Stingray Retro
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaCanada
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerStingray Group
Sister channelsStingray Vibe
Stingray Loud
Stingray Juicebox
Stingray Country
History
LaunchedSeptember 4, 2003
ReplacedEdge TV (most providers and channel slot)
Former namesMuchMoreRetro (2003–2013)
MuchRetro
(2013-2016)
Links
Websitewww.stingray.com/consumer/brands/stingray-retro

Stingray Retro is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by the Stingray Group. The channel broadcasts music videos mainly from the 1970s to the early 2010s, with some music videos from the 1960s being played occasionally as well.

History

In November 2000, CHUM Limited was granted approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a national English language Category 2 specialty television service called MuchMore ClassicVideo, described as "consisting of classic (songs more than five years old) music videos and related programs, including music and pop news or commentaries, interviews, concerts, profiles and specials, as well as music-related feature films and series or programs."[1]

The channel was launched on September 4, 2003 as a commercial-free service under the name MuchMoreRetro, a spin-off of MuchMoreMusic.[2]

In July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later called CTVglobemedia) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD, included in the sale was MuchMoreRetro.[3] The sale was subject to CRTC approval and was approved in June 2007,[4] with the transaction completed on June 22, 2007.

After the channel's initial launch in 2003, it began to introduce commercials throughout its schedule until August 31, 2009 when the channel, along with the other CTVglobemedia-owned digital music channels, switched back to a commercial-free format, while the analogue cable music channels continue to run commercials during programs to this day.[5]

On September 10, 2010, BCE (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of $3.2 billion CAD.[6] The deal which required CRTC approval, was approved on March 7, 2011[7] and closed on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.[8]

On November 1, 2013, after MuchMore was rebranded as M3 in September of that year, MuchMoreRetro was rebranded as MuchRetro—aligning itself with MuchMusic.

On June 21, 2016, it was announced that Stingray Digital would acquire MuchRetro and its sister networks from Bell Media.[9] The acquisition closed on September 16, 2016 with a plan to rebrand the channel as Stingray Retro.[10] On June 1, 2017, Stingray announced the completion of the rebranding process for all 4 channels (MuchRetro was rebranded Stingray Retro prior to June 1), which included new programming and a national promotional campaign.[11] Sometime in 2019, the channel switched back to an ad-supported service again.

The first 10 music videos to air on the channel

Programming

Current

  • 90s Pop on Top
  • Can't Top This
  • Daily Video Hits
  • Morning Flashback
  • My First Video
  • One-Hit Wonders
  • Please Rewind
  • Popcorn Time
  • Reloaded Club Hits
  • Retro Through Time
  • Retro Weekend
  • The Iconics

Former

  • Cheesiest Videos
  • Retro Concerts
  • Retro @ The Movies

References

  1. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-516 CRTC 2000-12-14
  2. ↑ The history of CHUM Globe and Mail article 2006-06-12
  3. ↑ Bell Globemedia acquires CHUM; Fasken Martineau; 2006-07-12
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-165; CRTC; 2007-06-08
  5. ↑ More Music Videos as MuchVibe, MuchLOUD, MuchMoreRetro, and PunchMuch go commercial-free Channel Canada 2009-08-26
  6. ↑ Bell Canada (2010-09-10). "Bell to acquire 100% of Canada's No.1 media company CTV". CNW Group. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
  7. ↑ CRTC approves BCE's purchase of CTVglobemedia
  8. ↑ Bell completes acquisition of CTV, launches Bell Media business unit CNW 2011-04-01
  9. ↑ STINGRAY GROWS ITS CHANNEL PORTFOLIO WITH THE ACQUISITION OF FOUR (4) BELL MEDIA MUSIC VIDEO CHANNELS Stingray Press Release 2016-06-21
  10. ↑ Stingray Announces Closing of its Acquisition of Bell Media's Much Retro Specialty Television Channel, Stingray Digital, 09-16-16
  11. ↑ Stingray Introduces a New Golden Age of Music TV with the Launch of Stingray Retro, Stingray Vibe, Stingray Loud, and Stingray Juicebox MarketWired press release 06 01 17
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