The first interactive television channel to be made available in Canada, Bite TV was targeted for a male 18-34 audience, and was licensed to provide a service “devoted entirely to short form films shot on film, video or created with computer animation”, and to “showcase Canadian and international cutting edge short form films, from 1 to 40 minutes in length”. The original application was made by Glassbox Television Inc in 2001 – when the planned name for the channel was Short TV – and a licence was granted in December of that year, contingent on the channel being launched by December 20th 2004.
In February 2005 the CRTC granted Glassbox an extension to June 20th 2005 for the channel, which was now to be known as Atom Television. The channel, finally called Bite TV because a deal could not be worked out for the use of Atom material in its planned mobile service, was launched in Canada on March 20th 2005. Bite To Go, a program service specifically tailored for mobile phones, was launched in 2006.
In June 2008, Glassbox Television Inc. announced a $5,000,000 private financing that involved four major industry names: former CHUM Limited CEO Jay Switzer, former Standard Radio CEO Gary Slaight, former Alliance Atlantis International Distribution head Ted Riley, and former XM satellite radio exec Stephen Tapp.
Simultaneously, former Quickplay Media and Snap Media Corporation head Raja Khanna was named as co-CEO of Glassbox, along with Glassbox founder Jeffrey Elliott.
On April 11th 2011, Glassbox announced that media executive Michael MacMillan’s Blue Ant Media Inc was acquiring a controlling interest in Glassbox, subject to CFTC approval, and MacMillan would become Executive Chairman. Raja Khanna would become CEO, and Jeffrey Elliott would be made President and Chief Strategy Officer. Jay Switzer would be stepping down as chairman of the board of Glassbox.
On 14 September 2011, the CRTC approved the application by Glassbox on behalf of itself and of its wholly owned subsidiary 7506465 Canada Inc. for authority to effect a change in the effective control. As a result of the transaction, Blue Ant Media Inc. would exercise effective control of both Glassbox and 7506465 Canada Inc.
On August 24, 2015, Bite was renamed Makeful.
Ownership: Blue Ant
Start Year: 2005