Rogers Communications has signed multiyear deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery to bring its most watched lifestyle and entertainment content to Canadians on their platform of choice. Rogers Sports and Media President Colette Watson said it “invests to bring Canadians the most coveted sports and entertainment.”“We’re evolving our business to reflect where consumers are going, bringing the best mix of US and Canadian content to audiences in the way they want to watch it,” said Watson in a Monday press release. “This investment also advances our position as a strong Canadian broadcaster that can compete with foreign streamers.” Effective September, Rogers said it is launching NBCUniversal’s Bravo channel in Canada and will become the English-language television content rights holder in it, featuring the best of unscripted programming. Effective January, it said it will be the home of Warner Bros. Discovery’s collection of English-language US lifestyle and factual brands, including HGTV, the Food Network, and more.Rogers will work with Canadian distribution partners to make the content more available so people can continue to watch their favourite TV shows. It will be available on Citytv+, complementing the lineup of programming from Citytv, OMNI, FX, and FXX.“We’re already home to Canada’s #1 sports network, and these partnerships solidify our leadership in entertainment with a diverse media portfolio of TV’s most iconic brands,” said Watson. This investment follows Rogers' announcement with Comcast to bring the latest Xfinity products and technology to Canadians. Its entertainment platform integrates live sports, entertainment, and news; on-demand services; and streaming apps into one viewing experience so customers spend more time watching and less time searching. With the new US licensing deals, Rogers said it will increase its investment in original Canadian content and collaborate with independent producers. Over the last 10 years, it has spent $6.9 billion on Canadian content. This ordeal comes after the Shaw Charity Classic became the Rogers Charity Classic (RCC) on May 8, which scored a hole in one with this year’s tournament with a $1 million donation. READ MORE: FORE a good cause, Rogers tees off as new title sponsor of Charity Classic with upfront $1 million donationThe RCC first teed off at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club in Calgary in 2013 and has been played in August every year since, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19. It has been a major fundraiser, reaching the milestone last year of having raised more than $100 million for Alberta charities since its inception. The fund has supports thousands of youth every year, including in areas such as counselling, sports, and family support.
