Bravo (Canadian TV network)

This article is about the American pay television channel. For the Australian version, see 7Bravo. For the New Zealand version, see Bravo (New Zealand TV channel). For other uses, see Bravo (disambiguation).
Bravo
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerRogers Sports & Media
Sister channels
History
LaunchedOctober 17, 1997; 26 years ago (1997-10-17)
Former namesOutdoor Life Network (1997–2008)
OLN (2008–2024)
Links
WebsiteBravo

Bravo (formerly OLN and originally an initialism for Outdoor Life Network) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. The channel was launched on October 17, 1997 as OLN, a joint venture between Rogers, Baton Broadcasting [a], and the U.S. Outdoor Life Network; with the brand licensed from the owners of Outdoor Life magazine.[1] Rogers took sole ownership of the channel in 2008.

The channel was originally dedicated to factual-based adventure and outdoors programming. In the years since the channel's acquisition, and with the eventual shuttering of its U.S. counterpart in 2021, it would drift into a general entertainment format aimed at male audiences; airing reality shows, documentaries, movies, sitcoms, and overflow sports programming.

In July 2024, it was revealed that OLN would be rebranded as a Canadian version of Bravo (a sibling network of the U.S. version) on September 1, 2024, as part of a brand licensing agreement with NBCUniversal.

History

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As OLN

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Licensed in September 1996 as Outdoor Life by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the channel launched on October 17, 1997, as the Outdoor Life Network. Its initial owners were Baton Broadcasting, Rogers Media, and the U.S. network of the same name (which was later acquired by Comcast).

In April 2006, Comcast announced that it would be relaunching the U.S. Outdoor Life Network as Versus (later to be known as NBCSN) in the Fall of 2006.[2] Due to restrictions in its CRTC license that required it to maintain a focus on outdoors programming at the time,[3] and because Rogers already operated mainstream sports networks under the Sportsnet brand, the Canadian version did not follow the suit of its American counterpart to become a mainstream sports channel.

On November 16, 2007, it was announced that Rogers would acquire the remaining interests in OLN from both CTVglobemedia and Comcast, leaving Rogers as the sole owner of OLN.[4] The deal was approved by the CRTC on July 7, 2008, and was finalized on August 1, 2008; Rogers would take operational control on August 31, 2008.[citation needed]

On June 24, 2011, OLN launched a high definition feed.[citation needed]

During the 2010s, enabled by the CRTC's deprecation of the genre protection rules, OLN would phase out outdoors-related programming, and shift its focus towards general interest reality shows. OLN would adopt a new logo and slogan, "Outrageous Characters—Real Life", in 2012, while continuing to produce its own original programming; including Get Stuffed (a reality travel documentary following escape artist Dean Gunnarson.)[5]

While OLN did not become a sports channel, it would air a limited amount of sports programming; including coverage of the Tour de France.[6] The network was also part of CTV and Rogers's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics. Since 2022, OLN has also served as an overflow outlet for WWE's weekly programming in the event of scheduling conflicts with Sportsnet 360.[7][8][9] By January 2023, OLN had begun to carry an unnamed block of adult animated television series, including The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob's Burgers.

As Bravo

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In June 2024, Rogers announced a licensing agreement with Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal to relaunch the Bravo brand in Canada in September of that year.[b][10] On August 28, 2024, Rogers confirmed that OLN would relaunch as Bravo on September 1.[11][12][13]

OLN concluded its run with a nine-hour marathon of repeat broadcasts of Storage Wars which ended at 5:00 a.m. Eastern time on August 31, 2024. This was followed by a 24-hour loop of a 15-minute promotional program listed in program guides as Bravo Starts Tomorrow. The channel officially relaunched at 5:00 a.m. Eastern time on September 1 with a marathon of season 13 of The Real Housewives of New York City.[14][15] Its rebrand marked the first time since G4's shuttering on August 31, 2017, that Rogers partners with NBCUniversal. Following the rebrand, sister channel FX added some of the reality shows that had aired in repeats on OLN, including Storage Wars Canada.

OLN Canada Original Programming

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Main article: List of programs broadcast by OLN

Notes

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  1. ^ which would later become known as CTVglobemedia and Bell Media
  2. ^ The original Canadian incarnation of Bravo was launched by CHUM Limited in 1995. It would later by acquired by Bell Media's predecessor, CTVglobemedia, and eventually relaunched as CTV Drama Channel following a format change in the 2010s

References

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  1. ^ "Canadian Trade-mark Data: Registration No. TMA670475". Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  2. ^ "OLN Network getting new name". Philadelphia Business Journal. April 24, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  3. ^ CRTC Decision 96-606
  4. ^ Rogers buys OLN Media in Canada 2007-11-20
  5. ^ Posted, Ashley Prest (2014-09-11). "Sep 2014: Local escape artist starring in new TV series". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  6. ^ "Where can I watch the 2022 Tour de France in Canada". wherecaniwatch.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  7. ^ "WWE RAW To Air On OLN In Canada For Three Weeks Beginning Tonight". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  8. ^ "How to watch WWE SmackDown tonight". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  9. ^ "How to watch WWE's Monday Night Raw on April 24 and NXT on April 25 on SN NOW". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  10. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2024-06-10). "Rogers scoops Warner Bros. Discovery rights from Corus and Bell". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  11. ^ "Rogers deal to shift Discovery Science, OWN, Animal Planet channels to streaming, on demand". Cochrane Eagle. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  12. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2024-08-28). "Rogers outlines plans to launch new channels". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  13. ^ "Rogers to Bring Premium Content to Canadians With Launch of Popular TV Channels". Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  14. ^ "TV Schedule for Outdoor Life Network Canada: Friday, August 30". TVPassport.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  15. ^ "TV Schedule for Outdoor Life Network Canada: Saturday, August 31". TVPassport.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
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