Oprah Winfrey network coming to Canada in 2011

23468 Views 45 Replies 21 Participants Last post by MCIBUS, Nov 10, 2010

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Discussion Starter · Sep 29, 2010

Corus buys Canadian rights to Oprah's OWN Network

Oprah's 'OWN' coming to Canada
Corus Entertainment has purchased Canadian rights to OWN - The Oprah Winfrey Network - which means the TV channel eventually will be available in Canada as a specialty service.

OWN is set to launch in the United States on Jan. 1, 2011. Corus wasn’t specific about a Canadian availability date, but indicated it would be “early 2011.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/entertainment/tv/2010/09/29/15517001.html

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So which channel will they rebrand OWN Canada?

My guess is VIVA...

They own or have interest in the following channels:
Specialty television services
CMT Canada (90%)
Cosmopolitan TV (67%)
Dusk (51%)
EuroWorld Sport (50.5%)
Food Network Canada (22.58%)
Mediaset Italia (50.5%)
Nelvana
SKY TG24 (50.5%)
Sundance Channel
TLN (50.5%)
tlñ en español (50.5%)
Teletoon (English/ French) (both 50%)
Teletoon Retro (English/French) (both 50%)
Treehouse TV
YTV
Viva
W Movies
W Network

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hugh

· #3 · Sep 29, 2010

Corus Entertainment and OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network said today that they have reached an agreement that will enable Corus to add OWN to its line-up of Canadian digital television channels.

No launch date for Canada announced.

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MCIBUS

· #4 · Sep 29, 2010

I say VIVA or Cosmo will bee be rebranded. I can't se the US channel coming here.

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LONSat

· #5 · Sep 29, 2010 (Edited)

I read elsewhere its Discovery Health that is being rebranded. - Misread the release it was talking about Discovery Health in the US being the rebrand and forgot DH Canada is becoming twist.

Would OWN fit the original mandate of Viva, originally Canada Learning television?

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Kloraff

· #6 · Sep 29, 2010

Since Discovery Health (Canada) is not owned by Corus and is already rebranding on November 1st as Twist TV, I also expect Corus will likely rebrand VIVA.

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user

· #7 · Sep 29, 2010

Well since it doesn't launch until early 2011, they still have time to get a new license from the CRTC. Viva was just rebranded 2 years ago so I'd be a little surprised if they rebranded it again.

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PokerChip

· #8 · Sep 29, 2010

My question is rather obvious: WHY, oh why, does it need re-branding?

I guess it will feel so much more "Canadian" once they add a little maple leaf to the OWN bug at the bottom right of the screen.

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MCIBUS

· #9 · Sep 29, 2010

Looking at again stand corrected. I say Cosmos will be rebranded as thats what it was launched with and has more to do with OWN(programing) then VIVA really does.

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CastleRockDays

· #10 · Sep 29, 2010

PokerChip and MCIBUS I agree with both of you 100%.

Why can't we just have the original US version of it?
I wonder how much different the Canadian one will be from the US.

And yeah, my guess would also be CosmoTV. I doubt they would rebrand VIVA again.

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mike10

· #11 · Sep 30, 2010

cosmo tv is already on digital basic with shaw so it would be great if that is the channel that gets rebranded

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vjose78

· #12 · Sep 30, 2010

Viva is also on digital basic with Shaw. I would assume they would be rebranding Viva as i'm sure it doesn't do as well as Cosmo and why rebrand something that is likely doing well. Besides Viva is in hot water with the CRTC right now over a lack of educational programming to meet it's original CLT licence. OWN seems like it would have some educational type programming on it which would fit the bill.

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MCIBUS

· #13 · Sep 30, 2010

But that educational programing is US or Canadian?

CLT had Canadian educational programing not US before.

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musimax

· #14 · Sep 30, 2010

C'mon folks, isn't it obvious it will be Viva. They certainly aren't going to rebrand their prized jewel W Network, and Cosmo is licensed to provide programming for the 18 to 30 something demo I believe which OWN won't fit and Hearst Entertainment owns 33% in anyways.

Corus has confirmed that it will rebrand one of their channels, so it's pretty obvious Viva will be the one. It fits the demo, it's an analog channel which can support producing its own original programming and it's a brand that AFAIK, hasn't really caught on. It's pretty much a wasteland for W Network reruns and some movies. How could it not be Viva? Why Corus has decided not to confirm exactly which channel it will be, I duno.

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Lindsay649

· #15 · Sep 30, 2010

Rebranding......doubtfull as Corus will launch it as a specialty channel after getting it added by the CRTC to the eligible list of services. In the era of pick and pay this channel will be popular next year.

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vjose78

· #16 · Sep 30, 2010

Getting the American version added to the CRTC approved list would do nothing for Corus, so yes they are rebranding one of their channels and I think they've pretty much confirmed that, just not which one. OWN is supposed to be for women 18-49 so Cosmo doesn't really fit that bill.

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SMCKINNON24

· #17 · Oct 1, 2010

The Channels that are going to get rebranded is Discovery Health.

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user

· #18 · Oct 1, 2010

In the US it's going to replace Discovery Health. The Canadian Discovery Health is becoming Twist TV.

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MCIBUS

· #19 · Oct 1, 2010

The issue of getting the US version vs a rebranding of VIVA,Cosmo,W Network which ever it may end up being is content. Buy having the US version your guaranteed to have 100% programming. By have the "rebrand" you have to add a certain amount of Canadian content to the OWN Canada version, there's where the difference is.

Depending how the US schedule is the Canadian version " might" not be able to follow the exact schedule as the US version.

1) will the be able to fit 100% of all the shows on the Canadian version plus having to add the Canadian content?

2) will the schedule be exactly the same

hour vs hour?

3) what about the Can-Com commitment during that time its immpossible to meet the exact schedule as the US version.

NO!! give me the US version please.

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vjose78

· #20 · Oct 1, 2010

If we were getting the US version Corus would have nothing to do with it as it would just be approved by the CRTC for carriage.

On a side note, I just found this on the cartt.ca website which pretty much confirms what everyone already believes:

While Corus did confirm that OWN would be a rebrand of one its existing services, it declined to name which channel. However, with OWN planning to target adults 18-54 with a core of women 25-54, it seems likely to replace VIVA, (itself a rebrand of Canadian Learning Television), an analog cable channel that targets a similar market segment. (And according to the Corus website, it’s available in five million households across the country).

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