, the new right-leaning network will replace the over-the-air Sun TV station in Toronto and have its headquarters there.
'Hard news and straight talk'
Since Péladeau unveiled plans for the network in June, its motto has been "hard news and straight talk." Some in the industry have dubbed the service "Fox News North" — a label Sun TV News officials have rejected.
Quebecor had initially sought Category 1 status, which would guarantee it a place among the default channels for all cable subscribers, like news rivals such as CBC News Network and CTV News Channel.
However, the CRTC is not considering new tier-one broadcast licences until October 2011, following the switchover of all Canadian TV signals from analog to digital.
The media company subsequently requested a must-carry exemption for its Category 2 licence bid. The request was to be the subject of a public hearing scheduled this month, but Quebecor announced it was dropping the must-carry bid in October.
In recent months, Sun TV News has announced a number of high-profile hirings, including former CBC journalist Krista Erickson, commentator and broadcaster Charles Adler, veteran journalist David Akin, radio broadcaster Brian Lilley and columnist Ezra Levant.
The network is expected to take to the airwaves in spring 2011.
Share Tools
FILM REVIEW: Men in Black 3 by Eli Glasner May. 25, 2012 11:40 AM Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back in the action sequel Men in Black 3, a third instalment of a series now 15 years old. Though new addition Josh Brolin manages some amazing mimicry as a younger version of Jones, the story doesn't measure up to the weird and wonderful charms of the original, says film reviewer Eli Glasner.
Top News Headlines
- Everest team unable to bring down Toronto woman's body
- Bad weather has hampered the recovery team that is attempting to bring down the body of a Toronto woman who died trying to climb Mt. Everest. more »
- Attack on Syrian villages deadliest yet, activists say
- More than 90 people have been killed by regime forces in a district of central Syria, with the head of the UN team in the country confirming more than 32 children and 60 adults were killed the attack. more »
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- The estranged partner of a young mother who was stabbed to death along with her parents at their home in Aylmer, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder Friday. more »
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- The deaths of six climbers last weekend on Mt. Everest, with more summits underway this weekend, fuels the debate about the risks and responsibilities of high altitude climbing. more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Modern and traditional art scores at Joyner auction
- Both traditional and modern works fared well at Joyner Waddington's spring art auction in Toronto, with buyers snapping up lots by Group of Seven members as well as more contemporary artists. more »
- Prophetic Cosmopolis premieres at Cannes
- David Cronenberg says he didn't anticipate the Occupy Wall Street movement as he prepared to shoot Cosmopolis, his new film which made its world premiere Friday at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France. more »
- Jennifer Egan's newest story debuts on Twitter
- The latest short story from Pulitzer-winning writer Jennifer Egan is emerging 140 characters at a time via Twitter. more »
- Miller Brittain sketches restored by museum
- Canadian artist and social satirist Miller Brittain's larger than life chalk drawings may once again hang in Saint John. more »
Q Blog
Toni Morrison on her two selves May. 25, 2012 5:57 PM Jian speaks with the celebrated African American author and academic about her two conflicting selves, and her new novel, Home.
CBC Books
Talking about war May. 25, 2012 4:57 PM The public conversation around war has always been complex and thorny. How does Canada's military approach differ from that of other countries? Are we a society of peacekeepers or warriors? These are some of the questions that Noah Richler explores in his new book What We Talk About When We Talk About War.
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- Pope's butler arrested in Vatican leaks scandal
- B.C. premier unhappy with disgraced Mountie's transfer
- Everest team unable to bring down Toronto woman's body
- Everest victim's husband says family not seeking government help
- Tornado touchdown confirmed near Montreal
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- Ottawa man in hospital after lightning strike
- Canada ending 'Buffalo shuffle' for visas, closing consulate
