Investigation Discovery (Canadian TV channel)
Investigation Discovery (stylized as INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY) is a Canadian Discretionary service owned by Bell Media. Based on the U.S cable network of the same name, the channel primarily focuses on true crime programming.
![]() Investigation Discovery logo | |
Country | Canada |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Nationwide |
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Bell Media |
Sister channels | Animal Planet Discovery Discovery Science Discovery Velocity Investigation |
History | |
Launched | September 7, 2001 |
Former names | Court TV Canada (2001–2010) |
Links | |
Website | Investigation Discovery |
Availability | |
Cable | |
Available on many Canadian cable systems | Consult your local cable provider for channel availability |
Satellite | |
Bell Satellite TV | Channel 528 (SD) Channel 1714 (HD) |
Shaw Direct | Channel 557 (SD) Channel 183 (SD) |
IPTV | |
Bell Aliant Fibe TV | Channel 296 (SD) Channel 540 (HD) |
Bell Fibe TV | Channel 528 (SD) Channel 1528 (HD) |
Bell MTS | Channel 277 (SD) Channel 1277 (HD) |
Optik TV | Channel 9378 (SD) Channel 378 (HD) |
SaskTel | Channel 166 (SD) Channel 466 (HD) |
VMedia | Channel 53 (HD) |
Zazeen | Channel 96 (HD) |
Originally launching as a Canadian version of Court TV, it was relaunched on August 30, 2010 under its current branding as part of a licensing arrangement with Discovery Inc.. Investigation Discovery is one of two branded channels that Discovery does not own a minority stake in; Corus Entertainment's Oprah Winfrey Network being the other.
History
As CourtTV Canada
In November 2000, Learning and Skills Television of Alberta, a company majority owned by CHUM Limited (60%) and owners of Access, was granted permission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel called "The Law & Order Channel", described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty television service that will feature entertainment programming about police, law, the courts, emergency and medical response teams, disaster and relief operations featuring people and organizations that uphold law and order in our society."[1]
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Court TV Canada.[2] The channel replaced the American Court TV service, which was available on many television service providers throughout Canada as an eligible foreign service.
![](../I/Court_TV_Canada_Logo.svg.png.webp)
On February 15, 2005, CHUM completed the purchase of the remaining interest in LSTA, bringing its ownership to 100%.[2] A year later, in July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later renamed CTVglobemedia) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated CAD$1.7 billion, included in the sale was LSTA and its interest in CourtTV Canada.[3] The sale and was approved by the CRTC in June 2007,[4] and the transaction was completed on June 22, 2007. In 2008, LSTA (then known as Access Media Group) was wound up into CTV Limited (the renamed CHUM Limited).[5]
As Investigation Discovery
The original CourtTV was relaunched as TruTV in 2008, though the Canadian version continued to use the CourtTV branding. On August 30, 2010, CourtTV Canada was relaunched as a Canadian version of Investigation Discovery, a similarly formatted channel, as part of a wider licensing agreement between CTV and Discovery.[6]
On September 10, 2010, Bell Canada (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of CAD$3.2 billion.[7] The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011,[8] and was finalized on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.[9]
On June 17, 2011, Bell Media announced plans to launch a high definition simulcast feed of Investigation Discovery HD by the end of the year.[10] The HD feed was launched on December 15, 2011 on Bell Fibe TV and later on Telus Optik TV; The HD feed later began to be carried on Bell Satellite TV on December 13, 2012.[11] The HD feed was added to Shaw Direct's lineup on October 16, 2018.
Programming
Investigation Discovery airs a variety of drama programs, documentaries and talk shows, as well as programs focusing on police and security, forensic investigations, crime and justice, and other related subjects.
References
- Decision CRTC 2000-614 CRTC 2000-12-14
- The history of CHUM, The Globe and Mail, June 12, 2006.
- Bell Globemedia acquires CHUM Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine; Fasken Martineau; 2006-07-12
- Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-165; CRTC; 2007-06-08
- Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-141, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 14 July 2008
- Discovery to Launch Three New Channel Brands In Canada Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Bell Canada (2010-09-10). "Bell to acquire 100% of Canada's No.1 media company CTV". CNW Group. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- CRTC approves BCE's purchase of CTVglobemedia
- Bell completes acquisition of CTV, launches Bell Media business unit Archived 2011-04-04 at the Wayback Machine CNW 2011-04-01
- Discovery Channel and Bell Media Factual Networks Announce Fall 2011 "Must See" Highlights Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine CNW 2011-06-17
- Animal Planet HD, Investigation Discovery HD and Discovery Science HD Launch Today Bell Media press release 2011-12-15