Canadian telecommunications provider Rogers Communications announced multi-year deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros Discovery on Monday to bring top lifestyle and entertainment content to Canadians. Starting in September 2024, the company will launch NBCUniversal's Bravo channel in Canada and will become the English-language television content rights holder in Canada. Additionally, starting in January 2025, Rogers users will be able to enjoy Warner Bros Discovery's suite of English-language US lifestyle and factual brands, including HGTV, The Food Network, and more, Rogers said.
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Rogers Expands Entertainment Portfolio
"Rogers invests to bring Canadians the most coveted sports and entertainment," said Rogers. "We're evolving our business to reflect where consumers are going, bringing the best mix of US and Canadian content to audiences in the way they want to watch it. This investment also advances our position as a strong Canadian broadcaster that can compete with foreign streamers."
Content Availability and Distribution
Rogers said it will collaborate with Canadian distribution partners to make this content widely available, ensuring viewers can continue to enjoy their favourite programs. Additionally, this content will be available on Citytv+, complementing Citytv's award-winning lineup alongside OMNI, FX, and FXX.
Strengthening Leadership in Entertainment
"We're already home to Canada's 1 sports network, and these partnerships solidify our leadership in entertainment with a diverse media portfolio of TV's most iconic brands," added Rogers.
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Investment in Canadian Content
Rogers said the deals align with its recent partnership with Comcast to introduce Xfinity products and technology to Canada, integrating live sports, entertainment, news, on-demand, and streaming apps into one seamless viewing experience with a voice remote and interface.
With these new US licensing agreements, Rogers will increase its investment in original Canadian content and collaborate with independent Canadian producers. Over the past decade, Rogers has invested CAD 6.9 billion in Canadian content, the company said.
