Private radio stays strong in 2006

OTTAWA – Canadian private radio's bottom line, for the most part, still looks pretty good, despite the perpetual predictions of its impending death thanks to new media like mp3 players and satellite radio. In the 2006 broadcast year, ended August 31, 2006, according to a Statscan report released today, private radio's advertising revenue increased 5.3% to $1.4 billion. That growth rate, however, is slightly lower than the average of 5.7% over the last five years and much lower than the rate of 8.7% observed in 2005. The radio industry had a particularly prosperous year in 2005, posting its largest gain...