World Fishing Network

World Fishing Network

World Fishing Network logo
Launched December 2, 2005
Owned by Insight Sports (80.1%)
Altitude Sports and Entertainment (19.9%)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Slogan We Share Your Passion
Country Canada
Broadcast area National
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario
Website World Fishing Network
Availability
Satellite
Bell TV (Canada) Channel 419 (SD)
Shaw Direct (Canada) Channel 127 / 458 (SD)
Cable
Available on several Canadian, Caribbean, and American cable systems Check local listings, channels may vary
IPTV
AT&T U-verse (USA) Channel 1679 (HD)
Bell Fibe TV (Canada) Channel 419 (SD)
Channel 1419 (HD)
MTS (Canada) Channel 183 (SD)
Channel 1183 (HD)
Optik TV (Canada) Channel 9361 (SD)
Channel 361 (HD)
SaskTel (Canada) Channel 161 (SD)
Channel 461 (HD)
VMedia (Canada) Channel 426 (SD)

World Fishing Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Insight Sports Ltd. WFN broadcasts fishing-related programming, including recreational and sport fishing and lifestyle programming.

History

In April 2005, Insight Sports, through its subsidiary Global Fishing Network Ltd., was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a channel called Global Fishing network, described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty programming undertaking devoted to fishing and fishing enthusiasts."[1]

The channel was launched on December 2, 2005[2] as World Fishing Network in standard definition on Rogers Cable.

International and HD

WFN logo 2008-2014

WFN reached its first international distribution agreement in November 2007 with Verizon FiOS in the United States.[3] A few months later, in May 2008, WFN launched a high definition (HD) channel on the American satellite television service Dish Network,[4] called "World Fishing Network HD", a channel with a separate schedule from its standard definition counterpart. The HD channel was added to Verizon FiOS that year.[5] Since WFN's launch on Verizon and Dish Network, it has been added to several other U.S. television providers such as Charter Communications,[6] and television providers in the Caribbean, including Flow Cable in Jamaica.[7]

An HD feed, simulcasting the Canadian standard-definition feed, was launched on September 2, 2010.[8] Rogers Cable was the first to carry the HD feed at launch.[9] It is also available on EastLink.

WFN HD logo

On January 10, 2011, WFN announced that it had sold a 50% stake in its U.S. operations to Altitude Sports and Entertainment.[10] Also, in 2011, Altitude Sports and Entertainment purchased a 19.9% interest in the Canadian channel through its division Altitude WFN ULC.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2005-151 CRTC 2005-04-13
  2. ↑ The TUESDAY INTERVIEW: Insight Sports Networks president and COO Mark Rubinstein Cartt.ca 2005-12-20
  3. ↑ 'WFN: World Fishing Network' and Verizon Award 'Deprived Angler' a New Boat; NewsCenter.Verizon.com; 2008-11-06.
  4. ↑ World Fishing Network HD Secures Carriage Agreement with DISH Network; ChannelCanada.com; 2008-05-14
  5. ↑ WFN: World Fishing Network HD Launches on Verizon FiOS in the New York City Metro Market; Reuters.com; 2008-08-19.
  6. ↑ AllCoastMedia.com, 2009-03-29.
  7. ↑ FlowJamaica.com
  8. ↑ WFN: World Fishing Network to Launch In High Definition on Rogers Cable on September 2, CNW, 31 August 2010
  9. ↑ WFN Catches Carriage Pact With Videotron, Launches In HD With Rogers Cable Multichannel News August 31, 2010
  10. ↑ Altitude Sports Hooks Partnership In World Fishing Network Multichannel News, 2011-01-10
  11. ↑ CRTC ownership chart CRTC
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