ABC Spark
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English French (via SAP) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Corus Entertainment (branding licensed from The Walt Disney Company) |
ABC Spark is a Canadian English language Category B digital cable and satellite television specialty channel that is owned by Corus Entertainment.[1][2] The channel is based on the U.S. cable network Freeform (previously known as ABC Family), and focuses on programming primarily aimed at teenagers and preteens with additional general interest family programming. Its name is licensed from the Disney–ABC Television Group, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.[3]
History
The announcement of the formation of ABC Spark occurred on October 26, 2011 as part of a program licensing agreement between Corus Entertainment and The Walt Disney Company.[4] The use of the name "ABC Spark", as opposed to "ABC Family", is presumably to avoid any confusion with Family Channel, which at the time aired programming from ABC Family's sibling, Disney Channel.[5] The channel's broadcast licence, tentatively known then as Harmony, was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in February 2012.[6]
Prior to the announcement of the channel's launch, original programming from ABC Family had been airing in Canada on other specialty channels, including the Bell Media-owned MuchMusic.[citation needed] Selected ABC Family programs that were set to air on ABC Spark began airing in special sneak preview blocks in advance of the network's launch starting on January 16, 2012 on Corus-owned sister channels YTV, W Network, and CMT Canada (if you don't count Treehouse TV).[7] The channel was owned by Corus (51%) and Shaw Media (49%) at launch on Monday, March 26, 2012.[8]
Shortly after the channel's launch, the CRTC published notice of a pending application to transfer the ABC Spark license to the numbered company which previously owned Dusk, which is 51% owned by Corus and 49% owned by Shaw Media.[9][10] However, on March 4, 2013, Corus Entertainment announced that it would acquire Shaw Media's 49% ownership interest in ABC Spark, in a larger transaction that would see Corus also acquire Shaw's 50% interest in Historia and Séries+, while Corus would sell their 22.58% stake in Food Network. In total, Shaw would receive net proceeds of approximately $95 million in cash.[11] The sale of the portion of ABC Spark closed in April 2013.[2]
In 2015, Corus expanded its relationship with Disney to acquire rights to Disney Channel's programming and related brands, which resulted in the launch of a Canadian version of Disney Channel, and re-launched versions of Disney Junior and Disney XD due to those operated under the auspices of Family Channel (owned by Halifax's DHX Media) being renamed Family Jr. and Family CHRGD.[12][13]
In October 2015, ABC Family announced plans to change its name to "Freeform" in January 2016.[14] It remains unconfirmed whether or not ABC Spark will follow suit, but around the same time, the channel announced its first original series, Cheer Stars, which premiered in 2016.[15]
Programming
Programming on ABC Spark includes Freeform original comedies (Baby Daddy and Melissa & Joey) and dramas (Switched at Birth and The Fosters). Much of the channel's schedule consists of syndicated third-party programs, and original series from other Corus-owned channels. The channel also holds its own versions of the 25 Days of Christmas and 13 Nights of Halloween events (which are just named the holidays themselves on sister channel Disney XD), which lead up to their respective holidays with special programming and films.
References
- ^ Punter, Jennie (October 26, 2011). "ABC Spark launches in Canada". Variety. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ a b "Press Release - Corus Entertainment Receives CRTC Approval on TELETOON Canada Inc., Historia and Séries+ Acquisitions". Corusent.com. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
- ^ ABC partners with Corus to launch youth network in Canada Los Angeles Times 2011-10-26
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (October 26, 2011). "ABC Spark To Launch in Canada in Spring 2012". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (June 1, 2012). "Canada lights up for ABC Spark". c21media. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-93 CRTC 2012-02-14
- ^ "Corus' ABC Spark to Launch March 26th". Broadcaster Magazine. January 5, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ Wedge, Pip. "ABC Spark". broadcasting-history.ca. Canadian Communications Foundation. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (2012-04-10). "Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-212". Retrieved 2012-04-11.
- ^ Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (2010-05-20). "Financial Summaries: Dusk (formerly Scream), 3924181 Canada Inc". Retrieved 2012-04-11.
- ^ "Shaw, Corus and Bell Ink Specialty Channel Sales Agreements". Mediacaster Magazine. Business Information Group. March 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ "Corus Entertainment snaps up Disney content from DHX Media, plans to launch Disney channel in Canada". Financial Post. Postmedia Network. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ Dickson, Jeremy (August 21, 2015). "DHX TV reveals fall skeds for rebranded channels". Kid Screen. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- ^ Lesley Goldberg (October 6, 2015). "ABC Family Changing Its Name to Freeform". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ Alessi, Sara (October 30, 2015). "Production Begins on ABC Spark's First Original Series". World Screen. WSN INC. Retrieved November 2, 2015.