CALGARY and KENORA – Shaw Communications has signed a deal to purchase Norcom Telecommunications Limited it was announced today.
Kenora Ont.-based Norcom operates cable systems located in Northwestern Ontario including Kenora, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Ear Falls and Ignace, and owns the local television station, CJBN-TV Kenora. It is owned by LeBlanc & Royal, the former broadcast tower manufacturer, which has been selling off most of its assets for a few years.
The station, which is available on ExpressVu and Star Choice, is sort of a small superstation which is branded as a CTV station (it carries the CTV National News, for example) but is not a part of the network as it also has a programming deal with CanWest Global, meaning CJBN airs the top shows from both broadcasters.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed and is pending CRTC approval. The press release did not say what Shaw intends to do with the broadcast station, however Shaw president Peter Bissonnette told Cartt.ca the company plans to keep it.
Norcom, which employs 34 and serves approximately 6,000 cable customers, has long been a leader among small operators in Canada. It was an early adopter of high speed Internet technology as well as digital cable and high definition.
"We are truly delighted with the acquisition of Norcom," said Bissonnette in the release. "Shaw has been proud to serve customers in Winnipeg and Northwestern Ontario, including Thunder Bay, Fort Frances and Dryden, for many years, and we look forward to providing the same leading entertainment and communications services to Norcom’s customers."
