BritCan Television

BritCan Television
 Broadcast area
 Language(s)
 Picture format
 Owner
 Launched
 Former names
 Website
 Available on most cable providers
 Dish Network | Channel 264 (SD)

**BritCan Television** is an American generalist cable channel that launched on January 25, 1988, and is the flagship property of the BritCan Networks Group, a unit of BritCan Entertainment. As of September 2018, approximately 89.094 million households in the United States received the channel through their pay television provider.

## History

### Background, launch, and early years

From its establishment in 1971, **BritCan Television Productions** had become a rising force in producing syndicated and network television content. As one of many attempts to further bulk its library, BTP co-president Canaan Moore acquired a 41% stake of Maxine Pictures from owner Vance Thomas on June 5, 1984. By the end of the year, he and BTP partner Brit Johnson assumed full ownership of the film studio, and a new holding company (**BritCan Media**) emerged to oversee both units.

On September 18, 1987, Moore formally announced the launch of **BritCan Network Television** (**BNT**). The new channel, set to be available at a monthly rate of 15¢ per subscriber (later increased to 25¢ in January 1989), would focus on culled programming from the libraries of BTP and Maxine, alongside theatrical and made-for-cable movies, miniseries, and documentaries.

BNT launched at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 25, 1988, with a launch party special hosted by Moore and previews of the channel's programming. At the time of its launch, BNT was available to an estimated 13.4 million subscribers (overtaking VH1's launch as the largest cable channel debut in history until TNT that October) and aired daily from 7:00 to 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

BNT initially served as an outlet for BTP-produced situation comedies, dramas, and game shows, in addition to the library of films and television series that Maxine either produced themselves, held rights to, or acquired specifically for the channel's lineup. Early programming staples included the children's block *Funhouse*, *Moviethon* (a Memorial Day weekend showcase of the network's film library), and Saturday Saloon (an afternoon marathon of western and crime drama series).

### Shift to general entertainment

By the 1990s, BTN began downplaying its archival content as it dove into original programming efforts for the first time. These new series included *Lounge*, a late-night talk show hosted from the channel's headquarters in New York City; *This Morning*, a late morning/daytime news and talk progam; and *Culture Today*, a newsmagazine series.

## Programming

*Main article: List of programs broadcast by BritCan Television*
### News

*See also: BritCan News*
BritCan Television is one of the few U.S. general entertainment cable channels to run a daily cycle of news programming. Corporate sister BritCan News provides such content beginning at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time each weekday with the early-morning news program *Early Bird*; it then leads into BritCan's flagship morning show *This Morning*, airing from 7–9 a.m. ET. The talk-lifestyle show *On the Run*, which emerged as the third hour of *This Morning*, is a regular staple of BritCan's news cycle despite its production shifting over to BritCan Studios in 2013. *On the Run* airs from 9–10 a.m. ET.

## International

*Main article: List of international BritCan Television channels*
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