Book Television branches out

In a surprise move, Bell Media has revealed that it intends to change the focus of Book Television from programs about books to those based on books. Recently, the beleaguered channel has suffered from unimpressive ratings and subscriptions, leading the broadcasting company to tinker with what, to many, was a good thing.

Bell Media told the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that the channel's "long-term success is contingent on its ability to increase the size of its subscriber base by offering more attractive programming and it is our hope that approval of these amendments will allow that to happen."

Perhaps so. But if this allows Book Television to present sub-par programs merely because of a tenuous literary connection, this might not be the right move and may even cause a loss of viewers.

I suppose watchers and readers can only hope the channel holds true to its values as espoused in the original licence, which states that Book Television is "devoted to the writing that enriches our daily lives – spoken, written, or wired."