Bell Media’s Crave announced Wednesday a significant expansion of its service, adding more than 10,000 hours of content including direct access to live programming from CTV and Noovo.
“Viewers can now enjoy more hit series, local and national news in both English and French, major sporting and live entertainment events including award shows, and an expanded kids’ library,” reads a Bell Media press release.
The expansion increases Crave’s content portfolio by 30 per cent, according to the press release, with Crave now offering more than 40,000 hours of English and French-language content, which includes HBO and HBO Max Originals and Crave Originals.
Crave also unveiled a revamped platform featuring improvements to its interface and the user experience, including a Top 10 list, enhanced personalization recommendations and language preference features, a more dynamic advertising experience, and a redesigned Connected TV interface.
Crave’s expansion comes at no additional cost for current subscribers, Bell Media said. Packages are available starting at $11.99 for Crave Standard With Ads (formerly Crave Basic) and $22 for Crave Premium.
In addition, users have the option to sign up with a Bell Media account, providing free ad-supported access to catch up on the latest episodes from CTV’s and Noovo’s most popular shows, plus a library of movies and series from CTV Throwback and CTV Movies.
Crave’s expanded offering now includes:
- Live local and national news: CTV News and Noovo Info newscasts, major events including election night broadcasts, and CTV News/Noovo Info specials
- Select sports events (through live CTV and Noovo channels): CFL, PGA Tour, Formula 1 races including the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada, FIFA international soccer events, and more
- More hit shows and major live entertainment events: Including the Oscars, Emmy Awards, Etalk live coverage, Gala Québec Cinéma, and more
- Unrivaled content: Exclusive HBO and Max Originals, CTV and Noovo Original and hit series, blockbuster movies, and iconic series such as Friends, The Office, Gilmore Girls, Brooklyn 99, and ER
- Exclusive Crave Originals: Including Heated Rivalry, Project Runway Canada, Empathie, OD: Tentations au soleil, Dérive, Shoresy, Vie$ de rêve, and more
- Kids content: An extensive catalogue of popular kids programming, including a wide selection from Nickelodeon
- Free catalogue: A large catalogue of movies and shows, including CTV Movies and CTV Throwback, previously only available on CTV.ca and Noovo.ca
Bell Media’s TSN and RDS remain available with a separate subscription, and Starz can be accessed as a Crave add-on.
The expansion comes after Bell said it is offering content with its mobile wireless service in western Canada to keep those customers in the fold.
Image courtesy of Bell Media
