TORONTO and OTTAWA – Bell Media has gobbled up the Gusto brand in Canada and will launch its own food-centric channel later this year, the broadcaster said Wednesday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Normal operations of the current Gusto TV channel will continue until the transition is complete, continued the news release. The "new" Gusto will feature original homegrown culinary programming such as A Is For Apple, One World Kitchen (pictured), Crate To Plate and Fish The Dish, plus first-run food and lifestyle series from around the globe.
In addition to launching the new channel, Bell Media also struck a multi-year production arrangement with Gusto Worldwide Media to produce exclusive 4K (UHD) programming for the channel. Gusto Worldwide Media will retain international rights to the programming and plans to launch Gusto as an OTT service in several markets outside of Canada by early 2017.
"We're delighted to enter the food and lifestyle television space with Gusto," said Bell Media’s SVP specialty and pay Tracey Pearce, in the release. "We look forward to showcasing this brand to Canadians via the Bell Media megaphone, and working with Chris Knight on developing new, highly stylized, culinary and lifestyle Canadian programming that appeals to both viewers and advertisers."
"There aren't many program genres that travel better or appeal to more people across all ages and backgrounds, than food programming. We are thrilled to be working with Bell Media on this slate of entertaining new culinary and lifestyle series," added Gusto Worldwide Media president and CEO Chris Knight. "Our world-class team of production professionals has already created some of the most successful, award-winning and stylistically distinct series in this genre and we look forward to many more."
Knight called the deal “a huge step forward for Gusto Worldwide Media's growth and international aspirations”, and added that much of the new production activity will take place in Ottawa, where Gusto Worldwide Media is based.
