English Entertainment
Bell Media to become sole operator of HBO in Canada across all platforms
BENGALURU: Canadian communication company BCE announced yesterday that its mass media subsidiary Bell Media will expand The Movie Network (TMN) into a national pay TV service and become the sole operator of HBO Canada, as Corus Entertainment winds down operations of its Movie Central and Encore Avenue pay TV services in Western and Northern Canada to focus on its core national media brands.
Under the comprehensive, long-term agreement, the first of its kind for HBO in Canada, Bell Media will have the ability to deliver current-season, past-season, and library HBO programming exclusively on its linear, on-demand, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms in English and French. The agreement also marks the first time HBO has granted exclusive subscription video on demand (SVOD) rights for first-run programming throughout Canada. As a result, Bell Media will have the flexibility to provide current HBO content such as Game of Thrones, Girls, and Veep over-the-top in Canada on its platforms.
“Bell Media now has the national scale required to create, negotiate and deliver more premium TV programming to Canadian consumers, across more platforms and more quickly than ever before,” said Bell Media President Mary Ann Turcke,. “Our extensive new content agreement with HBO for both traditional TV and next-generation platforms like CraveTV and with significant original co-production opportunities, is a great example of the benefits for Canadian viewers nationwide.”
BCE will pay Corus a consideration of $211 million, $195 million net of tax benefits, to support the national expansion of TMN and HBO Canada, equivalent to a valuation multiple of approximately 5.6x fiscal 2015 EBITDA of Movie Central and Encore Avenue after operational synergies are applied.
Bell Media is a multimedia company with assets in television, radio, out of home and digital media, including Canadian television network CTV, and has the Canada’s most-watched specialty channels.
Bell Media is a Canadian multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out of home and digital media, including CTV, Canada’s #1 television network, and gas Canada’s most-watched specialty channels.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
