Newsworld International was founded by the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation, but sold several years later to Vivendi Universal in an
effort to acquire wider distribution rights on U.S.-based cable and
satellite systems. Part of the sales contract agreement was that the
CBC would continue to provide content to the network though May 2005.
In May 2004, Vivendi sold it to IndTV, an independent media consortium
put together by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Joel Hyatt.
founder of Hyatt Legal Services, a chain of law offices.
Since that time, NWI has been nearly impossible to reach. The CBC
removed all links to NWI from its website following the sale to IndTV,
and NWI's 'contact' email address was changed from NWI@cba.ca to
NWIfeedback@IndTVholdings.com. Moreover, there was no contact
information to be found anywhere on the Internet.
Last week, Gore and Hyatt informed the CBC that the network's services
would no longer be needed. The CBC unsucessfully tried to reach a
deal with cable providers to continue to broadcast NWI into the U.S.
They were rebuffed, the reason given that there is not a market for
another all-news channel. Reluctantly, the CBC announced on April 7
that NWI will cease to exist beginning August 1, 2005. Gore and
Hyatt's new channel, 'Current' will take its place.
News of NWI's soon-to-be demise has not circulated in mainstream U.S.
media, though it has filtered down to a handful of
conservative-oriented blogs. Already, the conservative blogosphere is
salivating. Nor has NWI announced to its existing viewers that it is
about to go dark.
Strangely enough, an updated address has recently started to appear on
NWI. Try sending an email to asknwi@cbc.ca or calling toll free
1-888-875-4866.
Like you, NWI is the most-watched channel on my TV during the daytime.
I wish you luck in finding a suitable alternative to it. |
