FYI (stylized as fyi,) was a former
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
specialty channel
A specialty channel (also known in the United States as a cable channel or cable network) can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted ...
owned by
Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian mass media company. Formed in 1999 as a spin-off from Shaw Communications, it has prominent holdings in the radio, publishing, and television industries. It is headquartered at Corus Quay in Toronto, Onta ...
. Based on the American cable network of the
same name, the channel features lifestyle programming, with a mix of
reality
Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...
, culinary, home renovation and makeover series.
The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Discovery Health Channel by
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. (commonly known as Alliance Atlantis and commonly shortened to simply Alliance or Atlantis and formerly traded as TSX:AAC) was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operato ...
and
Discovery Communications
Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Chann ...
, which focused on health and wellness-oriented programming. Discovery Health was acquired by
Canwest
Canwest Global Communications Corporation, which operated under the corporate name Canwest, was a major Canadian media conglomerate based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with its head offices at Canwest Place. It held radio, television broadcasting an ...
in 2008 which rebranded the network as Twist TV in 2010 before being taken over by
Shaw Media
Shaw Media was the television broadcasting division of Shaw Communications. Shaw Media owned the Global Television Network, which broadcasts nationally via 13 television stations, as well as 19 specialty channels including Slice (TV channel), Sli ...
. As Twist TV, the channel shifted to reality programming aimed at a female demographic.
After being rebranded to FYI in 2014 and acquired by Corus in 2016, the channel ended its operations on December 31, 2019.
History
As Discovery Health
In January 2000,
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. (commonly known as Alliance Atlantis and commonly shortened to simply Alliance or Atlantis and formerly traded as TSX:AAC) was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operato ...
brokered a deal with
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...
's
News Corporation
News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp.), also variously known as News Corporation Limited, was an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Ne ...
and several Canadian television providers, including both national satellite companies
Bell ExpressVu
Bell Satellite TV (french: Bell Télé; formerly known as Bell ExpressVu, Dish Network Canada and ExpressVu Dish Network and not to be confused with Bell's IPTV Bell Fibe TV, Fibe TV service) is the division of BCE Inc. that provides satellite ...
and
Star Choice, to distribute News Corporation's cable channel,
The Health Network, in Canada. The deal would mark the first time The Health Network would be available in Canada.
The deal struck to sponsor The Health Network's distribution in Canada was a prelude to the fact that Alliance Atlantis and News Corporation would eventually launch a Canadian version of the channel for the domestic market and remove the American channel from the Canadian market. On November 24, 2000, Alliance Atlantis (which would hold 80% majority interest in the channel) and News Corporation (which would hold the remaining 20% interest) were granted a broadcasting licence for The Health Network Canada by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; french: Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes, links=) is a public organization in Canada with mandate as a regulatory agency for broadcasti ...
(CRTC).
Prior to the launch of the network, in September 2001,
Discovery Communications
Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Chann ...
(owners of
Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel was an American subscription television channel. Launched in July 1998, it was owned by Discovery Communications as a spin-off of Discovery Channel, focusing on health and wellness-oriented programming.
In the beginni ...
in the U.S.) bought The Health Network from News Corporation for US$255 million. Through that transaction, Discovery Communications would also acquire News Corporation's 20% interest in The Health Network Canada.
As a result of Discovery Communications' newly acquired interest in the service, the network was launched that same month on September 7, 2001 as the ''Discovery Health Channel''. On the same day as the Canadian channel's launch, the American service, The Health Network, was removed from all Canadian television providers. In February 2002, The Health Network was removed from the CRTC's list of foreign satellite services eligible for carriage on Canadian pay television providers, by request of The Health Network's owners.
On January 18, 2008, a
joint venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acces ...
between
Canwest
Canwest Global Communications Corporation, which operated under the corporate name Canwest, was a major Canadian media conglomerate based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with its head offices at Canwest Place. It held radio, television broadcasting an ...
and
Goldman Sachs Capital Partners
Goldman Sachs Capital Partners is the private equity arm of Goldman Sachs, focused on leveraged buyout and growth capital investments globally. The group, which is based in New York City, was founded in 1986. As of 2019, GS Capital Partners had r ...
, known as CW Media, bought
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. (commonly known as Alliance Atlantis and commonly shortened to simply Alliance or Atlantis and formerly traded as TSX:AAC) was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operato ...
and through that transaction, acquired Alliance Atlantis' interest in Discovery Health. In 2009, CW Media purchased the remaining interest in the channel from Discovery Communications, bringing its ownership to 100%.
[Discovery Health Rebrands As Twist TV](_blank)
As Twist TV
![TwistTV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/TwistTV.svg)
Two deals were announced in late 2009 and early 2010 that affected the future of the Canadian channel. First, Discovery Communications announced that the flagship Discovery Health channel in the U.S. would be replaced by the
Oprah Winfrey Network
Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) is an American multinational basic cable channel jointly owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and Harpo Studios that launched on January 1, 2011, replacing the Discovery Health Channel.
The network is led by talk show h ...
(OWN) in January 2011. OWN later reached an agreement with
Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian mass media company. Formed in 1999 as a spin-off from Shaw Communications, it has prominent holdings in the radio, publishing, and television industries. It is headquartered at Corus Quay in Toronto, Onta ...
to launch a Canadian version of that channel shortly after the U.S. version's debut. Later in April 2010, Discovery Communications announced an expanded long-term agreement with
Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. ( French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies.
Establishment (2011–13)
On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...
(then CTVglobemedia, Discovery's Canadian partner for most of its other channels) under which Bell holds Canadian broadcast rights to most of the Discovery Communications programming library, including Discovery Health programs, and the right to launch new Discovery-branded channels.
On September 15, 2010, Canwest announced Discovery Health Canada would rebrand as ''Twist TV'' on November 1. The rebranded channel would focus on reality shows about "people facing extraordinary situations" aimed at a female demographic including such shows as ''
Nanny 911
''Nanny 911'' is a reality television show in the United States, which originally aired on Fox from 2004 to 2007.
On February 27, 2008, Fox announced that it sold the rights to ''Nanny 911'' (as well as its partnered Fox show, '' Trading Spous ...
'', ''
Raising Sextuplets
''Raising Sextuplets'' is a reality television series produced in the United States by Eric Schiff Productions about the Masche family, consisting of parents Bryan and Jenny Masche and their sextuplets. It aired on WE tv. The family originally ap ...
'', ''
Dad Camp'', and ''
Little Miss Perfect''. The name came from the narrative "
twist
Twist may refer to:
In arts and entertainment Film, television, and stage
* ''Twist'' (2003 film), a 2003 independent film loosely based on Charles Dickens's novel ''Oliver Twist''
* ''Twist'' (2021 film), a 2021 modern rendition of ''Olive ...
" trope common with reality and non-fiction programming.
On October 27, 2010, the channel's ownership changed again as
Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications Inc. is a Canadian telecommunications company which provides telephone, Internet, television, and mobile services. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Shaw provides home telecommunications services primarily in Alberta and Br ...
gained control of Discovery Health as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media. The channel officially rebranded five days later. The network was wholly unrelated to the American
Twist
Twist may refer to:
In arts and entertainment Film, television, and stage
* ''Twist'' (2003 film), a 2003 independent film loosely based on Charles Dickens's novel ''Oliver Twist''
* ''Twist'' (2021 film), a 2021 modern rendition of ''Olive ...
network with the same format launched in 2021.
Rebrand as FYI
In June 2014, it was reported that Twist TV, along with sister network
Mystery TV
Crime & Investigation (stylized as Crime + Investigation, and formerly known as Mystery) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment.
It is a licensed version of A&E Networks' Crime & Inves ...
, would be rebranded as Canadian versions of
FYI and the
Crime & Investigation Network under a licensing agreement with
A+E Networks
A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company ...
. A+E Networks and Shaw Media had previously partnered to rebrand
History Television
The History Channel (also known as History) is a Canadian English language specialty channel that primarily broadcast programming related to history and historical fiction. It is owned by Corus Entertainment, with the History branding used under ...
,
Showcase Diva and
The Cave as Canadian versions of
History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
,
Lifetime and
H2 in 2012.
The launch of FYI (as well as CI) was intended to draw in more female viewers, the primary audience of Shaw Media's lifestyle networks. In addition to programming from the U.S. service, as well as other Shaw Media-owned channels, the new channel will air shows from other sources. The channel was relaunched on the morning of September 1, 2014 with a free preview to last the rest of the month. A month prior, a Canadian version of the FYI website went online. Over time, the website was updated to include information pertaining to the channel.
A YouTube channel went online August 28, 2014; on that day, sneak peeks of FYI programming aired on Lifetime and
Slice. On April 1, 2016, Shaw Media was sold to
Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian mass media company. Formed in 1999 as a spin-off from Shaw Communications, it has prominent holdings in the radio, publishing, and television industries. It is headquartered at Corus Quay in Toronto, Onta ...
.
At the Corus Entertainment upfronts, Corus Entertainment announced its Fall 2019 schedules of
W Network
W Network (often shortened to W) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily broadcasts general entertainment programming oriented towards a female audience.
W Network was established in ...
and
Showcase
Showcase or vitrine may refer to:
*Cabinet (furniture)
*Display case
Music
* ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964
* ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961
* ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964
* ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...
; FYI, was not included in the upfronts. The following day,
Telus
Telus Communications Inc. (TCI) is the wholly owned principal subsidiary of Telus Corporation, a Canadian national telecommunications company that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voi ...
announced that it would be adding
Much, a
Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. ( French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies.
Establishment (2011–13)
On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...
channel that launched in 1984, by replacing FYI on December 31, 2019. Additionally, this would mean Much would launch the same way it did in the United States as
Fuse
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
replaced MuchMusic USA on May 19, 2003.
In October 2019, Corus announced that FYI would be shut down on December 31, 2019, after which the channel space created in 2001 by Discovery Health Channel ceased to exist. The channel's license was surrendered to the CRTC on February 4, 2020.
[ https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2020/2020-71.htm]
FYI HD
In late 2016, Corus launched FYI HD, a
1080i
1080i (also known as Full HD or BT.709) is a combination of frame resolution and scan type. 1080i is used in high-definition television (HDTV) and high-definition video. The number "1080" refers to the number of horizontal lines on the screen. ...
high definition simulcast of the
standard definition
Standard-definition television (SDTV, SD, often shortened to standard definition) is a television system which uses a resolution that is not considered to be either high or enhanced definition. "Standard" refers to it being the prevailing sp ...
feed. The HD feed was available on
Bell Fibe TV
Bell Fibe TV is an IP-based television service offered by Bell Canada in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is bundled with a FTTN or FTTH Bell Internet service, and uses the Mediaroom platform. Bell Fibe TV officially launched on Septem ...
,
Bell MTS
Bell MTS Inc. (formerly Manitoba Telecom Services) is a subsidiary of BCE Inc. that operates telecommunications services in Manitoba.
Originally established as Manitoba Government Telephones after the Government of Manitoba purchased the Manito ...
and
Optik TV
Telus Optik TV is a product of Telus Communications, a subsidiary of Telus Corporation, that provides IPTV service in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. The service offers over 630 digital channels, including more t ...
. On August 8, 2018, it launched on
Shaw Direct
Shaw Direct is a direct broadcast satellite television distributor in Canada and a subsidiary of the telecommunications company Shaw Communications. As of 2010, Shaw Direct had over 900,000 subscribers. It broadcasts on Ku band from two communic ...
.
See also
*
Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel was an American subscription television channel. Launched in July 1998, it was owned by Discovery Communications as a spin-off of Discovery Channel, focusing on health and wellness-oriented programming.
In the beginni ...
(US)
*
Discovery Home & Health
Discovery Home & Health is a television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery that features lifestyle programming.
Discovery Home & Health is available in Latin America, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, Tha ...
(UK)
References
External links
*
{{Discovery Communications
English-language television stations in Canada
Television channels and stations established in 2001
Television channels and stations disestablished in 2019
Digital cable television networks in Canada
Former Corus Entertainment networks
Television channels and networks about health
2001 establishments in Canada
2019 disestablishments in Canada