Launched September 7, 2001 Broadcast area National Headquarters Toronto Owned by Corus Entertainment | Country Canada Website Lifetime Canada Founded 2001 | |
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Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
(2013-present)
480i (SDTV)
(2001-present) Formerly called Showcase Diva (2001–2012) Profiles | ||
Lifetime is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Based on the U.S cable network of the same name, Lifetime broadcasts films, dramatic television series, and reality series aimed at women.
Contents
History
In November 2000, Showcase Television Inc., a division of Alliance Atlantis, was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel called Romance Television, described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty television service devoted to romance. Programming will include relationship- themed game shows and magazine style programs featuring romantic vacation resorts. Other programs will explore romantic moments in people's lives, as well as classic romantic feature films, epic mini-series and made-for-television movies."
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Showcase Diva, a spin-off of another Alliance Atlantis television channel, Showcase. Programming consisted of primarily television dramas and films.
On January 18, 2008, acquired control of Showcase Diva through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in a trust in August 2007. On October 27, 2010, ownership changed again as Shaw Communications gained control of Showcase Diva as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media.
On May 30, 2012, it was announced that Showcase Diva would be rebranded as a Canadian version of Lifetime on August 27, 2012, through a brand licensing agreement with the U.S. channel's parent company A+E Networks. The rebrand would result in the addition of more reality series, talk shows and other original series from Lifetime to the channel's films and television dramas.
On May 29, 2013, Shaw Media launched Lifetime HD, a high definition simulcast of the standard definition feed. It is currently available on Eastlink, Shaw Direct, Shaw Cable, Bell Fibe TV, and Bell TV. Rogers Cable would later add the HD feed on April 24, 2014. On April 1, 2016, Shaw Media was sold to Corus Entertainment.
Programming
In addition to programming from its American counterpart, Lifetime also airs an acquired slate of programming from other sources.