Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium
A Bell–Rogers joint venture that produced Canada's coverage of the 2010 and 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium (COBMC), legally incorporated as 7048467 Canada Inc., was a temporary Canadian media joint venture created by Bell Media and Rogers Media to hold and exercise domestic broadcast rights for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Bell held an 80 percent interest and Rogers held 20 percent. The consortium also covered the corresponding 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer Paralympic Games. The venture replaced CBC Sports as the principal Canadian Olympic rights holder. Its operating model was designed to distribute Olympic programming across a large collection of television, specialty, radio, digital and multilingual outlets rather than concentrate coverage on one network. English-language programming was led by the CTV Television Network, TSN, Sportsnet and OLN, while French-language coverage was carried principally by RDS, RDS Info and Noovo, then known as V, in 2010. Rogers and Bell also used radio stations, news channels and other affiliated properties for updates and ancillary programming. Omni Television and Asian Television Network supplied programming in several languages, and APTN carried selected 2010 Olympic coverage in Indigenous languages. For Vancouver 2010, CTV served as the principal English-language broadcast network, with extensive daytime, prime-time and overnight programming. TSN and Sportsnet provided broad event coverage, while RDS supplied substantial French-language coverage. The consortium also operated English and French Olympic websites that offered live online streams to Canadian audiences. Production was based primarily at the Vancouver Convention Centre's International Broadcast Centre and at facilities in Whistler. Coverage included the opening and closing ceremonies, major Canadian events, hockey, daily highlights and a wide range of complete event broadcasts. The consortium's rights portfolio extended beyond the Olympic Games themselves. Its 2010 Paralympic output included ceremonies, daily highlights and live coverage of Canadian sledge-hockey games, while its 2012 Paralympic coverage was more limited and relied primarily on highlights and digital or other presentation. The partnership was also notable for its use of multilingual distribution, reflecting Canada's linguistic and cultural diversity. Rogers announced in September 2011 that it would leave the venture after the London Games and would not join Bell in pursuing the 2014 and 2016 Olympic rights. Rogers cited scheduling conflicts and financial considerations. Bell subsequently partnered with CBC in an unsuccessful attempt to retain the rights, but the International Olympic Committee rejected the Bell–CBC bids. CBC later reached an agreement to broadcast the 2014 and 2016 Games, with Sportsnet and TSN eventually sub-licensing portions of the 2014 Winter Olympics. COBMC therefore ended after fulfilling its 2010 and 2012 commitments and was not a continuing Olympic network.
History
Canadian Olympic television rights had previously been associated primarily with CBC, although CTV and specialty channels had participated in earlier Games. CTV had broadcast a number of Olympic Games in earlier decades, including the 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994 Games, sometimes in cooperation with CBC. CBC held the Canadian rights beginning with the 1996 Games, while TSN and RDS had also participated through sub-licensing arrangements. In 2007, Bell Media, then operating through the CTVglobemedia structure, and Rogers Media established Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. The legal entity was 7048467 Canada Inc. Bell owned 80 percent and Rogers 20 percent. The consortium was created to combine the companies' networks and production capabilities and to present the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and 2012 London Summer Olympics through a coordinated national operation. It also acquired rights to the two corresponding Paralympic Games. The consortium's structure was unusually broad. CTV was the principal English-language network, while TSN and Sportsnet carried extensive full-event and overflow programming. OLN handled selected outdoor events. RDS and RDS Info formed the core French-language specialty operation, and Noovo carried major French-language programming; in 2010, Noovo was still branded V. Omni stations and Asian Television Network channels offered selected language services, while APTN carried portions of the Vancouver Games in English, French and several Indigenous languages. Radio output was distributed through Rogers' Sportsnet Radio Network and, for French programming, participating partner stations. Dedicated English and French websites extended the operation into live online streaming. The 2010 Vancouver Games were the consortium's largest production. Programming originated mainly from the Vancouver Convention Centre's International Broadcast Centre and from Whistler facilities. CTV scheduled roughly 22 hours of coverage on many days, while TSN, Sportsnet and RDS supplied substantial additional event coverage. The operation also included news, analysis, ceremony coverage, hockey programming and multilingual services. Coverage of the 2010 Winter Paralympics emphasized ceremonies, daily highlights and Canadian sledge hockey. The consortium continued with London 2012 and the related Summer Paralympics. After the London Games, Rogers withdrew from the partnership. Bell attempted to continue Olympic rights cooperation through a bid with CBC for the 2014 and 2016 Games, but the International Olympic Committee did not accept the Bell–CBC bids. CBC subsequently secured rights for those Games, with Sportsnet and TSN later obtaining sub-licensed 2014 Winter Olympics coverage. The consortium consequently became defunct after completing its contracted Olympic cycle.
- 2012
London Summer Olympics broadcast
[1]The consortium completed its second Olympic assignment with Canadian coverage of the London Summer Olympics.
- 2012
CBC returns as principal rights holder
[1]CBC Sports announced an agreement covering the 2014 and 2016 Olympics, replacing the Bell–Rogers group.
- 2011
Rogers announces departure
[1]Rogers announced that it would withdraw after London 2012 and would not participate in bids for the next Olympic cycle.
- 2010
Vancouver Winter Olympics broadcast
[1]The consortium delivered extensive English, French, multilingual, radio and online coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
- 2010
Vancouver Winter Paralympics coverage
[1]Coverage included ceremonies, highlights and live broadcasts of Canadian sledge-hockey games.
- 2007
Consortium established
[1]Bell Media, then associated with CTVglobemedia, and Rogers Media formed the joint venture to produce Canada's coverage of the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games and corresponding Paralympics.
Products and positioning
A national, multi-platform Olympic rights and production consortium combining Bell and Rogers media properties to provide broad English, French, multilingual and digital coverage across Canada.
Sports broadcasting · 2010
2010 Winter Olympics coverage
The Vancouver 2010 operation combined CTV's main English-language schedule with TSN, Sportsnet and OLN event coverage, RDS and Noovo French-language programming, radio services, digital streaming and multilingual output from Omni, ATN and APTN. It included ceremonies, major-event coverage, Canadian team stories, hockey, highlights and full-event broadcasts.
Sports broadcasting · 2012
2012 Summer Olympics coverage
The London 2012 service extended the consortium's national Olympic model to the Summer Games, using Bell and Rogers television, specialty, radio and online properties for English- and French-language coverage and selected event programming.
Sports broadcasting · 2010
Paralympic Games coverage
The consortium held rights to the 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer Paralympics. Vancouver coverage featured ceremonies, daily highlights and live Canadian sledge hockey, while London coverage was more limited and centered on highlights and related programming.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Vancouver 2010 Olympic broadcast campaign
Canada
A national cross-platform presentation placed Olympic programming across CTV, TSN, Sportsnet, RDS, Noovo, radio outlets, multilingual stations and dedicated English and French websites.
Outcome. Completed with the consortium serving as Canada's principal Olympic broadcaster for the Vancouver Games.
Brand decisions
2011
Rogers exits after London 2012StrategyBackground
Rogers cited scheduling conflicts and financial considerations when deciding not to pursue the following Olympic rights cycle with the consortium.
Action taken
Rogers announced it would withdraw after the 2012 Games.
Aftermath
Bell partnered with CBC for subsequent bids, but the IOC rejected those bids; CBC later secured the rights.
2007
Create a multi-network Olympic rights consortiumStrategyBackground
Bell and Rogers sought to combine their national broadcast, specialty, radio and digital assets for the 2010 and 2012 Olympic cycles.
Action taken
They established Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, with Bell holding 80 percent and Rogers 20 percent.
Aftermath
The venture replaced CBC as the principal Canadian Olympic rights holder for the two Games.
Recent events
- 2013
Sportsnet and TSN sub-license portions of CBC's 2014 Olympic rights[1]
M&A · Other
CBC later announced that Sportsnet and TSN would sub-license broadcast rights to the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- 2012
CBC regains Canadian Olympic broadcast rights for 2014 and 2016[1]
Other
CBC Sports announced an agreement to broadcast the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games, replacing the Bell–Rogers group as the principal rights holder.
- 2011
Rogers announces withdrawal from Olympic consortium after London 2012[1]
Leadership change
Rogers said it would leave the Bell–Rogers consortium after the 2012 Games and would not participate in bids for the 2014 Winter and 2016 Summer Olympics, citing scheduling and financial considerations.
Sources1 sources
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