Bell Media to Launch USA Network and Oxygen True Crime in Canada

Bell Media has announced a significant content and licensing agreement with NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution to introduce two prominent cable channels, USA Network and Oxygen True Crime, to Canada. The launch is scheduled for January 1, 2025, marking the first time these networks will be available in the country. Alongside the television broadcast, a range of popular shows from these channels, including the hit series “Suits,” along with new content, will be available for streaming on Crave, a leading Canadian streaming service.

Furthermore, Bell Media will rebrand three existing specialty channels on the same date: Animal Planet, Discovery Science, and Discovery Velocity will transition to CTV Wild, CTV Nature, and CTV Speed, respectively. This rebranding initiative is part of Bell Media’s effort to enhance and diversify its portfolio of specialty channels.

Stewart Johnston, Senior Vice President of Content and Sales at Bell Media, described the rebranded lineup as “bolder, bigger, and better than ever,” highlighting the addition of USA Network and Oxygen True Crime as pivotal to delivering the high-demand content Canadian audiences seek.

The newly introduced channels will join Bell Media’s extensive array of English-language specialty channels, including CTV Sci-Fi, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Life Channel, E!, CTV News Channel, CP24, BNN Bloomberg, and Much. Content from these channels will be accessible on linear television, CTV.ca, the CTV app, and on the Crave platform.

Bell Media, a leading media and entertainment company in Canada, boasts an expansive portfolio including CTV, Crave, TSN, RDS, and Noovo, among others. It is recognized for its strong offering in premium video, audio, digital media, and advanced advertising solutions. Bell Media is a subsidiary of BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company.

NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution, a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, oversees the licensing and distribution of content to various media platforms across the globe. Their portfolio includes a vast library of films and television episodes from Universal Pictures, Sky Studios, and DreamWorks Animation, among others.