CBC/Radio-Canada’s Moscow bureau is being shut down by Russia in retaliation for Canada’s ban on Russian state TV channels, Russia Today (RT) and RT France, as announced by the CRTC back in March. It’s believed to be the first time that a foreign government had forced the closure of a CBC bureau. The public broadcaster had maintained a Moscow bureau for 44 years, which employed a staff of 10. Since a bill in February instituting prison time for reporters producing journalism contradicting Russia’s position on the war on Ukraine, CBC had suspended their reporting from the ground.
The CRTC has approved an application by The News Forum for a broadcasting licence to operate the currently exempt national discretionary service, after exceeding 200,000 subscribers. The service will be licenced as an English-language national news discretionary service. The right-of-centre channel launched in 2020. Its lineup includes shows like Boom or Bust, hosted by former Conservative Cabinet Minister Tony Clement; Counterpoint with Tanya Granic Allen, a former Ontario PC candidate; and The Danielle Smith Report, hosted by the former leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition and the Wildrose Party, who left her gig as a talk host with Corus Radio last year. The commission denied a request to transfer control of The News Forum to Tore Stautland and Julie Stautland as part of the current application.
Canadian Heritage has posted for the positions of CRTC Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, with the current terms expiring in September. Canadian Heritage is now accepting applications for both appointments.
CRTC Chairman Ian Scott will address the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) 86th Annual Conference at the Fairmont Banff Springs, June 8-9. For further details on the golf tournament, speakers lineup and registration, visit wab.ca. WAB is pleased to offer preferred room rates with the Banff Lodging Company.
Quebecor has reported its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2022. Q1 highlights include revenues of $1.09 billion, down $3.1 million (-0.3%) from the same period of 2021. In the Telecommunications segment, quarterly revenues were down $10.6 million (-1.2%), adjusted EBITDA was up $9.1 million (2.0%), and adjusted cash flows from operations were up $31.7 million (10.1%). Videotron increased revenues from mobile services and equipment by $20.1 million (8.7%) and from Internet access services by $2.0 million (0.7%) in the first quarter of 2022. A net increase of 13,800 (0.2%) revenue-generating units (RGUs) was recorded in Q1, including 24,500 (1.5%) mobile telephone connections, 17,500 (3.5%) subscriptions to over-the-top (OTT) video services, and 5,300 (0.3%) subscriptions to Internet access service. The Media and Sports and Entertainment segments increased their revenues by $7.0 million (4.0%) and $2.9 million (9.3%), respectively.
