OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Canada’s 685 commercial radio stations reported total revenue of $1.62 billion in the 2013 broadcast year, virtually unchanged from the prior year, according to the CRTC’s latest statistical and financial report for this sector released Tuesday.
Despite competition from satellite, online and mobile services, total revenues for AM and FM stations increased by 0.26%, from $1.618 billion in 2012 to $1.623 billion in 2013. These revenues enable commercial radio stations to provide a variety of programming to Canadians, support established and emerging Canadian talent, and offer employment opportunities to over 10,200 people.
Over the past year, the CRTC report says stations cut their expenses by $2 million, for a total of $1.252 billion. As a result, profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) improved slightly from $321 to $328 million, increasing the PBIT margin from 19.8% to 20.2%.
Canada’s FM radio stations continued to generate the majority of total revenues at $1.33 billion, up slightly from $1.31 billion the previous year. Thirteen new FM stations were added in 2013, bringing the total operating in Canada to 556.
Revenues for English-language FM stations increased by 1.31%, from $1.04 billion to $1.05 billion, while those for French-language FM stations increased by 0.5%, from $251.9 million to $253.2 million. Revenues for ethnic FM stations grew 4.3%, to reach a total of $21.1 million.
The number of AM stations in Canada remained at 129. Their total revenues, however, decreased by 3.8%, from $306.2 million in 2012 to $294.6 million in 2013.
