CBC’s free ad-supported news channel is now live, also revealing its name and a lineup of original programming.

First announced in June, CBC News Explore is initially available as a live stream of programming on CBC Gem, the CBC app, the CBC News website and The Roku Channel, with plans to bring it to more connected TV devices in the coming months.

In a blog posted Wednesday morning, CBC News editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon described the channel as “a place where Canadians can step back from the fast pace of breaking news for a deeper dive into the stories and conversations that shape our lives.” And citing the growing audience watching The National through digital channels, Fenlon said CBC News Explore was another way the corporation can fulfill its mandate to Canadians who are increasingly looking online for news and information.

“While some critics focus on traditional TV audience numbers as the only measure of our success, the real story of how an organization like the CBC reaches and grows its audience in today’s multiplatform media landscape is much bigger and infinitely more complex,” he said. “Streaming audiences, though fragmented, are sizable and growing, hungry for high-quality, fact-based Canadian video journalism – just not in the places we’ve traditionally offered TV news.”

In addition to previously announced simulcasts of The National, The Fifth Estate and Marketplace, CBC has also revealed more details about programing on the channel.

About That is a daily program hosted by Andrew Chang, who moved on from his co-anchor position at The National in August. It aims to take a deep dive into the biggest news stories, “with openness and genuine curiosity.” Playlists will also feature a curated lineup of CBC News’s daily journalism and features from its national and regional coverage.

Outside of daily programming, This Week In Canada is a weekly program that explores local news stories in communities across the country. BIG is a monthly documentary special focusing on how different industries impact our daily lives – the first edition will focus on the entertainment industry and true crime content, and how it affects decisions made by police, courts and the news media.

Planet Wonder is an original six-episode series, hosted by Johanna Wagstaffe, which will seek to answer questions about climate and introduce people and projects looking to address climate change.

All of the programs are also available on-demand on CBC’s website, app, YouTube, social media pages and CBC Gem.

Featured image by Vanessa Heins/CBC.