WINNIPEG – CanWest Global’s consolidated revenues were $679 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, ended August 31st, an increase of 11% from $610 million for the same quarter one year ago.
Consolidated EBITDA was $77 million, an 18% increase from the previous year.
Thos numbers included gains on sale of the company’s New Zealand and Canadian radio operations which amounted to $252 million and the gain of $164 million last year on the sale of TV3 Ireland.
Net earnings were $197 million or $1.11 per share, compared to $155 million or $0.87 per share for the same…
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HALIFAX – "Our third quarter results met our expectations and we are on track to achieve our targets for 2007," said Stephen Wetmore, President and CEO of Bell Aliant on the release of the company’s third quarter results today.
"I am also pleased that this quarter marked the beginnings of a more positive regulatory environment for local service. We have already acted on this to bring new offers to our customers and they will continue to benefit from our ability to more quickly and effectively meet their needs within this environment."
As readers will recall, the CRTC eliminated…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media’s TVA Group today reported net income of $5.3 million in the third quarter of 2007, much improved over Q3 2006 when it recorded a net loss of $800,000.
The division’s primary asset, broadcast television network TVA saw growth in operating income of $3.9 million or 103.8% in the quarter ended September 30, 2007, compared with the corresponding quarter of 2006, mainly due to the reversal of the Part II licence fees normally payable to the CRTC for the period from September 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007.
The Federal Court of Canada ruled the fees…
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TORONTO – It took eight months, but CTVglobemedia today announced the completion of its purchase of the radio assets of The Beat Broadcasting Corporation in Vancouver.
The company owns and operates Vancouver radio station CFBT-FM (The Beat 94.5 FM). CHUM Ltd., before it’s purchase by CTVglobemedia, initiated the deal back in February. The CRTC approved the transaction in early October.
"CFBT-FM is an important addition to our radio group," said Paul Ski, president, CHUM Radio, a subsidiary of CTVglobemedia, in the release. "The Beat 94.5 has been a great success with both listeners and advertisers and CHUM Radio plans…
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MONTREAL – With the CRTC having indicated in its upcoming review of broadcast distribution undertakings and specialty services that it is prepared to let market forces begin to dictate how the TV industry works here, a group of artist and cultural business groups are demanding something different.
They have asked Canadian Heritage, Josée Verner, “to use her power to issue policy direction to the CRTC so that the Commission gives primary consideration to social and cultural factors, as required by the Broadcasting Act, in all its decisions to do with the broadcasting sector,” says a press release.
The release…
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TORONTO – The $375 million transaction to purchase the five Citytv conventional television stations by Rogers Media closed earlier today. it received CRTC approval last month.
The stations acquired from CTVglobemedia were under the control of Mr. John D. McKellar, C.M., Q.C., trustee under a voting trust agreement in respect of CHUM Limited. The Citytv network includes Citytv Toronto (CITY-TV), Citytv Winnipeg (CHMI-TV), Citytv Edmonton (CKEM-TV), Citytv Calgary (CKAL-TV) and Citytv Vancouver (CKVU-TV).
In light of this announcement, Rogers Broadcasting, a Rogers Media subsidiary, takes immediate control of the Citytv operations under the direction of Leslie Sole, CEO of Television…
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MONTREAL – In an effort to reduce operating costs, Quebec private TV network TQS has abolished 40 jobs across the province, just as 60% owner Cogeco and its minority partner CTVglobemedia are embarking upon a review of their investment in the broadcaster.
Employees learned of the cuts from TQS president and CEO René Guimond.
“It saddens us to make this decision,” Guimond said. “We chose to act now to reduce our operating costs so that we can protect our programming schedule. If we hadn’t, the company could have been forced to take more drastic action.”
He laid part…
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WITH THE CLOSING OF the Persona purchase by Bragg Communications (owners of EastLink) last last month, the Canadian cable industry lost one of its leading champions – and true characters.
Dean MacDonald worked his way up through the industry beginning at Avalon Cable in Newfoundland 25 years ago, evenutally rising to president of Danny Williams’ Cable Atlantic. The exploits of Dean and Danny are part of industry lore and this reporter once published a photo of the both of them dressed as Carmen Miranda, giant fruity headresses and all.
When Cable Atlantic was sold to Rogers Cable in 1999…
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OTTAWA – The 81st annual Canadian Association of Broadcasters convention kicks off this Sunday in Ottawa and runs through Tuesday, November 6th.
(Cartt.ca, which is a media sponsor, will be there with a team of reporters covering the sessions – and will also produce a printed show daily on-site.)
The 2007 convention theme, Broadcasting, Redefined, “targets issues of fundamental importance to the broadcasting and distribution industries: new technologies and platforms, new business models and partnerships, and new policies and regulations that will allow Canada’s private broadcasters to thrive in an increasingly complex global business environment,“ says the CAB.
There…
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GATINEAU – Canadian sports fans will soon be able to get a far greater dose of American college games as the CRTC today approved the addition of College Sports Television to the eligible satellite list for digital distribution.
Its addition to the Canadian list was sponsored by Rogers Cable.
CBS-owned CSTV is a 24-hour network devoted exclusively to broadcasting college sports programming. It televises 35 men’s and women’s college sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling and volleyball, from every major conference in the United States.
Click here for the full decision.
www.crtc.gc.ca www.cstv.com
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