Launched in 1996 to show independent films on TV, Sundance Channel was a joint venture of Showtime Networks (part of CBS Corporation), Universal Studios (part of NBC Universal) and Robert Redford who also acted as the creative director of the network. It is an extension of Redford's non-profit Sundance Institute, a center in which independent filmmakers can harbor and extend their craft though it operates independently of both the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival.

In addition to broadcasting films, the channel airs and produces original content. One such show, Anatomy of a Scene, takes a scene from a movie and breaks it apart from the perspective of the production design, costume design, the writing, the acting, and the directing.

On May 7, 2008, Rainbow Media (a subsidiary of Cablevision) announced that it has purchased Sundance Channel for $496 million. Rainbow Media also owns the cable channels AMC, IFC, WE tv, Voom HD Networks, News 12, and several others.

On Wednesday, June 18, 2008, The New York Times reported that the acquisition of sundance channel by Rainbow Media was completed.

You can edit this page to add links to blogs, sites, and other information... If this page has a "PageType" set above - that will determine where the page is listed on SideReel. You can add text, a picture, links or more by editing the page... Check out the links above if you need help.