Country | Canada |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Nationwide |
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) (2016–2019) 480i (SDTV) (2001–2019) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Alliance Atlantis (2001–2008) Canwest (2008–2010) Shaw Media (2010–2016) Corus Entertainment (2016–2019) (Discovery Health Channel Canada ULC) |
Sister channels | History Crime & Investigation History2 Lifetime OWN W Network Slice ABC Spark Adult Swim CMT HGTV Food Network |
History | |
Launched | September 7, 2001 |
Closed | December 31, 2019 |
Former names | Discovery Health Channel (2001–2007) Discovery Health (2007–2010) Twist TV (2010–2014) |
FYI (stylized as fyi,) was a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Discovery Health Canada, ULC, a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. Based on the American cable network of the same name, the channel featured lifestyle programming, with a mix of reality, culinary, home renovation and makeover series.
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001, as Discovery Health Channel by a joint venture of Alliance Atlantis and Discovery Communications, which focused on health and wellness-oriented programming. Discovery Health was acquired by Canwest in 2008 which rebranded the network as Twist TV in 2010 before being taken over by Shaw Media. As Twist TV, the channel shifted to reality programming aimed at a female demographic.
After being rebranded to FYI in 2014 and acquired by Corus in 2016, the channel ended its operations on December 31, 2019.
In January 2000, Alliance Atlantis brokered a deal with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and several Canadian television providers, including both national satellite companies Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice, to distribute News Corporation's cable channel, The Health Network, in Canada. [1] The deal would mark the first time The Health Network would be available in Canada.
The deal struck to sponsor The Health Network's distribution in Canada was a prelude to the fact that Alliance Atlantis and News Corporation would eventually launch a Canadian version of the channel for the domestic market and remove the American channel from the Canadian market. On November 24, 2000, Alliance Atlantis (which would hold 80% majority interest in the channel) and News Corporation (which would hold the remaining 20% interest) were granted a broadcasting licence for The Health Network Canada by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). [2]
Prior to the launch of the network, in September 2001, Discovery Communications (owners of Discovery Health Channel in the U.S.) bought The Health Network from News Corporation for US$255 million. [3] Through that transaction, Discovery Communications would also acquire News Corporation's 20% interest in The Health Network Canada.
As a result of Discovery Communications' newly acquired interest in the service, the network was launched that same month on September 7, 2001, as the Discovery Health Channel. On the same day as the Canadian channel's launch, the American service, The Health Network, was removed from all Canadian television providers. In February 2002, The Health Network was removed from the CRTC's list of foreign satellite services eligible for carriage on Canadian pay television providers, by request of The Health Network's owners. [4]
On January 18, 2008, a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, known as CW Media, bought Alliance Atlantis and through that transaction, acquired Alliance Atlantis' interest in Discovery Health. In 2009, CW Media purchased the remaining interest in the channel from Discovery Communications, bringing its ownership to 100%. [5]
Two deals were announced in late 2009 and early 2010 that affected the future of the Canadian channel. First, Discovery Communications announced that the flagship Discovery Health channel in the U.S. would be replaced by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in January 2011. OWN later reached an agreement with Corus Entertainment to launch a Canadian version of that channel shortly after the U.S. version's debut. [6] Later in April 2010, Discovery Communications announced an expanded long-term agreement with Bell Media (then CTVglobemedia, Discovery's Canadian partner for most of its other channels) under which Bell holds Canadian broadcast rights to most of the Discovery Communications programming library, including Discovery Health programs, and the right to launch new Discovery-branded channels. [7]
On September 15, 2010, Canwest announced Discovery Health Canada would rebrand as Twist TV on November 1. The rebranded channel would focus on reality shows about "people facing extraordinary situations" aimed at a female demographic including such shows as Nanny 911 , Raising Sextuplets , Dad Camp , and Little Miss Perfect . The name came from the narrative "twist" trope common with reality and non-fiction programming. [5] On October 27, 2010, the channel's ownership changed again as Shaw Communications gained control of Discovery Health as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media. [8] [9] The channel officially rebranded five days later.[ citation needed ] The network was wholly unrelated to the American Twist network with the same format launched in 2021.[ citation needed ]
In June 2014, it was reported that Twist TV, along with sister network Mystery TV, would be rebranded as Canadian versions of FYI and the Crime & Investigation Network under a licensing agreement with A+E Networks. [10] A+E Networks and Shaw Media had previously partnered to rebrand History Television, Showcase Diva and The Cave as Canadian versions of History, Lifetime and H2 in 2012. [11]
The launch of FYI (as well as CI) was intended to draw in more female viewers, the primary audience of Shaw Media's lifestyle networks. [12] In addition to programming from the U.S. service, as well as other Shaw Media-owned channels, the new channel will air shows from other sources. [13] The channel was relaunched on the morning of September 1, 2014 with a free preview to last the rest of the month. [14] A month prior, a Canadian version of the FYI website went online. [15] Over time, the website was updated to include information pertaining to the channel. [16]
A YouTube channel went online August 28, 2014; on that day, sneak peeks of FYI programming aired on Lifetime and Slice. [17] On April 1, 2016, Shaw Media was sold to Corus Entertainment. [18]
In June 2019, at the Corus Entertainment upfronts, Corus Entertainment announced its Fall 2019 schedules of its top-performing specialty channels. However, FYI was not included in the upfronts. [19]
In October 2019, Corus announced that FYI would be shut down at midnight on December 31, 2019, after which the channel space created in 2001 by Discovery Health Channel ceased to exist. [20] The channel's license was surrendered to the CRTC on February 4, 2020. [21]
In late 2016, Corus launched FYI HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast of the standard definition feed. The HD feed was available on Bell Fibe TV, Bell MTS and Optik TV. On August 8, 2018, it launched on Shaw Direct. The HD feed shut down on December 31, 2019.
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operator in Canada. Alliance Atlantis also had offices in Halifax, Los Angeles, London, Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona, Shannon, and Sydney.
BBC Canada was a Canadian English language specialty channel that mostly broadcast television series originally produced by the BBC, the public-service broadcaster of the United Kingdom. The channel was owned by Corus Entertainment and BBC Studios (20%).
Lifetime is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel based on the eponymous American basic cable channel owned by Showcase Television Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts films, television shows and reality series aimed at women.
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian mass media and television production company. The company was founded in 1987 as Shaw Radio Ltd. as a subsidiary of Shaw Communications and was spun-off from Shaw in 1999. It has prominent holdings in the radio, publishing, and television industries. Corus is headquartered at Corus Quay in Toronto, Ontario.
DTour is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by TVTropolis G.P., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment.
Flavour Network is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts programming related to food, cooking, cuisine, and the food industry, including competition, reality, and travelogue-style programs.
The History Channel is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel that primarily broadcasts programming related to history and historical fiction. It is owned by History Television, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment.
Slice is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily broadcasts programming targeting young adult women, including comedy, reality, lifestyle, and true crime programming.
SériesPlus is a Canadian French language specialty channel devoted to French-language scripted comedy and dramatic programming. The channel is owned by Corus Entertainment.
Showcase is a Canadian English-language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Launched in 1995, the network primarily airs general entertainment programming, particularly action and drama series and films.
Home Network is a Canadian English-language discretionary cable and satellite specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Home Network broadcasts programs relating to real estate, home and garden design, and renovations.
IFC was a Canadian English language specialty channel. The channel was owned by Showcase Television, Inc., a subsidairy of Corus Entertainment known to broadcast independent films, documentaries, and television series.
History2 is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Men TV General Partnership, a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment dedicated to airing historic and non-historical programming of military, science, and technology interest.
National Geographic is a Canadian English language television channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It is a licensed version of the eponymous American basic cable channel. It features documentary and human interest programming that explores the natural world. The service, like its international counterparts, is based on National Geographic Magazine.
Historia is a Canadian discretionary service owned by Corus Entertainment. The network broadcasts French-language programming related to history and historical fiction, and is a sister network to the English-language History; both channels operate as Canadian licensees of the U.S. network History.
Dusk was a Canadian English language specialty channel. Dusk broadcast programming consisting of films, television dramas, and reality TV, and documentary-style television series from the thriller, suspense and supernatural genres.
Magnolia Network is a Canadian exempt discretionary specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. Based on the U.S. cable network of the same name, It broadcasts personality-based programming related to home construction, improvement, and cuisine.
Crime & Investigation is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It is a licensed version of A&E Networks' U.S. channel of the same name, and airs off-network reruns of police procedural dramas from the libraries of Global and Showcase, and true crime programming from the libraries of A&E Networks.
MovieTime is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It primarily broadcasts films, with 250 titles per month and back-to-back movies on the weekends. Unlike other Canadian movie channels, MovieTime operates as an advertiser-supported service.
In June 2024, Rogers Communications announced a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), under which it will hold the rights to the channel brands and programming of WBD's factual and lifestyle television networks. The agreement will trigger a major re-alignment of Canadian specialty television, ending the long-term associations between the brands of WBD predecessors Discovery, Inc. and Scripps Networks Interactive with Bell Media and Corus Entertainment respectively.