June is a milestone month in Canada, marked by National Indigenous History Month, Pride Month, World Refugee Day, and Canadian Multiculturalism Day. It’s only fitting then that we at New Horizons Media Inc. are choosing this momentous time to formally announce a project that was quietly brewing behind the scenes. We’ve entered the streaming landscape with Rivo!
As divisive anti-immigrant narratives rise globally, Rivo—a multicultural, representation-driven streaming platform—is an intentional move to reclaim how diverse stories are told, and who gets to tell them.
“We couldn’t just sit back and watch as public conversation around immigrants and refugees takes a negative turn, so much so that even the words ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ feel like they’re under attack. We built Rivo to flip the narrative, putting multicultural content right at the center,” says our Managing Director, Gerard Keledjian. “Mainstream media outlets still barely represent diverse voices, and traditional streaming platforms tend to treat diversity like a checkbox item or a transaction to hit a quota. With Rivo, stories of migration, identity, belonging, and new beginnings that rarely receive the visibility they deserve now have a permanent home,” he adds.
Rivo bridges origins and new beginnings through shows, documentaries, interviews, community features, and dedicated programming. Audiences can stream Rivo for free on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV, or on mobile via the iOS and Android apps.
The name Rivo combines ‘river’ and ‘voyage’ to represent the constant movement, adaptation, and resilience of the immigrant journey. And the tagline ‘Where every journey finds its voice’ captures our overarching mission.
Rivo’s soft-launch marks a natural evolution for New Horizons Media Inc., building on over a decade of community impact through its national New Canadians TV show and Immigrant Business Expo series. For 11 years, the organization has worked closely with community partners, businesses, and thought leaders to empower newcomers, sharing lived experiences and vital resources through its New Canadians TV show and its extended digital platforms.
The team, being a multicultural group of first- and second-generation immigrants to Canada, truly understands migration. And so, beyond celebrating cultural diversity, Rivo’s strategy includes providing vital pre-arrival and educational resources—positioning the platform as a trusted companion for immigrants before they even pack their bags for Canada, accelerating social integration and strengthening their economic contributions from day one.
Leaders across the multicultural communications and newcomer sectors have welcomed the platform’s authentic, representation-driven approach.
“Most platforms market at multicultural communities. Rivo builds with them. That’s the difference between performing diversity and earning trust,” says Joycelyn David, Owner and CEO, AV Communications, a leading multicultural marketing agency in North America. “Rivo understands something most platforms are still learning: diverse audiences aren’t a segment. They’re the new mainstream,” she adds.
“Representation is not just about visibility; it’s about accuracy, dignity, and truth. Without it, we risk reinforcing incomplete or even harmful narratives,” says Shelly D’Mello, CEO, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria in British Columbia. “With Rivo, instead of seeing newcomers through a deficit lens, audiences are exposed to stories of everyday contribution, talent, and agency.”
With the United Nations estimating that there are over 304 million international migrants globally, Rivo targets a massive, underserved global community.
“Stories are one of the first places people look to understand where, and if they fit into their new home. When newcomers see themselves reflected in stories, it affirms that they belong. It demonstrates that they are not at the margins of our society but are part of its fabric, ” says Shelly D’Mello.
Designed for an audience that demands authenticity, Rivo offers community-led storytelling that spans generations and geographies. The platform features unfiltered perspectives from both Indigenous Peoples—the original caretakers of the land—and migrants who have travelled across continents.
“Audiences—especially Gen Z—can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. Culturally nuanced storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s the price of entry. The brands and platforms that get this right aren’t just winning loyalty. They’re winning market share,” says Joycelyn David, who has worked extensively with brands across sectors and at the intersection of culture and marketing.
Launching with a growing catalogue of content, Rivo aims to be more than a streaming service. It is a platform for connection, understanding, and representation—one that celebrates the richness of multicultural experiences and the people behind them.
As the platform grows, New Horizons Media Inc. plans to expand Rivo’s content offerings, partnerships, and community collaborations, creating new opportunities for storytellers and social impact organizations to support and endorse meaningful multicultural content.
“Rivo is about building a community. We focus 100% on immigrant and diverse stories. We are creating a launchpad for immigrant, refugee, and diverse filmmakers to share their incredible talents with both Canadian and global audiences,” says Gerard Keledjian, who is also strengthening relationships with immigrant-serving organizations looking to reach wider audiences, deepen engagement, and shape more inclusive narratives about the communities they serve.
Looking ahead, he envisions Rivo establishing a strong presence in the streaming landscape and becoming a global home for immigrant voices, helping shape a more welcoming, informed, and connected world where migration stories are heard and valued. “We are not just trying to entertain people; we want to spark genuine curiosity about different cultures and contribute to real, positive change. When people stream content on Rivo, we hope they move beyond simply tolerating diversity to truly appreciating it,” Keledjian concludes.