MUMBAI: Canada‘s private broadcaster CTV launches phase one of the CTV Broadband Network, an on-demand broadband service featuring four distinct broadband channels.

The CTV Broadband Network features a free, premium broadband video player that harnesses the latest in technology to deliver full length CTV programme ming in all forms from all genres at broadband speeds and enhanced resolution.

The ad-supported broadband network was launched at CTV‘s 2006 Fall Upfront in Toronto.

The CTV Broadband Network is currently integrated into the CTV web site and can be found at www.ctv.ca. The network currently houses four channels. They are CTV Shows, a broadband channel featuring full length CTV prime time programme ming, CTV News and Docs, featuring comprehensive local, national, international and business news, all updated hourly, etalk on Broadband, Canada‘s first and only broadband channel devoted exclusively to covering the Canadian and international entertainment industry and the Discovery Channel on CTV delivering entertaining science, nature and travel programme ming, informs an official release.

Commenting on the launch of the new CTV broadband service, Bell Globemedia president and CEO and CTV CEO Ivan Fecan said: "Canadians are leaders in consuming media and the CTV Broadband Network is part one of CTV‘s answer to their appetite to tap programme ming on emerging platforms and to provide a solution to the advertisers who want to reach them."

"CTV‘s broadband network is a powerful 4-channel platform that immediately provides Canadians with the ability to access a roster of some of the top television shows in Canada and the best of news and current affairs," said CTV VP digital media Kris Faibish. "For CTV, this is an opportunity to deliver award-winning original programme ming on demand."

Under phase one of the launch, the CTV Broadband Network will feature programme ming pulled from CTV‘s original stable of award-winning and popular programme mes . Over the next several weeks, more and more programme ming will be loaded onto the channels with a view to launching phase 2 in Fall 2006,
coinciding with the launch of CTV‘s Fall 2006 Fall Season.

CTV Shows will a first look at key CTV programme mes , before they make their television premieres. In July, CTV broadband will launch Season 2 of Instant Star one day ahead of its television premiere and run episodes all summer in a one-day broadband pre-release. Immediately available now are episodes of Corner Gas (Seasons 3) Degrassi: The Next
Generation (Seasons 5) including Degrassi Webisodes, Instant Star (Season 1), Canadian Idol (Season 4) and Whistler (Season 1) launching on 26 June.

CTV News and Documentaries will offer local, national and international news and other programme ming from the award winning CTV News Division.

While, etalk on Broadband, the broadband channel will focus
exclusively on the world of celebrity entertainment. This channel is an extension of Canada‘s favourite entertainment brand etalk. While you may catch one minute of an A-lister on TV, you can catch the whole interview on broadband. programme ming here is focused on delivering entire interviews with key Canadian and international stars. Daily entertainment packages and stories from etalk and E2 can be found here.

Discovery Channel on CTV will bring the best of Discovery programme ming from its acclaimed flagship programme Daily Planet, to the Extremely Wild and Ultimate series as well as the travel show, Valerie Pringle has Left the Building.