The CRTC’s recently-released 2019 Broadcasting Financial Summaries reveal growth in annual conventional television revenue for the first time in eight years, while commercial radio reported its largest year-over-year revenue decline in five years. Total broadcasting revenues declined by 1.3% between 2018 and 2019. The biggest drop in revenue was from CBC conventional television, as its stations collectively reported a decrease of $116 million (or 12.2%). Commercial radio stations reported negative annual growth of -3.9%, the largest year-over-year decrease in the past five years. None of the regions recorded positive growth with stations in Atlantic Canada reporting back-to-back declines of 5%. Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Red Deer were the worst performing markets in the country, posting negative growth rates of 15.9%, -13.6%, and -11.8% respectively. Victoria, BC was the only designated market to report a positive growth rate in all of Canada (1.2%). Looking at commercial television, conventional stations reported revenues of $1,554 million in 2019, compared to $1,541 million in 2018. A year-over-year increase of 0.8% was mostly due to a 3.6% increase in national time sales. Quebec was the only region to post a year-over-year revenue decline (-4.4%) while the Atlantic region posted the highest growth (8.1%). Read more here.
The CRTC has called for comments on its proposal for a standardized approach to monitoring linear community channels and on-demand community programming services as part of efforts to establish consistent practices. The deadline for the submission of comments is Aug. 17.
The Competition Bureau has submitted its final submission to the CRTC’s review of mobile wireless services, finding that even with the widespread introduction of “unlimited” cell phone plans, more Canadians could save money on their cell phone bills if Bell, Rogers and Telus faced greater competition from regional carriers like Freedom Mobile and Videotron. The bureau’s analysis found that prices are more than 50% lower for all cell phone users in markets where there is strong competition from regional carriers. The bureau continues to recommend that the CRTC pursue a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) policy where Bell, Rogers and Telus would sell temporary access to their wireless networks to regional carriers who intend to invest and further expand their own networks. Read the bureau’s executive summary here.
Corus Entertainment has released an update on the scope and mandate of its ongoing Diversity Review, announced in early June following allegations of a culture of racism and microagressions from a number of current and former employees. The company has engaged the services of anti-racism specialists, DiversiPro, which has initiated interviews with a cross-section of Corus employees on their work experience. That will be followed by a company-wide survey and “intercultural assessments” of 100 senior staff. The last phase of the review will identify any barriers or biases in Corus’ “people-related policies and processes.” Corus said specific recommendations will be presented to the company in a final report this September and integrated into its current Diversity and Inclusion multi-year plan. It says some commitments have already been enacted within the Global News division immediately. Read more here.
