Rogers confirms plans for Warner Bros. Discovery channels as Bell Media drops dispute

TORONTO — Rogers Communications is confirming plans to broadcast several specialty channels as part of a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that Bell Media had attempted to thwart.

Rogers says it will begin airing Discovery and Discovery ID on linear TV in the new year, while others including Animal Planet, Motor Trend and Discovery Science will be available on demand and via Citytv Plus on Amazon Prime Video Channels.

Meanwhile, Bell Media, which previously sought an injunction to block those brands from being broadcast by its competitor, says it has “settled all matters” with Warner Bros. Discovery regarding the channels.

Bell Media also announced it has expanded a licensing deal with the U.S. entertainment and media conglomerate under which Crave is the exclusive home of HBO and Max content in Canada.

The BCE Inc. subsidiary says the new agreement includes a co-production deal to develop original Canadian content and grants Warner Bros. Discovery rights to Bell Media’s original shows for distribution outside of Canada.

In a court application filed in June, Bell Media claimed that a licensing agreement announced this year between Warner Bros. and Rogers violated non-compete provisions Bell had established when it previously secured rights to the content.

Rogers signed multi-year deals with Warner Bros. Discovery, along with NBCUniversal, for their popular lifestyle and entertainment brands in Canada starting next year.

In addition to the Discovery channels, Rogers also added channels licensed to Corus Entertainment Inc., including HGTV and The Food Network. Those are also set to shift hands Jan. 1, 2025.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.