RTVi was a Canadian category 2 Russian language digital cable specialty channel and is owned by Ethnic Channels Group. It broadcast Russian movies, TV series, cartoons as well as local Canadian content.

RTVi
RTVi logo
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNational
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Picture format4:3 (480i, SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerEthnic Channels Group
Sister channelsRTVi
History
LaunchedNovember 9, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-11-09)
ClosedNovember 2009 (2009-11)

History

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TV Centre

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On November 9, 2004, the Ethnic Channels Group (ECG) launched an ethnic Category 2 Specialty television service under the licence Russian TV Two issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The channel was branded as TV Centre and initially broadcast programming of a Russian satellite TV service known as Moscow – Open World (Москва — Открытый мир). That time, Moscow - Open World held the exclusive rights to bring the programming of Russian terrestrial TV network TV Centre (ТВ Центр) outside Russia. However, due to a conflict between the partners, in summer 2005, TV Centre launched its own international version of the channel, TVCI (TV Centre International), intended for Russian Diasporas around the world. As a result, Moscow - Open World became defunct and ECG switched the channel programming to TVCI.

RTVi

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In Fall 2005, ECG re-branded the channel to be known as RTVi and switched its programming to the 'world feed' of RTVI In November, 2009, all television providers who carried the channel had dropped it without comment.