Bell Media, the Canadian broadcaster, has announced an initiative to transform its media archives into a digital-first content ecosystem, unlocking decades of the country’s cultural history.

YouTube will serve as the primary home for the revitalised legacy content available to audiences in Canada and around the world. Spanning an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 physical tapes dating back to the early 1960s, the Bell Media archive represents a rich record of Canadian news, music, and entertainment.

Through a large-scale digitisation effort, Bell Media says it will convert more than 100,000 tapes by the end of 2026, preserving and reactivating legacy content for modern audiences. This “hidden history” is being unlocked using Google’s Gemini models, to generate metadata which allows Bell Media to instantly search and categorise thousands of hours of footage, turning a static warehouse into a searchable global resource. Bell Media is also evaluating AI-enabled partnerships to support automated clipping and publishing, accelerating how preserved content is surfaced and shared globally.

Bell Media is curating its library into specialised digital destinations:

• MuchRewind: Launched as a “digital time machine,” this YouTube channel brings raw interviews from MuchMusic’s golden era back to the public. Music fans can now rediscover candid moments with icons like Madonna, Britney Spears, Missy Elliott, Eminem, and the late Aaliyah in HD quality that surpasses the original broadcasts.
• Legacy Revived: The extensive archive of Canada’s most-watched news-magazine, W5, is being introduced to global audiences for the first time through dedicated YouTube hubs, proving the enduring relevance of Canadian storytelling. To further highlight the enduring legacy of Canadian programming, Etalk will be making its 25-year archive available on its YouTube channel
• Cultural Restoration: Beyond entertainment, the archive is supporting high-profile external documentaries, including an upcoming HBO project by Questlove and The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, providing the world with a window into Canada’s media heritage.

“As part of a digital distribution strategy, we are leveraging platforms such as YouTube to extend reach and accessibility, ensuring our content meets audiences where they are,” commented Dave Daigle, Vice President, Local TV, iHeartRadio & Bell Media Studios.  “Our archive is one of our greatest assets, and by investing in the technology and vision to unlock it, we’re preserving Canadian history.”

“YouTube is the world’s stage, and we are proud to support Bell Media in bringing these iconic Canadian stories out of the vault and onto a global platform,” added Stephanie Wilson Chapin, Lead of TV, Sports and News at YouTube Canada. “By preserving this content digitally, we’re ensuring that Canadian creativity continues to inspire and reach new audiences across the globe for years to come.”

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Tags: bell media, canada, youtube