Slogan Stay Hungry. Language English HuronTel Digital TV Channel 301 (HD) | Country Canada Sister channel(s) Food Network Shaw Direct Channel 585 (SD) | |
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Launched September 7, 2001 (2001-09-07) Owned by Corus Entertainment
(branding licensed from Scripps Networks Interactive) Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV) Bell Aliant Fibe TV Channel 353 (SD); Channel 464 (HD) Bell Fibe TV Channel 610 (SD); Channel 1610 (HD) Bell TV Channel 610 (SD); Channel 1305 (HD) Optik TV Channel 9317 (SD); Channel 317 (HD) | ||
Cooking Channel is a Canadian English language Category B cable and satellite specialty channel and a localized version of the United States cable channel of the same name that is owned by Corus Entertainment. Dedicated to programming related to food and cooking, its branding is licensed from Scripps Networks Interactive; Corus and Scripps partner on sister network Food Network.
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The channel previously operated as SexTV: The Channel, and W Movies (a spin-off of W Network focusing on female-centric movies).
As SexTV: The Channel
In June 2001, CHUM Limited received approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a national Category 2 specialty channel known as Relationship Television, a channel described as being "devoted exclusively to programming related to love, romance, marriage, relationship-themed game shows, sexuality and gender issues, family planning, relationship breakdown and magazine style programming featuring romantic vacation resorts."
The channel was launched three months later on September 7, 2001 as SexTV: The Channel, a channel modeled after and its name derived from SexTV, a now-former program on Citytv (which was a CHUM-owned property at the time). SexTV aired programming on sex and human sexuality, including issues on love, dating, romance and related subjects.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later CTVglobemedia) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated CAD$1.7 billion, included in the sale was SexTV: The Channel. The sale was approved by the CRTC on June 8, 2007, and the transaction was completed on June 22, 2007.
As W Movies
On July 14, 2009, CTVglobemedia announced that it would sell Sex TV, along with Drive-In Classics (now Sundance Channel), to Corus Entertainment for a combined CAD$40 million. In late September, Corus announced that the channel would be rebranded as W Movies, a spin-off of W Network with a focus on films targeting women. The sale was approved by the CRTC on November 19, with the transaction being completed by December. The on-air relaunch as W Movies took place on March 1, 2010.
On December 2, 2011, W Movies launched a high definition feed.
As Cooking Channel
On October 19, 2016, Corus announced that a Canadian version of the Cooking Channel—a spin-off of its Canadian version of Food Network, would launch on December 12, 2016, replacing W Movies. Its launch came several months after Bell Media's launch of Gusto, which competes directly against Food Network.