Starz is coming to Canada thanks to Bell Media partnership

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Canadian fans who have wanted Starz will soon be able to get it thanks to an upcoming partnership.

Starz is a popular premium network. CEO Chris Albrecht shared that Outlander is the second most-watched premium program among women, behind Game of Thrones. So it’s not that surprising that there are a lot of Starz fans in the country. But those fans aren’t just in America alone. There have been many north of the border who would love to get their hands on the network.

Bell Media is entering into a contract with Starz, bringing the service to Canada. This isn’t just the first time the network is making it to Canada, but the first international expansion since Lionsgate acquired Starz in Dec. 2016. The content will be released across Bell Media Networks, TMN Encore and Canada’s CraveTV.

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TMN Encore will also be rebranded in 2019 and will then start showing both Lionsgate and Starz programming. There will also be a direct-to-consumer option, similar to the Starz app.

This doesn’t just mean Outlander will be available, but all of Starz programming. Fans can also watch American Gods, The Girlfriend Experience and Counterpart in the same way that Americans can.

Of course, this news comes as a blow for many American fans of the network. There are still ongoing issues with some cable companies dropping the network, arguing that Starz offering its own subscription model makes adding it as a channel obsolete. This clearly isn’t the way the Canadians think, so could help to set up expectations for Altice to bring the channel back.

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There is no word on when the partnership will officially begin. It’s also unclear what Outlander fans will need to be able to watch the premium network through their own TV and laptops. However, the initial news looks good.

This also sets up expectations for the future. Should this work out as well as the network hopes, other countries may finally see access to it.

Next: Starz and Altice negotiations continue

Are you a Canadian fan? Is this news exciting for you? Share your thoughts below.

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