- This article is about the Canadian television network named Razer. For other meanings see Razer (disambiguation).
| Razer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | October 18, 2001 |
| Owned by | CTV Limited (CTVglobemedia) |
| Country |  Canada |
| Broadcast area | National |
| Headquarters |  Toronto, Ontario |
| Formerly called | MTV Canada |
| Website | razer.ca |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Bell ExpressVu | Channel 577 |
| Star Choice | Channel 590 |
| Cable | |
| Available on many Canadian cable systems | Check local listings |
Razer is a Canadian English language category 1 digital cable specialty channel owned by CTV Limited a division of CTVglobemedia. Razer is a lifestyle and general entertainment channel aimed at youth and teen audiences. The channel focuses in on trends in entertainment, TV, movies, music, videogames, fashion, technology, sports and leisure as well as scripted series.
History
On November 24, 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced the licensees of the new, much-sought Category 1 digital services. Craig Media was granted a licence for a youth lifestyle service known as Connect. One of the licence's conditions was that the channel could not devote more than 10 per cent of its schedule to the airing of music videos, in order to avoid direct competition with CHUM's MuchMusic.
Nonetheless Craig quickly reached an agreement with MTV Networks to carry MTV programming, prompting a pre-launch name change to MTV Canada. It launched on October 18, 2001 and shortly after Craig sold a minority interest in the service to MTV Networks as well. Canadian programs that aired on MTV Canada included Pepsi Breakout, Versus, MTV Select (later renamed 969) and more, while foreign MTV programs that aired were Punk'd, TRL, The Real World and more. CHUM soon complained to the CRTC that MTV Canada was violating its conditions of licence, becoming a direct competitor to MuchMusic. Craig was forced to make changes to reduce its percentage of music-related programming. However these changes were soon rendered moot as Craig was acquired by CHUM Limited in December 1, 2004, prompting MTV Networks to exercise its right to terminate the agreement with Craig if a change in control were to happen. CHUM was also required to pay remaining licence fees for MTV Canada and MTV2 of approximately $10 million to MTV Networks which also meant MTV Networks was no longer able to retain interest in the channels. Plans to rebrand the channel as Razer were announced on June 9, 2005 and took effect on June 30 of that year. CTV acquired the rights to MTV programming later in the year, launching its own MTV channel (previously known as talktv) in early 2006. Ownership changed hands once again on June 22 2007 when CTVglobemedia took over CHUM Limited.
Programming
- Further information: List of programs broadcast by Razer
