Specialty channel
Encyclopedia
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting
or non-commercial
television channel
which consists of television program
ming focused on a single genre
, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic.
The number of specialty channels has greatly increased during the 1990s and 2000s while the previously common concept of countries having just a few (national) TV stations addressing all interest groups and demographics became increasingly outmoded, as it already had been for some time in several countries. About 65% of today's satellite channels are specialty channels.
Types of specialty services may include, but by no means are limited to:
(Note: These are not necessarily industry-accepted terms for these types of services)
Some specialty channels may not be free-to-air
and/or may not be available through conventional broadcast television. Pay TV
providers in particular often produce own specialty channels exclusively for their own network.
, due to its use as a marketing term by the cable industry in relation to the various channel launches of the 1990s. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) term for such a channel is specialty service (or even more explicitly "specialty television programming undertaking"), referring to virtually any non-premium television service which is not carried over the airwaves or otherwise deemed exempt by the CRTC. They are primarily carried, therefore, on cable television
and satellite television
.
All such services are specifically limited in regard to the types, and often the amount of said types, of programming that can be carried. For instance, TSN
can only air sports or sports-related programming, while Bravo! cannot air any sports. This differs from the U.S.
, where several cable/satellite services such as USA Network
or Turner Network Television
regularly air programs from nearly all categories, and where there are no restrictions on "specialty" services such as MSNBC
from airing sports, as that particular service has on occasion.
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
or non-commercial
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
which consists of television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
ming focused on a single genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic.
The number of specialty channels has greatly increased during the 1990s and 2000s while the previously common concept of countries having just a few (national) TV stations addressing all interest groups and demographics became increasingly outmoded, as it already had been for some time in several countries. About 65% of today's satellite channels are specialty channels.
Types of specialty services may include, but by no means are limited to:
- children's interest channelChildren's interest channelChildren's interest channels are television specialty channels that present children's interest content.Popular children's interest channels include:* Al Jazeera Children's Channel * Baraem* BBC Kids * Boing * Boing...
s - documentary channelDocumentary channelA documentary channel is a specialty channel which focuses on broadcasting documentaries. Some documentary channels further specialize by dedicating their television programming to specific types of documentaries or documentaries in a specific area of knowledge. DOC: The Documentary Channel and The...
s - adult channels
- men's interest channelMen's interest channelA men's interest channel generally refers to either a television station, network or specialty channel that targets men as its main demographic; offering programs that will appeal to the male population....
s - movie channelMovie channelMovie channels are television specialty channels that present movie content.Popular movie channels:* AMC * ClassTV MSNBC * Cinemax * Kino Polska * Encore * For you * Fox Movie Channel...
s - music channels
- news channels
- Public affairs (broadcasting)Public affairs (broadcasting)Public affairs, a broadcasting industry term, refers to television programs which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time...
- Public, educational, and government accessPublic, educational, and government accessPublic, educational, and government access television, refers to three different cable television specialty channels...
- quiz channelQuiz channelA quiz channel is a television channel that focuses on phone-in quizzes. The quizzes usually focus on puzzles, such as filling in blanks, identifying subjects, or other forms of word puzzles....
s - shopping channelShopping channelShopping channels are television specialty channels that present shopping related content, particularly for home shopping enthusiasts.-USA:* America's Store* Home Shopping Network* Jewelry Television* QVC* Shop at Home Network* ShopNBC...
s - sports channelSports channelSports channels are television specialty channels broadcast sporting events, usually live, and when not broadcasting events, sports news and other related programming....
s - religious broadcastingReligious broadcastingReligious broadcasting refers to broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.While this article emphasises...
- women's interest channelWomen's interest channelA women's interest channel generally refers to either a television station, network or specialty channel that targets women as its main demographic; offering programs that will appeal to the female population....
s
(Note: These are not necessarily industry-accepted terms for these types of services)
Some specialty channels may not be free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
and/or may not be available through conventional broadcast television. Pay TV
Pay TV
Pay television, premium television, or premium channels refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by both analog and digital cable and satellite, but also increasingly via digital terrestrial and internet television...
providers in particular often produce own specialty channels exclusively for their own network.
Canadian specialty channels
The term "specialty channel" has been used most frequently in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, due to its use as a marketing term by the cable industry in relation to the various channel launches of the 1990s. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) term for such a channel is specialty service (or even more explicitly "specialty television programming undertaking"), referring to virtually any non-premium television service which is not carried over the airwaves or otherwise deemed exempt by the CRTC. They are primarily carried, therefore, on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
.
All such services are specifically limited in regard to the types, and often the amount of said types, of programming that can be carried. For instance, TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
can only air sports or sports-related programming, while Bravo! cannot air any sports. This differs from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where several cable/satellite services such as USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
or Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
regularly air programs from nearly all categories, and where there are no restrictions on "specialty" services such as MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
from airing sports, as that particular service has on occasion.