HBO Canada to launch next month
By Adnews Staff
A new specialty television channel called HBO Canada will debut on Oct. 30. The channel will be operated by Astral Media in eastern Canada and Corus Entertainment in western Canada. It will be offered as a free upgrade to subscribers to those companies' The Movie Network and Movie Central channels respectively. The channel will carry programming from the US HBO channel on the same date as it airs in that country, as well as Canadian films and series. The service will be available in standard and high definition. "For years, HBO's dramatic programming has been available on The Movie Network and Movie Central," said John Riley, president of Astral Television Networks. "But even with all of the HBO titles we offered, Canadians wanted the comedy series, the live specials, the sporting events and the behind-the-scenes content that went into the HBO viewing experience. In launching HBO Canada we will be in a position to offer Canadians this additional content, together with the current signature series that HBO produces, to create an entertainment and value proposition that promises to set a new standard for premium television viewing in Canada."