TORONTO – Bell Media pay TV channel Encore will rebrand as Starz on March 1st and go direct to consumer the following week packaged with homegrown streamer Crave, the broadcaster said early Thursday.
The exclusive home of new original programming from the U.S. pay television platform, Starz will be available to Canadian viewers across two linear channels and on demand platforms via participating television providers. The Starz streaming service will also be available direct to consumers as an add-on to Crave for an additional $5.99/month starting the week of March 4th, accessed via Crave.ca, the Crave app on iOS and Android, and Apple TV Generation 4. Additional platforms are slated to roll out in the coming months.
Bell Media announced in January 2018 that it was bringing the Starz brand to Canada, marking its first international launch since the network was acquired by Lionsgate in December 2016.
“Bringing Starz to Canada is testimony to the continued commitment to offer our viewers exclusive, premium programming at an unparalleled value,” said Bell Media’s distribution and pay president Tracey Pearce, in the news release. “Our amazing partners at Starz have been integral to this mandate with their genre-bending, stand-out programming, making the addition of Starz a must-have for discerning Canadian viewers.”
The news comes as Bell Media says that Crave's current subscriber base has topped 2.3 million subscribers. With the addition of Starz, Crave subscribers now have access to a deep programming lineup that includes HBO, Showtime, Hollywood movies, Vice, kids programming and original content.
Starz content includes critical favourites such as Vida, Counterpart, and Sweetbitter, as well as upcoming originals like the surreal coming-of-age comedy series Now Apocalypse (March 10) and female-led, spy thriller The Rook (2019). In April, the service will stock a number of Lionsgate series and films including Nurse Jackie (seasons 1-7), I Love You, America (seasons 1-2), 3:10: to Yuma, Daybreakers, Crash, Battle Royale, Buffalo ’66, and American Psycho.
“The unique opportunity to bring Starz to viewers on both linear and digital platforms simultaneously makes Bell Media the ideal partner in Canada”, added Superna Kalle, international digital networks EVP. “We are excited to see this opportunity come to fruition and look forward to introducing Canadian audiences to all of the premium content that Starz has to offer.”
