[hugh]

CTV and Comcast International Media Group (CIMG) have announced a deal that will debut a new Canadian E! channel, formerly Star!, beginning November 29. E! will immediately be available in more than 6.2 million Canadian households.

"We're delighted to bring E! back to audiences in Canada as we enter this new partnership with CTV," added Duccio Donati, Executive Vice President, CIMG.

Powered by pop culture phenoms such as KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS, CHELSEA LATELY, LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET, THE SOUP and E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY, E! enjoyed its highest-rated and most-watched September ever in the U.S.

The channel will present 50 per cent Canadian programming throughout the broadcast year, including 40 per cent in prime time. Additional programming details regarding E!'s new schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

[james039]

This is really the way it should've happened in the first place. Converting the CH channels to carry a specialty television network was the most nonsensical thing they ever did.

 

[bigoranget]

and once again, a new brand/channel that will launch in SD only. Mark this as yet another channels that will not be seen in my home.

 

[dsspredator]

At least CHCH carried some E! content in HD.

 

[parker1313]

YESSS , Finally The Soup is back in Canada!!! Loved that show

 

[vjose78]

Well last time I checked I believe Star has been approved for HD by the CRTC, it's just a matter of them launching it, and with them getting all that E! programming and CTV being sold to Bell, perhaps it will happen. Either way i'm glad to be finally getting E! in Canada as I enjoyed watching the programming back when it was originally on Star in the early days, but lately Star sucks!

 

[Doppelganger399]

Another re branding, didn't even know star still existed.

 

[bigoranget]

I do not believe they need a license to simulcast their SD counterpart. I believe what these licenses that many of the specialty channels have, allow them to air up to 5% unique content that is not duplicated on the SD channel. The unique content typically has to be Canadian programming and in HD format.

 

[dheian]

Glad The Soup's coming back.

On a Star note: any reason why they were on the Rogers below 100 listings twice? (63 and the other one I can't remember right now?

 

[vjose78]

Not sure what you mean by your comment on Rogers? Are you talking about channel placement? Probably because Star is an analog specialty service in many places.

 

[17671]

Star! is unusually placed on the dial at 63 and 71 on Rogers Digital cable..

Analogue TV's will only pick up the 61, but Digital Tv's get both, its kind of weird having a dupe, on digital. ya think?

 

[thenewdc]

At my location it's only on ch-71, and somewhere else in the 200's.

 

[jayoldschool]

YESSS , Finally The Soup is back in Canada!!! Loved that show

Just keep downloading the torrent. No commercials, and you get the HD version. Even compressed, it still looks better than an SD channel.

 

[JesseJ]

Glad I can stop downloading The Soup and Chelsea Lately.

 

[CastleRockDays]

james039 Yeah I agree. The way they did it before with the old CH, was like rebranding (for example) Citytv into a TBS or TNT. Changing Star! to E! Canada makes a lot more sense.

 

[JamesK]

E! standard def

It's curious they'd start (restart?) a channel in SD these days.

 

[faston]

And all the ads that they plastered all over the airwaves this weekend were in HD!

 

[JamesK]

^^^^
I've noticed they're already letterboxing wide screen content.

 

[cyclist44]

Can you believe how many times they are showing E Talk. I think I counted 6 times a day. I guess this is to cover their Canadian Content. This program can also be seen on any CTV channel.

 

[nakedgord]

Can you believe how many times they are showing E Talk. I think I counted 6 times a day. I guess this is to cover their Canadian Content. This program can also be seen on any CTV channel.

On CTV Toronto News Bill Hutcheson even had the nerve to say E! "will also carry Canadian shows including eTalk"

Cancon has become a joke.