Slice (TV channel)

Last updated
Slice
Logo used since 2017
Country Canada
Broadcast areaNationwide
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario
Programming
Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
(2013–present)
480i (SDTV)
(1995–present)
Ownership
Owner Atlantis Communications (1995–1998)
Alliance Atlantis (1998–2008)
CW Media
(2008–2010)
Shaw Media
(2010–2016)
Corus Entertainment
(2016–present)
(Life Network Inc.)
Sister channels W Network
YTV
Showcase
ABC Spark
History
LaunchedJanuary 1, 1995, 29 years ago
Former namesLife Network (1995–2007)
Links
Website Slice
Availability
Streaming media
StackTV Internet Protocol television

Slice is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily broadcasts programming targeting young adult women, including general entertainment, reality, and true crime programming.

Contents

It was launched on January 1, 1995, as Life Network under the ownership of Atlantis Communications. Atlantis was acquired by Alliance Communications in 1998 and Life Network was relaunched as Slice on March 5, 2007. In 2008, Canwest and Goldman Sachs acquired Alliance Atlantis, and the channel's ownership was later sold to Shaw Media in 2010, and ultimately, Corus in April 2016.

For most of its recent history, this channel aired a selected number programs from U.S.-based Bravo. Some programs that were aired were lost to the newly relaunched Bravo channel (not to be confused with the former arts channel of the same name) by Rogers Sports & Media in 2024. Slice continues to be home to premium reality content featuring real-life experiences and iconic talent, plus unscripted genres including true crime and daily news.

History

As Life Network

In June 1994, Your Channel Television Inc., a company majority owned by Atlantis Television Ventures Inc. (Atlantis Communications), was granted a television broadcasting licence by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a channel called YOU: Your Channel, described at the time as broadcasting "programming consisting of documentaries and information programming." The channel proposed programming grouped into five themes, "Habitat" stressing programming for the home and environment; "Bodyworks" covering fitness, health and nutrition; "Food Plus" including programs related to cooking and food; "Explorations" dealing with travel, adventure and nature; and "Relationships" focusing on parenting, child care, careers and personal relationships." [1]

The channel was launched on January 1, 1995, as Life Network. [2] The channel broadcast programs in themes focusing on such areas as food, gardening, and home design. The success of these strands ultimately enabled Atlantis and its successors to launch dedicated channels focusing on these subjects, HGTV and Food Network, based on the similar U.S. channels owned by Scripps Networks. [3]

In June 1998, Atlantis Communications announced that it planned to merge with Alliance Communications, [4] another television and film producer and broadcaster, owners of History Television and Showcase at the time, [5] to form a new company called Alliance Atlantis Communications. The CRTC approved the merger in May 1999. [5]

As Slice

Plans to relaunch the channel as Slice were announced on November 2, 2006 by Alliance Atlantis Communications. [6] The new name and programming reflects Life's shift towards a more entertainment-based schedule with what Alliance Atlantis called "addictive" programming. The name was revealed in a 2006 Life Network online survey on future programming strategies. The channel was relaunched on March 5, 2007, although the on-air branding appeared intermittently during a "sneak preview" on March 3 and 4.

On January 18, 2008, [7] a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners known as CW Media, [8] acquired control of Slice through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in a trust in August 2007. [9] On October 27, 2010, ownership changed again as Shaw Communications gained control of Slice as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media. [10] [11]

Slice ultimately became the de facto Canadian home to most reality programs from the U.S. cable network Bravo, not to be confused with the Canadian arts-focused channel of the same name (later renamed CTV Drama Channel). On June 10, 2024, rival broadcaster Rogers Sports & Media announced an agreement with NBCUniversal to relaunch the Bravo brand in Canada in September 2024, and that its platforms would carry new seasons of Bravo original programming going forward. [12]

As a result of the Rogers deal, Bravo originals are being phased out from the Slice schedule in early fall 2024 as ongoing seasons end, and being replaced by reality and true crime content from alternate sources such as Lionsgate Television, Paramount Global, and We TV (including new seasons of existing Slice acquisitions such as Love After Lockup , and new additions such as The Braxtons and Tia Mowry: My Next Act). One notable acquisition was The Daily Show , which had not been aired on linear television in Canada since it was dropped by its long-time home of CTV Comedy Channel in 2023. [13]

Programming

Alternate logo introduced in 2013 Slice Blue logo.png
Alternate logo introduced in 2013

Notable programs

Logos

Lifenetwork old logo.svg Life Network.svg Slice logo.svg Slice16.svg Slice logo (2017).svg
1995–20032003–20072007–20162016–20172017–present

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References

  1. ↑ Decision CRTC 94-279 CRTC 1994-06-06
  2. ↑ Tier Two Turns Ten Mediacaster Magazine 2005-03-01
  3. ↑ "Lifestyle nets a profitable trend". Variety . March 23, 1998. Retrieved December 9, 2024– via TheFreeLibrary.
  4. ↑ Merger creates film, TV giant Toronto Star 1998-07-22
  5. 1 2 Decision CRTC 99-106 1999-05-20
  6. ↑ Alliance Atlantis To Launch SLICE Broadcaster Magazine 2006-11-02
  7. ↑ Canwest Global receives final CRTC approval for acquisition of Alliance Atlantis CNW press release 2008-01-18
  8. ↑ Goldman's happy ending at CanWest The Globe and Mail 2010-05-03
  9. ↑ CanWest Completes Acquisition of Alliance Atlantis Archived 2012-04-23 at the Wayback Machine Investor Point 2007-08-15
  10. ↑ Shaw Communications closes purchase of Canwest TV assets, rebrands as Shaw Media [ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ CRTC approves Shaw's purchase of the Canwest Global television properties Archived 2013-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2024-06-10). "Rogers scoops Warner Bros. Discovery rights from Corus and Bell". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  13. ↑ Pinto, Jordan (September 2, 2024). "Corus's Slice shops around, expands into new genres after losing Bravo content". C21Media. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
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