Documentary Channel (Canadian TV channel)

Documentary Channel (stylized as documentary Channel) is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the National Film Board of Canada and four other independent producers. Its programming is devoted to featuring primarily documentary films along with documentary-style television series.

Documentary Channel
Documentary Channel logo
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNational
SloganFree Your Mind
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario, Canada
Programming
Picture format480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Ownership
OwnerCanadian Broadcasting Corporation (82% & managing partner)
National Film Board of Canada (14%)
4 independent producers (1% each)[1]
History
LaunchedSeptember 7, 2001
Former namesDocumentary
(2008–2016)
Links
WebsiteDocumentary Channel
Availability
Cable
Available on most Canadian cable systemsCheck local listings
Satellite
Bell Satellite TVChannel 336 (SD)
Channel 1310 (HD)
Shaw DirectChannel 513 (SD)
IPTV
Bell Aliant Fibe TVChannel 346 (SD)
Channel 517 (HD)
Bell Fibe TVChannel 336 (SD)
Channel 1336 (HD)
Bell MTSChannel 264 (SD)
Channel 1264 (HD)
Optik TVChannel 9731 (SD)
Channel 731 (HD)
SaskTelChannel 86 (SD)
HuronTel Digital TVChannel 300 (HD)
VMediaChannel 325 (HD)
ZazeenChannel 95 (HD)

History

Licensed as The Canadian Documentary Channel on November 24, 2000 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC); it was launched as the Documentary Channel on September 7, 2001 under the majority ownership of Corus Entertainment (53%), CBC (29%), NFB (14%), and the following film producers at 1% each: Omni Film Productions, Cinenova Productions, Barna-Alper Productions, and Galafilm.

On May 11, 2006, Corus Entertainment announced that it would sell its 53% majority stake in the service to the CBC; bringing the CBC's interest to 82% from its former 29%. Corus decided to sell its interest in the service because it stated documentaries were considered a non-core asset and it wanted to further focus its attention on core assets; youth, women's related programming, and films.[2] On June 22, 2007 the CRTC approved the deal and the transaction was completed.

On March 27, 2008 at 12:01 a.m. EST, the Documentary Channel changed its name to simply, documentary, along with a new logo and on-air graphics.

In October 2013, Neil Tabatznik purchased eOne Television's interest (who gained ownership in the channel when it purchased Barna-Alper Productions in January 2008) in the channel.[3]

In 2016, the CBC rebranded the channel again, slightly modifying the logo to introduce the word "channel", renaming it back to documentary Channel.

Documentary Channel HD

On April 1, 2011 the CBC launched a high definition feed simulcasting the standard definition feed. It is available on Bell Satellite TV, Cogeco, Rogers Cable, EastLink, Bell Fibe TV, Bell MTS and Optik TV.

Logos

2001 – 2008 2008 – 2016

See also

References

  1. The 4 independent producers are: Omnifilm Entertainment, Cinenova Productions Inc., Neil Tabatznik, and Galafilm Inc.
  2. CBC buys into doc channel; Playback Magazine; 2006-05-29
  3. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-554, CRTC, 10-17-16
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