DarrenBarefoot.com

In the old days, back in 2005, Pridevision was a little more porn oriented. After 10 every night was hardcore porn all night. At some point in 05 it separated into two channels OutTV and HardTV. HardTV is 24 hour a day hardcore gay porn. Shaw doesn’t offer HardTV and nor does Starchoice ([which is owned by Shaw] even though hardtv’s website says they do). Bell’s eXpress View offers both.

I’m guessing that the current 300s location, surrounded by porn channels, is a reflection of earlier times that has never been changed.

If you search around OutTV also was taking Shaw to the CRTC because they weren’t honouring their Category 1 status. Meaning they were still offering OutTV as a premium only service (like Playboy). Perhaps the crappy channel location is a reflection of the agreement that Out and Shaw came to which made OutTV withdraw the complain.

Whatever the case it is suspect and disappointing. Although Canada is becoming more progressive and tolerant and although big business says that it won’t discriminate on paper, over and over again I find this isn’t the case. For more evidence of this look at various health insurance companies offering extended health. Some still do not recognize same-sex common-law couples regardless of how long they’ve been together (Wawamease is an example).

[Reply]

Darren, you make a point, but consider the bigger picture here: Just imagine working for a cable company that puts OutTV next to CBC and TSN. No thanks!

Believe me, customers will roll out of bed, toss aside their pop-tarts, and they will call (and call, and call, and call). The number of man hours invested in polite explanation would be astronomical(For fun, find someone who works for a cable company call center and ask them what the absolute dumbest customer complaint they ever heard was).

For every tolerant person who could care less, there would be 10 demanding the channel but cut from the air, or moved up into the 1000s.

Shaw made a good call. It’s one that well serves the large majority of it’s customers, keeps the phone lines more open and keeps operating costs lower.

I don’t watch OutTV (I do have it) but I’m pretty sure it’s more than just reruns of Will & Grace & Queer Eye. Even a talk show with a frank discussion on gay sex is bound to piss people off, and these are people that don’t hesitate call the cable company when they can’t find their remote or the power button on their computer.

[Reply]

Up until about a year or so ago, OUTtv was channel 100 or 101. It was moved to its current 370 berth fairly recently. It also used to be available at no extra charge as part of Shaw’s digital packages. There were two packages, almost identical, except that one included OUT and the other didn’t. If you didn’t specifically request OUT, you wouldn’t receive it. (At least that was my experience, when I switched to Shaw).

[Reply]

Re: John’s comment

Just a brief note regarding John’s comment. This is the position that many cable carriers took before PrideVision was launched. It is also the excuse many of them currently use with us regarding the poor channel placements and poor packaging offered - in spite of the CRTC rules in this regard.

However the reality is that after packaging the channel properly none of the cable companies have had any complaints that OUTtv is aware of. Therefore the scenerio that John outlines above is pure fiction.

OUTtv makes it clear to all of its cable partners that we are willingly to discuss any issues with programming that they may have at any time.

Thanks,

Brad Danks
COO, Convergent Entertainment

[Reply]

John,

I simply do not understand your comments. You begin by asserting that if OUTtv is beside CBC or TSN the call centers will be swamped with calls and “astronomical man hours” would be necessary.

Have you watched OUTtv?

Do you know that last year we had free previews on a number of services including Bell. Do you know how many complaints Bell had from customers?

None.

Your reaction is not only judgmental but it is not consistent with the facts.

In your last e-mail you say that OUTtv subscribers know where to find it. Isn’t that the point of Tod Maffin’s article? He tried to find the channel but couldn’t as it was placed in the nose bleed section next to the porn.

John - with respect - you sound like Shaw does. Your assumptions are wrong and your facts are incorrect.

Yours truly,

BD

Firstly, people complain about a whole lot of things but that doesn’t add up to a

[Reply]

Point is there were no complaints when it was in the 100’s. Why change it?

There’s no reason to be snide either John. So what, he said email instead of comment. He has facts to back up his claims and comes from a position of authority with regard to those facts.

Lastly, of course channel placement matters, why do you think sports are together, major networks are chunked together and so on. To put OutTV with porn gives the impression that that’s where it belongs and it doesn’t.

[Reply]

Danks Brad! I appreciate your passion for television, and for OutTV. You are making a difference in our world, and I think that is something we should all take a moment to acknowledge.

Wader - was not trying to be snide, was just making light of how Mr. Danks (LLB don’cha know) perceives communication on the intarweb.

[Reply]