Introducing CraveTV™: All You Can Watch for $4/Month
– Bell Media's premium subscription TV streaming service to launch December 11 –
– CraveTV's premium catalogue to include more than 10,000 hours of content –
– Newest distribution partners confirmed: Eastlink joins TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, and Bell Satellite TV at launch, with Northwestel and other CCSA members coming soon –
– Multi-platform service available via set-top box as well as on iOS and Android-powered handsets and tablets via the CraveTV app, and online at CraveTV.ca –
– Simple, easy-to-navigate interface allows for more watching and less searching –
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TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - Premium television, for $4/month. At a press conference this morning, Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media introduced Canada to CraveTV™, the company's next-generation subscription on-demand video streaming service launching Thursday, Dec. 11. Costing about as much as a latte, CraveTV brings simplicity, ubiquity, accessibility, and premium content to Canadian TV lovers at an unbeatable value.
With a singular focus on delivering the best TV content of yesterday and today, CraveTV is designed to complement Canada's current TV offerings as an additive service featuring exclusive, premium programming, all at an affordable price.
**Media Note** Photography available online at BellMediaPR.ca.
"We're incredibly proud to launch a video streaming service dedicated to TV lovers who crave even more quality television, while enhancing the value TV providers deliver to their subscribers," said Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media. "In a fast-paced media industry in which the consumer is king, CraveTV raises the bar and redefines the Canadian TV landscape by offering a complementary, premium product at an incredibly great value."
"With TELUS, Bell, and Bell Aliant already on board, we are thrilled to partner with Eastlink, Northwestel, and other CCSA members who have recognized the value and potential CraveTV provides," said Domenic Vivolo, Executive Vice-President, Content Sales and Distribution Marketing. "We look forward to welcoming additional distribution partners as CraveTV ramps up with even more incredible content in its first months of service."
"Right out of the gate, CraveTV delivers an incredible offering of some of TV's most-watched and most-loved shows, with more to come," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, Bell Media. "New content will be added every week on #iCraveFridays. What a way to start the weekend."
Premium Content
With content from all key Hollywood major and independent studios, CraveTV features thousands of hours of programming not found anywhere else. At launch, nearly 65% of the entire CraveTV catalogue is exclusive to the service, with more exclusive titles to be added regularly.
CraveTV provides subscribers with the largest collection of premium content in one place. The programming catalogue falls into three categories – exclusive past-season content, featuring back seasons of television biggest programs currently on air; an extensive and exclusive library, featuring complete catalogues of some of the best TV series that have ever aired; and original series never before seen in Canada. In its first year, CraveTV will feature more than 10,000 hours of premium, non-kids, TV content, representing more than 600 unique titles, including:
- the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue, including THE SOPRANOS, THE WIRE, and SEX AND THE CITY;
- an unmatchable comedy slate headlined by SEINFELD and including THE BIG BANG THEORY, CHEERS, FRASIER, and CORNER GAS;
- an exclusive catalogue featuring every single episode of MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS;
- exclusive CraveTV originals: programming that will launch first in Canada on CraveTV, including MANHATTAN, BOSCH, and DEADBEAT;
- a Superhero collection headlined by some of the most-watched television programs currently on air including ARROW and, later in 2015, THE FLASH;
- a Sci-Fi & Fantasy collection led by genre blockbusters ORPHAN BLACK and DOCTOR WHO, and featuring all six series comprising the complete STAR TREK TV collection;
- an iconic Music Collection - TV programming expressly dedicated to music and its legends, including FOO FIGHTERS: SONIC HIGHWAYS, and CLASSIC ALBUMS;
- additional premium drama programming from Hollywood and the U.K. including MASTERS OF SEX, NURSE JACKIE, PERSON OF INTEREST, HOMELAND, THE FOLLOWING, GRACELAND, THE FALL, DALLAS, THE LAST SHIP, and UTOPIA;
- and the most-watched and most-acclaimed original Canadian primetime scripted programming, featuring SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, 19-2, FLASHPOINT, and DEGRASSI.
Value
Truly complementary, CraveTV does not attempt to duplicate existing services, and as a result is able to deliver best-in-class, premium TV programming at an incredible value. CraveTV delivers more to subscribers by allowing them to marathon-watch best-in-class programming for just $4/month.
Accessibility
CraveTV delivers to subscribers access to the service on the platform of their choice, including on their traditional on-demand service via their set-top box. In addition, CraveTV will be available at launch on iOS, including Airplay, as well as Android handsets and tablets via the CraveTV app, and online at CraveTV.ca. And early next year CraveTV will be available on the Xbox gaming consoles, Windows 8, Windows Phone, Samsung Smart TVs, and Chromecast.
Ubiquity
With an objective of getting CraveTV into as many Canadian homes as possible, Bell Media has offered the service to all TV providers. Previously, Bell Media announced distribution partnerships for CraveTV with TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, and Bell Satellite TV at launch. Today, Bell Media confirmed that Eastlink is the latest distribution partner for CraveTV and will make the service available at launch, while Northwestel and other Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members will also provide the service soon.
Simplicity
CraveTV is about watching, not searching. As a result, titles are curated in a minimalist, easy-to-navigate interface. Programming can be searched by title, new addition, or by a specific collection on a simple-to-use menu. Among the categories are "Crime and Mystery," "Action & Adventure," "Music," "Classic TV," "Sitcoms," and "Teen Drama."
To subscribe to CraveTV for only $4 month, TV lovers are invited to visit www.CraveTV.ca or contact their TV provider.
CraveTV on Social Media
Twitter – @CraveTVCanada
Hashtag – #AllYouCanWatch
Facebook – /CraveTVCanada
About CraveTV:
All you can watch, for $4/month. Created for TV lovers and devoted exclusively to television, CraveTVTM is Canada's premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, CraveTV features thousands of hours of premium non-kids TV programming, representing hundreds of unique titles. Designed to complement the traditional television ecosystem, and available to all TV providers, CraveTV is available to Eastlink, TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV subscribers, and is coming soon to Northwestel and other CCSA members. Available through traditional set-top boxes, the service will also be available via mobile apps, the web, game consoles, and smart TVs. CraveTV is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company with more than a decade of leadership delivering Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming across the Pay, Specialty, and Network TV landscapes. For more on CraveTV, visit www.CraveTV.ca.
About Bell Media:
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with premium subscription on-demand streaming service CraveTV, as well as its innovative GO video streaming services including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.
Video with caption: "View the Crave TV official launch video". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20141203_C6933_VIDEO_EN_8927.mp4&posterurl=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.newswire.ca%2Fimages%2F20141203_C6933_VIDEO_EN_8927.jpg&order=1&jdd=20141203&cnum=C6933
SOURCE: Bell Media
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