BCE’s Q2 net earnings increased 149.7% to $734 million with net earnings attributable to shareholders growing 189% to $685 million, or $0.76 per common share. Bell Media operating revenue increased 30.4% in Q2 to $755 million, driven by increased advertiser spending across TV, radio, out-of-home and digital media platforms, reflecting a recovery in commercial activity impacted by COVID-19 during Q2 2020, as well as higher subscriber revenue. Increasing 57% this quarter, digital revenues now represent 19% of total Bell Media revenue, up from 16% in Q2 2020. Margin declined to 28.3% from 29.9%, due to a 33.3% increase in operating costs with the return of live sports and TV productions, and the non-recurrence of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) funding. Ad revenue increased 65% in the quarter, driven by stronger bookings, as well as the incremental contribution from French-language network Noovo. Subscriber revenue increased 6% with Crave subscriptions up 6% over last year, approaching the 3 million mark, while TSN Direct more than doubled its subscriber base thanks in part to a record-setting UEFA Euro 2020.
Quebecor reported Q2 consolidated financial results reporting revenues of $1.13 billion in the quarter, up $127.4 million (12.7%) from the same period of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA was $501.4 million, up $25.7 million (5.4%). The Telecommunications segment grew its revenues by $59.3 million (6.8%) and its adjusted EBITDA by $17.9 million (3.9%) in Q2. Videotron significantly increased its revenues from wireline equipment ($28.1 million or 127.1%), mobile services and equipment ($26.3 million or 12.4%), and Internet access ($25.7 million or 9.3%) in the quarter. There was an increase of 27,200 connections (1.8%) to the mobile telephony service and 5,3004 subscriptions (0.3%) to the Internet access service.
ZoomerMedia’s Q3 consolidated results for the nine months ended May 31 saw revenues of $36.8 million, operating expenses of $28.4 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $8.4 million from its continuing operations. Net income for the same period was $3.6 million. For the comparative nine months ended May 31, 2020 the company had revenues of $40.1 million, operating expenses of $32.3 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $7.8 million from continuing operations.
Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) has announced that its Indigenous Reporters Program (IRP) has successfully completed a further three years of media training activities for First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario, with the help of a $750,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Through IRP’s training activities, JHR has supported First Nations community members in writing and publishing stories from their communities in mainstream outlets including The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, APTN, TVO.org, and community publications like Wawatay News and Kenora Miner & News. In doing so, IRP seeks to increase the quality and quantity of Indigenous stories and voices in Canadian media.
