WildBrainTV

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Defunct Canadian pay television channel (2011–2025)

title: "WildBrainTV" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["wildbrain", "children's-television-networks-in-canada", "television-channels-and-stations-established-in-2011", "television-channels-and-stations-disestablished-in-2025", "defunct-specialty-television-channels-in-canada", "english-language-television-stations-in-canada", "2011-establishments-in-canada", "2025-disestablishments-in-canada"] description: "Defunct Canadian pay television channel (2011–2025)" topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WildBrainTV" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Defunct Canadian pay television channel (2011–2025) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox television channel"]

FieldValue
nameWildBrainTV
logoWildBrain TV logo.png
logo_captionFinal logo used from March 1, 2022 to October 23, 2025.
launch_date
closed_date
picture_format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
ownerAstral Media (2011–2013)
Bell Media (2013–2014)
WildBrain (2014–2025)
countryCanada
areaNationwide
headquartersToronto, Ontario
former_namesDisney XD (2011–2015)
Family CHRGD (2015–2022)
sister_channels
::

::callout[type=note] a Canadian television channel formerly known as Disney XD that is operated by WildBrain and launched on June 1, 2011 ::

| name = WildBrainTV | logo = WildBrain TV logo.png | logo_caption = Final logo used from March 1, 2022 to October 23, 2025. | launch_date = | closed_date = | picture_format = 1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed) | owner = Astral Media (2011–2013) Bell Media (2013–2014) WildBrain (2014–2025) | country = Canada | area = Nationwide | headquarters = Toronto, Ontario | former_names = Disney XD (2011–2015) Family CHRGD (2015–2022) | sister_channels = WildBrainTV was a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by WildBrain. WildBrainTV broadcast live-action and animated children's programming aimed towards audiences ages 6–15. Its name came from its owner, WildBrain.

The channel first launched on June 1, 2011, under the ownership of Astral Media. It initially operated as a localized version of Disney XD, under license from Disney Channels Worldwide, as a sister network to Family Channel. Following the acquisition of Astral Media by Bell Media, Disney XD was divested to DHX Media (now WildBrain) in 2014.

In 2015, Corus Entertainment acquired the rights to programming from Disney Channel and its siblings (later launching a new Canadian Disney XD channel), resulting in DHX's existing Disney XD channel being rebranded as Family CHRGD (a brand extension of Family Channel with a similar positioning) in October 2015. The channel adopted its final branding on March 1, 2022, and it shut down on October 23, 2025.

History

As Disney XD (2011–2015)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/2009_Disney_XD_logo.svg" caption="Disney XD logo used from June 1, 2011 to October 9, 2015"] ::

In April 2009, Astral Media, through its subsidiary The Family Channel Inc., was granted CRTC approval for a new category 2 service under the working name "Family Extreme". The new service would feature "programming from around the world devoted to entertainment, humour, travel, games, science and technology and targeted toward children aged 6 to 17 years and their families". Astral later announced that it would launch a Canadian version of Disney XD on June 1, 2011. Operating under the Family Extreme license, the service expanded upon Family's relationship as a licensee of Disney Channel programming.

In 2012, the channel premiered its first original series, Slugterra. After the Competition Bureau approved Bell Media's acquisition of Astral, Bell announced on March 4, 2013, that Disney XD, as well as its sister networks and Astral's French-language MusiquePlus and MusiMax would be divested. On October 27, 2013, the channel premiered its first original movie, Bunks, produced by Fresh TV.

On November 28, 2013, DHX Media announced that it would acquire Disney XD and its sister networks for $170 million. The acquisition was approved by the CRTC on July 24, 2014, and closed on July 31, 2014.

In that same year, Disney XD premiered the pilot for Fangbone!, in May, and a new original series, Gaming Show (In My Parents' Garage), in November.

As Family CHRGD/WildBrainTV (2015–2025)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Family_Chrgd_logo.svg" caption="Family CHRGD logo, which was used from October 9, 2015, to March 1, 2022"] ::

On April 16, 2015, it was announced that Corus Entertainment had acquired Canadian rights to Disney Channel's program library; alongside the launch of a Canadian version of Disney Channel, Corus stated that it would launch other Disney branded channels in the future, which eventually included a new Disney XD. In anticipation for this transition, DHX concurrently announced that its Disney-branded networks would be rebranded as spin-offs of Family Channel by November 2015, with Disney XD tentatively being rebranded as Family XTRM.

On August 20, 2015, DHX announced the fall lineups for its networks, revealing the official rebranding for Disney XD as Family CHRGD. Its lineup was to feature new seasons of the network's existing original series, in addition to new shows produced by DHX subsidiaries and other studios (such as the aforementioned Fangbone!), as well as new program supply agreements with Mattel, and later in the year, DreamWorks Animation. The rebranding occurred on October 9, 2015.

On March 1, 2022, Family CHRGD rebranded as WildBrainTV, with no change in programming.

Closure (2025)

On December 18, 2024, WildBrain announced that it would sell a two-thirds majority stake of its television operations (including Family Channel) to IoM Media Ventures, a Halifax-based company founded by former WildBrain CEO Dana Landry.

In April 2025, WildBrain stated that it would be renegotiating aspects of the agreement, citing factors such as a decision by Bell Canada not to renew its carriage agreements for WildBrain's channels.

On August 25, 2025, WildBrain announced that it was unable to renew its carriage agreements with Rogers Cable. It therefore announced plans to close all of its specialty channels in the near future, as the decline in these carriage agreements meant the channels had lost most of their value and were "no longer commercially viable". All four networks shut down at 5:59 a.m. Eastern on October 23, though some providers stopped their carriage of the channels at midnight several hours earlier.

Programming

Final programming

Canadian productions

Acquired programming

Former programming

As Disney XD (2011–2015)

Programs in bold indicate that programming were moved to the new incarnation of Disney XD.

As Family CHRGD (2015–2022)

As WildBrainTV (2022–2025)

Notes

References

References

  1. (2009-04-24). "Family Extreme - Category 2 specialty service". CRTC.
  2. Wedge, Pip. "Disney XD". Canadian Communications Foundation.
  3. Biblic, Mirko. (27 June 2013). "Re: Voting Trust Agreement between BCE Inc. and Pierre Boivin, the trustee Application No. 2013-0243-9–Approved". CRTC.
  4. (June 12, 2012). "Disney XD and Disney Junior Commission Original Canadian Series". Broadcaster Magazine.
  5. (November 28, 2013). "DHX Media to buy Family, other children's channels". Toronto Star.
  6. (November 28, 2013). "DHX to acquire Family Channel, three others from Bell Media". The Globe and Mail.
  7. (July 24, 2014). "DHX Media receives CRTC approval on $170M acquisition of Family Channel and three other children's channels". DHX Media.
  8. (July 24, 2014). "DHX Media approved for Family Channel takeover". Brunico Communications.
  9. (July 31, 2014). "DHX Media closes Family Channel acquisition and announces management changes". Canada Newswire.
  10. (March 5, 2015). "DHX Television Commissions Radical Sheep's Animated Comedy Action Series Fangbone!". Newswire.
  11. (November 5, 2014). "Disney XD gets its game on with the premiere of Gaming Show (In My Parents' Garage) November 16". Newswire.
  12. "Corus gains Canadian rights to Disney Channel content". The Globe and Mail.
  13. (16 April 2015). "DHX-Disney Divorce Almost Done".
  14. (August 21, 2015). "DHX TV reveals fall skeds for rebranded channels". Kid Screen.
  15. (8 December 2015). "DreamWorks Animation Inks Strategic Content Pact With DHX Media".
  16. (October 7, 2015). "DHX Television's Family CHRGD to Go to Air".
  17. "Breaking News…CHRGD is CHNGNG to WildBrainTV!". WildBrain Television.
  18. Thiessen, Connie. (2024-12-18). "WildBrain selling majority stake in TV channels".
  19. (2025-04-15). "WildBrain and IoM are adjusting their deal terms".
  20. "WildBrain's $28m deal to offload TV assets hit by channel carriage dispute with Bell".
  21. Tuchow, Ryan. "WildBrain to shutter its channels business".
  22. "Channel lineup changes October 22".
  23. (24 October 2022). "Carmen Sandiego | WildBrainTV".
  24. "WildBrainTV - YouTube".
  25. "Wildbrain Television Celebrates Canadian Creativity With New Greenlights Across Animation and Live-Action, Offering Programming for the Entire Family to Enjoy".
  26. "Watch".
  27. "Escape to the Wilderness With New Action-Packed Reality Series Survivalists on Family Channel".
  28. "Watch".
  29. "Watch".
  30. "Just Like Mom & Dad - CHRGD.ca".
  31. "My Side of the Sky". DHX Media.
  32. "9 Story licenses Nature Cat to DHX TV".
  33. "Troll Hunters: Tales of Arcadia". DHX Media.
  34. "Dawn of the Croods". DHX Media.
  35. "Watch".
  36. "Family CHRGD East TV Listings, TV Shows and Schedule–Zap2it".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

wildbrainchildren's-television-networks-in-canadatelevision-channels-and-stations-established-in-2011television-channels-and-stations-disestablished-in-2025defunct-specialty-television-channels-in-canadaenglish-language-television-stations-in-canada2011-establishments-in-canada2025-disestablishments-in-canada