The Shopping Channel

The Shopping Channel (also known as TSC) is a Canadian English language cable television home shopping channel. The Shopping Channel is a division of Rogers Media. The channel is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. It showcases various products which viewers can purchase either by telephone or internet. TSC also distributes a catalogue twice per year and owns an off-air outlet store located in Toronto.

The only day that TSC doesn't sell any items is Christmas Day. Sale broadcasts were replaced by Christmas scenes with holiday music in the background until 2008, but have been replaced since with the TSC on-air personalities and celebrity guests sharing their Christmas memories. TSC usually ends live broadcasting for the Christmas holiday at about 4 P.M. EST Christmas Eve, with taped sales segments airing from 4PM-10PM ET.^[1] They go back to regular broadcasting at 10PM ET Christmas Day, with taped sales segments, and return to live broadcasting at 7AM ET Boxing Day.^[2]

As with most home shopping cable channels, the products, such as jewellery and dresses, are mainly aimed at a female audience.

History

Founded by Canadian entrepreneur John Goldberg, the channel went on the air on January 15, 1987^[3] as the Canadian Home Shopping Network (CHSN), under the umbrella of the Canadian Home Shopping Club (CHSC), and was affiliated with the U.S. Home Shopping Network (HSN). The channel was exempted from licensing by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), but for several years this was on the condition the channel not use live motion video to demonstrate its products. Animated graphics could be used, but otherwise CHSN was limited to a slide-show format with voice-overs. This restriction was lifted in 1995.

The first on-air host was Sandi Hall. Hosts from the first year included "Bargain" Bill Allison (husband to Betty-Jean Allison, also a former host), Mike Banks, Craig Hamilton (Stash Cairo), Alexandra Elliot (Martha Zidel) and Rosemary Frasier and Hugh Wilson. In January 1988, Rogers Communications acquired the organization from John Goldberg. Rogers then installed Simon Dean as the new president.

The Canadian Home Shopping Network was renamed to The Shopping Channel (TSC) in 2000.

After adopting its current name, the channel commonly used the acronym "TSC", which had a stylized askew-square logo. Its use was cut back significantly after complaints from the hardware store chain Tractor Supply Company, which used a vaguely similar logo.

In July 2015, it was reported that Rogers was planning to sell The Shopping Channel, and had received bids from foreign broadcasters, such as Liberty Interactive (owner of QVC). Interest had also reportedly been shown by HSN and Evine Live. The network could fetch at least $300 million, although due to CRTC policies, a foreign company would not be able to serve as majority-owner.^[4]

Logos

Logo used during its life as CHSN.	Black and white version of the logo used from 2000-2001.	Used from 2001-2008. Initially the box above the 'i' was a maple leaf.	2008-2013	2013–present

The Shopping Channel HD

In July 2011, The Shopping Channel launched a high definition feed called The Shopping Channel HD that simulcasts the standard definition feed.

References

External links

• Official website
• CHSC video of Ronco Food Dehydrator
• CHSC video of E-Force Cross Trainer