Tag Archives: Discovery

Featured, Industry News

Rogers inks blockbuster deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery

From a media release:

Rogers Communications today announced blockbuster multi-year deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery to bring the most watched lifestyle and entertainment content to Canadians on their platform of choice.

 “Rogers invests to bring Canadians the most coveted sports and entertainment,” said Colette Watson, President, Rogers Sports & Media. “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. This investment also advances our position as a strong Canadian broadcaster that can compete with foreign streamers.”  

 Starting September 2024, the company is launching NBCUniversal’s Bravo channel in Canada and will become the English-language television content rights holder in Canada, featuring the best of unscripted programming, which will include new seasons of Bravo’s hit franchise series.

Starting January 2025, Rogers will be the home of Warner Bros. Discovery’s suite of English-language U.S. lifestyle and factual brands, including HGTV, The Food Network, and much more.

Rogers will work with Canadian distribution partners to make the content widely available, so viewers can continue to watch the programs they have come to know and love.  The content will also be available on Citytv+, complementing the award-winning lineup of programming from Citytv, OMNI, FX, and FXX.  

“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 Watson. 

The company’s investment in leading entertainment brands and content follows Rogers recent announcement with Comcast to bring the latest award-winning Xfinity products and technology to Canadians across the country. Its entertainment platform integrates live sports, entertainment and news, on-demand, and streaming apps into one, simple viewing experience so customers spend more time watching and less time searching with the award-winning voice remote and integrated interface. 

 With the new U.S. licensing deals, Rogers will increase its investment in original Canadian content and collaborate with Canadian independent producers. Over the last 10 years, Rogers has invested $6.9 billion in Canadian content, part of its commitment to bring Canadians the best content.  

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New mysteries unfold in Discovery’s Canadian original series Forensic Factor: A New Era, beginning November 17

From a media release:

Discovery joins the quest for justice with the reveal of latest Canadian Original docuseries, FORENSIC FACTOR: A NEW ERA, premiering Friday, Nov. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The six-episode, one-hour docuseries explores how incredible innovations in forensic science, combined with the expertise of dedicated crime scene investigators work together to uncover the truth. Produced in partnership with Bell Media Studios and Attraction, the updated series traces its DNA to the classic Discovery Original Canadian docuseries FORENSIC FACTOR, which premiered in 2003, and ran for six seasons. New episodes will also be available on CTV.ca and the CTV app each week

Every crime scene tells a story, and woven through each one-hour episode of FORENSIC FACTOR: A NEW ERA are the unique perspectives of forensic experts, and the stories of the victims themselves. As investigators and families search for answers behind the most terrible crimes, forensic specialists hunt for the most crucial evidence and clues, often invisible to many.

Moving beyond the yellow tape, each episode of FORENSIC FACTOR: A NEW ERA explores a different crime scene and reveals how crime scene investigators and determined homicide detectives find, analyze, and interpret the smallest pieces of a new weekly crime scene puzzle, leading to the biggest breaks, all thanks to ground-breaking advances in forensic science.

In association with Discovery, FORENSIC FACTOR: A NEW ERA is produced by Bell Media Studios and Attraction. Bell Media distributes the series internationally. For Attraction Nicole Hamilton and Richard Speer are Executive Producers, Sylvia Wilson is Series Producer.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Aliya Jasmine and Teddy Wilson celebrate the world’s mega machines in Discovery’s The Mightiest

First, there was Mighty Ships. Then, Mighty Planes, followed by Mighty Cruise Ships and Mighty Trains. Now, there is simply The Mightiest.

Debuting on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery, the latest in the Mighty franchise takes viewers on a six-episode adventure into some of the mega-ist of mega machines around the planet. Hosted by Teddy Wilson (Mighty Trains) and environmental journalist Aliya Jasmine, each installment focuses on one main machine surrounded by smaller stories. Each segment is tied together by Aliya Jasmine and Wilson, who converse while standing in Hanger 1 at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

“It’s the latest and the greatest in the Mighty franchise,” Wilson says, on the line during a recent media day with his co-host. “They wanted to take this amazing franchise and really kick it up a notch. This series focuses on planes, trains and ships. We’re going to take viewers on some amazing and epic adventures.”

For environmental journalist Aliya Jasmine, The Mightiest offered her many tales to tell.

“So many of these stories deal with nature and some of the world’s most destructive natural forces,” Aliya Jasmine says. “We were able to fly into the eye of a hurricane and over wildfires. [We’re] not only looking at these mighty machines and the innovation in science and engineering but also the actual humans behind them. There are incredible people who put their lives at stake to operate these machines.”

The adventure begins on Wednesday with “Launch Day,” where Wilson is aboard the U.S. Navy’s newest and largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. Updated with the latest in technology—including a switch from steam to electricity to launch and land aircraft—the Gerald R. Ford is a small town on the sea, to which The Mightiest crew were given unprecedented access.

“It was a mind-blowing experience,” Wilson recalls. “It was incredibly loud, incredibly dangerous… the deck of an aircraft carrier is one of the most dangerous places on earth. And, we had to arrive and leave the carrier via a military transport plane landing and taking off, which was one of the coolest experiences of my life.”

In addition to highlighting the USS Gerald R. Ford, Wednesday’s debut looks at the massive Airbus A-380’s first landing into a major North American hub, the re-launch of a flying telescope after being grounded for months, and final touches on a cruise ship three times bigger than the Titanic. And while Wilson says as cool as the aircraft carrier assignment was, he believes his co-star got a plum Season 1 assignment seated inside an F-18 as a member of the Blue Angels.

“The Blue Angels are the only F-18 pilots in the world that don’t wear G-suits and don’t have oxygen masks,” Aliya Jasmine says. “When you see Tom Cruise in Top Gun, he has a G-suit on that helps him stay conscious, keep his eyesight, help him breathe and not be nauseous.

“It takes them years to train, and they trained me in two minutes,” she continues with a laugh. “They did warn me that it’s not uncommon for people to pass out, momentarily go blind, pee or defecate themselves, or puke. My body has never gone through anything like that before.”

So, how did she do?

“We pulled 6Gs, broke the sound barrier, did a couple of loops and I did puke four times on camera.”

The Mightiest airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Discovery reveals the 12 carvers competing in the all-new series A Cut Above, beginning August 8

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From a media release:

Discovery gears up for a competition series like no other when the all-new Canadian original series, A CUT ABOVE, premieres Monday, August 8 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. Also revealed today are the 12 highly skilled carvers who are ready to tackle the ultimate carving competition. The gifted group of chainsaw-wielding whizzes from around the world must demonstrate their creativity, strength, and skill, as they turn ordinary logs into extraordinary works of art.

Each one-hour episode of A CUT ABOVE sees the talented carvers compete to win both the Quick and Master Carve challenges while racing against the clock in hopes of avoiding weekly elimination. At the end of the entire competition, the artist who out-carves the rest wins a cash prize and is declared “A Cut Above”.

As previously announced, Golden Globe-nominated actor, Adam Beach, joins as host alongside world-renowned Canadian chainsaw carver Ryan Cook and esteemed sculptor, Katharine Dowson, who bring their combined expertise and artistic prowess as judges.

Meet the 12 cutting-edge carvers.

Andrew Mallon, Age 39
Falls Church, VA
8 Years’ Experience

Aya Blane, Age 46
Boonville, NY
17 Years’ Experience

Bongo Love, Age 47
Boulder, CO
15 Years’ Experience

Brigitte Lochhead, Age 40
Vancouver, B.C.
14 Years’ Experience

Chris Woods, Age 52
Newport, Wales
22 Years’ Experience

Jesse Toso, Age 46
Vancouver, B.C.
17 Years’ Experience

Joel Palmer, Age 37
Browns Flat, N.B.
9 Years’ Experience

John Hayes, Age 49
Waterford, Ireland
7 Years’ Experience

Junior Henderson, Age 44
Campbell River, B.C.
15 Years’ Experience

Ryan Villers, Age 41
Edmonton, Alta.
4 Years’ Experience

Sam Bowsher, Age 23
Moffat, Scotland
3 Years’ Experience

Sylvia Itzen, Age 53
Bucholz, Germany
20 Years’ Experience

Each week, viewers can stream new episodes of A CUT ABOVE on CTV.ca and the CTV app, which is also home to behind-the-scenes videos, cast highlights, and more

A CUT ABOVE was created and produced by leading global entertainment company, marblemedia, in association with Bell Media for Discovery. For marblemedia, Matt Hornburg, Mark Bishop, and Diane Rankin are Executive Producers, Donna Luke and Carly Spencer are co-Executive Producers, Grant Greschuck is series producer, and the series was created by development producer Kelsey Epsensen.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Discovery’s all-new Canadian original docuseries Pets & Pickers serves up heartwarming ‘tails,’ beginning May 12

From a media release:

Discovery takes viewers on an uplifting mission to help animals in need with the all-new Canadian original series PETS & PICKERS, premiering Thursday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery. Joining an all-new Thursday night lineup which includes the debut of PIG ROYALTY at 8 p.m. ET and Season 2 of LOUISIANA LAW 10 p.m. ET, the eight-episode, docuseries follows a one-of-a-kind animal hospital, the story of animals, their owners, and the special team of veterinarians who care for them.

Motivated by extraordinary compassion and a singular belief that all animals deserve treatment, this heartfelt series reveals how the Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS) Animal Hospital works tirelessly to offer low-income pet families access to top healthcare. To fund these treatments, RAPS has a unique solution: their thrift store. An energetic and dedicated group of animal loving “pickers” comb through donated mystery bins containing abandoned storage locker items, all money raised goes to pay for vet care and lifesaving surgeries. It’s a one-of-a-kind “pets and pickers” relationship with an uplifting mission: to help animals and their people.

New episodes of PETS & PICKERS are available to stream each week on CTV.ca and the CTV App.

In Episode 1 of PETS & PICKERS, entitled “Pets, Pickers & Problems,” Dexter the dog has breathing problems so serious, worried owner Michelle travels hours in hopes that RAPS can help pay for urgent surgery. The dedicated team of pickers, counting on abandoned storage locker goods, gets an unfortunate surprise. Meanwhile, Halo the Chihuahua discovers more than exercise in the local dog park.

Led by Executive Director Eyal Lichtman, the kind-hearted and innovative team at RAPS includes: long-time animal lover, Dr. Regan Schwartz; small animal specialist and Vets Without Borders volunteer, Dr. Alex Maldonado (Dr. Alex); feral animal care professional, Dr. Joseph Martinez; the patriarch and leading exotic animal veterinarian, Dr. Satveer Dadrwal (Dr. Satveer); RAPS’ lead veterinarian and the go-to surgeon, Dr. Marius Vasilescu, aka “Dr. V”; and RAPS’ community social services specialist, Dr. Victoria Cruz-Mendez (Dr. Cruz-Mendez). The animal-loving team of pickers includes thrift store manager, Karen Kamachi, as well as expert picker, Marty Kramer, who work together to bring in donations, and find buyers to help people and pets in-need. To find out more about RAPS, visit their website at www.rapsbc.com.

PETS & PICKERS was created and produced by Tyson Media in association with Bell Media for Discovery, with the participation of The Bell Fund. Tyson Hepburn is Executive Producer and Showrunner. Kelly McClughgan is Series Producer, and Andrew Vacheresse is Director.

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