Bell and Rogers have signed a new agreement to share more of their specialty TV channels across both companies’ platforms, giving customers access to a wider lineup of popular shows.
Starting today, Bell Fibe TV and Satellite TV subscribers will now be able to watch HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, Magnolia Network, and Investigation Discovery—all channels previously tied to Rogers. These will be available in free preview for all Bell customers.
Rogers Xfinity customers will continue to get access to Bell Media’s specialty lineup, including CTV Comedy, CTV Drama, CTV Sci-Fi, USA Network, and Oxygen True Crime.
The deal expands programming for viewers on both sides. “We are providing customers more choice and ensuring Rogers customers will continue to have access to Bell Media favourites like Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue 401 and Fear Thy Neighbor on our specialty channels,” said Kevin Cluett, SVP of Distribution and Product Platforms at Bell Media. “By making these channels more widely available, we’re giving viewers more of what they love while strengthening the Canadian broadcasting ecosystem.”
Rogers also emphasized the broader access now in place. “It’s great that more Canadians will now have access to North America’s most recognized and beloved specialty TV brands like HGTV, Food Network and Discovery,” said Hayden Mindell, SVP Television at Rogers Sports & Media. The content includes “hits like My Lottery Dream Home, Beat Bobby Flay and Expedition Unknown, along with new series Chasing The West with Drew and Jonathan Scott.”
The announcement comes after Bell and Rogers clashed over U.S. specialty content. Back in June 2024, Bell filed for a court injunction to stop Rogers from broadcasting Warner Bros. Discovery content, which includes channels like Discovery Channel Canada and Animal Planet. Bell argued that Rogers’ new licensing deal with Warner Bros. violated non-compete clauses and claimed Rogers had “induced” Warner Bros. to breach its long-running agreement with Bell.
Rogers had previously revealed it would take over Canadian rights to Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal content starting in January 2025, and had plans to launch NBCUniversal’s Bravo channel and make content available through Citytv+.
Back in June at the CRTC hearings, Bell accused both Rogers and Telus of shutting it out of rebranded TV channels.
Today’s agreement between the two companies appears to smooth things over—at least for now. By agreeing to share access to each other’s content, Bell and Rogers are giving viewers the shows they want, while sidestepping what had looked like a messy battle over TV rights in Canada (can’t we all just get along?).
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