CTV Specialty Television

Canadian media company

CTV Specialty Television Inc.

CTV Specialty Television's headquarters at 9 Channel Nine Court

Formerly|

* Labatt Communications, Inc. (1984–1996)
* NetStar Communications, Inc. (1996–2000)

Company type| Joint venture
Industry| Mass media
Founded|

* 1984; 41 years ago (1984)

Headquarters| 9 Channel Nine Court,

Scarborough, Ontario

Canada

Area served

| Canada

Key people

* Sean Cohan (president, Bell Media
* James Pitaro (chairman, ESPN Inc.)

Owners|

* Bell Media (80%)
* ESPN Inc. (20%)

Divisions| Dome Productions, Inc.
Website| bellmedia.ca
tsn.ca

CTV Specialty Television Inc. is a Canadian media company that is a joint venture between Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc. (also known as Bell Canada Enterprises, the owner of telecommunications company Bell Canada) and ESPN Inc., a joint venture of The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%), that operates a number of specialty channels such as The Sports Network (TSN) and USA Network.

The company was formed in 1984 as Labatt Communications, Inc. by brewer John Labatt Ltd.; but long after its acquisition by Interbrew in 1995, LCI was sold to four local investors and ESPN Inc. in 1996 which changed the name of the company to NetStar Communications Inc. NetStar was then acquired by CTV Inc. in 2000 and later merged with Bell Canada alongside The Globe and Mail to form Bell Globemedia and renamed to its current entity afterwards.

## History

[edit]

This company was founded in 1984 when brewer John Labatt Ltd., which owned the Toronto Blue Jays at that time, launched Canada's 24 hour sports channel The Sports Network (TSN). Its French counterpart, Réseau des sports (RDS) went on the air five years later. The company also operated and established Viewers Choice and SkyVision Entertainment, both founded in 1991.[1] With partnership of Discovery Communications, Labatt launched the Canadian version of the Discovery Channel on December 31, 1994.

In 1995, when Belgian brewer Interbrew announced it purchased John Labatt, a consortium of four Canadian investors—Stephen Bronfman (22.5%), the Caisse (22.5%), Reitmans (16.5%), and senior management (6.5%)—along with ESPN (32%), took over the company.[2] The sale was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on March 15, 1996 and the company was rebranded to NetStar Communications Inc.[3]

After a takeover attempt by CanWest Global that was vetoed by ESPN, CTV Inc. (the former Baton Broadcasting Inc.) announced a friendly bid to take over NetStar Communications in early 1999, with CRTC approval on March 24, 2000. After acquiring Netstar, the CRTC required CTV to divest itself of either Netstar's TSN or their own Sportsnet; they chose to sell the latter to Rogers.[4] NetStar was then renamed again to CTV Specialty Television Inc. after its acquisition.

Later, CTV Inc. merged into Bell Canada's Bell Globemedia, but was renamed to CTVglobemedia in 2007 and again to Bell Media in 2011.

## Assets

[edit]

### Active

[edit]

#### Television

[edit]

* CTV Nature Channel (formerly Discovery Science)
* CTV Speed Channel (formerly Discovery Velocity)
* CTV Wild Channel (formerly Animal Planet)
* Réseau des sports (RDS)
* RDS2
* RDS Info
* The Sports Network (TSN)
* TSN1 (British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon)
* TSN2
* TSN3 (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Manitoba and Saskatchewan)
* TSN4 (Ontario excluding the Ottawa Valley)
* TSN5 (Atlantic Canada, Ottawa Valley and Quebec)
* USA Network (formerly Discovery Channel)

#### Productions

[edit]

Dome Productions (jointly owned with Rogers Media Inc.) — a multi-platform production company that operates a fleet of 18 television production mobiles, one production/uplink truck, and three KU uplink tractors. For over 30 years, Dome's head office was located in the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The company has since moved to 130 Merton Street in 2023.[5]

### Defunct

[edit]

* ESPN Classic (ceased operations in 2023)
* Exploration Production Inc. and Exploration Distribution Inc. (56.06% owned by CTV Specialty) were Discovery Channel's in-house production and distribution companies. In February 2021, EPI and EDI were subsumed into Bell Media Studios.[6]
* SkyVision Entertainment (sold in 1996, renamed to Fireworks Entertainment, but folded in 2011)
* NHL Network (21.42% owned by CTV Specialty via the NHL Network Inc., joint venture of National Hockey League consortium (NHL, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames \- 58%) and Insight Sports (20.58%) - ceased operations in 2015)
* Viewers Choice (ceased operations in 2014)
* WTSN (ceased operations in 2003)

## See also

[edit]

* Bell Canada
* Media ownership in Canada
* List of Canadian television channels

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "John Labatt 1992 Annual Report" (PDF). John Labatt Ltd. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
2. ^ "TV/Film" (PDF). Broadcast Dialogue. Vol. 6, no. 32\. January 21, 1999. p. 1\. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2003.
3. ^ "Labatt Buy Approved". Adnews. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
4. ^ "Rogers Media | History of Canadian Broadcasting". History of Canadian Broadcasting. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
5. ^ "Dome Productions". Bell Media. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
6. ^ Townsend, Kelly (February 5, 2021). "Senior staff laid off as Bell Media consolidates in-house prodcos". Playback. Retrieved August 11, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* NetStar Communications at the Wayback Machine
* CRTC ownership chart

* v
* t
* e

Bell Media (and other broadcasting properties of BCE Inc.)

Terrestrial TV
and free streaming|

| CTV (O&O)|

Stations
CIVT-DT Vancouver
CFCN-DT Calgary
CFRN-DT Edmonton
CFQC-DT Saskatoon
CKCK-DT Regina
CICC-DT Yorkton
CIPA-DT Prince Albert
CKY-DT Winnipeg
CTV Northern Ontario

CHBX-TV Sault Ste. Marie
CICI-TV Greater Sudbury
CITO-TV Timmins
CKNY-DT North Bay
CKCO-DT Kitchener
CFTO-DT Toronto
CJOH-DT Ottawa
CFCF-DT Montreal
CTV Atlantic

CKLT-DT Saint John
CKCW-DT Moncton
CJCH-DT Halifax
CJCB-DT Sydney

|

CTV 2 (O&O)|

Stations
CIVI-DT Victoria
CFTK-TV Terrace
CJDC-TV Dawson Creek
CHWI-DT Windsor
CFPL-DT London
CKVR-DT Barrie
CHRO-TV Ottawa

Noovo (O&O)|

Stations
CFJP-DT Montreal
CFKS-DT Sherbrooke
CFKM-DT Trois-Rivières
CFAP-DT Quebec City
CFRS-DT Saguenay

Subscription TV
and streaming|

| CTV 2|

* CTV 2 Alberta
* CTV 2 Atlantic

|

CTV-branded
(excluding news)|

* CTV Comedy Channel
* CTV Drama Channel
* CTV Life Channel
* CTV Nature Channel
* CTV Sci-Fi Channel
* CTV Speed Channel
* CTV Wild Channel

CTV News|

* BNN Bloomberg
* CP24
* CTV News Channel

Sports|

* RDS
* RDS2
* RDS Info
* TSN
* TSN2

Premium and PPV|

* Cinépop
* Crave
* Movies \+ HBO
* Starz
* Super Écran
* Vu!1
* Venus1

Other English-language|

* E!
* Much
* Oxygen
* TV12
* USA Network

Other French-language|

* Canal D
* Canal Vie
* Investigation
* Z

iHeartRadio Canada|

| AM|

* CFAX
* CFGO
* CFRA
* CFRB
* CHUM
* CJAD
* CKGM
* CKHJ
* CKLW

|

FM|

* CFBR-FM
* CFBT-FM
* CFCA-FM
* CFIX-FM
* CFMG-FM
* CFWM-FM
* CFXY-FM
* CHBD-FM
* CHBE-FM
* CHEY-FM
* CHIK-FM
* CHOM-FM
* CHQM-FM
* CHUM-FM
* CHVR-FM
* CIBK-FM
* CIBX-FM
* CICS-FM
* CICX-FM
* CICZ-FM
* CIDR-FM
* CIGB-FM
* CIMF-FM
* CIMO-FM
* CIMX-FM
* CIOO-FM
* CIQM-FM
* CITE-FM
* CITE-FM-1
* CITF-FM
* CJAB-FM
* CJAY-FM
* CJBX-FM
* CJCH-FM
* CJFM-FM
* CJMJ-FM
* CJMM-FM
* CJMV-FM
* CKFM-FM
* CKKL-FM
* CKKW-FM
* CKMF-FM
* CKMM-FM
* CKTF-FM
* CKX-FM
* CKXA-FM

Networks|

* Boom
* Bounce
* Énergie
* iHeartRadio (CA licence)
* Move
* Pure Country
* Rouge FM
* TSN Radio
* Virgin Radio (CA licence)

Broadcasting studios|

* Vancouver
* Toronto
* 9 Channel Nine Court
* 299 Queen Street West
* 250 Richmond Street West

Other BMI assets|

* Astral Out-of-Home
* CTV Specialty Television

Predecessors|

* Telegram Corporation
* Baton Broadcasting
* Mid-Canada Communications
* Electrohome
* Craig Media
* CHUM Limited
* Access Media Group
* CTVglobemedia
* Astral Media

Former/defunct
properties|

* Baton Broadcast System
* WTSN
* Viewers Choice
* GolTV
* Leafs Nation Network
* NHL Network
* M3
* Comedy Gold
* Bravo
* Discovery
* ID
* Animal Planet
* Discovery Velocity
* Discovery Science
* BookTelevision
* Fashion Television
* Vrak
* ESPN Classic
* MTV
* MTV2
* Bob FM
* EZ Rock

Notes|

1Owned (or part-owned) by BCE separately from its ownership of Bell Media.
2Community channels operated as part of Bell Fibe TV and Bell Aliant Fibe TV; also not part of Bell Media.

* BCE Inc.
* Associated foundations: BravoFACT
* MuchFACT
* Some of the assets listed above are only partially owned by Bell Media. Refer to full asset list for detailed information.

* v
* t
* e

ESPN Inc.

Executives|

* George Bodenheimer
* Edwin Durso
* Chuck Pagano
* Norby Williamson
* James Pitaro

U.S. networks|

| Streaming|

* ESPN+
* ESPN3
* ESPN8 The Ocho
* ESPN (fall 2025)

|

Linear TV|

* ESPN
* ESPN2
* ESPNU
* ESPNews
* Deportes
* ACC Network
* SEC Network

Part-time|

* ACC Network Xtra
* ESPN on ABC
* SEC Network +

Radio|

* ESPN Radio
* Deportes
* Xtra

International|

| Canada|

* TSN
* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* RDS
* RDS2
* RDS Info
* CTV Nature Channel
* CTV Speed Channel
* CTV Wild Channel
* USA Network

|

Japan|

* J Sports (3%)

Latin America|

| Panregional|

* ESPN (Latin America)

|

Brazil|

* ESPN (Brazil)

Caribbean|

* ESPN Caribbean

Netherlands|

* ESPN (Netherlands)

Oceania|

* ESPN Australia

Sub-Saharan Africa|

* ESPN Africa

Ventures|

* ESPN.com
* ESPN Bet (with Penn Entertainment)
* ESPN Deportes.com
* ESPN Broadband
* ESPN Events
* ESPN Films
* ESPN Deportes La Revista
* ESPN Books
* ESPY Awards
* ESPN Integration
* ESPN PPV

Defunct ventures|

* Arena Football League (minority stake, 2006–2009)
* ESPN 3D (2010–2013)
* ESPN America (2002–2013)
* ESPN Classic (U.S.) (1995–2021)
* ESPN Classic (UK) (2006–2013)
* ESPN Classic Canada (2001–2023)
* ESPN College Extra (2015–2023)
* ESPN Full Court (2007–2015)
* ESPN GamePlan (1992–2015)
* ESPN Goal Line & Bases Loaded (2010–2020)
* Grantland (2011–2015)
* ESPN HS (1997–2012)
* ESPN The Magazine (1998–2019)
* ESPN MVP (2005–2006)
* ESPNscrum (2007–2015)
* ESPN Star Sports (equity stake, 1996–2012; incl. ESPN Asia (1995–2013))
* NHL Network Canada (2001–2015)
* ESPN5 (2017–2020)
* WatchESPN (2011–2019)
* Sony ESPN (2016–2020)
* ESPN West
* Longhorn Network (2011–2024)
* Venu Sports (cancelled)
* WTSN (2001–2003)

Sports broadcasting rights|

* CFL on TSN
* ESPN College Basketball
* ESPN College Football
* ESPN Major League Baseball
* KayRod Cast
* FCS Kickoff
* Golf on ESPN
* High School Showcase
* MLS Soccer Sunday
* NBA on ESPN
* NBA on ABC
* NFL on ESPN
* Monday Night Football
* Manningcast
* NHL on ESPN
* TSN Hockey
* Soccer on ESPN/ABC
* Tennis on ESPN
* WNBA on ESPN
* Other events

Other properties|

* Andscape
* ESPNcricinfo
* Jayski's Silly Season Site (formerly)
* ESPN FC
* Scouts Inc.
* TrueHoop (formerly)

Notable personalities|

* Current personalities
* Former personalities
* ESPNews personalities
* ESPNU personalities
* ESPN Radio personalities
* Presidents of ESPN

Miscellaneous|

* History
* Programs
* Criticism
* This Is SportsCenter
* ESPN Armory
* ESPN Zone
* ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
* ESPN BottomLine
* X Games
* Fox Sports International
* College GameDay Emmy scandal

Owners: Walt Disney Company (80%); Hearst Communications (20%)

* v
* t
* e

The Walt Disney Company

* Timeline
* History of the American Broadcasting Company
* History of ESPN
* Assets
* Acquisitions
* Criticism
* Logo
* Headquarters

Company
officials|

| Key|

* Founders
* Walt Disney
* Roy O. Disney
* CEO
* Bob Iger

|

Board of
directors|

* James P. Gorman (chair)
* Mary Barra
* Safra Catz
* Francis deSouza
* Michael Froman
* Bob Iger
* Maria Elena Lagomasino

Entertainment|

| Studios|

* Walt Disney Pictures
* Disneynature
* Walt Disney Animation Studios
* Pixar
* Marvel Studios
* Marvel Animation
* Lucasfilm
* Lucasfilm Animation
* 20th Century Studios
* 20th Century Animation
* 20th Century Family
* Searchlight Pictures
* Searchlight Television
* Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
* Buena Vista International
* Star Distribution
* Disney Music Group
* Walt Disney Records
* Hollywood Records
* S-Curve Records
* Disney Theatrical Group
* Disney Theatrical Productions

|

Television|

| Disney Branded
Television|

* Disney Channel
* Disney Jr.
* Disney XD

|

ABC Entertainment|

* ABC
* ABC Daytime
* ABC News
* ABC Audio
* ABC News Radio
* Lincoln Square Productions
* ABC News Live

National Geographic
Global Networks|

* National Geographic
* National Geographic Wild

Other networks|

* FX Networks
* FX
* FXX
* FXM
* FXP
* ABC Family Worldwide
* Freeform
* Onyx Collective

Production studios|

* Disney Branded Television
* Disney Television Animation
* It's a Laugh Productions
* Disney Television Studios
* 20th Television
* 20th Television Animation

Other units|

* BabyTV (US distribution)
* A+E Global Media (50%)

Streaming|

* Disney+
* Star
* Hulu

Distribution|

* Disney–ABC Domestic Television
* Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

ABC TV Stations|

* KABC-TV
* KFSN-TV
* KGO-TV
* KTRK-TV
* WABC-TV
* WLS-TV
* WPVI-TV
* WTVD
* Localish

International|

* EMEA
* France
* Italy
* Iberia (Portugal)
* CIS
* India
* Disney Star
* Disney+ Hotstar
* Star Studios
* Latin America
* Argentina
* Patagonik Film Group (33.3%)
* Hispanic America

Other assets|

* Movies Anywhere

Experiences|

| Parks and
resorts|

* Disneyland Resort
* Disneyland Paris
* Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (43%)
* Shanghai Disney Resort (43%)
* Walt Disney Attractions Japan
* Walt Disney World
* Imagineering (The Muppets Studio)

|

Experiences|

* Adventures by Disney
* National Geographic Expeditions
* Disney Cruise Line
* Disney Vacation Club
* Storyliving by Disney

Consumer
Products|

* Disney Store (Outside US & Canada)
* Disney Publishing Worldwide
* Disney English
* NG Media
* Marvel Comics
* Disney Online
* Disney Interactive

ESPN Inc. (80%)|

* ESPN
* ESPN2
* ESPN on ABC
* ESPN Deportes
* ESPNews
* ESPNU
* ESPN+
* ESPN PPV
* ESPN Classic
* ESPN Events
* ESPN Films
* ESPN International
* ACC Network
* Longhorn Network
* SEC Network

Other assets|

* Buena Vista
* D23
* Disney Institute
* Walt Disney Archives
* Disney Programs
* Disney College Program
* Disney International Programs
* Disney University
* Reedy Creek Energy Services

Former/defunct
units and
predecessors|

* 20th Century Home Entertainment
* ABC Kids
* ABC Signature
* Baby Einstein
* Blue Network
* Blue Sky Studios
* American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres
* Caravan Pictures
* Capital Cities/ABC
* CBS/Fox Video
* Cinergi Pictures
* Circle 7 Animation
* Disney Interactive Studios
* DIC Entertainment
* Disney Digital Network
* Disney Store (US & Canada)
* Disney's Animation Weekdays
* Endemol Shine Group
* Fox 2000 Pictures
* Fox Animation Studios
* Fox Networks Group
* Fox Sports Networks
* FoxNext
* GMTV
* Hollywood Pictures
* Jetix
* Jetix Animation Concepts
* Marvel Entertainment
* New World Pictures
* Four Star Television
* Metromedia
* Miramax
* Books
* Dimension Films
* Talk
* MTM Enterprises
* Playhouse Disney
* Radio Disney
* Saban Entertainment/BVS Entertainment
* SIP Animation
* Créativité et Développement
* Fox Children's Productions
* Marvel Productions
* DePatie–Freleng Enterprises
* Star+
* Toon Disney
* Touchstone Pictures
* Touchstone Television
* TeleColombia
* Tata Play
* Walt Disney Television

Related|

* Acquisition of 21st Century Fox
* Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act
* Reedy Creek Improvement Act
* Disney v. DeSantis
* Disney Lorcana
* Grand Central Creative Campus
* Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
* Disney–Charter dispute
* Potential acquisition by Apple
* Retlaw Enterprises
* Snow White Cafe
* Walt Disney Productions v. Air Pirates
* Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination
* Walt Disney: An American Original

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Hearst Communications

Daily
newspapers|

* The Advocate
* Austin American-Statesman
* Times Union
* Beaumont Enterprise
* Chron.com
* Connecticut Post
* The Courier (Conroe, Texas)
* Edwardsville Intelligencer
* Greenwich Time
* The Hour
* Houston Chronicle
* Huron Daily Tribune
* Journal-Courier
* Laredo Morning Times
* Manistee News Advocate
* The Middletown Press
* Midland Daily News
* Midland Reporter-Telegram
* New Haven Register
* The News-Times
* MySA.com
* The Pioneer
* Plainview Herald
* Record-Journal
* The Register Citizen
* San Antonio Express-News
* San Francisco Chronicle
* seattlepi.com
* SFGate
* The Telegraph
* Connecticut Magazine

Weekly
newspapers|

* The Bastrop Advertiser
* Benzie County Record Patriot
* The Berlin Citizen
* Canyon News
* Cleveland Advocate
* Eastex Advocate
* Examiner Newspapers (Bellaire, Memorial, River Oaks, West University)
* La Voz de Houston
* The Lake Houston Observer
* New Canaan Advertiser
* Pasadena Citizen
* The Potpourri (Magnolia and Tomball)
* Shoreline Times
* Sugar Land Sun
* The Villager (The Woodlands, Texas)

Magazines|

| United States|

* Autoweek
* Best Products
* Bicycling
* Car and Driver
* Cosmopolitan
* Country Living
* Delish
* Elle
* Elle Decor
* Esquire
* Food Network Magazine
* Good Housekeeping
* Harper's Bazaar
* House Beautiful
* HGTV
* Men's Health
* Oprah Daily
* Popular Mechanics
* Prevention
* Redbook
* Road & Track
* Runner's World
* Seventeen
* Shondaland
* The Pioneer Woman
* Town & Country
* Woman's Day
* Women's Health

| Motor Trend Group|

* Hot Rod
* Motor Trend

|

International|

* Bicycling
* Car and Driver
* Cosmopolitan
* Country Living
* Delish
* Elle
* Elle Decor
* Esquire
* Good Housekeeping
* Harper's Bazaar
* House Beautiful
* Men's Health
* Prevention
* Runner's World
* Women's Health

United Kingdom
Best
Digital Spy
Inside Soap
Prima
RED
Italy
Gente
Marie Claire
Marie Claire Maison
The Netherlands
JAN
Quest
Quest Junior
Quote
Spain
Fotogramas
Japan
25Ans
25Ans Wedding
ELLE Girl
Fujingaho
Hodinkee
Men's Club
Modern Living
Richesse

Hearst Television|

ABC
KETV
KHBS

KHOG
KMBC-TV
KOAT-TV
KOCO-TV
KSBW .2
WAPT
WCVB-TV

WMUR-TV
WISN-TV
WJCL
WMTW
WPBF
WTAE-TV
WZVN-TV**
CBS
KCCI
WLKY
Independent
WMOR-TV
MyNetworkTV
KQCA
NBC
KCRA-TV
KSBW
WBAL-TV
WBBH-TV
WDSU
WESH
WGAL
WLWT
WPTZ
WVTM-TV
WXII-TV
WYFF
The CW
KCWE
KHBS .2

KHOG .2
KQCA
WCWG
WKCF
WNNE
WPXT

Radio|

* WBAL
* WIYY

Entertainment|

* A&E Networks (50%)
* ESPN Inc. (20%)
* Hearst Media Production Group
* King Features Syndicate
* NorthSouth Productions (50%)
* Reed Brennan Media Associates

Business|

* Black Book
* First Databank
* Fitch Group
* BMI Research
* Motor

Marketplaces|

* Bring a Trailer
* First Finds
* Men's Health Shop
* Oprah Daily Shop

Real estate|

* CDS Global
* Hearst Tower
* Hearst Service Center
* Hearst Ranch

** Owned by a third party and operated by Hearst Television.

* v
* t
* e

AB InBev

Subsidiaries|

* AmBev
* Anheuser-Busch
* Delta Corporation
* Four Peaks Brewery
* Grupo Modelo
* Intafact Beverages
* InBev
* Interbrew
* International Breweries plc
* Nile Breweries
* SAB
* South African Breweries
* Sechaba Brewery Holdings
* Kgalagadi Breweries
* St. Louis Refrigerated Car Co.
* Tanzania Breweries

Equity investments|

* Craft Brew Alliance (32.2%)

Brands|

* AB InBev brands

People|

* Michel Doukeris (CEO)
* August Busch IV
* Anson Frericks
* Jorge Paulo Lemann
* Arnoud de Pret Roose de Calesberg
* Philippe de Spoelberch

* Category
* Commons

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