Owned by Bell Media Language English Headquarters Toronto Owner Bell Media | Country Canada Broadcast area Nationwide Founded 2001 | |
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Launched September 7, 2001 (2001-09-07) Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV) | ||
Investigation Discovery (often abbreviated on-air as ID.) is a Canadian English language Category B cable and satellite specialty channel that is owned by Bell Media. The channel primarily focuses on programming related to crime and justice.
Contents
Originally launching as a Canadian version of Court TV, it was relaunched as a Canadian version of Investigation Discovery as part of a licensing arrangement with the owner of the flagship channel of the same name in the United States, Discovery Communications. Unlike Bell's other Discovery-branded channels and Corus Entertainment's Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Communications does not own a minority stake in Investigation Discovery.
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."
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Court TV Canada. The channel replaced the American Court TV service, which was available on many television service providers throughout Canada as an eligible foreign service.
On February 15, 2005, CHUM completed the purchase of the remaining interest in LSTA, bringing its ownership to 100%. 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. The sale and was approved by the CRTC in June 2007, 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).
As Investigation Discovery
Although the American CourtTV service was relaunched as TruTV in 2008, with a larger focus on reality programming such as hidden camera and documentary series, the Canadian channel continued to use the CourtTV brand until August 30, 2010, when the channel was rebranded as a Canadian version of the similarly formatted channel Investigation Discovery as part of a wider licensing agreement between CTV and Discovery Communications.
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. The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011, and was finalized on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.
Investigation Discovery HD
Investigation Discovery HD is a high definition simulcast feed of Investigation Discovery, which broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. On June 17, 2011, Bell Media announced plans to launch Investigation Discovery HD by the end of 2011. 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 TV on December 13, 2012.
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.