The Movie Network Encore

The Movie Network Encore (or TMN Encore) is a Canadian English language Category A premium cable and satellite television channel that is owned by Bell Media. Until March 1, 2016, TMN Encore was designated to operate east of the Ontario-Manitoba border (excluding the territories), mirroring the coverage area of its parent service, The Movie Network, while Encore Avenue had operated west of the border. On March 1, 2016, Encore Avenue shut down, and TMN Encore expanded west, thus becoming a national Pay TV service. The channel offers a variety of classic films during the late 20th century on two 24-hour pay television channels, TMN Encore and TMN Encore 2. Its programming is comparable to that of Encore Avenue, a separately owned pay service (and sister channel to Movie Central) that was marketed to Western Canada, serving areas located west of the Ontario-Manitoba border.

TMN Encore is carried by various Canadian cable and satellite television providers, including Bell TV, Shaw Direct, Rogers Digital Cable, Vidéotron, EastLink, Shaw, Telus and Cogeco. TMN Encore is also the only private broadcaster financing film preservation in Canada through its sponsorship of the AV Preservation Trust, and National Archives.

History

The channel was launched on October 1, 1994 as TMN Moviepix; by 1996, its name was shortened to simply Moviepix. By 2001, the channel's name was shortened for the third time to simply Mpix. The channel was originally owned by Astral Communications (later Astral Media).

In an effort to re-align Mpix with The Movie Network brand, on August 20, 2012, Astral announced that it would be rebranding Mpix as The Movie Network Encore on September 18, 2012. On the day of the rebrand, its multiplex channel MorePix was accordingly renamed The Movie Network Encore 2; with the change, TMN Encore 2 also launched a high definition feed, which simulcasts its standard definition counterpart.^[2]

The TMN Encore channels when the channel was known as Mpix (2003–2012).

On March 4, 2013, the Competition Bureau approved the takeover of Astral Media by Bell Media.^[3] Bell filed a new application for the proposed takeover with the CRTC on March 6, 2013;^[4] the CRTC approved the merger on June 27, 2013,^[5] effectively turning over control of The Movie Network Encore and The Movie Network to Bell.

On November 19, 2015, Encore Avenue owner Corus Entertainment announced that as a result of a strategic review, it had decided to exit the pay TV business to concentrate on its national specialty channels, and would discontinue Encore Avenue along with Movie Central. To that end, Corus reached an agreement with Bell through which TMN Encore became a national service for the first time on March 1, 2016, with Encore Avenue subscribers automatically transitioning to TMN Encore; similarly, Movie Central subscribers were transitioned to the main TMN service. Although Bell did not buy the Movie Central or Encore Avenue licences, it paid Corus C$211 million in exchange for Corus' assistance in allowing the national expansion of TMN / TMN Encore.^[6] The CRTC had quietly given administrative approval (i.e., approved without a request for public comment) to applications to allow TMN and TMN Encore to operate nationally in July 2015, so no further regulatory approval was required.^[7][8] This meant that Bell was not required to fund a public benefits package worth 10% of the transaction value, as would typically be required by the CRTC in the event of a licence transfer.

Channels

List of channels

Depending on the service provider, The Movie Network Encore provides up to four multiplex channels – two 24-hour multiplex channels, both of which are simulcast in both standard definition and high definition – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service (TMN Encore on Demand). TMN Encore broadcasts its primary and multiplex channels on an Eastern Time Zone schedule. Because The Movie Network Encore operates a singular feed and its original license was restricted to broadcast solely in a geographical area covered by the Eastern, Atlantic, and Newfoundland time zones, this results in the difference in local airtimes for a particular movie or program between two geographic locations being 4 and half hours at most.

The premium film service The Movie Network, which is also owned by Bell Media and shares the TMN branding, operates as a separate service under a separate license – and subscribers to one of the two services do not necessarily have to subscribe to the other. However, The Movie Network is very frequently sold together in a package with TMN Encore.^[9]

Background

For a time, Mpix was focused on classic thriller, suspense and action films, while MorePix focused on classic dramas and light-hearted movies. This distinction no longer seems to be in place and both channels now carry a variety of films from various genres and eras, though TMN Encore 2 is more likely to carry older and/or less commercially successful films.

Related services

TMN Encore HD

TMN Encore HD is a high definition simulcast feed of The Movie Network Encore that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. In addition to its main channel, The Movie Network Encore also operates a high definition simulcast feed of its multiplex channel TMN Encore 2. The original HD channel initially operated as MHD from launch of the HD feed in January 2006 until April 1, 2008. Until September 2010, TMN Encore HD (at that time known as Mpix HD) alternated between simulcasts of Mpix and its multiplex channel MorePix; at that point it began simulcasting its main channel exclusively. A high definition simulcast of TMN Encore 2 was launched on September 23, 2012.^[2]

TMN Encore on Demand

The Movie Network Encore operates a subscription video-on-demand television service called TMN Encore on Demand, which is available at no additional charge to new and existing subscribers of The Movie Network Encore. The service, which launched on December 19, 2006, as Mpix on Demand, carries feature film content from the two linear TMN Encore television networks. TMN Entcore on Demand's rotating program selection incorporates select new titles that are added each Friday, alongside existing program titles held over from the previous one to two weeks.

TMN Encore GO

On February 27, 2013, The Movie Network Encore launched TMN Encore GO, a website and mobile app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, which carries feature film content available for streaming in standard or high definition.^[10] TMN Encore GO is currently available to TMN Encore subscribers of Bell TV, Bell Fibe TV, Cogeco Cable and Rogers Cable.^[10]

Programming

The majority of the program content offered by the TMN Encore channels is in the form of classic films, although the channel offers a limited amount of television series in the form of pop culture-related series on the topic of films and filmmaking including:

• Moviehead, a show that takes a snapshot look at a movie and how it was made; hosted by Matt Hawkins, it airs every Friday before the 9 p.m. Reel Premiere.
• Movie Style, a lifestyle show on TMN Encore 2, hosted by Lisa Williams and Matt Hawkins, that combines films with trends in fashion, design, beauty and entertainment.
• Reel Premiere, airs every weekend.

Movie library

Sony, Fox, Warner Bros., and Universal Studios, plus their labels (except Walt Disney Pictures), air on TMN Encore.

See also

• The Movie Network

References

External links

• Official website
• TMN Encore GO