LOS ANGELES and TORONTO, July 18,
2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS Studios International and Bell
Media today announced a licensing agreement for the new STAR TREK
television series in Canada. With
Bell Media's acquisition of the exclusive linear television and
subscription video on demand (SVOD) rights in English and French in
Canada, each episode of the new
STAR TREK series will be available simultaneously with its release
in the U.S.
Bell Media has also licensed all 727 existing episodes of the
STAR TREK television library – which includes "Star Trek: The
Original Series," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Star Trek:
Enterprise."
The rollout for the new STAR TREK series in Canada will mirror the launch in the U.S. The
first episode will premiere on Canada's most watched broadcast network, CTV,
on the same night as CBS. All remaining episodes will initially be
televised on Bell Media's cable networks, Space (in English) and Z
(in French), and then later exclusively on CraveTV, Bell Media's
streaming video-on-demand service.
The STAR TREK television library will return to Space (in
English) and debut on Cinépop (in French), and will also be found
among CraveTV's leading lineup of premium television series.
The all-new STAR TREK will begin production in Toronto this September for its January 2017 premiere. The iconic and influential
global franchise will return to television for the first time since
2005 with a new ship, new characters and new missions, while
embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a
generation.
"We are extremely pleased to significantly expand our
partnership with Bell," said Armando Nuñez, President and CEO, CBS
Studios International. "Canadian fans will now be able to 'beam up'
CBS's highly anticipated new series, as well as all past episodes
of the show's vast library. Bell Media's premium linear and digital
platforms will be a great home for our new series, as STAR TREK
celebrates its 50th anniversary."
"Our acquisition of the new STAR TREK series delivers a unique
and exclusive opportunity for Canadian advertisers to engage with
this blockbuster new drama in a meaningful way," said Mary Ann Turcke, President, Bell Media. "We are delighted to welcome STAR
TREK back to Bell Media and amplify this iconic franchise through
our multiple leading brands. With a high-profile premiere on CTV, a
permanent base on Space – the long-time home of the series in
Canada – and premium positioning
on CraveTV – it's 'mission accomplished' for Canadian STAR TREK fans."
In the U.S., the new STAR TREK will launch with a special
premiere episode on the CBS Television Network in January 2017. The premiere episode and all
subsequent episodes will then be available in the United States exclusively on CBS All
Access, the Network's digital subscription video on demand and
live streaming service.
As previously announced, the new STAR TREK marks the first
original series developed for U.S. distribution on CBS All
Access, which provides American viewers thousands of episodes
of CBS's current and past seasons on demand, plus the ability to
stream their local CBS Television station live for $5.99 per month.
Alex Kurtzman and Bryan Fuller are co-creators and executive
producers for the new STAR TREK, based on Gene Roddenberry's original series. Fuller
launched his career writing for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and
"Star Trek: Voyager." Kurtzman is co-writer and producer of the
blockbuster films "Star Trek" and "Star Trek Into
Darkness."
The series is produced by CBS Television Studios in association
with Kurtzman's Secret Hideout, Fuller's Living Dead Guy
Productions and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Bryan
Fuller, Heather Kadin,
Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts, Rod
Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth
will serve as executive producers.
About CBS Studios International:
CBS Studios
International is the leading supplier of programming to the
international television marketplace, licensing to more than 200
markets in more than 30 languages across multiple media platforms.
The Studio participates in international channel ventures,
currently comprised of 18 channels in 24 languages across more than
100 territories, reaching more than 70 million households
worldwide. CBS Studios International also exports a diverse lineup
of formats for local production around the world. The division
distributes content from CBS Television Studios, CBS Television
Distribution, Showtime, CBS News, CBS Films and a library of more
than 70,000 hours of programming. CBS Studios International is a
division of CBS Corporation.
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; 34 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 30,000 advertising faces in British
Columbia, Alberta,
Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia. 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, Discovery GO, TMN GO,
and TSN GO; operates multi-channel network Much Digital Studios;
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.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-cbs-star-trek-television-series-to-live-long-and-prosper-in-canada-with-bell-media-300299684.html
SOURCE CBS Corporation and Bell Media