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PridevisionPrideVision is a Canadian gay and lesbian interest television network which airs educational, entertainment and adult programming for LGBT audiences. Launched in 2001 by Headline Media Group, it was the world's first 24-hour LGBT television channel. The channel is available on digital cable. It was one of 12 channels licensed by the CRTC for mandatory distribution by digital cable and direct broadcast satellite services in 2000. However, the channel had considerable difficulty building an audience in its early years, because its adult programming schedule was leading many cable operators to offer it only as a premium channel in the adult tier of cable services, rather than as a general interest channel. This particularly affected the channel in Western Canada, where time zone differences meant that adult programming airing after midnight in Ontario was airing as early as 10 p.m. in British Columbia. The station's facilities at its initial launch included a street-level studio in Toronto's Church and Wellesley gay village. Due to financial constraints, however, this studio was closed in December, 2002. As a result of these factors and the channel's reputation for providing a weak mix of programming, Headline Media's management of the channel was widely criticized both in business circles and by gay and lesbian audiences. Headline Media was also criticized for an ad campaign in several gay publications, which some readers interpreted as stating that gay and lesbian viewers had an obligation to support the channel. On May 28, 2004, Headline Media sold the channel to broadcaster William Craig, with Pink Triangle Press as a minority shareholder. Craig shortly announced plans to move PrideVision's adult programming to a new adult channel, in order to secure better cable distribution for the general interest channel. Craig also moved the channel's operations into a shared facility with Stornoway Communications, the licensee of two other digital cable channels. On March 4, 2005, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved PrideVision's application for a new service, OUTtv. OUTtv, which is scheduled to launch on April 7, will take over PrideVision's general interest programming. PrideVision, which will be renamed HARD on PrideVision, will become an exclusively adult entertainment subscriber station. External link See also
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