CBC has put a new stamp on Country Canada and The Documentary Channel — rebranding the digichannels as Bold and Documentary, respectively, in an effort to tempt subscribers with more sophisticated and focused programming.

The channels, led by new creative head Bruce Cowley, and their revamped schedules were unveiled Thursday at the Ceeb’s Toronto headquarters. Both were up and running as of midnight Wednesday.

Programming boss Kirstine Layfield says with Bold, CBC was focused on bringing more arts programming to the channel, while also featuring uncut drama and comedy, as well as niche sports.

‘The issue with Country Canada was that it was more of a general entertainment channel, set up as having a bit of everything. But in the digital specialty world, you have to be something [more specific],’ Layfield told Playback Daily. Its transition was more dramatic than that of The Documentary Channel.

‘We wanted to make the service more relevant to motivated digital television viewers so that there’s a degree of predictability to [it],’ says Cowely, former programming head at CTV digis including Animal Planet and Discovery Civilization.

‘Country Canada was an alignment of current affairs programming alongside series and sport. With Bold, the nights go more by themes, and it’s for people with a taste for things they can’t find elsewhere,’ he adds.

CBC series such as The Tudors and the recently cancelled Intelligence will find new life on Bold, where they will air uncut and commercial free on Sundays and Mondays, respectively.

Layfield says Bold will be 80% Canadian content, and run some programming similar to the fine arts fare the main network previously showcased on Opening Night.

Arts programming highlights include The Metropolitan Opera Series, a TV version of CBC Radio program Q, hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, and the musical series Live from Abbey Road. The channel will also air select coverage of the Summer Olympics, in addition to more specialized sports such as sailing and equestrian.

On Documentary, both Layfield and Cowley insist it’s ‘business as usual’ where independent filmmakers are concerned. CBC upped its stake in the specialty to 82% from 29% in 2006, buying out majority owner Corus Entertainment.

‘Our goal is to reach out to the independent community, engage them, and rely on them for ideas,’ says Cowley.

The channel represents ‘less of a change of programming, and more of a change of its look and feel,’ according to Layfield, who says CBC wanted to give it more organization and focus.

A challenge for the execs was to keep documentaries airing on CBC Newsworld separate from those airing on its digital channel. As such, Documentary will run more feature-length and series docs that are less investigative and more about wildlife and personal stories. Newsworld will feature point-of-view, political and current affairs-based docs.

Michael McNamara of the Documentary Organisation of Canada says he’s optimistic about the newly unveiled Documentary, noting that business was at a standstill while the channel was being revamped.

‘There’s been an awful limbo period with the ownership change and rebranding, but they seem to be open for business and have renewed their commitment to produce independent docs,’ he says.

Documentary relaunched on Thursday at 8 p.m. with the award-winning film The Devil Came on Horseback, about a U.S. Marine captain’s journey through Darfur. The doc screened at the Sundance Film Festival last year.

Both Bold and Documentary can be previewed for free from March 29 to April 29 for digital cable subscribers.