Viceland (Canadian TV channel)

Viceland was a Canadian pay television channel. It was owned by Vice Network Canada, Inc., which was owned by Rogers Media with minority ownership by Vice Media. It was a Canadian version of Viceland, broadcasting lifestyle-oriented documentary and reality series aimed towards a young adult demographic.

Viceland
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner
History
LaunchedSeptember 7, 2001
ClosedMarch 31, 2018
Former namesThe Biography Channel Canada (2001–2016)

The network was originally established as a Canadian version of the U.S. network The Biography Channel, as a joint venture between Rogers, Shaw Communications, and A&E Networks. Shaw and A&E later sold their shares to Rogers. As part of a larger licensing agreement with A&E Networks, Shaw launched a Canadian version of Biography Channel's successor in the U.S., FYI, in 2014.

On November 5, 2015, Rogers announced that it had partnered with Vice to be the Canadian launch partner for its new television brand Viceland, which replaced H2 in the U.S. as part of a similar joint venture with A&E. Vice Media acquired a 30% minority stake in the Canadian network. After low viewership and profitability, Rogers and Vice announced the termination of the partnership, and the complete shutdown of the channel effective March 31, 2018.

History

As The Biography Channel
First The Biography Channel logo used from 2001 to 2008.
Second and final The Biography Channel logo used from 2008 to 2016.

Licensed as The Biography Channel by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on November 24, 2000;[1] the channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as a joint venture between Rogers Media (33.34%), Shaw Communications (33.33%) and A&E Networks (33.33%)—who owned the network's American counterpart. In 2006, both Shaw and A&E sold their interests in the channel to Rogers. The U.S. Biography Channel relaunched as FYI on July 7, 2014; Shaw's Twist TV became a Canadian version of FYI on September 1, 2014.[2]

As Viceland

On November 5, 2015, Rogers announced that it would serve as the Canadian partner for Viceland, a new millennial-focused channel programmed by Vice Media, and that The Biography Channel would be rebranded to Viceland.[3][4] Vice Media had partnered with A&E Networks (who owns 10% of the company) to launch Viceland in the U.S. as a replacement for H2.[5][6][7]

Rogers and Vice Media had already begun to collaborate in October 2014, when Vice announced a CDN$100 million joint venture with Rogers to build a studio in Toronto's Liberty Village neighbourhood for producing original content.[4] Rogers also announced an intent to launch Vice-branded television and digital properties in Canada in 2015. Rogers CEO Guy Laurence described the proposed studio as "a powerhouse for Canadian digital content focused on 18- to 34-year-olds" which would be "exciting" and "provocative".[8][9] In 2015, Rogers-owned television network City introduced Vice on City—an anthology series featuring short-form content produced by Vice's Canadian reporters.[10] Vice Media was originally established in Montreal, but had moved to New York City due to difficulties in reaching a sufficient scale in Canada at the time. The company believed that Rogers' investment in Vice helped to better achieve these goals.[3]

Pre-launch programming for Viceland began at 5:00 a.m. ET on February 29, 2016 with Bar Talk, an hour-long special featuring Vice Canada's head of content Patrick McGuire, followed by a countdown to the official launch later in the day.[11][12][13]

In November 2017, The Globe and Mail reported that Rogers intended to cease providing funding to Viceland in early 2018, citing inside reports of low viewership and unprofitability. Representatives of both companies to declined to comment.[14] On January 22, 2018, Rogers and Vice jointly announced a termination of their partnership. The channel shut down on March 31, 2018, and its licence was revoked by request of Vice Network Canada on April 1. Immediately after that, the channel space that was created by The Biography Channel in 2001 simply ceased to exist. Vice will inherit complete ownership of the Toronto studio.[15][16] Several small providers replaced it with FX, giving it wider distribution.

On August 16, 2018, Vice announced a long-term output deal with Bell Media. Viceland was not relaunched, but the new deal saw its content dispersed across some Bell-owned services such as MTV (also known as MTV Canada), Much, and CraveTV.[17][18]

Programming
See also: List of programs broadcast by Viceland

Vice co-founder Suroosh Alvi stated that Viceland would view its Canadian productions as being of global interest, as opposed to a regulatory obligation of little interest of non-Canadians; one-third of the network's first slate of original programming was produced in Canada, including Cyberwar and Dead Set on Life.[4][12] Rogers also contributed original programming, such as the scripted comedies Nirvanna the Band the Show and Fubar Age of Computer.[14]

See also

References
  1. Decision CRTC 2000-460 CRTC 2000-12-14
  2. "Shaw Media and A&E to Launch Two New Specialty Channels". Broadcaster Magazine. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  3. "Vice Media to Launch Cable TV Channel in Canada". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  4. "Viceland content will be made in Canada, for a global audience". Canadian Business. Rogers Media. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. "It's Official: Vice Channel to Take Over A+E Networks' History Spinoff H2". The Hollywood Reporter. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  6. Hale, Mike (28 February 2016). "Viceland, a New Cable Channel, Aims to Stand Out". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  7. "A+E Networks' H2 To Be Rebranded As Vice". Deadline. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  8. "Rogers, Vice Media strike $100M deal to create Canadian content". CBC News. October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  9. "Rogers, Vice Media to partner on $100-million venture". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  10. "Best of VICE Canada Debuts Tonight on City". Vice.com. 3 January 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  11. "This Land is Your Land, This Land is VICELAND: New Specialty Channel Launches with Distinctive Slate of Programming, Feb. 29". Rogers Media. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  12. "How a little magazine called VICE conquered the media world: Welcome to Viceland". Montreal Gazette. Postmedia. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  13. "Viceland Makes Its Cable Debut". Multichannel News. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  14. "Rogers to cut off support for Viceland TV station". The Globe and Mail. November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  15. Vlessing, Etan (January 22, 2018). "Viceland to Go Off the Air on Canada's Rogers Communications". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  16. "VICELAND – Revocation of licence". CRTC. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  17. "Bell Media signs new long-term broadcast agreement with Vice Media". Financial Post. 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  18. White, Peter (2018-08-16). "Vice Is Back In Business In Canada After Striking Long-Term Deal With Bell Media". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
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