MONTREAL – Canada’s Sex-Shop Television has partnered with Los Angeles-based Vivid Entertainment to re-launch Vanessa TV as Vivid TV Canada. The revamped adult entertainment channel will offer programming from both Vivid and Sex-Shop.
Anne-Marie Losique is Sex-Shop’s chief executive officer and the driving force behind the creation of VividTV Canada.
YNOT: Tell us about the deal with Vivid. What does it entail?
Anne-Marie Losique: Vivid does adult entertainment the way I have always wanted to convey it, but with much more means: Glamourous, mainstream, trendy, couple-oriented, always on the lookout for a marketing stunt.
This partnership is a natural progression for us—a step up that will fast-track our English expansion. Vanessa TV is unique in the sense that it owns a bilingual license with two channels, in both French and English, coast to coast.
How will becoming VividTV change your company and on-air content?
Vivid has the most dynamic sense of programming I have ever seen, in both mainstream and adult channels. They will literally flood our on-air content with new material at a fast-speed, renewable rate.
Although we believe we broadcast high-quality adult content, this will only be enhanced with Vivid. For our part, we will assume the local content part of programming. This is the best of both worlds.
How did this deal come about?
I contacted Vivid through LinkedIn last spring. We set up a phone meeting a week later, and then I flew down to L.A. in order to meet Bill Asher, one of Vivid’s co-owners.
I think there was mutual respect and instant affinity. We started negotiations and signed a few weeks ago. I like the way they do things, no time wasted.
How did Vanessa TV get its start?
Vanessa TV was launched as a French signal on Oct. 28, 2010, and then became available as an English signal this past year. We have also developed on-demand multi-platforms—VOD and S-SVOD—for the past two years in both languages with an emphasis on local content.
Actually, everything was doing great, but this will bring us forward faster. It is also a wonderful feeling to be within such a global, worldwide structure.
How will you meet the 30-percent Canadian content required by your broadcast license?
We are a Montreal-based production company, so we do fully support local content—as does Vivid, for that matter. This is not an issue, has never been and will never be.
Furthermore, we take care of the French aspects of things, as our signal as distributed in Quebec and doing extremely well amongst French subscribers.
When will consumers notice the change?
I purposely chose Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 a.m. for the switchover, as it will mark the four-year anniversary of Vanessa TV’s launch.
Are you excited about this deal?
This is one of the most exciting days in my whole career. I am looking forward to an exciting future.
