News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) and CBC/Radio-Canada are calling on the Competition Bureau to investigate Meta’s decision to block news from its platforms in Canada. The applicants are asking the Bureau to use its investigative and prosecutorial tools to prohibit the digital giant from continuing to block Canadians’ access to news content and that Meta be prohibited from discriminating, by algorithm or any other means, against content from news organizations. The application maintains that Meta is continuing to abuse its dominant position, as evidenced by similar tactics used in other jurisdictions, including Australia. Read more here.
Stingray is the latest Canadian broadcaster to announce it’s suspending all advertising on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, in response to Meta’s move to block Canadian journalistic content on its platforms. “We believe in the importance of a diverse and vibrant media landscape that supports a healthy democracy. We cannot tolerate Meta’s recent decision to block news from Canadian news media publishers and their potential implications for Canadian news content. As a result, we have decided to pause our advertising on Facebook and Instagram,” said Erick Boyko, CEO and co-founder of Stingray, in a statement Tuesday. Stingray is calling on businesses, governments, and institutions “to express their disagreement with Meta’s affront to public policy and the news media through their advertising placement choices.”
TELUS has released its unaudited results for the second quarter of 2023, announcing it’s trimming 6,000 jobs globally. Consolidated Operating revenues increased by 13% year-over-year to $4.9 billion, driven by higher service revenues at TELUS technology solutions (TTech) and Digitally-led customer experiences at TELUS International (DLCX). That growth was partially offset by lower TV and fixed legacy voice services revenues. TELUS declared a quarterly dividend of $0.36, an increase of 7.4% over the same period last year.
BCE’s Q2 2023 results show consolidated revenue growth of 3.5% with net earnings of $397 million, down 39.3%, with net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $329 million, or $0.37 per common share, down 44.8%. Cash flows from operating activities were down 8.9% to $2,365 million. Q2 highlights saw Bell record its highest number of retail Internet net activations since 2007, up 10.2% to 24,934. Bell Media operating revenue decreased 1.9% to $805 million as a result of lower year-over-year advertising revenue, offset by higher subscriber revenue, which increased by 3.9%, driven mainly by Crave and sports direct-to-consumer streaming. Total Crave subscriptions increased 5% from last year to approximately 3.2 million customers, which included a 27% increase in direct-to-consumer streaming subscribers. Ad revenue was down 9.0%, as advertiser demand and spending across all traditional media platforms remained soft due to unfavourable macroeconomic conditions. That was partly offset by strong growth in digital advertising with total digital revenues up 20%.
TVA Group recorded revenues in the amount of $138.8 million for the second quarter of 2023, a year-over-year decrease of $8.7 million. Net loss attributable to shareholders was $7.8 million or $0.18 per share, compared with net loss attributable to shareholders of $3.2 million or $0.07 per share for the same quarter of 2022. $4,539,000 in negative adjusted EBITDA was recorded in the Broadcasting segment, a $4,390,000 unfavourable variance due mainly to lower traditional advertising revenues, partially offset by an increase in digital ad revenues, mainly for TVA+, and savings generated by the company’s restructuring plan. $413,000 in negative adjusted EBITDA was reported in the Film Production & Audiovisual Services segment (MELS) due mainly to lower volume in soundstage, mobile and equipment rental, postproduction and media accessibility. $582,000 in adjusted EBITDA was recorded in the Production & Distribution segment, a favourable variance of $1,071,000, attributable mainly to higher gross margin on the international distribution of films produced by companies in the Incendo Group.
Justice Sheilagh O’Connell has ruled on a publication ban violation by Global News in the case of eight teenage girls charged with the murder of Toronto homeless man Kenneth Lee. A Global reporter messaged people thought to be related to one of the accused, using the full name of the accused in the messages. O’Connell writes in her decision that while journalists must be able to do important investigative work as thoroughly and as vigorously as possible, “when a journalist’s investigation involves a young person facing criminal charges, this work should not involve the careless dissemination of the young person’s full name and criminal charges on Facebook or other social media platforms without knowing the intended recipients of the information…It is critical for the young persons in this case, as well as for the broader community, that the young persons’ right to a fair trial and right to privacy are protected.”
Global BC anchor Sophie Lui is being honoured as the 2023 recipient of the Shelley Fralic Award by the Jack Webster Foundation, celebrating a journalist concerned with making her community a better place. The anchor of Global BC News at 5 and co-anchor of the flagship Global BC News Hour at 6, the foundation says Lui’s unwavering dedication to journalism, mentoring, community service, and advocacy epitomizes the legacy of the late Vancouver Sun columnist the award is named for, who passed away in 2021. Read more here.
Global News has won Gold in the 2023 PROMAX Awards for Total Package Design for the Global News Rebrand, introduced last fall. PROMAX is the global association for the entertainment marketing industry, representing thousands of people who create, market, and distribute content in media. The awards celebrate the best in brand promotion and design for the industry.
