Super Écran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Type | Premium television service |
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| Country | Canada |
| Availability | National |
| Owner | Astral Television Networks Inc. (Astral Media) |
| Launch date | February 1, 1983 |
| Former names | Premier Choix Premier Choix: TVEC |
| Website superecran.com |
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Super Écran (Super Screen) is a Canadian French language premium television service that broadcasts nationally via satellite or cable subscribers. The network is owned by Astral Media. It is the French language equivalent to The Movie Network and Movie Central.
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[edit] History
Originally launched on February 1, 1983 under the name Premier Choix, the channel was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to provide a national 24-hour a day French-language pay television service. It was owned and operated by First Choice Canadian Communications.[1]
Premier Choix had a difficult time attracting enough subscribers, as did a regional Quebec-based pay-television network called TVEC which was licensed in November 1982. Rogers Cable in Toronto couldn't add the channel until September 1983, and Videon Cable in Winnipeg didn't have the additional channel capacity to add it until its dispute with Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) over ownership of the cable plant was settled.
In the early years, before RDS and MusiquePlus were licensed, programming consisted of 70% movies and 30% sports.
TVEC (Télévision de l'Est du Canada Inc.) was licensed in November 1982 as a regional French-language pay-tv channel from Quebec, serving Quebec, eastern Ontario, and Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick).
In February 1984 these two channels combined to form Super Écran.[2]
In the late 1980s, Premier Choix: TVEC was awarded licenses for French-language satellite-cable (specialty) networks. These include: Canal D similar to A&E and Canal Famille, similar to Family Channel Canada.
[edit] Channels and content
 Super Écran 1: the main "flagship" feed; blockbuster movies and major original series |
 Super Écran 2: blockbuster movies and major original series |
 Super Écran 3: blockbuster movies and major original series |
 Super Écran 4: blockbuster movies and major original series |
 Super Écran Sur Demande: a video on demand service delivering content from the Super Écran network |
 Super Écran HD: a HD simulcast of Super Écran's various multiplex channels |
Super Écran operates four multiplex channels, Super Écran 1-4, with content spread out over all four channels. Unlike other premium services, Super Écran's multiplex channels do not have a separate focus, content-wise as The Movie Network or Movie Central does.
Super Écran offers an extensive variety of hit Hollywood and Canadian movies as well as hit television series from HBO and Showtime as well as original content.
Super Écran introduced a video on demand service called Super Écran Sur Demande for digital cable and satellite subscribers.
On October 30, 2006 Astral Media launched an HD simulcast of Super Écran.
[edit] CRTC licence-related links
- CRTC Decision 1984-032 - Permission to combine Premier Choix and TVEC to form Super Écran
- CRTC Decision 1996-145 - Allow national distribution of Super Écran.
[edit] References
- ^ "Here Comes Pay-TV", TV Guide, January 15, 1983. (English)
- ^ "New pay-Tv channel launched", Winnipeg Free Press, February 2, 1984.
[edit] External links
- Official Super Écran website (French)
- Astral Media
