Digital TV applicant sees opportunity to sell advertisers on environmental TV

Among the hundreds of applications for new digital specialty licences is a proposal from the founder of Vision TV for new network that promises to attract both subscribers and advertisers interested in the environment and sustainable development. David Nostbakken is now president and CEO of WETV International Inc, a Canadian-owned international specialty channel that features programming from developing countries and independent producers. "We're a global service, and we produce programming to reflect the global culture," Nostbakken told CCR. "This application is to do basically the same thing in Canada on themes of the human and natural environment. It is a Canadian subsidiary, but it has to follow the rules of Canadian content and so on, but at the same time, it brings programming from all over the world." WETV Canada's first preference is for a Category 1 digital licence, although it's also included its name among the more than 300 Category 2 applicants. In its application, it commits to carry 43 per cent Canadian content in its first year, rising to 63 per cent in year two and thereafter, including 60 per cent in prime time. WETV Canada is proposing to charge a monthly wholesale fee of $0.15/sub, with service offered free for the first six months. It's predicting a take-up rate of 20 per cent of subscribers in its first year, increasing to 75 per cent penetration by year three. The company expects to generate revenue from subscribers, air-time sponsor-ships (sold to NGOs and government agencies), advertising, production services and transactional opportunities, from both its television channel and its web site. WETV International is currently revamping its web site, in partnership with Venture Resources of Vancouver (creators of Grocery.com and Barter.com). WETV.com is to be the engine that will drive interactive program content on both WETV Canada and WETV International. WETV Canada filed extensive evidence to support its application, including an advertiser survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers and a market research report by CV Marketing Research. The national market survey found that 75 per cent of respondents polled in March would select a television channel with program themes about the environment, both human and physical. Nearly 75 per cent of Canadians said they would be more likely to choose a bundle of 10 channels if it carried WETV Canada's program offering. The proposed service describes its target audience as "today's family", ages 2 to 55 with a skew towards women. Programming would include environmental news, analysis and interpretation, informal education, and long-form documentaries. The schedule would also feature drama, music video programs and general entertainment. The channel's goal is to "educate Canadians on how to live their lives in ways that support a sustainable future for their children and grandchildren". "There's a huge interest in our subject matter and our programming," explains Nostbakken. "There's more of a (consumer) interest in taking a package of ten (channels) for four or five dollars if WETV is on it. There is a gap, a market opportunity, and it's a wanted service. We have the financial backing we need, the advertisers love it, both here in Canada and around the world. I don't know why (the CRTC) wouldn't give us a licence." Why advertisers are attracted to social programming The CV Marketing study also found strong support for such a channel among advertisers that sell environmentally ‘friendly' products or who are trying to reach an educated, and politically aware audience. It concludes that WETV Canada would offer an image not easily found in the current TV spectrum, one similar to TVO and PBS, which are out of bounds to advertisers. Noskbakken says he's amazed that, both in Canada and around the world, others haven't seized on the market opportunity offered by more socially conscious programming. He believes that, as a niche service, "it's almost mainstream", one that has more potential viewers as the population ages. "And younger people like it because environment is the only cause out there," he says. "There's no civil rights movement, there's no war to fight against, so our rock musicians have an interest in the artistic representation of the one thing they know that matters, and that's the natural human environment. "What's interesting about the environment - is that people don't just think of the environment in their own country, they think of it as a global concept," he adds. "And what WETV is doing globally is representing that concept through the diverse cultural talents around the world, and that's what we plan to do in Canada." Much of WETV Canada's programming will come from its parent company, which produces programming throughout the world in partnership with independent producers. WETV International has offered to provide 910 hours of programming to its affiliate in year one for $1.5 million. It will also provide the Canadian service with 110 program episodes and worldwide rights cleared for five years for $2.76 million (fees based on cost-recovery). As well as being former chair of Vision TV, Nostbakken also served as director general of communications for the International Development Research Centre (IRDC). WETV Canada would be co-located with WETV International at the IRDC's research centre in Ottawa.

Digital TV applicant sees opportunity to sell advertisers on environmental TV

News | 06/08/2000 4:00 am EDT

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