Pact Affirms Partners' Commitment to Diverse
Slate of Original Programming for
the Global Market
SANTA
MONICA, Calif., and TORONTO, Sept. 13,
2022 /CNW/ - Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A), (NYSE: LGF.B)
and Bell Media have teamed up for a co-development deal to produce
comedy and drama television series for the global market, the two
companies announced today, on the opening day of Content Canada.
The pact builds on the momentum of recent Canadian success in a
global market, which has a keen interest in Canadian content.
The multiyear partnership enables Lionsgate to act as the global
distributor outside Canada for
select Bell Media original programming that is produced locally in
English and French, including projects Bell Media co-develops with
Lionsgate. In Canada, Bell Media
distributes projects developed under the pact.
Through this partnership, the companies are committing to work
together to seek unique projects and create original Canadian
programming that is relevant and relatable to audiences
worldwide.
"We're delighted to expand our longstanding partnership with
Bell Media, the team behind some of Canada's most-acclaimed original programming,"
said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution
Jim
Packer. "Canadian series are resonating with
a global audience, and Bell Media is a leader
in creating shows that work in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. This
agreement allows us to create strategic value by
responding to the ever-growing demand for content
internationally while building on our position as a top creator and
distributor of premium scripted content for the Canadian
marketplace."
"We are happy to be working with Lionsgate to build on our
productive partnership with the development and distribution of
select original content, globally," said Karine Moses, Senior Vice-President, Content
Development and News, and Vice-Chair, Québec, Bell Media.
This pact reflects an evolution of the multifaceted
Lionsgate/Bell Media relationship. The two companies have an
exclusive, long-term deal for Bell Media to distribute the
first pay window of Lionsgate's theatrical releases in
Canada. Lionsgate's Starz premium pay television platform
launched its subscription streaming
app in Canada via Bell Media. In addition, Bell
Media's premium streaming service Crave is the
exclusive Canadian home of hit Lionsgate
Television/HBO Max shows Minx, starring Ophelia
Lovibond and Jake Johnson,
and Love Life, starring
Anna Kendrick and William Jackson Harper.
A Canadian-domiciled company, Lionsgate is drawing upon a rich
history of Canadian-based film and television production in
conjunction with its partners that includes its role as the U.S.
distributor of the Emmy Award®-winning comedy Schitt's
Creek, along with recent series such as Son of A
Critch and Wong & Winchester.
About Lionsgate:
Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF.A), (NYSE:LGF.B) encompasses world-class
motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the
STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and
varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world.
The Company's film, television, subscription and location-based
entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and a
valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A
digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and
commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with
bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences
worldwide.
About Bell Media
Bell Media is Canada's leading
content creation company with premier assets in television, radio,
digital and out-of-home media, including 35 television stations
that are part of the CTV and Noovo networks; 27 specialty channels,
including sports leaders TSN and RDS; bilingual TV and streaming
service Crave; the iHeartRadio Canada brand encompassing 215 music
channels, including 109 radio stations in 58 Canadian markets; and
the Astral out-of-home advertising network. Bell Media is also a
partner in Pinewood Toronto Studios, Montréal's Grande Studios,
Just for Laughs and Dome Productions, one of North America's leading production facilities
providers. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc.(TSX:BCE),
(NYSE:BCE), Canada's largest
communications company. Learn more at BellMedia.ca.
SOURCE Bell Media