In November 2000, the CRTC awarded Craig Broadcast systems a licence for a specialty channel to be called Connect, planned to target what was perceived as an underserved segment of the viewing public, aged between 12 and 24 years. The channel launched under the brand name MTV 1. Craig was subsequently acquired by CHUM Limited, and the channel was relaunched in June 2005 as Razer TV, continuing to target youth and young adults in its programming strategy. On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval. A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007. On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver. Rogers Communications announced on June 25th that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels , including Razer TV, and some 33 radio stations. Razer was rebranded as MTV2 on August 1, 2008.
Ownership: Rogers Media
Start Year: 2005