OLN


OLN is a Canadian English-language Category A specialty channel. OLN primarily broadcasts factual-based adventure-related programming and reality television series primarily aimed at male audiences. OLN is wholly owned by Rogers Media, although the "OLN" name continues to be licensed from Bonnier Group, publishers of Outdoor Life magazine.

History

Licensed in September 1996 as Outdoor Life by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the channel launched on October 17, 1997, as Outdoor Life Network. Its initial owners were Baton Broadcasting, Rogers Media, and the Outdoor Life Network in the U.S., which was later acquired by Comcast.
It was announced on November 16, 2007, that Rogers would acquire the remaining interests in OLN from both CTVglobemedia and Comcast, leaving Rogers as the sole owner of OLN. The deal was approved by the CRTC on July 7, 2008, and was finalized on August 1, 2008, with Rogers taking operational control on August 31, 2008.

Programming

OLN was based on an American channel of the same name which had launched earlier in 1995, and shared much of its programmingincluding most prominently, coverage of the Tour de France. Due to restrictions in its CRTC licence that required it to maintain a focus on outdoors programming and because Bell and Rogers already owned TSN and Sportsnet respectively, OLN did not follow the suit of its American counterpart and become a mainstream sports channel. Instead, the OLN name and format was maintained, but with fewer shows from its former counterpart.
OLN participated in CTV/Rogers Media coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics).

Notable programs

On June 24, 2011, Rogers launched OLN HD, a high definition simulcast of OLN. It is available on Shaw Direct, Bell TV, Eastlink, and Optik TV.