 | |
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Toronto,Ontario |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) (2013–present) 480i (SDTV) (2001–present) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Alliance Atlantis (2001–2008) CW Media (2008–2010) Shaw Media (2010–2016) Corus Entertainment (2016–present) (branding licensed fromA&E Networks) |
| Parent | Showcase Television Inc. |
| Sister channels | Showcase Adult Swim |
| History | |
| Launched | September 7, 2001; 24 years ago (September 7, 2001) |
| Former names | Showcase Diva (2001–2012) |
| Links | |
| Website | Lifetime Canada |
Lifetime is a Canadian English-languagediscretionaryspecialty channel based onthe eponymous American basic cable channel owned byShowcase Television Inc., a subsidiary ofCorus Entertainment. It broadcasts films, television shows and reality series aimed at women.
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 asShowcase Diva as a digital offshoot ofShowcase byAlliance Atlantis focusing on films targeting a female audience. After a series of ownership changes, the channel was relaunched into its current name in 2012 with the Lifetime branding licensed byA&E Networks.
In November 2000,Alliance Atlantis (via theShowcase Television subsidiary) was granted approval by theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a television channel calledRomance Television, described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty television service devoted to romance. Programming will include relationship- themed game shows and magazine style programs featuring romantic vacation resorts. Other programs will explore romantic moments in people's lives, as well as classic romantic feature films, epic mini-series and made-for-television movies."[1]
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 asShowcase Diva, a spin-off of Showcase. Programming consisted of primarily television dramas and films.
On January 18, 2008,Canwest Global[2] acquired control of Showcase Diva through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in atrust in August 2007.[3]On October 27, 2010, ownership changed again asShaw Communications gained control of Showcase Diva as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media.[4][5]
On May 30, 2012, Showcase Diva changed its name to the Canadian version ofLifetime on August 27, 2012, through a brand licensing agreement with the U.S. channel's parent companyA&E Networks. The rebrand would result in the addition of more reality series, talk shows and other original series from Lifetime to the channel's films and television dramas.[6][7][8]
AnHD feed was launched on May 29, 2013, along with the never-before-seen HD feeds forH2,Slice, and the DHX-owned Disney Junior service (now known asFamily Jr.).
In February 2022, Lifetime was added to streaming bundleStackTV.[9] It was later added in February 2023 to the Global TV app along with theCanadian version of theMagnolia Network.