Specialty and pay lead, but overall '04 TV growth falls off pace

OTTAWA - After stellar growth in 2003, revenues for television broadcasters increased at less than half the pace in 2004, says a report from Statistics Canada. Television broadcasting operating revenues increased 4.1% to $5.4 billion in the 2004 broadcast year (September 1st 2003 to August 31st 2004) compared with an 8.8% advance the previous year. Two of three main revenue streams of the industry continued to rise. Air time sales rose 4.8% to $3 billion and subscriber revenues increased 5.9% to $1.3 billion. In comparison, air time sales jumped 8.7% in 2003 while subscriber revenues rose 6.9%. Grants fell 2%...