MONTREAL – While the company’s Rythme FM radio revenue is still rising, Cogeco Inc.’s television division is still a drag on earnings.
Cogeco Inc. president and CEO Louis Audet told a financial analyst conference call after the company released its third quarter results Monday morning that its Quebec broadcast station TQS "continues to be a challenge," but that the fall season looks to be "attracting considerable advertising interest," he said.
Television revenue remained relatively stable in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. TQS generated good audience ratings for Loft Story II over portions of the second…
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MONTREAL – Jules Grenier, Cogeco Cable’s Quebec region vice-president, has been selected to lead its new Portuguese operation, Cabovisao, once the transaction is complete, expected within the next month.
"He is preparing to move as soon as the closing occurs," Cogeco Inc. president and CEO Louis Audet told financial analysts during a conference call today releasing the company’s third quarter results.
Last Tuesday, Quebec Superior Court approved Cogeco’s plan to purchase Cable Satisfaction International Inc. and its main asset, Portuguese cable company Cabovisao. CSII, founded by former Videotron executive Guy Laflamme, has been under bankruptcy protection since 2003. It’s…
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MONTREAL – Cable Satisfaction International’s bankruptcy monitor and interim receiver (RSM Richter) will ask a court in Quebec today to approve the recent sale agreement of CSII’s largest asset, Portuguese cable operator Cabovisao.
CSII has been in Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (bankruptcy protection) since 2003.
Cogeco, as was announced nearly two weeks ago, has signed an agreement to purchase the Portuguese operations for $658 million.
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable launched its digital phone service in Niagara Falls today.
Currently, 50% of homes passed in the corporation’s territories have access to digital phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
www.cogeco.ca
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MONTREAL – Louis Audet knew what was coming – and Friday’s Cogeco Cable conference call to explain the company’s $658 million purchase was set up as best he could to assuage the fears of investors.
Financial analysts who follow the company had been warning Audet for the better part of a year that they thought the European expansion strategy Cogeco was pursuing was a bad idea – and once Friday’s deal to buy Portuguese cable outfit Cabovisao was announced, the markets responded by pummeling the cable company’s stock price. It ended Friday at $24.36, down 16.9% on the…
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MONTREAL – As has been rumored since last summer, Cogeco Cable has agreed to buy Portuguese cable company Cabovisao-Televisao por Cabo S.A.
Cabovisao is owned by Cable Satisfaction International Inc. (CSII), Catalyst Fund Limited Partnership I.
CSII has been in bankruptcy protection and looking for a buyer for the cable company it built since 2003.
The 464.9 million Euro (C$658 million) purchase price includes all the shares of the second largest cable operator in Portugal as well as the purchase of senior debt and reimbursement of certain other liabilities of Cabovisao. The agreed-upon purchase price for the shares…
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MONTREAL – Today, Cogeco Cable launched its digital phone service in Fort Erie, Ontario.
Currently, 47% of homes passed in the company’s territories (primarily in areas of southwestern Ontario and southern Quebec) have access to Cogeco’s local phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
www.cogeco.ca
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MONTREAL – According to a published report out of Europe, Canadian MSO Cogeco Cable has pulled out of bidding for a group of cable companies in Belgium.
According to Telecom Paper (subscription required), Cogeco "is no longer interested in acquiring the group of eight cable operators in Wallonia (the southern, French-speaking half, of Belgium).
"(E)ight Belgian operators, owned by local municipalities and Electrabel, are looking for a partner to help develop new services, such as Internet, digital TV and telephony," says the brief story.
There are three remaining European bidders, according to the story.
This could be the…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable this week launched its digital phone service in Ancaster, Dundas and Port Colborne, Ontario.
Currently, 44% of homes passed in the Corporation’s territories have access to digital phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
www.cogeco.ca
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable keeps moving down the Queen Elizabeth Way with its voice service, launching in Welland this week (It launched in Stoney Creek and Grimsby in April and we bet St Catharines is coming pretty soon).
Currently, 43% of homes passed in the company’s territories have access to digital phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
Also this week, Cogeco added WWE 24/7, a new subscription video on demand service. WWE 24/7 is available to Cogeco Cable Ontario digital cable customers starting immediately…
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