imported>JobKryce at 19:15, 3 August 2025

2025-08-03T19:15:40Z

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{{Short description|Canadian specialty television channel}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = CTV Wild Channel
| logo = CTV Wild Channel Logo.png|
| logo_caption =
| logo_size = 180px
| launch_date = {{start date and age|2001|09|07}}
| closed_date =
| picture_format = [[1080i]] ([[High-definition television|HDTV]]) (2011–present) [[480i]] ([[SDTV]]) (2001–present)
| network =
| owner = CTV Wild Canada Company {{small|([[CTV Specialty Television]])}}
| country = Canada
| area = National
| headquarters = [[9 Channel Nine Court]], [[Scarborough, Ontario]]
| former_names = Animal Planet (2001–2024)
| replaced =
| sister_channels = [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] [[CTV 2]] [[CTV Comedy Channel]] [[CTV Drama Channel]] [[CTV Life Channel]] [[CTV Nature Channel]] [[CTV News Channel (Canadian TV channel)|CTV News Channel]] [[CTV Sci-Fi Channel]] [[CTV Speed Channel]] [[Oxygen (Canadian TV channel)|Oxygen]] [[USA Network (Canadian TV channel)|USA Network]]
| timeshift_service =
| website = {{URL|www.ctv.ca/wild|CTV Wild}}
}}
'''CTV Wild Channel''' is a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] [[English language]] [[Discretionary service|discretionary]] [[specialty channel]] majority-owned by [[Bell Media]]. The channel primarily broadcasts [[Factual television|factual]] series and documentaries relating to animals.

The network was originally established in 2001 as a Canadian version of the U.S. cable network '''[[Animal Planet]]''', expanding upon CTV's existing relationship with [[Discovery, Inc.|Discovery Communications]] for [[USA Network (Canadian TV channel)|Discovery Channel]]. Today CTV Wild Channel is owned by the CTV Wild Canada Company, which is a consortium consisting of [[CTV Specialty Television]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ownership Chart 143l: Bell Media Holdings - Discretionary Services |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/ownership/eng/cht143l.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |publisher=CRTC |format=PDF}}</ref>

In January 2025, the channel was rebranded as CTV Wild Channel, due to Bell losing its rights to [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] factual brands and related programming to [[Rogers Sports & Media]]. Rogers does not plan to launch a new linear channel for Animal Planet, with its programming to instead be distributed via digital platforms.

==History==
In November 2000, CTV Inc. was granted approval by the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) to launch Animal Planet, a service described as being "broadly based on family entertainment that will combine high-quality Canadian programming and attractive series and documentaries from the [[Animal Planet|U.S. counterpart]], in the United States.

The channel was launched under its current ownership structure (with the exception of Bell Media, wherein [[Bell Globemedia]], later renamed CTVglobemedia, owned its shares at the time) on September 7, 2001.<ref>[http://ctvmedia.ca/animalplanet/releases/release.asp?id=6767&yyyy=2001 Animal Planet Launch] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426031822/http://ctvmedia.ca/animalplanet/releases/release.asp?id=6767&yyyy=2001 |date=April 26, 2012 }} Bell Globemedia press release September 6, 2001</ref>

On June 30, 2008, Animal Planet unveiled a new on-air appearance, including a new logo and graphics, to align itself with the American service which had updated its appearance earlier that year.<ref>[http://bellmediapr.ca/animalplanet/releases/release.asp?id=10376&yyyy=2008 Animal Planet Debuts A New Look and Striking New Programming During National Freeview this July] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425124357/http://bellmediapr.ca/animalplanet/releases/release.asp?id=10376&yyyy=2008 |date=April 25, 2012 }} CTVglobemedia press release June 5, 2008</ref>

Ownership changed once again when [[Bell Canada Enterprises|BCE]] (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) acquired 100% interest in CTVglobemedia and was renamed to Bell Media on April 1, 2011.<ref name="bell-pr-2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2010/10/c8677.html|title=Bell to acquire 100% of Canada's No.1 media company CTV|publisher=CNW Group|author=Bell Canada|date=September 10, 2010|access-date=September 10, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100913060021/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2010/10/c8677.html| archive-date= September 13, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110310170422/http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110307/crtc-approves-ctvglobemedia-purchase-by-bce-110307 CRTC approves BCE's purchase of CTVglobemedia]</ref><ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2011/01/c8471.html Bell completes acquisition of CTV, launches Bell Media business unit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404113706/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2011/01/c8471.html |date=April 4, 2011 }} CNW April 1, 2011</ref>

{{see also|2024 Canadian specialty television realignment}}

On June 10, 2024, [[Rogers Sports & Media]] announced it had reached an agreement with [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] (WBD) for Canadian rights to its lifestyle brands beginning in January 2025, which were subsequently confirmed to include Animal Planet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/rogers-scoops-warner-bros-discovery-rights-from-corus/|title=Rogers scoops Warner Bros. Discovery rights from Corus and Bell|first=Connie|last=Thiessen|work=Broadcast Dialogue|date=June 10, 2024|access-date=June 10, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/06/10/rogers-licensing-deals-nbcuniversal-warner-bros-discovery/|title=Rogers announces licensing deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery|work=[[CityNews|CityNews.ca]]|date=June 10, 2024|access-date=June 10, 2024}}</ref> This led to a lawsuit by Bell, which claimed the move would violate previous [[non-compete clause]]s with WBD; the matter was settled out of court in October.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/bell-files-injunction-against-rogers-in-warner-bros-discovery-content-battle/|title=Bell files injunction against Rogers in Warner Bros. Discovery content battle|first=Connie|last=Thiessen|work=Broadcast Dialogue|date=June 28, 2024|access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Whittock |first=Jesse |date=2024-10-08 |title=Bell Expands Warner Bros Discovery Pact For HBO & Max Content And Ends Legal Action Over Rogers Deal |url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/bell-warner-bros-discovery-hbo-max-deal-expands-1236109976/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> Rogers announced that Animal Planet content would move to its on-demand and streaming platforms including [[Citytv+]], rather than a new linear channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/rogers-outlines-plans-to-launch-new-channels/|title=Rogers outlines plans to launch new channels|first=Connie|last=Thiessen|work=Broadcast Dialogue|date=August 28, 2024|access-date=August 29, 2024}}</ref>
On October 17, 2024, Bell Media announced the channel would rebrand as CTV Wild Channel on January 1, 2025. The channel will carry over certain Canadian series previously commissioned by Bell for Animal Planet Canada, as well as other animal-related content from third-party distributors.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.bellmedia.ca/the-lede/press/bell-media-brings-powerhouse-brands-usa-network-and-oxygen-true-crime-to-canada/|title=Bell Media Brings Powerhouse Brands USA Network and Oxygen True Crime to Canada|author=Bell Media|date=October 17, 2024|access-date=October 17, 2024}}</ref>

At some point after the rebranding, WBD and BBC divested its stakes in the channel, making a sole owner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ownership Chart 143l: Bell Media Holdings - Discretionary Services |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/ownership/eng/cht143l.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |publisher=CRTC |format=PDF}}</ref>

==Animal Planet HD==
On June 17, 2011, Bell Media announced that it would launch ''Animal Planet HD'', a [[high-definition television|high definition]] (HD) simulcast of the [[standard-definition television|standard definition]] feed, by the end of 2011.<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2011/16/c6859.html Discovery Channel and Bell Media Factual Networks Announce Fall 2011 "Must See" Highlights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629071409/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2011/16/c6859.html |date=June 29, 2011 }} CNW June 17, 2011</ref> The channel launched on December 15, 2011, initially on [[Bell Fibe TV]] and [[Shaw Communications|Shaw Cable]] and launched at a later date on [[Telus TV#Optik TV|Telus TV]].<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/896021/animal-planet-hd-investigation-discovery-hd-and-discovery-science-hd-launch-today Animal Planet HD, Investigation Discovery HD and Discovery Science HD Launch Today] Bell Media press release December 15, 2011</ref> About six years later, [[Shaw Direct]] added it and 5 other HD channels ([[BNN Bloomberg|Business News Network]], [[Cooking Channel (Canadian TV channel)|Cooking Channel]], [[Crime & Investigation (Canadian TV channel)|Crime & Investigation]], [[Oprah Winfrey Network (Canadian TV channel)|OWN]], and [[T+E|Travel + Escape]]) to the channel listing on September 21, 2017.

== Logos ==
<gallery>
File:Animal Planet logo.svg|2008-2020
File:2018 Animal Planet logo.svg|2020–2025
File:CTV Wild Channel Logo.png| 2025–present
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.animalplanet.ca}}

{{Bell Media}}
{{ESPN}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Animal Planet|Canada]]
[[Category:Specialty television channels in Canada]]
[[Category:Bell Media networks]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in Canada]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2001]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Canada]]

CTV Wild Channel - Revision history

imported>JobKryce at 19:15, 3 August 2025