CCR Update

Quebecor sells TQS shares to Cogeco, Bell GlobemediaCogeco Inc and Bell Globemedia Inc have acquired the 86.02% stake that Quebecor Media Inc holds in the TQS network for $62 million. Under the deal, Quebecor will also be repaid $12 million that it advanced to TQS. Bell Globemedia is providing $74 million in cash to cement the deal. The agreement between Cogeco and Bell Globemedia involves not just the acquisition of Quebecor’s stake but also a regrouping of Cogeco’s six television stations with the TQS network. Cogeco will transfer its television stations and its current 13% ownership in TQS, valued at $104.4 million, to a joint venture with Bell Globemedia. Cogeco will own 60% of the joint venture and Bell Globemedia 40%. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. The CRTC ordered Quebecor to sell off its stake in TQS by Sept. 21 as a condition of its approval of Quebecor’s takeover of TVA. More details: Cogeco and Bell Globemedia acquire TQS network TQS welcomes Cogeco and Bell Globemediw with open arms Decision CRTC 2001-584 Decision CRTC 2001-384 CanWest axes 120 newspaper jobs, suspends semi-annual dividendsCanWest Global Communications Corp announced Sept. 17 that it has temporarily suspended its semi-annual dividends and cut 120 jobs in its newspaper operations. Suspending dividend payments will provide CanWest with about $53 million annually and give it more financial flexibility to accelerate its debt reduction, the company says. The company adds that the initiatives will "accelerate the development of the company as it continues to position itself for future growth opportunities and provide for the reduction of its corporate debt." CanWest will no longer publish Saturday Night magazine, which was distributed in the Saturday edition of the National Post. CanWest acquired the remaining 50% interest in the newspaper from Hollinger International this summer to become sole owner. More details. CRTC approves new ownership structure for documentary channelThe CRTC on Sept. 17 approved an ownership change to the Category 1 digital specialty channel, The Canadian Documentary Channel. The channel is now owned 53% by YTV Canada Inc (general partner), 29% by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (general partner), 14% by the National Film Board (limited partner), and 1% each by limited partners Barna-Alper Productions Inc, Cinenova Productions Inc, 3366341 Canada Inc (formerly Galafilm Inc), and Omni Film Productions Inc. More details. Record number of entries for CAB’s Gold Ribbon AwardsThe Canadian Association of Broadcasters says it has received 341 entries from private broadcasters for its Gold Ribbon Awards. The awards, to be presented next month at the CAB’s 75th Annual Convention, honor achievement in such categories as breaking news, community service, documentaries, programming, humour, promotion and others.The CAB notes that the increase in entries, up from 266 last year, is "due in part to the impressive number of entries received from specialty television services." More details: CAB news release PDF Finalist List PDF CRTC revises Broadcasting Distribution Regulations to conform with French-language broadcasting policyThe CRTC has revised the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations to implement recommendations set out in its policy on the distribution of French-language broadcasting services in a minority environment. Cablecos with at least 750 MHz digital capacity must distribute at least one pay television service in each official language and all French-language and English-language Canadian specialty services, except Category 2 services. More details. Canadian Media Guild questions ACTRA’s attempt to lure background performersThe Canadian Media Guild is considering filing a complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board over the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)’s drive to get background performers to join its organization. The Canadian Media Guild says it has "learned that some background performers are being coerced into signing applications for ACTRA Extra cards, on the premise that if they don’t apply, they won’t be paid." ACTRA has temporarily waived its $75 initiation fee for background performers who wish to join under a new membership category, ACTRA extras. More details: ACTRA memo to non-voucher background performers Canadian Media Guild - Coersion on set? Canadian Media Guild - reality check on ACTRA extra "membership" NFB wants renewed federal government support for Canadian contentThe National Film Board argues for federal government support of distinctively Canadian content and for TV and online productions reflecting Canada’s multicultural fabric in its submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. In its Sept. 10 submission, the NFB says existing TV services depict a homogeneous Canadian society, with a few notable exceptions, rather than the multitude of cultures contributing to Canada. The standing committee is conducting a review of the Canadian broadcasting system. More details. Cinar moving forward with productions, preparing for MIPCOMTelevision producer Cinar Corp, which is still reeling from allegations that it put Canadian names on scripts written by Americans to obtain tax credits, says it is preparing to participate in MIPCOM, running Oct. 6-12, and is moving forward with its current productions. More details. Sympatico-Lycos introduces weekly top 10 searchesSympatico-Lycos Inc, the Internet portal owned by BCE Inc, introduced this week a top 10 list of the most popular searches on its site. It plans to release a list of the most searched items every week. It will be a "barometer of cultural inquisitiveness and an authoritative list of the people, places and things that individuals are searching for on the Internet," the company said in a release. On the list for the week ending Sept. 15 were the NFL, Halloween, flags, Terry Fox, and the Toronto International Film Festival. More details.

CCR Update

Broadcast | September 19, 2001

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

CCR Update

Broadcast | September 19, 2001

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Trump’s trade rep targets Online Streaming Act, Online News Act, raising questions about future of Canada’s cultural exemption

Producers challenge 20 per cent copyright threshold in new CanCon policy

Streamers challenge CRTC decision to publicly disclose financial information

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us