Jump to content

W Network

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"W (TV channel)" redirects here. For the Australian television channel formerly known as W. Channel, seeSoHo (Australian TV channel).For the British television channel, seeW (British TV channel).

W Network
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersToronto,Ontario
Programming
Picture format1080iHDTV
(downscaled toletterboxed480ifor theSDTVfeed)
TimeshiftserviceW Network East
W Network West
Ownership
OwnerCorus Entertainment
Sister channelsABC Spark
Slice
Showcase
Adult Swim
History
LaunchedJanuary 1, 1995;29 years ago(1995-01-01)
Former namesWomen's Television Network (1995–2002)
Links
Websitewnetwork.com
Availability
Streaming media
Amazon Prime VideoChannelsStackTV
RiverTVChannel 11 (HD)

W Network(often shortened toW) is aCanadianEnglish languagediscretionaryspecialty channelowned byCorus Entertainment.The channel primarily broadcasts general entertainment programming oriented towards a female audience.

W Network was established in 1995 as theWomen's Television Network(WTN), which had a focus on women's lifestyle programming. The channel was eventually acquired by Corus in 2001 and relaunched under its current branding in 2002. As part of the relaunch, W's programming shifted to a mix of both entertainment and lifestyle programming. By 2017, W had moved its lifestyle programming to its sister networks to focus exclusively on entertainment programming, and later became part of output deals withHallmark Media,andNBCUniversalforPeacockandSky Studiosoriginal programming.

The channel is available in two time shifted feeds, East (operating from theEastern Time Zone) and West (operating from thePacific Time Zone).

History[edit]

As Women's Television Network[edit]

In June 1994, Linda Rankin, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated, (later incorporated as Lifestyle Television (1994) Limited, principally owned byMoffat Communications) was granted a television broadcasting licence by theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) to operate a channel calledLifestyle Television,described as offering "information and entertainment programming of particular interest to women."[1]

Women's Television Network logo; 1995-2002

The channel subsequently launched on January 1, 1995 asWomen's Television Network(WTN).[2]Like Moffat's other cable television operations, WTN was headquartered inWinnipeg,Manitoba.Linda Rankin served as the president of the network from its launch.

Programming on the network was originally largely focused on lifestyle programming that many had suggested was "feminist" in nature.[3]Such programming included female takes on traditionally male-dominated activities such as fishing and mechanics, withNatural AnglerandCar Care,respectively. While other programs, such asGo Girl!,took a comedic approach at parodying typical female-targeted talk shows that discussed subjects such as beauty, fashion, etc.[3]Other programs included films, current affairs, and occasionally sports.

The channel suffered from low ratings in the beginning. Of the slew of new channels launched on January 1, 1995, WTN was initially the lowest rated channel on average.[4][5]Linda Rankin later resigned in August 1995 citing "differences in management philosophy".[6]

As W Network[edit]

In December 2000,Shaw Communicationsannounced it intended to purchase Moffat.[7]The deal was later closed in early 2001. Shaw announced in March 2001 that it would sell WTN toCorus Entertainment,a company that it spun off in 1999, forCA$205 million(Shaw had primarily acquired Moffat for its cable television systems).[8]Once Corus took ownership of the channel, it moved operations from Winnipeg to Toronto in mid-January 2002, laying off 50 employees in the process.[9]Corus subsequently relaunched the network asWon April 15, 2002, with a more entertainment-oriented mix of recent dramas and movies. On the same date, Corus launched the west coast feed.[10]

In 2009, Corus Entertainment acquiredSexTV: The Channelfrom CTVglobemedia, and relaunched the channel as W Movies — a spin-off of W Network focusing on films aimed towards women, on March 1, 2010.[11]On December 12, 2016, W Movies was relaunched as a Canadian version of theCooking Channel.[12]

On August 2, 2011, the channel launched its HD feed, a simulcast of W Network'sstandard-definitionEastern-time feed. The HD feed was added toBell Satellite TVsatellite andBell Fibe TVchannel lineups on March 23, 2012. It was also available onEastlink,Optik TV,Shaw Direct,SaskTel,Rogers Cable,Cogeco,andAccess Communications.[13]On October 1, 2013, an HD feed for the Western-time channel was launched onShaw Cable,then onShaw Directon September 18, 2019.

2017–present[edit]

Since the 2017–18 season, W Network has re-oriented its programming towards scripted television series and movies. The majority of its lifestyle programming, including theProperty Brothersfranchise, was moved toHGTV Canada,as well as Corus' other women and lifestyle networks.[14]

On October 25, 2018, Corus announced a content deal withCrown Media Holdings,giving W Network exclusive Canadian rights tooriginal moviesand series produced forHallmark ChannelandHallmark Movies & Mysteries.W Network will broadcast brandedblocksof Hallmark Channel content, including local versions of Hallmark Channel's seasonal programming events. The partnership officially launched on November 1, 2018 with theCountdown to Christmasevent.[15][16]

Programming[edit]

W Network primarily broadcasts a mix of television dramas and films, including programming acquired fromHallmark Channel;most of which is filmed in Canada.[17]

In 2020, Corus reached output agreements withNBCUniversal Media Groupfor rights toPeacockandSky Studiosoriginal series across its networks, including Showcase and W Network.[18][19]Devilsserved as one of the first to air on W as part of the agreements.[20]

W previously produced and aired unscripted reality shows and lifestyle programming; it was well known for originating theLove It or List ItandProperty Brothersfranchises seen onHGTVin the United States. These programs ultimately moved toHGTV Canadaand Corus' other lifestyle networks following W's shift to scripted programming.

List of programming[edit]

Original series[edit]

Acquired Programming[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Decision CRTC 94-282CRTC 1994-06-04
  2. ^Has WTN gone too soft? (Does anyone really mind?)Herizons1997-03-22
  3. ^abTaddeo, Julie Anne, and Ken Dvorak.The Tube Has Spoken: Reality TV & History.University Press of Kentucky. Print
  4. ^Special Report: TV Specialty Services: New nets get qualified thumbs upStrategy Magazine 1995-10-02
  5. ^Lipstick imperialism and the new world order: women and media at the close of the twentieth centuryUnited Nations' Division for the Advancement of Women & Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development December 1995
  6. ^Rankin departs WTNPlayback Magazine 1995-08-28
  7. ^Cabler Shaw nabs MoffatVariety 2000-12-10
  8. ^Corus buying WTN, selling Family Channel[dead link]CTV 2001-03-06
  9. ^Corus uproots WTN to Toronto, lays off 50Playback Magazine 2001-11-26
  10. ^Corus Entertainment to launch W, a revitalized women’s television networkChannel Canada 2002-06-30
  11. ^"Corus shuttering Discovery Kids, will re-brand Sex TV and Drive-In Classics channels",CARTT.ca,September 29, 2009
  12. ^"Corus feeds the food genre with new channel".Realscreen.RetrievedOctober 19,2016.
  13. ^TV Highlights
  14. ^Fall TV 2017: Specialty targeting shiftsMedia in Canada, 2018-07-04
  15. ^"Hallmark Channel to Make Canadian Debut with W Network".TVCanada.Worldscreen. October 26, 2018.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
  16. ^"Hallmark Channel heads to Canada".C21 Media.RetrievedNovember 13,2018.
  17. ^"The Hallmark Channel gets derided for its family-friendly fare, but its ratings are growing".Toronto Star.RetrievedNovember 14,2018.
  18. ^Yeo, Debra (June 23, 2020)."Corus Entertainment makes exclusive deal for NBC's Peacock programming".Toronto Star.RetrievedJune 23,2020.
  19. ^Kanter, Jake (July 20, 2020)."Sky Originals 'Intelligence', 'Devils' & 'Bulletproof' Head To Canada's Corus Under Content Deal".Deadline.RetrievedJuly 20,2020.
  20. ^Rody, Bree (July 30, 2020)."Corus firms up specialty with new fall premiere dates".Media in Canada.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.

[1]

External links[edit]

  1. ^"Adjust your set: Corus buys WTN, sells Family Channel".CBC.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=W_Network&oldid=1230439287"