MTV2 is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel focused on lifestyle and general entertainment programming aimed at youth and teen audiences. The channel is owned by Bell Media, with the MTV2 name and branding used under an agreement with the Paramount Networks Americas division of Paramount Global.
This channel went on the air on October 18, 2001, as MTV Canada by Craig Media and MTV Networks. During its early existence, MTV Canada aired various music videos along with its related music and entertainment programming, which led to CHUM Limited, the parent company of MuchMusic, to file a complaint with the CRTC, accusing MTV Canada of airing more programming that exceeded its licence and being a MuchMusic competitor. However in 2004, CHUM acquired the assets of Craig Media and relaunched the channel in 2005 as Razer as an interactive channel.
While the new Canadian version of MTV was relaunched in 2006 in the space of talkTV, CHUM was acquired by CTVglobemedia in 2007 and relaunched the channel as the second reincarnation of MTV2 in 2008, taking the name of the former MTV2 channel.
History
On November 24, 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced the licensees of the new, much-sought after, Category 1 digital services. Craig Media, in partnership with TD Capital Group Ltd, was granted a licence for a youth-oriented service known as "Connect", which would be catered to teens and young adults (but primarily the former) with programming such as "informal education, human interest, sitcoms, animation, and video clips".
Due to genre protection rules prohibiting digital channels from unduly competing with existing analog services (such as MuchMusic), no more than 10% of its weekly programming could be devoted to music videos. Nonetheless, in August 2001, Craig Media announced that it had reached an agreement with MTV Networks to license programming and the MTV brand in Canada for the channel, prompting a pre-launch name change to MTV Canada.
Prior to the channel's launch, Craig purchased TD Capital Group's interest in the channel. The channel launched as MTV Canada on October 18, 2001. Shortly afterward, Craig sold a minority interest in the service to MTV Networks. MTV Canada aired a mix of Canadian-produced programs (including Pepsi Breakout and MTV Select), as well as shows from the American MTV channel (such as TRL and The Real World).
MuchMusic owner CHUM Limited filed a complaint with the CRTC over MTV Canada, accusing the service of violating its CRTC licence by devoting over 60% of its programming to music videos. CHUM also accused Craig of using its promise of a teen lifestyle service as a backdoor to gain approval for a channel that would encroach on MuchMusic's protected format. Craig disputed the allegations, arguing that music was an aspect of youth culture, and accusing CHUM of having counted any programming "that has some connection to the general topic of music or music videos" as "music video clips".
The CRTC program categories distinguish between music videos and music-related programming that did not involve music videos, but the Commission ruled that music videos contained within music-related programming such as MTV Select and Making the Video contributed towards the program category, and put MTV Canada over the 10% limit.
The Commission also displayed a concern for the service's predominant focus on music programming, as it was at odds with its commitment to deliver a broadly teen-based service as licensed. In particular, the CRTC disputed MTV Canada's compliance with a requirement for 15% of its schedule to be devoted to "informal education/recreation & leisure" programming, as it did not include programming produced by "independent educational authorities", and consisted primarily of recreational extreme sports programming in overnight timeslots with low viewership. The CRTC ordered Craig Media to address these shortcomings.