THE LEADERS OF SHAW Communications took a look at the media landscape around us and decided that if they’re going to be a player in the new always on, video on demand culture, one which is expanding by the second, they had better own some hit shows. Some good brands.
And Monday it announced a $2 billion deal to purchase the TV assets of Canwest Global outright – a move that will cement it as the leading media and distribution company in Canada. The prior deal Shaw announced earlier this year was to purchase just 20% of the company.
Rogers…
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GATINEAU – The tenure of CRTC vice-chair, broadcasting, Michel Arpin draws to a close at the end of August. According to sources, Arpin has already been officially notified by the Prime Minister’s Office that he will not be offered a renewal, so the big question in Gatineau is who will fill his shoes come September 1?
Arpin, a well-respected broadcast policy veteran with a long history in the industry, was appointed August 31, 2005 and prior to that was senior regulatory and governmental affairs advisor for Astral Media. Before that he worked for Radiomutuel. He had a prior stint with…
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OTTAWA – Kids Help Phone and its long-time partner Bell were honoured Tuesday night as recipients of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association’s ‘Connected to the Community’ award, while Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau handed one of the same awards out.
The award recognizes outstanding organizations that have partnered with Canada’s wireless industry to improve the lives of Canadians.
Bell has raised more than $6 million for Kids Help Phone by leading the Walk for Kids Help Phone each year. Since 1989, Kids Help Phone has worked to advance the well-being of Canadian children and youth by providing them with…
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TORONTO – The Canadian on-line advertising market will top $1.74 billion this year, according to new research from Convergence Consulting Group.
The report ‘The Battle for the North American (Canada & U.S.) Couch Potato: New Challenges and Opportunities in the Content Market’ estimates that on-line TV advertising revenues represented 2.3% ($1.52 billion) of 2009 Canadian broadcast and specialty network TV advertising revenue. That figure is forecasted to grow to 3.1% in 2010.
As in the U.S., Canadian broadcast and specialty networks aim to grow on-line advertising revenue without negatively impacting their traditional TV advertising revenue and programming fees from cable, satellite,…
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OTTAWA – The tightly knit nature of the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors makes it impossible to open telecom markets to greater foreign investment without negatively affecting Canadian culture in some way, Friends of Canadian Broadcasting told the Standing Committee on Industry this week.
Ian Morrison, a spokesperson for Friends, highlighted the integrated nature of Canada’s largest communications and broadcasting companies during his opening remarks pointing Rogers Communications, Bell Canada and Quebecor. If Rogers were owned by foreigners, it would have to sell Rogers Media. Similarly, Bell couldn’t control Bell TV, he said.
“Disposing of these key broadcasting assets would…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media said that Monday’s CRTC decision is only a “partial solution” to what ails the broadcasting industry.
The company said that it “deplores” the Commission’s decision to “tackle the current structural crisis through a scheme that is not based squarely on a rebalancing of the system”, which it called the only solution designed to protect consumers.
“The approach advocated by Quebecor Media would shield consumers from rate hikes by maintaining the total fees paid by cable and satellite service providers at current levels”, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. It proposed a model that would distribute the…
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MONTREAL – Isabelle Dessureault is leaving her role as vice president of public affairs for Quebecor Media to take on another position within the company.
Dessureault, who has held management positions with the company since 2005, will be leaving in May. Her duties will be assumed by Serge Sasseville, vice president of corporate and institutional affairs.
www.quebecor.com
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TORONTO – Internet service providers got little more than a slap on the wrist Friday during a Canadian Music Week session billed as ‘ISP Liability on Trial’, where panellists debated the role of ISPs in protecting the rights of music creators and publishers in the on-line world.
Although there was a palpable feeling of frustration emanating from David Basskin, president and CEO of the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), most of Basskin’s disdain was targeted at the Federal Government which had no representation on the panel.
Collective rights management agencies such as CMRRA and SOCAN (the Society of…
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MONTREAL – Profits at Quebecor soared by almost 50% thanks in large part to the strength of its telecommunications subsidiary Videotron Ltee.
Net income for the company’s fourth quarter ended December 31, 2009 was $73.8 million, compared with a net loss of $343.6 million in the same quarter of 2008. Operating income for the quarter jumped by 25% to $387.6 million, which included a $62.8 million (or 28.8%) increase in its telecommunications segment.
The Montreal-based media company posted a 2009 net income of $277.7 million, a 47.7% increase from its 2008 profits of $188 million. Revenues for the year were up…
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MONTREAL – TVA blamed its modest fourth quarter growth on the economy and the continuing sluggish advertising market.
“While we are posting positive results, the potential for future growth in advertising revenues, which still account for close to 75% of the Television sector’s revenues, is severely limited in view of the economic environment and current market trends”, said president and CEO Pierre Dion, in the statement announcing the company’s financial results.
TVA reported that its consolidated operating income increased by 43.8% to $32.2 million, compared with $22.4 million in the same quarter of 2008. For the fiscal year ended December 31,…
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