Yoopa

Summary

Yoopa (stylized YOOPA) was a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by Groupe TVA, a division of Quebecor Media. Initially aimed at preschoolers, Yoopa has broadcast programming targeted toward children, aged 2–11.

Yoopa
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersMontreal, Quebec
Programming
Language(s)French
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerGroupe TVA
History
LaunchedApril 1, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-04-01)
ClosedJanuary 11, 2024; 3 months ago (2024-01-11)[1]
Replaced byQUB Radio video simulcast
Former namesTVA Junior (pre-launch)

A magazine for parents using the Yoopa name was launched on April 1, 2010, in conjunction with the launch of the television channel. The magazine replaced EspaceParents.ca, owned by TVA Publications, a division of Groupe TVA.

On November 13, 2023, Groupe TVA announced that the channel would be shut down on January 11, 2024. The channel was replaced with a TV version of Groupe TVA's QUB Radio channel known simply as QUB, and Yoopa's programming rights moved to the video on demand service Club Illico.

History edit

In February 2010, TVA Group was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel called TVA Junior, described as "a national French-language Category 2 specialty programming undertaking aimed exclusively at children from two to six years old."[2]

 
Previous Yoopa logo (2010–2013), was used as an alternate logo until January 2014

The channel was launched on April 1, 2010, as Yoopa.[3]

Dispute with Vrak.TV Junior edit

Before Yoopa's launch and its approval by the CRTC, fellow broadcaster Astral Media had been approved for a similar channel in March 2006 called Vrak.TV Junior.[4] Prior to its launch, Astral Media claimed that it had secured carriage on a number of other television providers, except Vidéotron – who has a hold of 51% of the Quebec market, the largest French market in Canada – owned by Quebecor Media, the parent of TVA Group. Astral claimed Vidéotron's refusal to carry the channel was to avoid competition for its upcoming channel, Yoopa.[5] Astral attributed the delay in the launch of Vrak Junior to Vidéotron's refusal to carry the channel. Vidéotron categorically denied the accusation.[5]

Vrak.TV Junior was launched on July 5, 2010, as Playhouse Disney Télé (later Disney Junior and now Télémagino) on Bell Satellite TV. Vidéotron launched the channel on March 1, 2011.[6]

Closure edit

On August 17, 2023, in response to Vidéotron removing Bell Media's Vrak and Z TV channels from their TV services, Bell removed Yoopa from all of their TV platforms, citing a declining base of subscribers to the network.[7] Vrak closed on September 30 that same year.

On November 13, 2023, Groupe TVA announced that Yoopa would be shut down at midnight on January 11, 2024, due to easier access to programming direct from foreign platforms and to allow TVA to concentrate on its remaining specialty services. Yoopa's existing programming rights were transferred to its streaming service Club Illico and TVA+. The channel was subsequently replaced at 6:00 a.m. the next morning with a video simulcast of programs from TVA's QUB Radio service, known simply as QUB.[8][9]

Former programming edit

International distribution edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Shaw".
  2. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (2010-02-22). "ARCHIVED - TVA Junior - Category 2 specialty". crtc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  3. ^ "Yoopa: la petite enfance chez Groupe TVA - actualites". 2010-02-28. Archived from the original on 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  4. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (2006-03-27). "ARCHIVED - Vrak Junior - Category 2 specialty service". crtc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  5. ^ a b Dumas, Hugo (2010-02-27). "Un youpi pour le Yoopa de TVA?". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  6. ^ "PLAYHOUSE DISNEY TELE | PLAYHOUSE DISNEY TÉLÉ LAUNCHES ON VIDÉOTRON". 2011-03-24. Archived from the original on 2011-03-24. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  7. ^ Kolm, Josh (17 August 2023). "Videotron drops Vrak and Z, while Bell removes Yoopa". Media in Canada. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Le Groupe TVA abandonne la chaîne jeunesse Yoopa pour diffuser QUB radio". Radio-Canada (in French). Canadian Press. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ^ Steve, Faguy (14 November 2023). "TVA to replace Yoopa with TV version of QUB Radio". Fagstein. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Sports et plein air : Respirez la nature | Salut Bonjour".
  11. ^ "Yoopa - Héros - Peppa". 2015-01-06. Archived from the original on 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2023-05-25.