Family Channel, TV broadcaster of young viewer favourites including “The Next Step” and “Yo Gabba Gabba!”, is going off the air amid a “declining broadcast space” in Canada, says entertainment company WildBrain.
After WildBrain was unable to work out a broadcasting agreement with Rogers, the telecom giant told the Toronto-based entertainment firm it would be removing Family Channel, Family Jr., WildBrainTV and Télémagino.
WildBrain said in a statement that Bell also dropped the channels, leading the company to conclude they “are no longer commercially viable.”
WildBrain will stop broadcasting the channels in the coming months once they’re pulled from Rogers and will surrender the channel licences to the CRTC, the company added.
“For nearly four decades, Family Channel has been a trusted destination for Canadian kids and families. We’re incredibly proud of the legacy we’ve built — thanks to our loyal viewers, dedicated television employees and the many talented Canadian producers we’ve partnered with,” WildBrain CEO Josh Scherba said in a statement.
Scherba said discontinuing the channels is “unfortunate” but that WildBrain was prepared.
“We have deliberately positioned our business to align with changing consumer habits, including a strategic exit from the declining broadcast space in Canada,” he said.
Scherba added the company is focused on sustaining its growth by leveraging its iconic offerings, including “Peanuts,” “Strawberry Shortcake” and “Teletubbies” across streaming services and products.
