Playmen TV

Playmen TV

Playmen TV logo
Launched April 12, 2005
Owned by Fifth Dimension Properties
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Slogan Get Hard
Country Canada
Broadcast area National
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario
Replaced HARD on PrideVision (2005–2006)
HARDtv (2006–2013)
Website Playmen TV
Availability
Satellite
Shaw Direct Channel 679
Cable
CCAP Channel 226
Cablovision Warwick Channel 226
EastLink Channel 1157
Rogers Cable Channel 768
Vidéotron Channel 226
IPTV
Zazeen Channel 304

Playmen TV is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel. It is a premium adult entertainment television channel aimed at gay men, with programming consisting mainly of adult films and adult-related television series.

Playmen TV's licensee is 4510810 Canada Inc. which is wholly owned by Fifth Dimension Properties Inc., a company wholly owned by Stuart Duncan, majority owner of Ten Broadcasting.

History

PrideVision was launched in 2001 as Canada's first digital specialty service aimed towards the LGBT community. As the network carried pornographic programming during the east coast late-night hours,[1] providers chose to package PrideVision as a standalone, premium adult channel rather than alongside other mainstream specialty channels—which hampered the network's reach.[1] Shaw Communications controversially required viewers to go through an authorization process, including a one-cent fee, to view the channel during its mandated free preview period. The provider considered this mechanism to be a response to the "overwhelming expressions of concern from our customers" over the adult content carried by the service, but PrideVision's owners filed a complaint to the CRTC alleging that Shaw was discriminating against the channel by refusing to give it a proper preview period, like the other digital channels that had also recently been launched.[2][3][4] The CRTC reprimanded Shaw for its unfair treatment of PrideVision, and ordered that the provider properly offer a preview [5]

In 2003, PrideVision was sold to a consortium led by veteran broadcaster William Craig. Believing that PrideVision had been unattractive to providers because of the pornographic programming (especially noting that such programming would be broadcast as early as 10:00 p.m. in the Pacific Time Zone), Craig announced plans to spin out a second channel devoted exclusively to gay adult programming. Craig argued that the 24-hour service would allow more adult programming to be made available to viewers, while allowing PrideVision to achieve wider carriage and increase its investments into programming of interest to the LGBT community.[1]

The application for the new adult service, tentatively named 617, was submitted to the CRTC in September 2004.[6] Later in November, PrideVision re-branded its adult programming block as Hard on PrideVision, and expanded it to run from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. ET in anticipation of the new channel.[7] In February 2005, it was officially announced that the adult service, Hard on PrideVision, would launch in March 2005, and that PrideVision would be re-launched as OutTV. Hard on PrideVision's license was approved on March 4, 2005.[8] [9] The network officially launched on April 12, 2016.

On July 19, 2006, Shavick Entertainment, a film and television producer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced their intent to purchase a majority stake in both HARD on PrideVision and OUTtv from then majority owner William Craig.[10] The transaction was finalized later that year, with other investors shares changing to reflect Shavick's new ownership.

In November 2006, Hard on PrideVision was renamed HardTV.

On December 3, 2009, the CRTC approved an application on behalf of 4510810 Canada Inc, a newly formed company owned by Pink Triangle Press (55%) and Peace Point Entertainment (45%), that would see it acquire HardTV from 6166954 Canada Inc. The transaction closed at a later date.

In the spring of 2013 HardTV was rebranded Playmen TV after ownership in the company was transferred to Fifth Dimension Properties Inc. in April 2013.[11]

Logos

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Craig takes charge: PrideVision says bye-bye porn". Xtra!. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  2. ↑ CRTC Rules In Favor Of Gay-themed Channel; AllBusiness.com; 2001-10-02
  3. ↑ Galiant, Paul. "Struggle for your TV set: PrideVision, viewers challenge cable giant". Xtra!. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Shaw defends 1¢ gay TV fee". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "CRTC Decision 2001-612". CRTC. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2004-6-2". CRTC. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "PrideVision changing its format in preparation of new adult-only channel". Press release. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2005-89". CRTC. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pridevision Announces Expansion and the Launch of a New Gay Channel". Press release. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Shavick Entertainment Acquires OUTtv; Canada's Must-Carry Gay & Lesbian Television Network to be Expanded and Upgraded by Leading Production Company; BNET; 2006-07-19
  11. ↑ CRTC ownership chart
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