Canada's broadcast regulator has denied a request from MuchMusic to reduce the amount of music video programming it airs from 50 per cent to 25.
The CRTC also denied its request to reduce Canadian content, eliminate French-language music videos and add more animated programs and drama.
While it's clear MuchMusic is willing to rebrand itself a lifestyle station, the CRTC says its proposed changes would call into question its licensing framework, which gives Much genre exclusivity as the nation's music station.
The changes were opposed by Rogers as well as the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), who argue they would allow MuchMusic to duplicate the programming of MTV Canada.
Brad Schwartz, senior vice-president of Toronto's Much MTV Group, says changes are still necessary as demographics and technology shift.
"What the CRTC does in creating the nature of services and genre protections is to allow businesses to be special. And our problem is, music videos no longer make us special," he tells the Canadian Press. "When you look at a service like Vevo — which is owned by the record labels — we don't even get music video premieres anymore. All music video premieres are on Vevo."
The CRTC has granted Much increased flexibility in airing movies, as well as a wider variety of programming genres, as long as it is music-related.
It is also allowing Much to operate an 18 as opposed to 24-hour day, meaning it can air whatever it likes between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.
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