Canada’s Rogers Communications announced Monday that it has entered into multi-year carriage deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Starting in September, Rogers will launch NBCU’s Bravo channel on its own cable systems and streaming service Citytv+, and will also hold the Canadian distribution rights to the channel’s English-language content, which includes popular reality TV series like The Real Housewives franchise, Vanderpump Rules and Top Chef.
And starting in January 2025, Rogers will be home to WBD’s suite of English-language lifestyle brands, including HGTV, Food Network and other channels.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Rogers, Canada’s largest cable provider, ended the first quarter with 2.72 million pay TV subscribers — this platform alone represents a nice North American distribution bounty for WBD and Comcast-owned NBCU, both of which are dealing with vastly reduced reach in the U.S. because of cord-cutting.
Also Read: Canada’s Rogers Licenses More Comcast Tech, Including a ‘New Device Powered by Entertainment OS’
Rogers said in a release that it “will work with Canadian distribution partners to make the content widely available,” with the ultimate goal to blend linear distribution with streaming options like its service, Citytv+.
“We’re evolving our business to reflect where consumers are going, bringing the best mix of U.S. and Canadian content to audiences in the way they want to watch it,” said Colette Watson, president of Rogers Sports & Media, in a statement. “This investment also advances our position as a strong Canadian broadcaster that can compete with foreign streamers.”
