Sportsnet, TSN record big profits
Published On Mon Apr 26 2010
By Chris Zelkovich SportsMedia Columnist
Television has been very good to Canada’sall-sports channels.
According to Canadian Radio-television andTelecommunications
Commission figures, both Rogers Sportsnet and TSN made morethan $40
million during the 2009 fiscal year. They ranked second and thirdamong
specialty channels, behind only W Network.
It also marked the first time that Sportsnet, with$40.7 million in
profits before interest and taxes, has topped rival TSN. A 22per cent
decrease in profits dropped TSN’s take to $40.3 million.
Most sports channels made profits in the yearending Aug. 31, 2009.
Among the leaders were RDS ($17 million) and the NHLNetwork ($4.5
million).
APRIL 22, 2010
CRTC
Releases Financial Results for Specialty, Pay and VOD
Services
The Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission today released
statistical and financial summaries for Canadian specialty, pay and
pay-per-view television services, as well as video-on-demand services.
The report provides information on the profitability, revenues and
expenditures of these sectors of the broadcasting industry for the
period of September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009.
In 2009, these services experienced a
decline in advertising revenues that was partially offset by an increase
in subscriber revenues. Total revenues grew by 6% from $2.9 billion to
$3.1 billion, while expenses rose from $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion.
As a result, profits before interest and
taxes (PBIT) improved to $728.7 million, up from $648.2 million in 2008.
These services posted a PBIT margin of 23.5%, which was slightly better
than the previous year’s margin of 22.1%.
The total revenues of $3.1 billion were
generated from the following sources:
*$1.4 billion from cable television
subscribers
*$624.1 million from direct-to-home
satellite subscribers
*$982.2 million from national advertising
*$18.2 million from local advertising,
*$53.1 million from other sources.
When compared with the 2008 results,
national and local advertising revenues declined by 2.4% and 11.1%,
respectively. At the same time, revenues from cable and satellite
subscribers increased by 12.9% and 3.6%, respectively.
English-language services earned $2.5
billion of the total revenues, while French-language services brought in
$501.4 million.
Specialty television services captured the
largest share of the total revenues, $2.4 billion, which included:
*$2.08 billion from 49 analog services
*$100.6 million from 18 Category 1 digital
services, and
*$223.9 million from 77 Category 2 digital
services.
Pay, pay-per-view and VOD services saw their
share of revenues increase by 16.6%, going from $596.4 million to
$695.6 million in one year.
In 2009, these services spent $1.08 billion
on Canadian programming, which was roughly the same amount as the
previous year. Of the overall programming expenditures, $357.1 million
was paid to independent producers to acquire Canadian programs.
Spending on Canadian programming included
$163.1 million for news programs, $226.8 million for other information
programs, $302.6 million for sports programming, $194.7 million for
drama, $47.5 million for musical and variety shows, and $73.7 million
for general-interest programming.
Although investments in Canadian programming
were essentially at the same level, these services directed $521.8
million to foreign programming. This represented an increase of 36.7%
from the $381.6 million reported in 2008.
In 2009, specialty, pay, pay-per-view
television and video-on-demand services employed 5,306 people and paid a
total of $402 million in salaries. In comparison, they employed 5,514
people and paid $405 million in salaries the previous year.
Cap foreign ownership at 49%: CRTC
APRIL 13, 2010
Canada should put a foreign
ownership cap of 49 per cent on both the telecom and broadcasting
sectors, the head of the federal regulator on Tuesday told a
parliamentary committee investigating foreign ownership restrictions.
Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the Canadian Radio-television
and Telecommunications Commission, said converging technologies have
resulted in converged companies, and that it is impossible to talk of
reducing foreign ownership restrictions in one sector without doing so
in the other. Currently, foreign ownership restrictions limit direct and
indirect investment to 46.7 per cent.
Mr. von Finckenstein added that the current regulatory regime, which
has a separate broadcasting act and telecommunications act, is overly
complicated and has resulted in companies taking on “artificial” and
“inefficient” structures to comply with the rules. Eventually, the acts
should be merged, he said, though in the short term it would be much
easier to make ownership restrictions flat across both of them.
“Canada clearly needs unified legislation to cover telecom,
broadcasting and radio communications,” Mr. von Finckenstein said. “We
need to simplify these rules. We should not be juggling complicated
percentage requirements for operating and holding companies.”
These hearings follow the government's stated intent in the federal
budget gradually to liberalize foreign ownership restrictions in the
regulated telecommunications and satellite sectors. Industry Minister
Tony Clement has said that the satellite sector, mainly one company in
Canada, can be liberalized before telecom because it is more clear cut.
In Canada's telecom sector
,
many companies also own broadcasting assets, which are subject to
Canadian content regulations and concerns about cultural heritage.
Despite stressing that cultural considerations can be handled in
separate legislation, Mr. von Finckenstein faced tough questioning from
MPs on the committee, who expressed concerns about that Canadian
broadcasting content.
Opposition politicians, who largely agree that there needs to be
more competition in the telecommunications sector, have seized on the
cultural aspects of the debate; they have repeatedly raised the idea
that liberalizing foreign ownership could endanger Canadian broadcasting
and programming.
The CRTC head also faced questioning about its decision to bar
Globalive Wireless Management Corp. from obtaining an operating licence,
a decision which in December was overruled by the federal cabinet. The
government has been public about its wish to see more competition in the
sector.
Liberal industry critic Marc Garneau pushed Mr. von Finckenstein on
the point, noting Globalive had received prior approval from Industry
Canada and that this decision may have been “mishandled.”
“We made this decision and we issued this and that's the end of the
story as far as we're concerned,” Mr. von Finckenstein replied, after
noting the regulator's decision was based on the evidence presented to
the CRTC and not the evidence that was before Industry Canada.
NHL Playoffs on TSN and TSN2: First Round Coverage Features Four
Key Series
- TSN delivers Canadian coverage of Montreal-Washington Series -
- TSN and TSN2 also have First Round coverage of New
Jersey/Philadelphia, Chicago/Nashville and Phoenix/Detroit series -
TORONTO, April 11 /CNW/ - The Montreal Canadiens taking on Alexander
Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals headline TSN's NHL Playoffs
coverage, as the network today confirmed its complete broadcast schedule
for the First Round of the 2010 STANLEY CUP(R) PLAYOFFS. Along with
exclusive English coverage of the Montreal/Washington series, TSN and
TSN2's coverage of the First Round also includes the following
match-ups: New Jersey/Philadelphia, Chicago/Nashville and
Phoenix/Detroit.
All games on TSN and TSN2 are available in High Definition and
on-demand at TSN.ca.
TSN's coverage of the 2010 STANLEY CUP(R) PLAYOFFS gets underway on
Wednesday, April 14 - opening night of the NHL Playoffs - with
Philadelphia @ New Jersey at 7:30 p.m. ET followed by Detroit @ Phoenix
at 10 p.m. ET (see TSN and TSN2 NHL Playoffs Broadcast Schedule below).
TSN drops the puck on the heavily-anticipated Montreal/Washington
series on Thursday, April 15 at 7 p.m. ET. TSN and TSN2's live coverage
of the 2010 STANLEY CUP(R) PLAYOFFS runs throughout the first three
rounds.
The networks' extensive coverage of the NHL post-season features
veteran play-by-play announcers Gord Miller and Chris Cuthbert and game
analysts Pierre McGuire and Ray Ferraro.
NHL ON TSN host James Duthie is in the TSN studio for pre-game shows
and intermissions, alongside Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren
Dreger, and analysts Darren Pang and Craig MacTavish. Hockey commentator
Dave Hodge also returns with playoff editions of HodgeMail.
TSN's flagship sports news program SPORTSCENTRE will cover every
playoff series with highlights and news, reports from correspondents
with each of the Canadian teams in the playoffs, and in-depth analysis
from TSN's hockey experts. THAT'S HOCKEY with Gino Reda will have
extensive post-season coverage, while OFF THE RECORD WITH MICHAEL
LANDSBERG featuring NHL analyst Jeremy Roenick and TSN THE REPORTERS
WITH DAVE HODGE continue to examine the league's hot-button issues
during the NHL Playoffs.
Leading up to the NHL Playoffs, TSN has live and exclusive coverage
of the LG NHL DRAFT LOTTERY on Tuesday, April 13 at 8 p.m. ET, plus the
NHL ON TSN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS '10: FANTASY DRAFT SPECIAL at 7 p.m. ET
and PREVIEW SHOW at 8:30 p.m. ET.
TSN.ca
------
Along with having games on-demand, TSN.ca delivers all-encompassing
coverage of the 2010 STANLEY CUP(R) PLAYOFFS with up-to-the-minute news,
analysis, interviews and game highlights, plus Ice Chips updates from
around the league, downloadable NHL Playoffs wallpaper, detailed
match-up pages with schedules and player stats for each series, and
regular blogs by TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger and
analyst Ray Ferraro. Fans can also follow McKenzie, Dreger, James Duthie
and Gino Reda on Twitter for additional breaking hockey news and
information.
TSN.ca will also unveil a special NHL Playoffs video page with video
highlights, in-depth features and games on-demand. Fans can also sort
through the videos to find content focusing on their favourite teams. In
addition, fans can register for the TSN StarOneTickets.com Playoff
Hockey Pool.
TSN and TSN2's NHL Playoffs Broadcast Schedule
----------------------------------------------
Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
- Game 1: Montreal @ Washington - Thursday, April 15 at 7
p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 2: Montreal @ Washington - Saturday, April 17 at 7 p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 3: Washington @ Montreal - Monday, April 19 p.m. at
7 p.m. ET on TSN
- Game 4: Washington @ Montreal - Wednesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 5: Montreal @ Washington - Friday, April 23 at 7 p.m. ET
on TSN*
- Game 6: Washington @ Montreal - Monday, April 26 at 7 p.m. ET
on TSN*
- Game 7: Montreal @ Washington - Wednesday, April 28 (Time TBD)
on TSN*
New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers
- Game 1: Philadelphia @ New Jersey - Wednesday, April 14 at
7:30 p.m. ET on TSN
- Game 2: Philadelphia @ New Jersey - Friday, April 16 at
7:30 p.m. ET on TSN
- Game 3: New Jersey @ Philadelphia - Sunday, April 18 at 6 p.m.
ET
on TSN
- Game 4: New Jersey @ Philadelphia - Tuesday, April 20 at
7:30 p.m. ET on TSN2
- Game 5: Philadelphia @ New Jersey - Thursday, April 22 at
7 p.m. ET on TSN*
- Game 6: New Jersey @ Philadelphia - Sunday, April 25 (Time TBD)
on TSN*
- Game 7: Philadelphia @ New Jersey - Tuesday, April 27 at
7:30 p.m. ET on TSN*
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators
- Game 1: Nashville @ Chicago - Friday, April 16 at 8:30 p.m.
ET
on TSN2
- Game 2: Nashville @ Chicago - Sunday, April 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 3: Chicago @ Nashville - Tuesday, April 20 at 9 p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 4: Chicago @ Nashville - Thursday, April 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET
on TSN2
- Game 5: Nashville @ Chicago - Saturday, April 24 at 3 p.m. ET
on TSN*
- Game 6: Chicago @ Nashville - Monday, April 26 (Time TBD) on
TSN*
- Game 7: Nashville @ Chicago - Wednesday, April 28 (Time TBD)
on TSN*
Phoenix Coyotes vs. Detroit Red Wings
- Game 1: Detroit @ Phoenix - Wednesday, April 14 at 10 p.m.
ET
on TSN
- Game 2: Detroit @ Phoenix - Friday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET on
TSN
- Game 3: Phoenix @ Detroit - Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. ET on TSN
- Game 4: Phoenix @ Detroit - Tuesday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. ET
on TSN
- Game 5: Detroit @ Phoenix - Friday, April 23 at 10 p.m. ET
on TSN*
- Game 6: Phoenix @ Detroit - Sunday, April 25 at 2 p.m. ET
on TSN*
- Game 7: Detroit @ Phoenix - Tuesday, April 27 (Time TBD) on TSN*
* If necessary.
TSN is Canada's Sports Leader and Canada's most-watched specialty
network. Delivering more sports coverage in High Definition than any
other network in Canada, TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule features
an exciting lineup of sports including NHL, IIHF, CFL, NFL, NBA, Blue
Jays Baseball, Season of Champions Curling, Golf's Majors, F1, NASCAR
Sprint Cup, Grand Slam Tennis and Championship Boxing events. TSN
properties include TSN2, TSN MOBILE and the industry leading sports
website TSN.ca. Official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and
Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad, TSN is a
division of CTVglobemedia.
CTV
Edmonton Wins Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
APRIL 8, 2010
CTV Edmonton has been given a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for our
breaking news coverage of the WCB hostage-taking last October.
When CTV News went to air at six o'clock on Oct. 21, 2009 one hostage
remained inside the Workers' Compensation Board building in downtown
Edmonton. Dring that newscast, the hostage was freed and the suspect
gave himself up peacefully.
CTV Edmonton will now compete for a national Murrow award against
U.S. stations. The awards will be presented on October 11 at the RTDNA
Awards Dinner in New York.
BBM
Analytics Launches Commercial Tracking Service
APRIL 6TH, 2010
BBM Analytics, a wholly owned subsidiary of BBM Canada, and Adease
Media Research are excited to announce that they have reached an
agreement through which Adease will digitally monitor radio commercial
advertising activity on behalf of BBM Analytics.
BBM Analytics is planning to launch 5 markets – Toronto, Montreal,
Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, starting with Montreal in April 2010.
All activity on the monitored stations will be available to subscribers
via a web based application on a weekly basis. Subscribers will be able
to analyze competitive information by market, station, class, category,
company, brand, creative and daypart. Subscribers will also have the
ability to receive daily alerts to new activity, download and listen to
new radio creative within hours of airing.
“We are always looking for ways to make it easier for our clients to
gain insight into what is occurring in a very competitive broadcast
media landscape. Radio has always been a media where limited competitive
activity has been available to broadcasters, advertising agencies and
advertisers. Our clients have been asking us for this information for a
while and Adease have the technology that will allow us to provide a
comprehensive database to the industry” says David Phillips, Vice
President of BBM Analytics.
“The service will offer invaluable information in today’s highly
competitive radio marketplace. Timely, in-depth and actionable data is
imperative to maintain existing business, react to competitive threats,
increase business potential and gain market share” says Michael Abraham,
General Manager, New Business Development of BBM Analytics.
CTV
Announces Broadcast Sponsorship of Santa Claus Parade
APRIL 6TH,
2010
CTV announced today exclusive broadcast sponsorship of the The Santa
Claus Parade. For the first time in 29 years, The Santa Claus Parade
returns to CTV, where it last aired in 1981. The parade will air
coast-to-coast on CTV,beginning on November 21, 2010 with the 106th annual
edition. Additionally,for the first time in years, the parade will also
air live in the Greater Toronto Area, with CTV’s CP24 channel providing
exclusive live coverage of what has become the longest running
children's parade in the world and one of the overall largest parades on
the planet.
The announcement follows a recently brokered three-year deal that
solidifies CTV’s status as the exclusive broadcast media sponsors of the
Santa Claus Parade through to 2012.
Since 1905, the Toronto Santa Claus parade has made its way through
the streets of downtown Toronto, dazzling spectators with an array of
magical floats, bands, and clowns, and of course – Santa – delivering a
joyous holiday occasion not to be missed. Now in its 106th year, The
Santa Claus Parade is by far one of the most-attended parades in
Toronto and one of the largest in the world.
Claus Parade on CTV will be announced in the coming months.
CTV and
Discovery Extend Discovery Canada Joint Venture
APRIL 6TH, 2010
CTV and Discovery Communications Inc. announced today an
extension of their Discovery Canada joint venture, including the
English-language broadcast rights in Canada for programming from
Discovery Channel, Discovery Science, Discovery Health, Discovery HD
Theatre and Investigation Discovery.
Under the new multi-year agreement, Discovery Canada will utilize
Discovery-branded content on additional platforms such as the internet,
video on demand and mobile. In addition, CTV will have the
English-language rights to launch new Discovery branded channels in
Canada (excluding TLC and Military Channel, and the OWN and Hub joint
ventures).
TSN To
Provide Multi-Platform Coverage of Masters
APRIL 1, 2010
TSN is set to cover one of the most anticipated Masters across
all of its platforms. TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Mobile will allow
Canadians to experience The Masters. In addition to live broadcast
coverage of the first two rounds and coverage of Woods’
highly-anticipated return, TSN will give fans in Canada exclusive live
online streaming that goes beyond the broadcast coverage from Augusta
National Golf Club. TSN has also confirmed it will have live coverage
of Woods’ press conference on Monday, April 5 and will go live to
Augusta National Golf Club when he takes his tee shot from the first
hole on Thursday during the opening round. Augusta as they follow the
biggest golf stories and latest news from the tournament including a
look at Weir’s performance and the return of Woods.
SPORTSCENTRE
will also have updates throughout Thursday and Friday with highlights
of the early groups playing in the opening two rounds.
TSN.ca and TSN Mobile
TSN.ca will give fans the opportunity to watch even more action from
Augusta with exclusive live streaming of Masters coverage that is
different from the television broadcast. Throughout all four rounds,
TSN.ca will give fans the opportunity to view several different live
streams of their choice including the famous Amen Corner (holes 11, 12
and 13) and holes 15 and 16 as well as the option to follow featured
groups live as they play through the back nine.
TSN.ca also features exclusive live streaming of the SPORTSCENTRE
Special: Tiger Woods Press conference on Monday, April 5 and the Par
3 Contest onWednesday, April 7. In addition to the live
streaming, TSN.ca has The Masters covered with all of the news, and
analysis throughout Masters Week.
Additional Coverage
Leading up to TSN’s live coverage of The Masters, the network will
air five MASTERS OFFICIAL FILMS from April 5-7. MASTERS OFFICIAL FILMS
are a collection of hour-long recaps of previous years’ editions of The
Masters featuring highlights and memorable moments from each
tournament.
ESPN Classic viewers can relive even more of the greatest moments
with more MASTERS OFFICIAL FILMS airing at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET each
night from April 5-7. Tiger Woods’ four championships take
centre stage on April 5 and 6 while the night of April 7 showcases Mike
Weir’s big win in 2003 and Phil Mickelson’s triumph in 2004 (see
detailed schedule below).
Live coverage of The Masters begins on TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Mobile
begins on Thursday April 8th.
Broadcast Coverage
The Masters begins with live coverage of the first and second rounds
on TSN and evening encores of the third round on TSN2 and final round on
TSN.
TSN’s coverage includes live one-hour preview shows airing daily
prior to the start of each round with TSN’s Cory Woron, Jim Nelford and
resident golf expert Bob Weeks providing in-depth reports and analysis
from Augusta and a recap of all the action from earlier in the day.
TSN’s Masters coverage will include a special look at the British
golfers looking to put their mark on The Masters and how Mike Weir
prepares for Augusta’s challenging par 3 holes.
SPORTSCENTRE has in-depth features and daily reports all week from
Woron, Weeks and Nelford beginning Monday, April 5.
