Investigation Discovery (Canadian TV channel)

Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery logo, used since 2021
Country	Canada
Broadcast area	Nationwide
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Programming
Language(s)	English
Picture format	1080i (HDTV) 480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner	Bell Media
Sister channels	Animal Planet Canal D Discovery Discovery Science Discovery Velocity Investigation
History
Launched	September 7, 2001;22 years ago (2001-09-07)
Former names	Court TV Canada (2001–2010)
Links
Website	Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery is a Canadian Discretionary service owned by Bell Media. Based of the U.S. cable network of the same name, the channel focuses on true crime programming.

Originally launching as a Canadian version of Court TV, it was relaunched on August 30, 2010 under its current branding as part of a licensing arrangement with Warner Bros. Discovery.

History

As CourtTV Canada

In November 2000, Learning and Skills Television of Alberta, a company majority owned by CHUM Limited (60%) and owners of Access, was granted permission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel called "The Law & Order Channel", described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty television service that will feature entertainment programming about police, law, the courts, emergency and medical response teams, disaster and relief operations featuring people and organizations that uphold law and order in our society." ^[1]

The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Court TV Canada. ^[2] The channel replaced the U.S. Court TV service, which was available on many television service providers throughout Canada as an eligible foreign service.

Court TV Canada logo from 2005 to August 29, 2010.

On February 15, 2005, CHUM completed the purchase of the remaining interest in LSTA, bringing its ownership to 100%. ^[2] A year later, in July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later renamed CTVglobemedia) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated CAD$1.7 billion, included in the sale was LSTA and its interest in CourtTV Canada. ^[3] The sale and was approved by the CRTC in June 2007, ^[4] and the transaction was completed on June 22, 2007. In 2008, LSTA (then known as Access Media Group) was wound up into CTV Limited (the renamed CHUM Limited). ^[5]

As Investigation Discovery

The original CourtTV was relaunched as TruTV in 2008, though the Canadian version continued to use the CourtTV branding. On August 30, 2010, CTV announced a new licensing agreement with Discovery Communications, under which Court TV Canada would be rebranded as a Canadian version of Discovery's true crime brand Investigation Discovery. ^[6] It is the only Discovery-branded channel operated by Bell Media that neither Discovery, nor ESPN Inc. (via CTV Specialty Television, Inc.), holds an ownership stake in.

On September 10, 2010, Bell Canada (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of CAD$3.2 billion. ^[7] The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011, ^[8] and was finalized on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media. ^[9]

Previous logo used from 2015 until 2021.

On June 17, 2011, Bell Media announced plans to launch a high definition simulcast feed of Investigation Discovery, titled Investigation Discovery HD, by the end of the year. ^[10] The HD feed was launched on December 15, 2011 on Bell Fibe TV and later on Telus Optik TV; The HD feed later began to be carried on Bell Satellite TV on December 13, 2012, then Bell Aliant and NorthernTel in the mid-2010s. ^[11] The HD feed was added to Shaw Direct's lineup on October 16, 2018. It is yet to be launched on Shaw Cable and some smaller providers.

On June 10, 2024, Rogers Sports & Media announced it had reached an agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) for Canadian rights to its lifestyle brands beginning in January 2025. Although not mentioned in Rogers' press release, multiple media outlets, including Rogers-owned CityNews, reported that the affected brands include Discovery Channel and spinoffs such as Investigation Discovery, the existing Canadian versions of which were managed by Bell. ^{[12] [13]}

Bell subsequently said in a statement that it would "assert [its] rights", citing protections it had previously negotiated against the launch of direct competitor channels. ^[14] On June 19, Bell filed for an injunction which, according to Rogers, would—if granted—prevent the latter from operating any linear TV channels under the brands previously operated by Bell for the first two years of its contract. ^[15] Subsequently, Rogers filed documents asserting that WBD had failed to disclose the non-compete clauses to Rogers. On August 30, Bell said that in light of that revelation, it was no longer seeking monetary damages from Rogers, but would proceed with claims against WBD; including injunctive relief. ^[16]

Programming

The channel primarily airs true crime programming sourced from its U.S. parent network, including Fear Thy Neighbor (a co-production with the U.S. Investigation Discovery and French-language sister network Canal D), Homicide Hunter, and On the Case with Paula Zahn .

References

1. Decision CRTC 2000-614 Archived 2013-07-07 at the Wayback Machine CRTC 2000-12-14
2. The history of CHUM Archived 2013-10-23 at the Wayback Machine , The Globe and Mail , June 12, 2006.
3. Bell Globemedia acquires CHUM Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine ; Fasken Martineau; 2006-07-12
4. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-165 Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine ; CRTC; 2007-06-08
5. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-141 Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine , Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 14 July 2008
6. Discovery to Launch Three New Channel Brands In Canada Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
7. Bell Canada (2010-09-10). "Bell to acquire 100% of Canada's No.1 media company CTV". CNW Group. Archived from the original on 2010-09-13. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
8. "CRTC approves BCE's purchase of CTVglobemedia". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
9. Bell completes acquisition of CTV, launches Bell Media business unit Archived 2011-04-04 at the Wayback Machine CNW 2011-04-01
10. Discovery Channel and Bell Media Factual Networks Announce Fall 2011 "Must See" Highlights Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine CNW 2011-06-17
11. Animal Planet HD, Investigation Discovery HD and Discovery Science HD Launch Today Archived 2011-12-25 at the Wayback Machine Bell Media press release 2011-12-15
12. Thiessen, Connie (June 10, 2024). "Rogers scoops Warner Bros. Discovery rights from Corus and Bell". Broadcast Dialogue. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
13. "Rogers announces licensing deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery". CityNews.ca . June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
14. Faguy, Steve (June 10, 2024). "Rogers kneecaps Corus, stealing Canadian rights to HGTV and Food Network". Fagstein. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
15. Thiessen, Connie (June 28, 2024). "Bell files injunction against Rogers in Warner Bros. Discovery content battle". Broadcast Dialogue. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
16. Thiessen, Connie (August 30, 2024). "Bell no longer pursuing damages from Rogers in Warner Bros. Discovery beef". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved August 30, 2024.

External links

• Official website