| Sundance Channel | |
|---|---|
| Sundance Channel logo | |
| Launched | September 7, 2001 |
| Owned by | Corus Entertainment |
| Slogan | For a change |
| Country | Canada |
| Broadcast area | National |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Formerly called | Drive-In Classics (2001 - 2010) |
| Website | Sundance Channel |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Bell TV | Channel 613 |
| Shaw Direct | Channel 586 |
| Cable | |
| Available on many Canadian cable systems | Check local listings |
| IPTV | |
| Bell Aliant TV | Channel 550 |
| Bell Fibe TV | Channel 613 |
| MTS | Channel 234 |
| Optik TV | Channel 224 |
| SaskTel | Channel 143 |
Sundance Channel is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Sundance Channel airs programming focused on independent films, documentaries, music-series', dramas and more.
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In June 2001, CHUM Limited was given approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch a national category 2 specialty channel known as "The Drive-In Channel", with programming described as being centred around "Drive-In B movies and series, as well as occasional magazine-style shows focusing on the genre".[1]
The channel was launched only three months later, on September 7, 2001 at 9:00 p.m. EST under the name "Drive-In Classics",[2] which focused on showing primarily films from the B movie genre, focusing on films popular at the drive-in theatres in the 1950s to 1970s, along with a number of television series including The Hilarious House of Frightenstein and Xena: Warrior Princess.
Programming on Drive-In Classics were organized into themes including: Martial Arts Mondays - fight-themed movies, Western Wednesdays - Western movies, Steamy Windshields (Fridays) - teenage-themed movies, Horror Marathon (Saturdays) - horror films and Salem's Lot, various films picked by host Rob Salem, which was ended on August 30, 2009.
In July 2006, Bell Globemedia announced that it would purchase CHUM for an estimated $1.7 billion CAD, included in the sale was Drive-In Classics.[3] The sale was subject to CRTC approval and was approved in June 2007,[4] with the transaction completed on June 22, 2007.
On July 14, 2009, CTVglobemedia announced the sale of Drive-In Classics, along with SexTV: The Channel, to Corus Entertainment for $40 million CAD.[5] Before the sale was approved, Corus had announced in late September that they planned to rebrand the channel, however, Corus did not give any specific details regarding the rebranding.[6] The sale was approved by the CRTC on November 19.[7]
On December 8, Corus announced that Drive-In Classics would be rebranded as a Canadian version of Sundance Channel on March 1, 2010 under an agreement with the American channel's owner, Rainbow Media, which would not own any stake in the Canadian channel.[8][9] The channel was officially rebranded on March 1, 2010 as planned, focusing its programming on independent films, documentaries, scripted drams and comedies, musical performances, and more.
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