E! Entertainment Television will launch as an over-the-air network in Canada through a strategic alliance with CanWest MediaWorks.
Starting Sept. 1, CanWest will bring E! to Canadians across multiple platforms, including broadcast, online, mobile, video on-demand and satellite radio.
As part of this agreement, CanWest's current CH Network will be rebranded as E!, marking the first time that E! will be delivered as an over-the-air network anywhere in the world.
"In an ever-changing broadcast landscape, the opportunity to enter into a strategic alliance with a multiplatform pioneer like E! represents another defining moment for CanWest's broadcast business," Kathleen Dore, president of Canadian television at CanWest, said in a prepared statement.
"This innovative alliance affords us access to multimedia content to help drive success within our broadcast business,” she added. “We are very confident that the powerful combination of the E! brand and content, alongside our Canadian and local programming, will resonate strongly with Canadian audiences."
The Canadian E! schedule will feature a mix of primetime network programming and will add the extensive library of E! content during daytime, late primetime and weekends. The network's complete programming schedule will be revealed at CanWest’s fall launch event in June.
In addition to the E! broadcast network, Canadian entertainment fans will also be able to stay connected to the world of entertainment through a variety of E!-branded access points including E! Online, mobile, VOD and satellite radio.
E! Online will be customized for Canadian audiences, and CanWest will aggressively seek providers for the distribution and delivery of Canadian content for all of the E! multiplatform offerings. E! will work closely with CanWest supporting all new-media businesses related to the E! brand and content within the alliance.
Internationally, E! programming can be seen in more than 120 countries worldwide, reaching 600 million homes. In addition to its joint ventures for locally programmed E!-branded channels outside of the United States, the company operates six regional feeds of the E! International Network, a 24-hour global entertainment channel available via satellite in Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.
