Rogers Communications Inc. says it has signed multi-year deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery for their popular lifestyle and entertainment brands in Canada. Telecommunications company Rogers Communications signage is pictured in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
TORONTO – Rogers Communications Inc. says it has signed “milestone” multi-year deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery, scooping the Canadian rights to several lifestyle brands from Corus Entertainment and Bell Media, including HGTV, Food Network and Discovery.
The company also says it is launching NBCUniversal’s Bravo channel in Canada in September and will become the English-language television content rights holder north of the border for titles including reality TV mainstays “The Real Housewives,” “Vanderpump Rules” and “Top Chef.”
Starting in January, Rogers will be the home of Warner Bros. Discovery’s English-language U.S. lifestyle brands, including HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Magnolia Network and OWN – currently held by Corus – and Discovery, Motor Trend, Science, Animal Planet and I.D., currently held by Bell.
The news comes after Corus revealed a fall/winter lineup last week that added Pamela Anderson’s “Pamela’s Cookin’ With Love” to Food Network Canada and Bryan Baeumler’s “Building Baeumler” to HGTV Canada. New seasons from HGTV Canada personalities Sebastian Clovis, Scott McGillivray, Debra Salmoni and Randy Spracklin were also announced.
Troy Reeb, Corus’ executive vice president of networks and content, said programming and brands on several of the lifestyle properties acquired by Rogers are “anticipated to be impacted” in the new year. He added that Corus’ rights to Adult Swim and Cartoon Network won’t be affected.
Corus announced last week that it had been informed by Warner Bros. Discovery that some of its programming and trademark arrangements would not be renewed when they expire at the end of the year.
Colette Watson, president of Rogers Sports and Media, called the deal a “milestone long-term content partnership.”
At a virtual event for media and advertisers Monday afternoon, she said the partnership makes Rogers the exclusive English-language content rights holder, distributor and advertising representative for the brands acquired, along with all their respective programming.
Watson said the investment helps the company compete with foreign streamers.
Rogers said it will work with Canadian distribution partners to make the content widely available.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:CJR.B)
