Bravo! Canada
Encyclopedia
Bravo! is a Canadian
English language
Category A specialty channel
owned by Bell Media. Bravo! is an entertainment channel with a particular focus on television dramas and films, as well as art-related programming.
The "Bravo" name is used under licence from NBCUniversal, which owns the U.S.
-based service Bravo (without the exclamation mark).
. It was a national commercial-free pay television channel that focused on arts programming. C Channel launched on February 1, 1983 before it when bankrupt and ceased operations on June 30, 1983 due to its inability to attract a viable enough number of subscribers at a price of $16 per month.
Over 10 years later, another attempt at an arts-based channel was proposed when CHUM Limited
applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for Bravo!. In June 1994, CHUM's application for Bravo! was approved, citing its nature of service as focusing on "performance and drama programming, as well as documentary and discussion."
Bravo! launched on January 1, 1995 with the tagline
, "NewStyleArtsChannel". It focused on arts programming, including music
, ballet
, literature
, television and film drama, visual arts, modern dance, opera
and architecture
. As a condition of licence, Bravo! was to contribute a predetermined amount or percentage of its revenues to ArtsFACT (now called Bravo!FACT
), a fund established to provide grants for the production of Canadian short films covering a wide range of arts-related disciplines. Films funded by Bravo!FACT have regularly aired on the channel.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later called CTVglobemedia
) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD
, included in the sale was Bravo! The sale was subject to CRTC approval and was approved in June 2007, with the transaction completed on June 22, 2007.
After Bell Globemedia's purchase of Bravo!, the channel increasingly shifted its focus toward more television and film dramas such as Mad Men
and Criminal Minds
, and lessening its focus on arts programming.
On September 10, 2010, BCE (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of $3.2 billion CAD. The deal which required CRTC approval, was approved on March 7, 2011 and closed on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.
While under Bell Media ownership, the shift toward television and film dramas and general entertainment was extended and is the point at which the channel exists today.
, which may range from comedy
to drama
to opera to jazz
to animation
. Many of these also air on Bravo!'s weekly series Bravo!Fact Presents
.
Bravo! has also produced a number of notable specials, including a telecast of Canadian rock band Spirit of the West
's Open Heart Symphony
concert with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
.
simulcast of the standard definition
feed. It is currently only available on Bell TV and Bell Fibe TV
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Category A specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
owned by Bell Media. Bravo! is an entertainment channel with a particular focus on television dramas and films, as well as art-related programming.
The "Bravo" name is used under licence from NBCUniversal, which owns the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based service Bravo (without the exclamation mark).
History
In the 1980s, a precursor to Bravo! existed called C ChannelC Channel
C Channel was a Canadian premium television service specialising in arts programming. It was one of Canada's first licensed "pay TV" channels when it began in 1983 but it ended in failure within months.- History :...
. It was a national commercial-free pay television channel that focused on arts programming. C Channel launched on February 1, 1983 before it when bankrupt and ceased operations on June 30, 1983 due to its inability to attract a viable enough number of subscribers at a price of $16 per month.
Over 10 years later, another attempt at an arts-based channel was proposed when CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for Bravo!. In June 1994, CHUM's application for Bravo! was approved, citing its nature of service as focusing on "performance and drama programming, as well as documentary and discussion."
Bravo! launched on January 1, 1995 with the tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
, "NewStyleArtsChannel". It focused on arts programming, including music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, television and film drama, visual arts, modern dance, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. As a condition of licence, Bravo! was to contribute a predetermined amount or percentage of its revenues to ArtsFACT (now called Bravo!FACT
Bravo!FACT
Bravo!FACT is a Canadian fund established in 1995 to fund the creation of Canadian arts-based short films and videos. Bravo!FACT funds shorts from various subject matters, genres and styles including animation, drama, comedy, dance, and more...
), a fund established to provide grants for the production of Canadian short films covering a wide range of arts-related disciplines. Films funded by Bravo!FACT have regularly aired on the channel.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia (later called CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
) announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, included in the sale was Bravo! The sale was subject to CRTC approval and was approved in June 2007, with the transaction completed on June 22, 2007.
After Bell Globemedia's purchase of Bravo!, the channel increasingly shifted its focus toward more television and film dramas such as Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
and Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
, and lessening its focus on arts programming.
On September 10, 2010, BCE (a minority shareholder in CTVglobemedia) announced that it planned to acquire 100% interest in CTVglobemedia for a total debt and equity transaction cost of $3.2 billion CAD. The deal which required CRTC approval, was approved on March 7, 2011 and closed on April 1 of that year, on which CTVglobemedia was rebranded Bell Media.
While under Bell Media ownership, the shift toward television and film dramas and general entertainment was extended and is the point at which the channel exists today.
Original programs
Between programs, Bravo! often airs short films by Canadian artists, funded by its foundation Bravo!FACTBravo!FACT
Bravo!FACT is a Canadian fund established in 1995 to fund the creation of Canadian arts-based short films and videos. Bravo!FACT funds shorts from various subject matters, genres and styles including animation, drama, comedy, dance, and more...
, which may range from comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
to drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
to opera to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
to animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
. Many of these also air on Bravo!'s weekly series Bravo!Fact Presents
Bravo!Fact Presents
Bravo!FACT Presents is a Canadian television series, which airs weekly on A and the arts channel Bravo!.The series presents an anthology of short artistic works, ranging from comedy to drama to opera to jazz to animation. All of these were funded by Bravo!FACT, the foundation arm of Bravo!, which...
.
- Arts & Minds
- At the Concert Hall
- Bravo!Fact PresentsBravo!Fact PresentsBravo!FACT Presents is a Canadian television series, which airs weekly on A and the arts channel Bravo!.The series presents an anthology of short artistic works, ranging from comedy to drama to opera to jazz to animation. All of these were funded by Bravo!FACT, the foundation arm of Bravo!, which...
- Bravo!NEWS
- Bravo! Videos
- Live at the Rehearsal Hall
- The O'Regan Files
Bravo! has also produced a number of notable specials, including a telecast of Canadian rock band Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.-Early years:The band began...
's Open Heart Symphony
Open Heart Symphony
Open Heart Symphony is a 1996 album by Spirit of the West, in collaboration with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.The band recorded two shows with the orchestra on May 12 and May 13, 1995. The shows included several renditions of the band's best known songs, and an entire album's worth of songs...
concert with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over 240,000 people attend its live performances each year. It was founded in 1930 and plays in 12 venues. Its home is the Orpheum theatre. With an annual operating budget of $9.5 million, it is the...
.
Bravo! HD
On October 6, 2011, Bravo! launched Bravo! HD, a high definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcast of the standard definition
Standard-definition television
Sorete-definition television is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either enhanced-definition television or high-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same resolution as...
feed. It is currently only available on Bell TV and Bell Fibe TV
Bell Fibe TV
Bell Fibe TV is an IP-based television service offered by Bell Canada in Ontario and Quebec. It is bundled with Bell Fibe Internet, and uses the Microsoft Mediaroom platform....
.