Bell Media announced Monday the official rebranding and programming slate for its suite of currently branded Discovery channels and Animal Planet, which will sport their new channel names as of Jan. 1.
Bell Media’s Discovery is rebranding as USA Network in Canada, while Bell Media’s Investigation Discovery rebrands as Oxygen True Crime. Both channel rebrandings are a result of a major content and licensing agreement Bell Media recently secured with NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution, giving them the rights to those channel brands in Canada.
In addition, Bell Media’s Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Discovery Velocity are rebranding as CTV Wild Channel, CTV Nature Channel and CTV Speed Channel on Jan. 1.
After some slight tweaking to the programming lineups it previously announced for the channels in October, Bell Media revealed the content viewers can expect to see starting on New Year’s Day when all five channels will be available on nationwide free preview running from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28.
USA Network will offer Canadian original series Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue 401, East Harbour Heroes, and new series Rocky Mountain Wreckers (premiering Jan. 14). Other titles include The Traitors, Suits, The Anonymous (Jan. 6), Race to Survive Alaska (Jan. 6), as well as NASCAR Xfinity Series and AEW Collision. Additional series coming to USA Network in Canada in 2025 include The Rainmaker, Long Bright River, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Debriefing the President, and The Pitt.
Bell Media calls Oxygen True Crime “the ultimate destination for armchair detectives in Canada.” The channel will feature Canadian originals Forensic Factor and Fear Thy Neighbour, alongside Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler, Dateline: Unforgettable, New York Homicide and Snapped. Additional titles coming to Oxygen True Crime in Canada include Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot (Jan. 2), Deadly Cults (seasons 1 and 2), Floribama Murders, The Real Murders of Atlanta (seasons 1 and 2), Accident, Suicide, or Murder (seasons 1 to 3), Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins (seasons 1 to 3), Snapped: Killer Couples (season 17) and Snapped: Behind Bars (season 1).
CTV Wild will feature returning Canadian original series Pets & Pickers and Cold Water Cowboys, fan favourites Yellowstone Wardens and Wardens of the North, as well as new Canadian original series My Pet Ate What?!.
CTV Nature’s lineup will include Canadian original How It’s Made, plus popular series Aussie Gold Hunters, Battlebots and I Survived Bear Grylls.
CTV Speed will feature returning hit series and Canadian originals including Bush Wreck Rescue, Last Stop Garage, Tougher Than it Looks and Monster Garage.
The rebranding of Bell Media’s channels comes after it lost the Canadian brand and content licensing rights for the Warner Bros. Discovery channels earlier this year to Rogers.
On Dec. 5, Rogers Sports & Media unveiled its winter slate of content for its recently acquired Discovery, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, Animal Planet and MotorTrend brands, among others.
