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Bell Fibe TV Adds 2 New Greek Channels


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Bell Fibe TV has add two new Greek Channels.

 

SKAI

Mad World

 

No price or how long the "Free Preview" will be.

 

As it stands now Bell Fibe has the most Greek Channels as a provider(AFAIK).

652 SKAI

653 Mad World

888 Mega Cosmos

889 OTN (ANT1/SAT)

890 Greek Cinema

891 Alpha Sat

892 CHTO

 

In another thread it states 8 channels are available in Canada. What provider broadcast them or are they only available via the net?

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Wow, Great news for those in Canada! Is SKAI a direct stream? I wonder where they are getting MAD World from. Must be coming directly from MAD in Athens, since I don't believe it is available elsewhere worldwide currently since UBI went under in Australia?

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I'm not sure about Mad World.

                             

As for SKAI I'm not sure but I have seen ads for places in New York City.There where also ads in Greek, but I can't read Greek so not sure where they where from?     

 

I tried looking up Greek channels on that Wiki site got quite a few, but all I got was one or two channels called Mad. They had to do with music video's like this one. Maybe a  Canadian version.

 

Its funny because I don't recall seeing anything on the CRTC web site about these channels being authorized in Canada?

 

I know there where originally 3 different groups of Greek Channels:

 

OTN (3) I believe owned by one guy 

Hellenic TV (3) owned by a woman, but I think the licences expired?

Greek TV (2? or 3? not sure) owned by some guy, but those too I think expired?

 

In any case its nice to see those here. 

 

All we need know is those 3 or 4 Greek radio stations on Dish and more or less we'll be set.

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Welcome to the Phantis Forums MCIBUS! :)

 

Wow, I can't believe that Fibe has actually added these channels- first Alpha Sat and now Skai & Mad World, its a Greek channel bonanza! :D

 

I wonder who launched these channels, I cannot find any info at all about them.  I suspect that either Odyssey TV or Soundview Entertainment are behind the launch?!  Soundview has applied to add Star International (another channel coming soon MCIBUS!) to the approved list, so its possible they are the ones that have brought Skai and MAD World to Canada?!  As far as I know, Skai does not have an international channel so is this the channel from Greece or have they now launched an international service?!

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?Well like I said I'm not sure. All I know I've seen commercials from New York City,one from Toronto and some that where in Greek that had Greek lettering advertising so not sure what they said or where they where from.

 

If Star International does get approval(which I'm sure it will considering how the CRTC seems to allow tons of etyhnic channels IE ATN Channels? What something like 20 or so?)

 

Anyways if Fibe does pick it up, they'll have 8 assuming they keep Greek Cinema and have ERT World or what ever the new name is.

 

I'm surprised Rogers hasn't yet to pick these up, but knowing them they'll either won't or charge $15/channel like they do for MMEGA & OTN.

 

?Do you have their web site, when I Google it a yellow pages comes up?

Edited by MCIBUS
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HellasHab, I assume you mean the same Soundview that sub-licenses the rights from Titan Television/Greek Media Group for Mega Cosmos to Dish Network. I know in the past you posted that Alpha Sat was also launched in partnership with Titan and Odyssey. I wonder if Titan/GMG/Soundview or whatever they go by got the rights for SKAI and MAD World as well. That would mean they control the rights for all the Greek channels except ANT1 Satellite and Greek Cinema.

 

MCIBUS says he saw some New York and Toronto area commercials on SKAI, so it sounds like they have possibly finally launched an international version of the channel, which is really surprising! I wonder if any of these channels will make it onto Dish Network in the US. Just by the fact that Soundview applied for Star International in Canada, it sounds like it could be offered on Dish eventually. (Although I suspect they are waiting to see what will happen with NERIT first)

Edited by Grk101
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It maybe a "North American" version? I know here in Canada certain versions of US channels IE F/X,MTV,Spike,OWN,etc have the US monogramming and also must contain a certain Mount of Can-Con programming. I know with OTN although it has ANT1/Sat programming it also must contain a certain amount of Canadian Contain.

 

 

I know certain ethnic channels in Canada are like this, while other ethnic channels are the ones from that ethnic group. 

 

As for SKAI I'm not sure which it falls under?So maybe the commercials are inserted here for CRTC regulations?

Edited by MCIBUS
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HellasHab, I assume you mean the same Soundview that sub-licenses the rights from Titan Television/Greek Media Group for Mega Cosmos to Dish Network.

 

Yes that is the same Soundview that I was referring to.  According to the Titan website, they have formed a partnership with Soundview to distribute their channels in the US and Canada.  Soundview has operations here in Canada, they distribute several channels including South Asian & African channels.  Interesting to note, Titan partnered with OTN to launch Alpha Sat in Canada but have partnered with Soundview for the Star International application.

 

I wonder if Titan/GMG/Soundview or whatever they go by got the rights for SKAI and MAD World as well.

 

That is entirely possible, we will find out eventually who distributes these channels.

 

I wonder if any of these channels will make it onto Dish Network in the US.

 

I think if Skai has launched an international service you will probably see that on Dish at some point, Star International on the other hand probably won't be added.  RCN carried Star awhile back but dropped it a short while later, most likely due to low viewership.

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Thanks HELLAS

 

Well I looked through whats still available from Greece and assuming these come here as well:

 

Makedonia TV

4ETV(religious programming ( like Vison TV, Hope TV in Canada)

 

 

E Channel( not the E! one here in Canada & the US)closed down.

 

Assuming those two along with Star International(if gets approved? which it prbaly will the way the CRTC allows ethnic channels)and if we can get the 3 Radio stations on Dish.

 

And Bell Fibe TV(I dought Bell Sat)carries all of them, we could possibly see:

 

1)OTN-ATN1/Sat

2)ERT World(if it comes back)

3)Mega Cosmos

4)Alpha Sat

5)SKI

6)Mad World

7)Greek Cinema

8)Star International(if approved by the CRTC)

9)Makedonia TV(if allowed to come here and approved by the CRTC)

10)4ETV(if allowed to come here and approved by the CRTC)

11)ANT1 Radio,Rythmos FM & Super Sports FM(if allowed to come here and approved by the CRTC)

12)CHTO

13)CHCR(added to Bell Fibe)

14)CHIR(if added outside Montreal)

 

If all these are allowed and are placed on Bell Fibe TV for all areas of Bell Fibe, Bell Fibe TV would have 16 Greek services.

 

I know its wishful thinking but one can only wish it as a christmas present  :nw:  :not:  :hypocrite: 

Edited by MCIBUS
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Is Greek Cinema also on Bell Fibe TV? By my calculations, you get all the channels on Bell Fibe TV for $32.50 CAD a month. Not bad, considering Dish Network charges $29.99 USD for their similar package without the new two channels. I wonder how well their pricing approach will go though. Will people shell out $5 for example for a niche channel like MAD World? Maybe they should have packaged them together instead.

 

 

Yes that is the same Soundview that I was referring to.  According to the Titan website, they have formed a partnership with Soundview to distribute their channels in the US and Canada.  Soundview has operations here in Canada, they distribute several channels including South Asian & African channels.  Interesting to note, Titan partnered with OTN to launch Alpha Sat in Canada but have partnered with Soundview for the Star International application.

 

On the Titan website, they seem to highlight the fact that they alone control the IPTV rights for their channels. So maybe they have now outsourced the satellite rights to their partner Soundview because of their past history. We know they did this with Mega Cosmos in the US to get on Dish Network. It is still puzzling though as to why Titan was on the Alpha Sat application but Soundview is on the Star International application... Also since I am not too familiar with how the CRTC works, why are there no applications for SKAI and MAD World?

 

 

Well I looked through whats still available from Greece and assuming these come here as well:

 

Makedonia TV

4ETV(religious programming ( like Vison TV, Hope TV in Canada)

 

 

E Channel( not the E! one here in Canada & the US)closed down.

 

 

Makedonia TV doesn't really offer anything worthwhile (although there have been long standing rumors of a restructuring that never happens), and E Channel just launched a few months ago and is also a small time player. Realistically, if any new channels were to be launched in Canada, they would be niche channels 4E TV and/or RIK Sat since they are already on IPTV in the US. (and were on satellite at one time) 4E is a religious channel like you stated, and RIK Sat caters to the Greek-Cypriot diaspora. Also of course the new ERT (NERIT) when that launches next year.

Edited by Grk101
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Does anyone have a link to Titan's web site.

 

True its better deal with Bell then Rogers.

 

Bell

 

OTN

Alpha

Mega

SKAI

Greek Cinema

Mad World

CHTO AM 1690(available everywhere)

 

Total+$32.50+taxs\es for 7 services

 

Rogers

 

OTN

Alpha

Mega

CHTO AM 1690(only available in the GTA)

 

Total=$35.04+taxes for 4 services.

Edited by MCIBUS
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Is Greek Cinema also on Bell Fibe TV?

 

The channel that previously aired ERT World (OTN2), now airs programming from Greek Cinema.  This channel is currently only available on Bell satellite and Bell Fibe- Rogers Cable & Videotron Cable both dropped ERT World Canada and replaced it with Alpha Sat.  If NERIT ever launches an international service, OTN2 will air programming from that channel and Greek Cinema will be spun-off onto its own channel.

 

It is still puzzling though as to why Titan was on the Alpha Sat application but Soundview is on the Star International application...

Also since I am not too familiar with how the CRTC works, why are there no applications for SKAI and MAD World?

 

Odyssey TV is connected to the Alpha Sat application, Titan is involved with both channels as they are the official distributor for Alpha Sat & Star International.  I think the reason for the different sponsors is that Alpha Sat is the more popular channel and OTN chose to be involved with Alpha Sat and probably aren't interested in Star International (rightfully so IMO as Star doesn't really offer much).  Titan wants to try and get all their channels into Canada so they partnered up with Soundview on the Star application, I think its a waste of time as aside from possibly Bell Fibe (who are adding international channels like crazy), I don't see anyone else being interested in adding this channel.  Star failed to get distribution in the USA (Dish doesn't want this channel), I don't think it will fair much better in Canada.

 

 I wonder how well their pricing approach will go though. Will people shell out $5 for example for a niche channel like MAD World?

 

Bell has adopted a different pricing model for International services than other providers, I presume that it's doing well for them otherwise they would have made changes?!  They have a base package with a few popular channels then all other channels from each ethnic group are sold as 'add-ons'.  They charge a lot less than other providers for these channels, which typically sell at a premium- I think the reason they charge so little is to try and deter people from signing up for IPTV services (there are many IPTV services that cater to ethnic audiences and they usually offer a wide selection of channels).

 

I would not have added MAD World as I think its too niche- people tend to listen to music not watch it on television.  There were two music channels in the USA (Blue & GMtv), both sold in packages yet still could not survive and ended up shutting down.  IMO the only niche channels that tend to fair well are movie channels and news channels.  I am surprised that no one has ever launched an all-news channel in Greece?!  Portugal, which is a bit smaller then Greece but has roughly the same population, has 2 news channels yet Greece doesn't even have one?!

 

 

Does anyone have a link to Titan's web site.

 

Here ya go: http://www.titantelevision.tv

 

They are the official distributor for MEGA Cosmos, Alpha Sat, 4E, PIK Sat & Star International.

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  • 3 weeks later...

IMO the only niche channels that tend to fair well are movie channels and news channels.  I am surprised that no one has ever launched an all-news channel in Greece?!  Portugal, which is a bit smaller then Greece but has roughly the same population, has 2 news channels yet Greece doesn't even have one?!

 

Well Euronews has launched a Greek version of their channel, but it is only broadcast in Athens I believe. I believe that most of the content is just dubbed into Greek though.

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Mystery solved.

 

Skai & MAD World have been launched in Canada by Ethnic Channels Group, the same company that brought MEGA Cosmos back to Canada in 2007.  They have updated their website with listings for the two channels, however they don't list MAD World but rather MAD- I think this is a mistake as Bell Fibe clearly has MAD World listed on their site.  According to the description on their site for Skai, it appears that they are airing the direct feed from Greece?!

 

Here is the link to their listings: http://www.ethnicchannels.com/category/country/greece/
 

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Well Euronews has launched a Greek version of their channel, but it is only broadcast in Athens I believe. I

believe that most of the content is just dubbed into Greek though.

 

I am aware that Euronews has launched a Greek version although technically its not a true all-Greek news channel.  The content is not dubbed, Euronews offers the same video feed, the audio feed is what is different for each version.  The Greek version has Greek newscasters that they hired that read the different news stories in Greek.  This channel is not like a traditional news channel as it doesn't have any live reports, except perhaps for a breaking news story?!

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Heads Up? not sure if this might be good news or bad news, but Euronews French 118 Euronews En Francais has relaunched on Bell Fibe. Bell TV had previously but dropped it. Now I'm not sure if a Greek Sap channel will be provided or not?

Edited by MCIBUS
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Mystery solved.

 

Skai & MAD World have been launched in Canada by Ethnic Channels Group, the same company that brought MEGA Cosmos back to Canada in 2007.  They have updated their website with listings for the two channels, however they don't list MAD World but rather MAD- I think this is a mistake as Bell Fibe clearly has MAD World listed on their site.  According to the description on their site for Skai, it appears that they are airing the direct feed from Greece?!

 

Here is the link to their listings: http://www.ethnicchannels.com/category/country/greece/

 

Ethnic Channels? HMM not sure if thats agood thing or bad thing? They don't have a good track record with nGreek Channels?

 

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Mystery solved.

 

   According to the description on their site for Skai, it appears that they are airing the direct feed from Greece?!

 

Here is the link to their listings: http://www.ethnicchannels.com/category/country/greece/

 

Not sure about that?

 

1) there is a 7 hour time difference between here and Greece.

 

2)According to the schedule(10:00 AM our time) IN Action(5:00 PM Greece time)should be playing, instead they have Church program(although when I saw it(mother was watching it) it had said 4E in the upper left hand corner.

 

So it more likely there's an international feed because I keep seeing commercials for Toronto & New York City? Why would a channel from Greece have those commercials? 

 

I've looked at the schedule(both for shows & times) and they don't match up even with the time difference.

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Wait, what?!

 

They are airing programming from 4E on Skai?!  If it has commercials from Canada & the USA then that means someone has created an international feed for this channel?!  I wonder if they have partnered up with Dish Network as Dish carries several channels from ECG?!  On the other hand, 4E is distributed by Titan in the US, this is getting weirder and weirder?!

 

I tried to get an answer but these guys just ignored my emails so I gave up.  Is it possible for you to send me the schedule for Skai, the Bell website only has online TV listings for Satelite not Fibe TV and Zap2it has no listings for most of the ethnic channels so its useless.

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Very very strange. SKAI in Greece definitely does not air any 4E programing. It sounds like it is a North American version, and as you mentioned Titan owns the rights for 4E in North America. Very strange. Furthermore, the NYC commercials lead me to believe that a US launch is close? I wonder if Verizon FiOS will pick it up, I noticed that they have stepped up their marketing and have been taking out full page ads in Greek-American publications recently for ANT1 Satellite....

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 I wonder if Verizon FiOS will pick it up, I noticed that they have stepped up their marketing and have been taking out full page ads in

Greek-American publications recently for ANT1 Satellite....

 

what exactly are they promoting- they only offer 1 Greek channel, which is quite pathetic IMO?!  They should add MEGA Cosmos (at the very least) and perhaps Alpha Sat as well and then start promoting their 'new' Greek package. ;)

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  • Lazarus changed the title to Bell Fibe TV Adds 2 New Greek Channels

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