During the 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit, Videotron President and CEO Robert Depatie announced what will be Canada's first exclusive mobile DTV channel, LibTV (www.libtv.ca). The name is short for "liberated TV," and it will keep with that independent spirit, offering a suite of indie original programming for Canada. The broadcasts can be viewed on mobile devices and can also be seen on the LibTV website. Depatie said the goal was to launch a television station concept and tightly integrate it into a mobile experience. The focus is providing unique, original programming that can't be found elsewhere.
The channel is live now and will roll out new programming in the coming months. For now, there are only a handful of shows, and most are admittedly on the shorter side, but it does set the template for growing an engaging mobile channel that is available to consumers for free. One smart move Videotron has made is to bring in Quebecois actor and comedian Patrick Huard to generate interest and serve as a spokesman as the channel ramps up. This will create awareness and begin to mix in personalities to add flavor to the channel. LibTV is available now on mobile and the Web, and the future looks bright for this new independent and original TV station.
