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BCE Inc gets more HBO distribution rights in Canada

Published 2015-11-19, 06:31 p/m
© Reuters. BCE Inc gets more HBO distribution rights in Canada
NFLX
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BCE
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CJRb
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TORONTO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Canada's BCE Inc BCE.TO is
expanding its control of HBO content in Canada, scooping up
distribution rights in the west of the country from Corus
Entertainment Inc CJRb.TO and inking an extensive deal with
the premium U.S. cable network that includes online delivery.
BCE, Canada's largest telecom company and a major media
company, will pay Corus C$211 million ($158.7 million) for
those rights, the two companies said in statements on Thursday.
The deal directly with Time Warner Inc's TWX.N HBO will
give BCE's Bell Media unit exclusive rights for its linear,
on-demand, and over-the-top platforms "well into the next
decade," BCE said. Financial terms for that agreement were not
disclosed.
BCE has spent billions to buy media companies over the last
five years but struggled to deal with the loss of a lucrative
sports contract and competition from streaming services such as
Netflix (O:NFLX).
The deal means first-run programming of HBO content such as
Game of Thrones could be pushed to BCE's Crave TV subscription
service, which it plans to make available to any Canadian with
an Internet connection from January.
The media landscape in Canada is in flux as companies jostle
ahead of the 2016 implementation of new rules that will force
them to offer a smaller basic package of television channels to
subscribers who can then add individual channels.
Bell Media already served up HBO content in eastern Canada
via The Movie Network channel, while Corus had been offering it
from west of Ontario.
Corus said the axing of its pay TV business in Western
Canada was part of a strategic focus on core national media
brands targeting kids, women and families.
($1 = 1.3295 Canadian dollars)

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