MONTREAL – Cogeco’s nascent U.S. acquisitions helped to offset weak Canadian results for the second quarter of 2014.
Revenue for the period ended February 28, 2014 increased by 13.1% ($60.0 million) to $518.5 million, driven by the cable segment, mainly as a result of the full quarter impact of the acquisition of Peer 1 Hosting, combined with favorable foreign exchange rates and organic growth from all operating units.
Adjusted EBITDA increased by 13.2% ($25.8 million) to $221.6 million compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Profit for the period amounted to $58.5 million, up from $49.0 million for the same period of…
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OTTAWA – CBC will eliminate the equivalent of 657 positions as part of $130 million in budget cuts over the next two fiscal years, the national broadcaster announced Thursday. It will also incur one-time severance costs of $33.5 million.
The cuts are necessary to balance its current budget, said president and CEO Hubert Lacroix, in a press release. He blamed the loss of the NHL, an industry-wide softening of the advertising market, disappointing schedule performance in key demographics on CBC Television, and lower-than-expected ad revenues from Espace musique and CBC Radio 2.
Lacroix also said that CBC and Radio-Canada will no…
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OTTAWA – Various parties continued to question the level to which Rogers Media will use its recently acquired NHL hockey content as a component of its Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) commitments at the company’s licence renewal hearing before the CRTC while Rogers said they need not worry.
The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), in its opening remarks on Wednesday fretted that Canadian content will suffer because Rogers will use the NHL to account for its CPE commitments, particularly if the Commission approves Rogers request to be treated under the group licensing framework (GLF).
“We have to wonder if hockey fans will…
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TORONTO – Reducing churn through much-improved customer service should be the top priority for newly minted Rogers Communications CEO Guy Laurence, according to a recent analysts report circulated on Bay Street.
“We believe improving customer service is an important strategic priority at Rogers, perhaps the most important priority,” wrote BMO Capital Markets telecom and media analyst Tim Casey. “Among the national wireless incumbents, Rogers’ operating metrics have been underwhelming. Specifically, it has the highest churn rates and a declining ARPU profile. Combined, they translate to deteriorating customer lifetime revenues and value at Rogers. We expect new CEO Guy Laurence will…
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EDMONTON – Super Channel has named Julie Di Cresce to the role of director of Canadian programming, the pay television network announced late Wednesday.
Di Cresce (pictured) most recently held the post of director of original programming for Movie Central/HBO Canada where she pre-bought feature films as well as developed and oversaw original series. She is currently program advisor for the NSI Features First film program and the program manager for the inaugural Bell Media Producer Accelerator Lab.
“We are delighted to have brought Julie on board for Super Channel,” said VP of programming, Sandy Perkins, in the announcement. “Her extensive…
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YET ANOTHER FEDERAL government digital/new media announcement was made on Friday that offers hundreds of millions of dollars to connect the 280,000 Canadians without broadband access because of where they live while remaining silent on the million or so who have broadband already at their doorsteps but who aren’t connected because they can’t afford it.
Yes of course it is important to connect rural Canada, but there has long been – and continues to be – many government programs to help that along. That’s despite the face that private companies such as the numerous independent phone…
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AN INTERESTING DECEMBER 2012 paper from the Australian Government's Department of Finance and Deregulation, Offices of Best Practices Regulation entitled "Influencing Consumer Behaviour: Improving Regulatory Design" is an instructive piece of research when viewed through the lens of our own TV business.
The paper explores two broad frameworks that influence consumer behaviour – Rational Choice theory and Behavioural Economics. Rational Choice theory holds that consumers maximize utility subject to their budgetary limitations. Behavioural Economics assumes choice is affected by social, economic, emotional and other factors. Examples from the health, finance and other sectors are used to…
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BASED ON THE DOZENS of submissions from radio companies and other groups to the CRTC, the answer is a resounding… maybe.
Whether to bring the proprietary digital broadcasting format which has been deployed in most major markets Stateside to Canada was just one of many questions the CRTC put to the public about changes to radio policy. The questions were raised on Oct. 30, and the deadline for replies to comments was last Tuesday.
In general, broadcasters and interest groups supported the idea Canadian stations should be allowed to experiment with HD Radio, but most were against the idea that there…
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TORONTO – The notion that Facebook, digital and Twitter are considered the best ways to connect and share just didn’t sit right with the Television Bureau of Canada (TVB), so they decided to do something about it.
TVB, the industry association designed to market the effectiveness of television, tapped Toronto-based ad agency Red Lion to orchestrate a campaign and subsequent case study in an attempt to prove that TV was more than just passive entertainment, that its formidable storytelling abilities had the power to help connects Canadians' lives. The result was a multi-layer, interactive campaign called TunedIn.
Presenting the results of…
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WATERLOO, ON – Canada officially has a national digital strategy after Industry Minister James Moore unveiled Digital Canada 150 in Waterloo on Friday morning, billed as an “ambitious path” with clear goals for a connected and competitive Canada.
Under Digital Canada 150, the federal government will provide $305 million to extend and enhance high-speed Internet services to a target speed of 5 Mbps for some 280,000 Canadian households in rural and remote areas; provide $36 million in funding to repair, refurbish and then donate computers to public libraries, not-for-profit organizations and Aboriginal communities earmarked for students; and, through the Business Development…
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