The media industry is often painted as a bleak place nowadays, but Bell Media says it’s seeing some sunshine through the clouds. 

The broadcaster released an overview of its entertainment specialty channels’ performance in 2023, saying the portfolio achieved its “highest share on record” for the 25-54 demo with an increase of 6% over the year prior (2022). Bell Media’s portfolio includes Discovery, CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel and CTV Sci-Fi Channel.

According to 2023 Numeris data (Jan. 1 to Oct. 31) provided by Bell Media, Discovery took the top spot in Canadian English entertainment specialty channels for total viewers. The company’s Comedy, Drama, Life and Sci-Fi channels all cracked the category’s top 10 for total viewers and in 25-54, with Comedy and Drama in the top two spots in the latter demo.

Discovery stayed on top for the second year in a row thanks to factual series like Heavy Rescue: 401 (4.5 million viewers), which ranked #3 for Canadian series in the entertainment specialty category for 25-54s. East Harbour Heroes also did well and was the third-most-watched Canadian show on the channel for the key demo. 

CTV Life was up 38% in total viewers over last year and Sci-Fi was up 27% over 2022. CTV Drama boosted itself by two spots to make it into the top 10 for total viewers, while Comedy held on to its top spot as the top-ranked Canadian entertainment speciality channel for 25-54s. Bell Media says it is the fifth year the channel achieved the ranking, matching a record previously held by Discovery. Comedy is toplined by series such as Acting Good, now in its second season and ranked as the channel’s top show with 25-54s.  

Elsewhere, Bell Media’s Mary Makes It Easy culinary lifestyle show has been a hit for CTV Life, quadrupling its season two audience in season three. The show helped bolster the channel’s 2023 to make it its best-performing year for the 25-54 demo and overall the channel increased its reach within the demo by 50% over last year. 

Bell Media’s speciality rankings come as Canadian broadcasters, funding agencies, foreign streamers and other stakeholders have been appearing in front of Canada’s industry regulator for the past two weeks. The presentations largely focus on changes to the formulas that govern contributions to Canadian TV and its carriage.

Correction: This article previously referred to Mary Makes It Easy as a talk show, which is incorrect. It is a culinary lifestyle show and has been updated above.