Canadian public broadcaster CBC is upping its documentary spend by C$7 million and is rolling out a new FAST channel this fall to replace the specialty service documentary Channel, which is ceasing operations at the end of August.
The increased doc budget will be used to fund a range of formats, including more feature-length specials. CBC will reveal more details about this move at next month’s Banff World Media Festival.
“Our commitment to original Canadian documentary storytelling is stronger than ever,” said Jennifer Dettman, executive director of unscripted content at the CBC. “By increasing our investment, we are creating more opportunities for filmmakers at every stage of their careers and ensuring their remarkable stories reach even larger audiences.”
The FAST channel, meanwhile, replaces documentary Channel, shuttering “due to significant shifts in linear television consumption habits and declining subscribers,” CBC said. It will draw content from the CBC library. CBC Gem, meanwhile, features more than 700 docs.
Dettman said the FAST channel “allows us to modernize how we deliver high-quality documentaries, making it easier than ever for Canadians to discover the very best in home-grown storytelling.”
The CBC FAST portfolio also includes the CBC Comedy channel, 15 CBC News streaming channels, and an advertising-free CBC Kids channel.
