Vrak

Vrak
2016-present Vrak logo
Launched	September 1, 1988
Owned by	Bell Media
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Country	Canada
Language	French
Broadcast area	National
Headquarters	Montreal, Quebec
Formerly called	Le Canal Famille (1988–1996) Canal Famille (1996–2001) Vrak.TV (2001–2014)
Replaced	[fr:Télévision des jeunes du Québec
Sister channel(s)	Z Canal D Canal Vie Cinépop
Website	VRAK (French)
Availability
Satellite
Bell TV	Channel 140 (SD) Channel 1870 (HD)
Shaw Direct	Channel 770 (SD) Channel 397 / 231 (HD)
Cable
Available on many Canadian cable systems	Check local listings
IPTV
Bell Aliant	Channel 845 (SD) Channel 945 (HD)
Bell Fibe TV	Channel 150 (SD) Channel 1150 (HD)
MTS	Channel 411 (SD)
Optik TV	Channel 8031 (SD) Channel 2031 (HD)
SaskTel	Channel 265 (SD)
Telus Quebec	Channel 29 (SD) Channel 529 (HD)
VMedia	Channel 115 (SD) (QC)
Zazeen	Channel 210 (HD)

Vrak (stylized as VRΔK) is a Canadian French-language Category A specialty channel aimed at youth audiences. Since 2013, Vrak is owned by Bell Media.

History

The 1988–1996 logo of the channel as Le Canal Famille, prior to the rename to VRAK.TV. A blue–green variant was used from 1996 until 2001.

The 2001–2007 Vrak.TV logo, featuring the channel's mascot, Bibite.^[1] The mascot was dropped in 2007, but a simplified variant of this logo was used until 2014.

The 2014 Vrak logo was used until 2016.

Licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 1987, Le Canal Famille was launched on September 1, 1988 as a replacement to the youth channel TVJQ (Télévision des Jeunes du Québec, otherwise known simply as Télé des Jeunes). Canal Famille was created by Premier Choix TVEC which itself was already owned by Astral at the time.

Le Canal Famille, name translated as The Family Channel, which was the name of another Canadian youth channel that also began airing in 1988.^[2]

Le Canal Famille was renamed VRAK.TV on January 2, 2001.^[3]

Vrak.TV was separated from its sister channel in 2013 due to the acquisition of Astral Media by Bell Media; Bell sold off Family Channel (along with the French version of Disney Junior and two English-language TV services) to DHX Media.

Vrak.TV was simply renamed to just Vrak on August 25, 2014.^[4]

Programming

Since its creation as Le Canal Famille, the channel airs animated series, teenage sitcoms and light dramas. Many of them are French translations of English programs such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, What I Like About You, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, The O.C., Life with Derek, Smallville, SpongeBob SquarePants, That '70s Show, 90210, Gossip Girl, and many others. The channel also features local Quebec French language productions, such as Il était une fois dans le trouble and Une grenade avec ça?. Other series that the channel popularized were Dans une galaxie près de chez vous and Radio Enfer. The channel started running movies weekly as of 2010.

Initially, as required by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the channel carried no commercials until 2006.^[5] However, it aired promotional messages, interstitial programs (such as help segments known as R-Force (pronounced like "Air Force")), and public service announcements instead. The channel airs commercials as of 2006.

Unlike the other specialty channels, VRAK is the only channel on the air daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. When the station was Le Canal Famille, the station would close down at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. on weekends), sharing time with the flagship Super Écran channel (also owned by Astral). In 2001, when the channel was revamped as VRAK.TV, its hours were increased to 10 p.m. (Super Écran followed on most systems). VRAK's current close down time, at midnight, went into effect in mid-2005.

As of September 12, 2016, the channel no longer airs animated series.

Vrak HD

On October 30, 2006, Astral Media launched an HD simulcast of Vrak.TV called Vrak.TV HD.

It is available on Bell TV, Bell Fibe TV, Cogeco, Optik TV, Rogers Cable, Shaw Direct and Vidéotron.

International distribution

Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas collectivity) - distributed on the SPM Telecom system.

References

External links

Official website (French)

Bell Media (and other broadcasting properties of BCE Inc.)

Terrestrial TV

CTV	CIVT Vancouver CFCN Calgary CFRN Edmonton CFQC Saskatoon CKCK Regina CICC Yorkton CIPA Prince Albert CKY Winnipeg CKCO Kitchener CFTO Toronto CJOH Ottawa CFCF Montreal CHBX Sault Ste. Marie CICI Greater Sudbury CITO Timmins CKNY North Bay CKLT Saint John CKCW Moncton CJCH Halifax CJCB Sydney

CTV Two	CIVI Victoria CFTK Terrace CJDC Dawson Creek CHWI Windsor CFPL London CKVR Barrie CHRO Ottawa

Specialty / pay TV
channels

CTV Two	CTV Two Alberta CTV Two Atlantic

CTV News	BNN CP24 CTV News Channel

CTV Specialty	Animal Planet Discovery Channel Discovery Science Discovery Velocity ESPN Classic RDS RDS2 RDS Info TSN TSN2

Much MTV Comedy	The Comedy Network Comedy Gold MTV MTV2 Much

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment¹	Leafs TV NBA TV Canada

Premium and PPV	Cinépop The Movie Network HBO Canada The Movie Network Encore Super Écran Vu!¹ Venus¹

Other	BookTelevision Bravo Canal D Canal Vie E! Fashion Television Gusto Investigation Investigation Discovery Space TV1² Vrak Z

Bell Media Radio

AM	CFAX CFGO CFRA CFRB CFRN CFRW CFTE CFTK CHAM CHUM CIOR CJAD CJBK CJDC CJOR CKFR CKGM CKHJ CKLW CKMX CKOC CKOR CKSL CKST CKTB CKWW

FM	CFBR CFBT CFCA CFEI CFIX CFJR CFLY CFMG CFVM CFWM CFXY CFZZ CHBD CHBE CHEY CHIK CHOM CHOR CHQM CHRD CHRE CHRX CHSU CHTK CHTZ CHUM CHVR CIBK CIBX CICF CIDR CIGB CIKI CIKX CILK CIMF CIMO CIMX CIOO CIQM CITE (Montreal) CITE (Estrie) CITF CJAB CJAT CJAY CJBX CJCH CJCJ CJDM CJFM CJFW CJMG CJMJ CJMM CJMV CJOI CJPT CKBC CKFM CKGR CKKC CKKL CKKW CKLC CKLH CKLY CKMF CKMM CKNL CKPT CKQM CKRX CKTF CKTK CKTO CKTY CKXA CKX CKXR

Networks	TSN Radio Bob FM Boom FM EZ Rock Énergie Rouge FM 24/7 Comedy (CA distributor) Virgin Radio (CA licence)

Broadcasting studios

Vancouver
Toronto (9 Channel Nine Court

299 Queen Street West

250 Richmond Street West)

Other BMI assets

Predecessors

Defunct properties

Notes

¹Owned (or part-owned) by BCE separately from its ownership of Bell Media.
²Community channels owned by Bell Canada (Fibe TV) and Bell Aliant (FibreOP); also not part of Bell Media.

BCE Inc.
Associated foundations: BravoFACT
MuchFACT
Some of the assets listed above are only partially owned by Bell Media. Refer to full asset list for detailed information.

Children's television in Canada

Preschoolers

Children and teens

Defunct

Discovery Kids
HSTN
Teletoon Retro
- English
- French

Additional resources on North American television

North America	List of local television stations in North America DTV transition North American TV mini-template

Canada	Canadian networks List of Canadian television networks List of Canadian television channels List of Canadian specialty channels Local Canadian TV stations List of United States stations available in Canada 2001 Vancouver TV realignment 2007 Canada broadcast TV realignment

Mexico	Mexican networks Local Mexican TV stations

United States	American networks List of American cable and satellite networks List of American over-the-air networks Local American TV stations (W) Local American TV stations (K) 1994 United States broadcast TV realignment 2006 United States broadcast TV realignment List of Canadian television stations available in the United States Insular Areas TV

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