Blue Ant Media

Last updated
Blue Ant Media Corporation
Company type Public
TSX:  BAMI
Industry Mass media
FoundedDecember 21, 2011;13 years ago (December 21, 2011)
Founders Michael MacMillan
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario,
Canada
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Michael MacMillan (CEO)
Products Broadcasting, television production, publishing
Divisions
  • Blue Ant Global Channels & Streaming
  • Blue Ant Studios
  • Canadian Media
Website blueantmedia.com

Blue Ant Media Corporation is a Canadian multinational media company. Founded in 2011 by former Alliance Atlantis executive Michael MacMillan, the company has interests in domestic and international television production, broadcasting (including multiple Canadian specialty channels), streaming, and publishing, with most of its properties being focused primarily on factual content.

Contents

The company has expanded primarily via acquisitions, with its earliest investments including Glassbox Television and High Fidelity HDTV. In 2025, Blue Ant acquired multiple studios from Boat Rocker Media and went public as part of a reverse takeover.

Headquartered in Toronto, the company has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Sydney, Halifax, and Ottawa.

History

Blue Ant Media was formed in 2011 by former Alliance Atlantis executive Michael MacMillan; the company's first investment was the acquisition of a 29.9% minority stake in specialty broadcaster Glassbox Television—owner of specialty networks such as AUX, Bite TV and Travel + Escape—with the option to increase this to a 75% controlling stake pending CRTC approval. [1] The company was named in reference to the "Blue Ant" trilogy by American-Canadian sci-fi writer William Gibson, as Blue Ant was portrayed in the novels as being "the company of the future". [2]

MacMillan explained that his goal for the company was to be a producer and distributor of content across multiple platforms, and "not just have individual pieces of content" but be "deep experts" in niche markets with advertiser appeal (such as music, comedy, and travel). [1] [2] Glassbox founder Jeffery Elliott was retained as Blue Ant's head of television and digital, joined by former Glassbox CEO Raja Khanna. [3]

On December 21, 2011, Blue Ant Media announced that it had entered into an agreement to purchase specialty broadcaster High Fidelity HDTV; [4] the company subsequently announced a 25% investment by Torstar. [5] Blue Ant initially purchased 29.9% of the company, with the remaining 70.1% acquired following CRTC approval. The acquisition was completed on August 1, 2012. [6] [7] At this time, Jeffrey Elliott departed the company, and was succeeded by former Glassbox CEO Raja Khanna as head of television and digital. [3]

On August 17, 2012, Blue Ant Media announced that it would be purchasing the specialty channel Bold from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for an undisclosed amount, conditional on government approval. [8] After initially purchasing a 15% minority stake in Canadian publishing company Quarto Communications in the summer of 2011, [9] Blue Ant Media purchased the remaining shares in the company in December 2012, which had been renamed Cottage Life Media. [10]

In April 2014, the company purchased a minority stake in the digital media company and multi-channel network Omnia Media. [11] In November 2014, the company bought a majority stake in Choice TV, marking their first international expansion. [12] [13] [14] In December 2015, Blue Ant Media and Smithsonian Networks teamed to launch Blue Skye Entertainment, a new UK-based company exclusively focused on 4K content. [15]

In December 2016, Blue Ant partnered with BBC Worldwide to relaunch radX as BBC Earth. [16]

In May 2017, Blue Ant Media bought the Asia-Pacific broadcaster Racat Group, including factual producer NHNZ, Singapore-based studio Beach House Pictures, Sydney-based Northern Pictures, developer Runaway Play, and a majority stake in ZooMoo. The purchase was considered to be complementary to the Blue Ant's factual and nature-oriented programming. [17] [18] [19]

Expansion and acquisitions (2018–2024)

In February 2018, Omnia Media was renamed Blue Ant Digital Studios, coinciding with the launch of several new original series on Facebook Watch, and an accompanying expansion beyond video gaming content. [20] In October 2018, Blue Ant acquired the Toronto-based Saloon Media. [21]

In October 2020, Blue Ant Media announced its acquisition of the Canadian technology news website MobileSyrup. [22]

In December 2020, Blue Ant entered the free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) market by launching HauntTV, a channel devoted to horror and supernatural programming, on The Roku Channel in Canada. [23] It has since launched several additional FAST channels in Canada and the United States; including CrimeTime, TotalCrime, Homeful, and HistoryTime. [24] [25] [26] [27]

In 2020, Blue Ant Media sold its Asian linear networks aside from Love Nature, including Blue Ant Entertainment, Blue Ant Extreme, and ZooMoo, to Rock Entertainment Holdings, a new company led by Blue Ant's then-head of Global Networks & Kids Ward Platt. [28]

In February 2021, Blue Ant Media sold its majority stake in New Zealand factual production company NHNZ to producer Julie Christie. It was rebranded as NHNZ Worldwide, with Blue Ant Media retaining a 45% stake in the rebranded company and continuing to own NHNZ's catalogue. [29]

In March 2021, Blue Ant expanded its partnership with BBC Studios, relaunching Treasure HD as BBC First. The channel is a de facto successor to Corus Entertainment's BBC Canada; that channel had originally been founded by Alliance Atlantis, where Blue Ant founder Michael MacMillan had been an executive. [30] [31]

In June 2022, Blue Ant Media acquired British distribution company Drive Media Rights and its library, with Blue Ant folding Drive Media Rights into its distribution arm Blue Ant International. Its founders Ben Barrett and Lilla Hurst also joined the company. [32] Two months later in September, Blue Ant Media announced their acquisition of CTV marketplace company Media Pulse, which became a standalone unit within the company. [33] In January 2023, Blue Ant partnered with World of Wonder on a U.S. FAST channel devoted to international versions of RuPaul's Drag Race . [34]

In August 2023, Blue Ant announced its acquisition of Canadian production company MarbleMedia, and plans to merge their studio operations (aside from Blue Ant's Singaporean subsidiary Beach House Pictures) into a single division; the acquisition would increase Blue Ant's involvement in scripted content. [35] Following the completion of the purchase, MarbleMedia's co-founders Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg were named the new co-presidents of Blue Ant Studios, leading the non-scripted and scripted units respectively. [36] [37]

In February 2024, Fremantle acquired a majority stake in Beach House Pictures, including the entirety of Blue Ant's stake. [38] [39] In June 2024, Blue Ant sold MobileSyrup to ZoomerMedia. [40] In August 2024, Blue Ant sold its digital brand Animalogic to Toronto-based digital media company UnderKnown. [41]

Acquisition of Boat Rocker Media assets and reverse takeover (2025–present)

On March 24, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced that it would acquire Jam Filled Entertainment, Insight Productions, and Proper Television from Boat Rocker Media to expand its children's and unscripted businesses. As part of this acquisition, Blue Ant Media would perform a reverse takeover of Boat Rocker and go public on the Toronto Stock Exchange as Blue Ant Media Corporation. Boat Rocker shareholders would hold a 26.5% stake in the company's stock. The remainder of Boat Rocker outside of the acquired assets was sold to its management for CA$18 million, becoming a private company held by its lead executive team. [42] [43] The transaction was completed on August 1, 2025. [44]

On October 2, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced that it had acquired the documentary-oriented streaming service MagellanTV for $12 million. [45] On November 26, 2025, Blue Ant announced that it would acquire Vancouver-based Thunderbird Entertainment for $63 million. [46]

Assets

Specialty channels (Canada)

Streaming

Studios

Proper Television

Proper Television is a Toronto-based studio focused on non-scripted programming, including reality and documentary-style programs. It was formed in 2004 by Canadian producer Guy O'Sullivan after leaving the BBC; its productions have included adaptations of international reality formats, such as Canada's Worst Driver , Come Dine with Me Canada, The Great Canadian Baking Show , and MasterChef Canada . [47]

In June 2013, Proper Television acquired BuzzTaxi Communications to expand into distribution, with the company renamed Proper Rights. [48] [49]

In April 2017, O'Sullivan died at the age of 49. [47] In September 2017, Proper Television was acquired by Boat Rocker Media; its production operations would continue as an independent division, while Proper Rights was folded into Boat Rocker Rights. O'Sullivan was jointly succeeded by Proper's former vice president of production Lesia Capone, and creative director Cathie James. [50] [51] [48] In 2025, Proper Television was acquired by Blue Ant. [52]

Filmography
TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Canada's Worst Driver 2005–2018 Discovery Channel Canada
Come Dine with Me Canada 2010–2014 W Network
Redemption Inc. 2012 CBC
Don't Drive Here 2013–2015 Discovery Channel Canada
Storage Wars Canada 2013–2015 Bravo co-production with FremantleMedia
Masterchef Canada 2014–present CTV
True North Calling [53] 2017CBC
The Great Canadian Baking Show 2017–presentCBCco-production with Love Productions
Mary Makes It Easy [54] 2021–present CTV Life Channel
Lost Car Rescue 2022–present History Canada
Listing Large [55] 2023–present CTV Life Channel

Print

Former

Filmography

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Gary and His Demons [56] 2018–2022 CBC Gem [57]
VRV/Amazon Prime Video (United States)		inherited from Look Mom! Productions
co-production with Mondo Media and Solis Animation
Blown Away 2019–2024 Makeful inherited from MarbleMedia
Detention Adventure 2019–2022CBC Gemco-production with Loco Motion Pictures and Broken Compass Films
Bigfoot2019VRV/YouTube (United States)inherited from Look Mom! Productions
co-production with Mondo Media and Solis Animation
Restaurants on the Edge [58] 2020 Cottage Life via Blue Ant Media
co-production with MarbleMedia and OutEast Entertainment
The Healing Powers of Dude [59] 2020 Netflix co-production with Meekel Meekel
Canada's Drag Race 2020–present Crave A Canadian adaptation of RuPaul's Drag Race
co-production with World of Wonder
World's Most Scenic River Journeys [60] 2021–2022 Smithsonian Channel Canada
Channel 5 (United Kingdom)		via Blue Ant Media
co-production with Saloon Media and BrightSpark East
Epstein's Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell [61] 2021 Peacock
Sky Documentaries (United Kingdom)		co-production with Alitar Productions
Doomlands [62] 2022–2024 The Roku Channel inherited from Look Mom! Productions
Evil by Design: Exposing Peter Nygård2022CBC Gem
Mysteries from Above2022–presentCottage Life
Killers: Caught on Camera [63] 2023–present True Crime under Blue Ant Rights
co-production with Back2Back Productions
I Have Nothing [64] 2023Craveco-production with Catalyst
Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan [65] 2024–2025CBC Gem
Old Enough! [66] [67] 2024–present TVO Based on the Japanese format of the same name by Junji Ōuchi and Nippon Television
Slaycation Craveco-production with World of Wonder
Murder Has Two Faces [68] 2025Huluco-production with ABC News Studios and Cortés Filmworks
The Great Art Fraud [69] 2025 BBC Two
Tralala [70] TBA CBC
Sky TV (New Zealand)		co-production with Stretchy
Wild Science [71] TBA Love Nature [72]
3sat (Germany)		co-production with ZDF Studios [73] and Big Media
Engineering from Above [74] Cottage Life

References

  1. 1 2 "Broadcast veteran MacMillan buys GlassBox Television stake". Marketing. Archived from the original on 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  2. 1 2 Androich, Alicia (2012-03-28). "Watch Out For The Blue Ant". Marketing. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  3. 1 2 Quan, Danielle Ng See. "Blue Ant leadership shake-up following High Fidelity acquisition". Media in Canada. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  4. ↑ Blue Ant Media Enters Agreement to Acquire High Fidelity HDTV Archived 2012-01-11 at the Wayback Machine CNW press release 2011-12-21
  5. ↑ "Torstar acquires 25 per cent stake in Blue Ant Media". Toronto Star. December 22, 2011. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ Blue Ant Completes Acquisition of High Fidelity HDTV Archived 2012-08-03 at the Wayback Machine , Broadcaster Magazine, August 1, 2012.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-419 Archived 2013-05-31 at the Wayback Machine CRTC 2012-08-01
  8. ↑ Blue Ant to buy Bold Archived 2012-08-26 at the Wayback Machine Realscreen.com 2012-08-17
  9. ↑ "Quarto, Blue Ant Media team up on specialty channel venture". Archived from the original on 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  10. ↑ Blue Ant Media buys Cottage Life Media, terms not immediately available [ permanent dead link ] Canadian Business 2012-12-05
  11. ↑ "Canada's Blue Ant Media Invests in YouTube MCN Omnia Media". The Hollywood Reporter. April 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  12. ↑ "Blue Ant takes majority stake in NZ's Choice TV". Real Screen. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Blue Ant Acquires Controlling Interest in New Zealand Broadcaster". Broadcaster Magazine. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Choice TV". Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  15. ↑ "Blue Ant Media teams with Smithsonian to launch UK 4K outfit". Digital TV Europe. December 14, 2015. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  16. ↑ Craig, Sean (6 December 2016). "Blue Ant Media to launch BBC Earth channel in Canada, shut down adventure-focused radX". Financial Post. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "How Blue Ant will bolster its kids biz with Racat buy". KidScreen. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  18. ↑ "Blue Ant debuts 200 hours of kids content". KidScreen. Archived from the original on 2017-11-25. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  19. ↑ "Blue Ant Media acquires Racat Group in effort to expand globally". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  20. ↑ Chmielewski, Dawn C. (2018-02-20). "Omnia Media's Production Arm Renamed Blue Ant Digital As New Facebook Watch Series Debut". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  21. ↑ "Blue Ant acquires Saloon Media". Realscreen. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
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  23. ↑ Blue Ant Media launches HauntTV on The Roku Channel Archived 2022-04-17 at the Wayback Machine Playback, 2020-12-17
  24. ↑ Blue Ant launches streaming true crime channel Archived 2022-04-17 at the Wayback Machine MediaInCanada, 2021-03-8
  25. ↑ Blue Ant looks to true crime again for latest FAST play Archived 2024-01-17 at the Wayback Machine MediaInCanada, 2022-02-09
  26. ↑ Blue Ant Media launches lifestyles-focused FAST channel Archived 2022-04-17 at the Wayback Machine Playback, 2022-02-16
  27. ↑ Blue Ant Media launches HistoryTime on LG Channels Archived 2022-07-27 at the Wayback Machine , Real Screen, 2022-07-27
  28. ↑ "Blue Ant Media ramps up APAC biz; Jon Penn leads the return based in Sydney with Jason Soh in Singapore". ContentAsia. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
  29. ↑ "Julie Christie Acquires Control of Factual Producer NHNZ". Variety. February 26, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  30. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (March 3, 2021). "BBC Studios, Blue Ant Media Team to Launch BBC First Channel in Canada (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  31. ↑ Craig, Sean (December 6, 2016). "Blue Ant Media to launch BBC Earth channel in Canada, shut down adventure-focused radX". Financial Post . Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  32. ↑ Ravindran, Manori (June 6, 2022). "Blue Ant International Buys Distributor Drive Media Rights". Variety. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  33. ↑ Summerfield, Patti (September 29, 2022). "Blue Ant acquires connected TV marketplace Media Pulse". Media in Canada. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  34. 1 2 Tangcay, Jazz (2023-01-17). "Drag Race Universe Channel From World of Wonder and Blue Ant Media Launches in U.S Market (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
  35. ↑ Ravindran, Manori (August 10, 2023). "'Blown Away' Producer MarbleMedia Acquired by Canada's Blue Ant Media, Production and Distribution Merging Into Combined Studio (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  36. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (2023-11-22). "'Canada's Drag Race' Maker Blue Ant Media Unveils Merged Studios And Rights Structure Following MarbleMedia Acquisition". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  37. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2023-11-22). "Blue Ant Media unveils new leadership across studio and rights business". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  38. ↑ Frater, Patrick (2024-02-08). "Fremantle Buys Beach House Pictures, Leading Asian Film and TV Producer". Variety. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
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  41. ↑ Casemore, Jamie. "Underknown acquires Animalogic from Blue Ant Media". Playback. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  42. ↑ "Blue Ant acquires Boat Rocker production assets and goes public via reverse IPO". C21media. Retrieved 2025-03-24.
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  44. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (2025-08-01). "Canada's Blue Ant Media Completes Reverse Takeover Of Boat Rocker Media; New Company To Begin Trading Next Week – Update". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
  45. ↑ Kanter, Jake (2025-10-02). "Blue Ant Media Acquires U.S. Doc Streamer MagellanTV In $12M Deal". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
  46. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (2025-11-26). "Blue Ant Media To Buy 'Kim's Convenience' Producer Thunderbird Entertainment For $63M". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  47. 1 2 Calvario, Liz (2017-04-10). "Guy O'Sullivan Dies: Reality TV Producer Was 49". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  48. 1 2 Padovano Tong, Joanna (September 25, 2017). "Proper TV Principal Assets Acquired by Boat Rocker". World Screen TV Real. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  49. ↑ Middleton, Richard (June 12, 2013). "Proper TV buys out BuzzTaxi". C21Media.
  50. ↑ Bailey, Katie (September 25, 2017). "Boat Rocker acquires Proper Television, Proper Rights". Playback. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  51. ↑ "Boat Rocker makes Proper acquisition". C21Media. September 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  52. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (2025-08-01). "Canada's Blue Ant Media Completes Reverse Takeover Of Boat Rocker Media; New Company To Begin Trading Next Week – Update". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
  53. ↑ Pinto, Jordan (June 29, 2016). "CBC rolls out Canada 150 programming plans". Playback . Archived from the original on November 19, 2016.
  54. ↑ "Production Underway on New CTV Life Channel Original Culinary Series, MARY MAKES IT EASY". Bell Media. March 17, 2021.
  55. ↑ "CTV Life Channel's Alluring Original Series LISTING LARGE Debuts OCTOBER 16". Proper Television. September 28, 2024.
  56. ↑ "Blue Ant's Look Mom rolls with Demons" . Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  57. ↑ "Gary and his Demons launches on CBC". ToonBarn. October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  58. ↑ Pinto, Jordan (December 2, 2019). "Blue Ant orders hour-long docuseries Restaurants on the Edge". Playback.
  59. ↑ Petski, Denise (June 20, 2019). "Netflix Orders 'The Healing Powers Of Dude' Family Live Action Comedy Series". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  60. ↑ "Saloon Media Signs on to Co-Produce World's Most Scenic River Journeys with Argonon's BriteSpark East". Blue Ant Media. December 7, 2020.
  61. ↑ "Peacock Announces Original Documentary Series produced by Blue Ant Studios, Epstein's Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell, Featuring Exclusive Interviews and Never-Before-Seen Video Footage". Blue Ant Media. May 27, 2021.
  62. ↑ "Quibi Orders Adult Comedy Toon 'Doomlands' from Look Mom!". Animation Magazine. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  63. ↑ "FILMRISE AND BLUE ANT INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION WITH back2back productions: "KILLERS: CAUGHT ON CAMERA"". Blue Ant Media. January 24, 2023.
  64. ↑ Babiera, Angelica (2022-10-11). "Crave comedy series by Carolyn Taylor skates into production". Playback Online . Archived from the original on 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  65. ↑ "CBC GREENLIGHTS UNSCRIPTED PARANORMAL COMEDY GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN, FROM BLUE ANT STUDIOS". Blue Ant Media. October 10, 2023.
  66. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (January 29, 2024). "Colin Mochrie To Narrate Canadian Version Of Eye-Opening Japanese Format 'Old Enough!', In Which Toddlers Go It Alone". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
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  68. ↑ Petski, Denise (2025-04-29). "Robin Roberts To Host 'Murder Has Two Faces' True-Crime Docuseries From Lisa Cortés & ABC News Studios". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  69. ↑ "Blue Ant Studios Begins Production on The Inigo Philbrick Story (w/t), a High Profile Story of a Wunderkind Art Dealer Who Defrauded Clients out of $86 Million USD". Blue Ant Media. November 9, 2023.
  70. ↑ "Blue Ant Studios and Stretchy Announce Start of Production on 52 x 7' Animated Preschool Series, Tralala, Commissioned by CBC and Sky NZ". Blue Ant Studios. February 10, 2025.
  71. ↑ Sokic, Nicholas (September 10, 2025). "Blue Ant, Big Media partner to coproduce, distribute Wild Science". Playback Online.
  72. ↑ "BIG Media, Blue Ant Studios & Love Nature Team for Wild Science". World Screen TV Real. September 10, 2025.
  73. ↑ "BIG MEDIA to begin production on 'Wild Science', second series for ZDF Studios". ZDF Studios. March 25, 2024.
  74. ↑ Sokic, Nicholas (January 29, 2025). "Blue Ant Media greenlights five originals, renews four". Playback Online.
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