Stingray Classica

Stingray Classica (formerly Classica and Unitel Classica) is a television channel devoted to classical music, opera, ballet and jazz, currently owned by Stingray Group in Canada.

Stingray Classica
Country
Broadcast areaWorldwide
Programming
Language(s)English
French
Dutch
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerStingray Group (since 2017)
Sister channels
History
Launched1996 (1996)
ReplacedStingray Brava
Former names
  • Unitel Classica (1996-2014)
  • Classica (2014-2018)
Links
Websiteclassica.stingray.com

History

Classica was owned by Unitel, a distributor of filmed classical music performances also headquartered in Germany. The channel revamped both its logo and programming on 28 May 2014.[1]

In January 2017, Stingray Group in Quebec, Canada, acquired Classica from Unitel: In the deal, Stingray would also be able to use Unitel's library of about 1500 titles and 2000 hours of filmed contents for 11 years. Stingray plans to feature Canadian productions (from both Quebec and outside Quebec) on the channel.[2][3][4][5]

In late 2017, Stingray implemented a new branding and on-air look (similar to the one implemented to Stingray Brava in 2016) of newly renamed Stingray Classica to a version broadcast to Quebec, Canada. The new look was implemented to other versions of Classica operated by Stingray in 2018.

On 1 March 2019, Stingray abolished Stingray Brava brand in favour of Stingray Classica. The Dutch and French versions of Brava was rebranded as Classica, while the pan-European version of Brava was shut down and effectively replaced by that of Classica.

  • Logo of Unitel Classica until 2014
  • Logo of Classica from 2014-2018
  • Logo of Stingray Classica since Spring 2018
  • Alternative Logo of Stingray Classica since Spring 2018

Versions

As of 2019, Stingray operates a number of versions of Stingray Classica for following areas: Germany, Netherlands and Flanders, pan-Europe, pan-Asia, and Canada.

Germany

A separate version is available to the customers of Sky in Germany.

Netherlands and Flanders
See also: Stingray Brava

A Dutch version, available in the Netherlands and Flanders, was originally launched as Brava NL on 1 July 2009. Stingray acquired Brava (along with its sister channel Djazz TV) on 31 July 2015. On 1 December 2015, the Dutch version of Brava replaced Cultuur 7 in Belgium (which Stingray acquired earlier in October 2015) in its former channel slot. It was rebranded as Stingray Classica on 1 March 2019.

France

A French feed was launched on 1 March 2019, replacing Stingray Brava.

Canada

In January 2017, Canada's CRTC approved Stingray's application for a version of Stingray Brava to be available in Canada as a non-Canadian television channel originating from the Netherlands.[6] The particular version was renamed as Stingray Classica in late 2017.[7][8][9] At launch in 2017, the channel was made available to subscribers of Vidéotron in both standard definition and high definition.[8][9] After Stingray and Bell Canada expanded television distribution deal in May 2018,[10] the channel (along with Stingray's other TV channels) was made available to Bell Fibe TV subscribers in August 2018.[11][12]

Other services

Stingray Classica On-Demand is available to Amazon Prime Video customers in Germany and the United Kingdom, and Amazon Channels customers in the United States.

As of 2018, Stingray's acquisition of the channel does not affect the following channels yet:

  • Classica HD, in Italy
  • Classica Japan: Launched on 1 January 1998, the Japanese version of the channel is operated by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation under the license. It features programming from the German channel, along with Japanese productions.

See also

References
  1. Robert Briel (22 May 2014). "Classica gets a make-over May 28". BroadbandTVNews.com.
  2. "Stingray Digital to add Classica library of opera, ballet and classical music". The Canadian Press. January 3, 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2018 – via The Globe and Mail.
  3. "Stingray et UNITEL concluent une entente de 15 millions $" [Stingray and Unitel conclude a $15 million agreement] (in French). Agence QMI. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2018 – via Le Journal de Montréal.
  4. Whittock, Jesse (4 January 2017). "Stingray buys music channel from Mojto firm". TBI Vision. KNect365 TMT, an Informa business. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  5. Veydarier, Arnaud G. (5 December 2017). "Stingray Classica: A New Start". The Music Scene. Translated by Rodriguez, Adrian. LSM. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  6. https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-16.htm
  7. https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-177.htm
  8. "Premiering on Videotron: Stingray Classica the World's Premium Classical Music Television Channel" (Press release). Stingray Digital Group. October 4, 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2018 – via Marketwired.
  9. "Stingray Classica to premiere on Videotron". Cartt.ca. October 4, 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  10. "Stingray Renews and Expands Distribution Agreement with Bell" (Press release). Stingray Digital. 2018-05-29. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  11. "Eight New Stingray TV Channels Available to Bell Subscribers" (Press release). Stingray Digital. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  12. "Bell subscribers can groove to eight new Stingray TV channels". Cartt.ca. August 28, 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
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