‘Saturday Night Live’ Finds a New Broadcast Home in Canada
In an exciting shift for Canadian television, ‘Saturday Night Live’ will transition from its longstanding home at Global Television to CTV and the Crave streaming service. This change will take effect with the series’ 52nd season, set to premiere later this year.
New Chapter for Saturday Night Live in Canada
The agreement between Bell Media, the parent company of CTV, and NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution marks a significant move of the iconic sketch comedy series. Crave, which currently features past episodes of SNL, will celebrate the arrival of new content in the upcoming season.
Remarks from Bell Media
Justin Stockman, vice president of global content at Bell Media, commented on the transition. He noted, “A proven hit for over 50 years, the series has always been at the vanguard of pop culture, setting the tone for modern humor. We will be enjoying alongside viewers when the new season premieres on Crave and CTV.”
Shifts in Canadian Media Landscape
This transition reflects ongoing adjustments among Canadian broadcasters as they compete in the streaming landscape. Following NBCU’s Peacock’s focus on the U.S. market, Canadian rights to SNL are now held by a new company after a lengthy association with Corus Entertainment.
- Year of transition: 2023
- Previous broadcaster: Global Television
- New broadcasters: CTV and Crave
As other media giants also shift affiliations, Corus Entertainment faces significant challenges. In May 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) transitioned popular entertainment brands from Corus to Rogers Sports and Media. WBD also moved other channels, such as Discovery and Animal Planet, away from Bell Media.
Impact on Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment, which has traditionally attracted viewers with shows like ‘Survivor’ and franchises such as ‘NCIS’, now loses a vital series as linear TV advertising continues to decline in Canada. The broadcast landscape is changing, pushing both broadcasters and viewers toward the growing influence of streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video.
With these developments, ‘Saturday Night Live’ is poised for a fresh start in Canada, promising to bring its unique brand of humor to new audiences on its new platforms.
