TSC (formerly The Shopping Channel) is a Canadian
discretionary service
A discretionary service is a Canadian specialty channel which, as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, may be carried optionally by all subscription television providers. It replaces the previous category A ...
channel owned by the
Rogers Sports & Media
Rogers Media Inc., operating as Rogers Sports & Media, is a Canadian subsidiary of Rogers Communications that owns the company's mass media and sports properties, such as the Citytv and Omni Television terrestrial television stations, Sportsnet, ...
subsidiary of
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is a Telecommunications in Canada, Canadian communications and media company operating primarily in the fields of mobile phone operator, wireless communications, cable television, telephony and Internet access, Intern ...
. The channel showcases various products which viewers can purchase either by telephone or internet.
As with most home shopping channels, the products are mainly aimed at a female audience, though some products target males as well. Products include those from such categories as fashion, beauty, home and garden, and electronics.
History
Founded by Canadian entrepreneur John Goldberg, the channel went on the air on January 15, 1987 as the Canadian Home Shopping Network (CHSN), under the umbrella of the Canadian Home Shopping Club (CHSC), and was affiliated with the U.S.
Home Shopping Network
HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Flor ...
(HSN). The channel was exempted from licensing by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; french: Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes, links=) is a public organization in Canada with mandate as a regulatory agency for broadcasti ...
(CRTC), but for several years this was on the condition the channel not use live motion video to demonstrate its products. Animated graphics could be used, but otherwise CHSN was limited to a slide-show format with voice-overs. This restriction was lifted in 1995.
The first on-air host was Sandi Hall. Hosts from the first year included "Bargain" Bill Allison (husband to Betty-Jean Allison, also a former host), Mike Banks, Craig Hamilton (Stash Cairo), Alexandra Elliot (Martha Zidel) and Rosemary Frasier, Hugh Wilson, and Steve Oatway. In January 1988, Rogers Communications acquired the organization from John Goldberg. Rogers then installed Simon Dean as the new president.
The Canadian Home Shopping Network was renamed to The Shopping Channel (TSC) in 2000.
After adopting its current name, the channel commonly used the acronym "TSC", which had a stylized askew-square logo. Its use was cut back significantly after complaints from the hardware store chain
Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (also known as TSCO or TSC), founded in 1938, is an American retail chain of stores that sells products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, livestock, equine and pet care for recreational farmers ...
, which used a vaguely similar logo.
In July 2011, TSC launched a
high definition feed simulcasting the
standard definition
Standard-definition television (SDTV, SD, often shortened to standard definition) is a television system which uses a resolution that is not considered to be either high or enhanced definition. "Standard" refers to it being the prevailing sp ...
feed.
In July 2015, it was reported that Rogers was planning to sell The Shopping Channel, and had received bids from foreign broadcasters, such as
Liberty Interactive
Qurate Retail Group (commonly known as Qurate Retail, Inc.) is an American media conglomerate controlled by company chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares.
History 1998 launch by Liberty Media
Liberty Interactive w ...
(owner of
QVC
QVC (short for "Quality Value Convenience") is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping, owned by Qurate Retail Group. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Penn ...
). Interest had also reportedly been shown by HSN and
Evine Live
ShopHQ (formerly ValueVision, ShopNBC, Evine Live, and Evine) is an American cable, satellite and broadcast home shopping television network and multi-channel video retailer owned by iMedia Brands Inc., in which Comcast holds a 12.5% stake in ...
. The network could fetch at least $300 million, although due to CRTC policies, a foreign company would not be able to serve as majority-owner.
In May 2017, the channel introduced a new logo and tagline, "Today's Shopping Choice". Although in the majority of cases, the channel would be referred to as TSC solely, in some media, on the channel's website and social media pages, The Shopping Channel would remain in some references. Since that time, the channel is solely referred to as TSC in all media.
Logos
Products
TSC has several products, some which gained mainstream notoriety. In addition to the television channel, TSC also has several businesses and products associated with and integrated with the television channel.
* E-commerce website - the channel operates tsc.ca, its online store which sells products that are currently featured on the channel in addition to exclusive products and products that have previously been advertised on the channel.
* Credit card - a branded TSC Credit Card
* Outlet store - previously, the channel owned an off-air outlet store located at 100
Orfus Road in Toronto, Ontario; however, it has since been closed.
Video games
The Shopping Channel sold a
Nintendo Entertainment System hardware clone
A Famiclone is any clone console of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known in Japan as the Family Computer or Famicom. They are electronic hardware devices designed to replicate the workings of, and play games designed for, the NES and Fam ...
packaged in one controller known as Plug&Play. It implemented 8 games originally released for the
NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
and made them available in a menu that listed 15 games, with the 7 additional titles being alternate content derived from the first 8 games. This system was criticized for its lack of original games, incorrectly listing copyright as "©2000 New Game Star", poorly-rendered sprite swaps and the removal of a cartridge slot.
As of the
eighth generation of video game consoles
The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch family in 2017.
The gen ...
, TSC offers a Gaming Shop, selling genuine
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
,
Xbox Series X/S
The Xbox Series X/S are home video game consoles developed by Microsoft. They were both released on November 10, 2020, as the fourth generation Xbox, succeeding the Xbox One. Along with Sony's PlayStation 5, also released in November 2020, t ...
and
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, it was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North Ame ...
consoles and games. The store also sold licensed
handheld TV game
A handheld TV game or plug and play game is an integrated home video game console and game controller, usually battery powered, which connects directly to a television. The game software is built directly into the unit, which is typically designe ...
systems from
AtGames
AtGames Cloud Holdings Inc. (formerly AtGames Digital Media Inc.) is an American video game and video game console manufacturer, known for their Legends Ultimate Arcade and the creator of the connected arcade. Since 2011, they have produced and m ...
.
Christmas programming
The only time that TSC does not broadcast live or tape-delayed product demonstrations is on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Sale broadcasts were replaced by Christmas scenes with holiday music in the background until 2008, but have been replaced since with TSC on-air personalities and celebrity guests sharing their Christmas memories. TSC usually ends live broadcasting for the Christmas holiday at about 4:00pm
EST Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
, with taped sales segments airing from 4:00pm – 10:00pm EST. They go back to regular broadcasting at 10:00pm EST
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
, with taped sales segments, and return to live broadcasting at 7:00am EST
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It ...
.
[http://www.theshoppingchannel.com/pages/programguide?target=DailySchedule&nav=Rpp:1200,N:4294920858,Nf:p_show_datestart, BTWN+59948640+59950079.9833333,Fd:0,Fi:0 2013 TSC Christmas Day Schedule]
References
External links
*
{{Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Shopping networks in Canada
Television channels and stations established in 1987
English-language television stations in Canada
Analog cable television networks in Canada
Companies based in Mississauga
1987 establishments in Ontario
Canadian companies established in 1987