Regulatory, Telecom & Media News – CRTC grants Google five-year Online News Act exemption

The CRTC is granting Google a five-year exemption under the Online News Act, while requiring the digital giant to pay $100 million to the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) within 60 days. The first decision issued under the Online News Act Application and Exemption Regulations, the commission says it paves the way for Google to contribute $100 million annually to Canadian news organizations through the CJC. Read more here.

Corus Entertainment says it’s been able to renegotiate its credit arrangement through the end of March, as the company reported Q4 and year-end earnings. Led by RBC Capital Markets and TD Securities, Corus’ Restated Credit Facility has been amended to reduce its Revolving Facility limit to $150 million from $300 million, and increase its maximum total debt to cash flow ratio to 5.75 through the end of the year, and 7.25 from January through March. Corus paid down $2.7 million of debt in Q4 and $38.8 million for the year. Co-CEO John Gossling told a Friday morning conference call that the company continues to capture efficiencies and reduce costs as it reported $1.3 billion in consolidated earnings for the year, down 16% year-over-year. TV revenues fell 21.1% in Q4 to $248 million, while radio revenue was down 13.4% to $21.3 million. Read more here.

Rogers Communications has announced its Q3 unaudited financial and operating results for the quarter ended Sept. 30. Total revenue and total service revenue each increased by one per cent, driven by revenue growth in Rogers’ Wireless and Media businesses. Media revenue increased by 11% for the quarter, primarily as a result of higher sports-related revenue. Media adjusted EBITDA increased by 25% this quarter, primarily due to higher revenue, but partially offset by higher Toronto Blue Jays expenses, including game day-related costs. Adjusted net income increased by 12%, primarily as a result of higher adjusted EBITDA.

Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages has announced a $12.5M investment in minority language community radio and newspapers as part of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–28. Over the next four years, $7.6 million will be allocated to 89 new projects under the Consortium of Official Language Minority Community Media, representing 105 minority newspapers and radio stations and made up of Réseau.Presse, the Quebec Community Newspapers Association (QCNA), the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada (ARC du Canada) and the English-Language Arts Network (ELAN). Another $5 million will be used to train the next generation of community media professionals and address labour shortages in the sector, including 125 paid internships at 98 community media organizations. Read more here.

The Jack Webster Foundation has announced the winners of the 2024 Webster Awards, recognizing excellence in journalism in B.C. Best News Reporting of the Year – TV/Video went to Global BC for Interior Fires (Cassidy Mosconi, Richard Zussman, Troy Charles, Elissa Carpenter, Pat Bell, Mike Timbrell, Justin Okines, Tony Clark, Derek Brade, Chris Allard, Kim Magi). Global BC also captured the Excellence in Feature Reporting – TV/Video category for Stanley Park Resident (Alissa Thibault, Sergio Magro, Sharron Bates, Brian Dutkewich, Soren Jensen). Excellence in Feature Reporting – Radio/Audio went to CBC Vancouver’s Cathy Browne and Jennifer Wilson, while CTV News Vancouver’s Penny Daflos claimed the award for Excellence in Health Reporting. The Commentator of the Year/City Mic Award went to IndigiNews’ Eden Fineday. Find the full list of winners and their submissions here.

CTV News and Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina have announced Rukhsar Ali and Andre Joseph Cordeiro as the recipients of the inaugural Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship, in partnership with RTDNF Canada and the University of Toronto’s Massey College. They’ll produce a substantial and original piece of journalism to be considered for publication on a CTV News platform, exploring a subject or theme significant to Canada and Canadians. Throughout the reporting process, the Fellows will receive academic mentoring from faculty at Massey College and the team of journalists at CTV National News. 

Friends of Canadian Media has opened submissions for the 2025 Dalton Camp Award, a $10,000 prize for the best essay on the link between media and democracy. New this year, submissions of previously published essays will be accepted. Essays up to 2,000 words appearing in newspapers, magazines, blogs, newsletters and other digital or print media between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, can be submitted, alongside original unpublished work, until Jan. 6. Also new for 2025, Friends of Canadian Media is launching a new scholarship for post-secondary students in journalism and broadcasting programs, replacing the Dalton Camp student prize essay.