|
|
|
|
|
|
The CRTC releases its 2007 telecom monitoring report
OTTAWA-GATINEAU - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released the seventh annual CRTC Telecom Monitoring Report. The report shows that the residential market is experiencing vigorous competition due to the efforts undertaken by cable companies and, to a lesser extent, other providers of local telephone service.
"As we rely more and more on market forces, and only regulate where
necessary, the CRTC Telecommunications Monitoring Report is one of the
important tools that allows us to assess whether the Canadian
Telecommunications Policy objectives are being met," said Konrad von
Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. "This year's report tells us that
competitors are making inroads in local telephone markets. In fact,
competition has increased to the extent that it has accelerated the
deregulation of certain markets, which will benefit consumers."
The telecommunications industry continues to demonstrate growth, which is
being driven by the adoption of new technologies by Canadians. For instance,
Internet and cellular telephone services accounted for 50% of all
telecommunications revenues in 2006, a jump from 45% over the previous year.
<<
Highlights
- Total telecommunications revenues increased by 4.5%, going from
$34.5 billion in 2005 to $36.1 billion in 2006.
- In 2006, competitors captured 38% of total revenues, an increase of 3%
from the previous year. Overall, the revenues of competitors increased
by 12% to $13.7 billion, mainly due to the cable companies recording a
17% growth in revenues.
- The cellular telephone market remained the largest and fastest growing
sector in the telecommunications industry as revenues grew by 15%, from
$11.0 billion in 2005 to $12.7 billion in 2006. Cellular telephone
revenues accounted for 35% of the total telecommunications revenues, up
from 23% in 2005.
- Canada had a landline and cellular telephone penetration rate of 98.6%
in 2006. On its own, cellular telephone penetration reached 66.8% of
Canadian households.
- The number of households with high-speed Internet access reached
7.5 million, or 60% of all households, up from 51% in 2005. Among
G8 countries, Canada remained in the number one rank with respect to
broadband adoption.
- The telecommunications industry's earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) went from $12.4 billion in 2005
to $13.1 billion in 2006, representing a 5.3% increase.
- Capital expenditures rose from $5.6 billion in 2005 to $6.9 billion in
2006, an increase of 24%.
- In the residential market, competitors held a 14.2% share of local and
access lines in 2006, up from 7.6% in 2005. In the business market,
their share of local and access lines grew from 14.3% in 2005 to 15.9%
in 2006.
- Internet revenues went from $4.5 billion in 2005 to $5 billion in 2006,
an increase of 9.4%. Broadband deployment continued to progress and its
availability increased from 92% of Canadian households in 2005 to 93%
in 2006.
>>
The CRTC Telecom Monitoring Report provides information on the different
sectors of the telecommunications industry: local and access, long distance,
Internet and broadband services, data and private line, and cellular. For each
sector, the report examines such topics as the services offered, the status of
competition and regulatory and market developments.
In 2000, the government requested that the Commission report annually
over a five-year period on the status of competition in the Canadian
telecommunications industry. Following the publication of the last report in
2005, the CRTC decided to continue its practice of publishing an annual report
in order to allow interested parties to stay informed about the state of the
Canadian telecommunications industry.
Starting in 2008, the Broadcasting Policy Monitoring Report and the
CRTC Telecommunications Monitoring Report will be integrated into one annual
report.
|
CRTC deregulates first residential markets in Canada
OTTAWA-GATINEAU - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that TELUS and Bell Aliant will no longer need to obtain its approval to set local telephone rates or to introduce new services and service packages in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and in parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Some of the areas that qualified for deregulation in the Maritimes are located in Fredericton, Charlottetown and Halifax.
"Consumers in deregulated markets will benefit from increased competition
between local telephone service providers, in the same way they already do
when choosing between competing long-distance, wireless and Internet
services," said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC.
The CRTC has received a number of applications for deregulation of local
telephone service, representing over 60 per cent of residential telephone
lines in Canada. The remaining applications are currently under consideration
and other markets could be deregulated in the near future if the CRTC
determines they meet the criteria.
To protect consumers, the CRTC has put in place restrictions that prevent
TELUS and Bell Aliant from increasing the price currently charged for basic
telephone service(*). In addition, the federal government directed telephone
service providers to create a consumer agency to handle complaints from
subscribers. This agency was established two days ago. The CRTC will be
working closely with the industry and this new agency, and its structure and
mandate will be approved by the CRTC following a public process that will be
held at a future date.
In keeping with its commitment to delivering timely decisions, the CRTC
took only 105 days to consider these applications.
|
Statement from Industry Minister Maxime Bernier on the CRTC Deregulation Decision of Local Telephone Service
OTTAWA - The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, today applauded the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC's) timely decision on the deregulation of local telephone service in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and regions of Atlantic Canada.
"Canada's New Government believes that reliance on market forces and competition benefits Canadian businesses and consumers. The deregulation of local telephone service in these regions will further encourage innovation and competition in the telecommunications industry," said Minister Bernier. "Consumers should benefit from more choices, improved products and services, and lower prices," added the Minister. "This initiative also reflects our agreement with the advice we received from the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel to rely on market forces to the maximum extent feasible."
The Government of Canada announced lastApril it was accelerating the CRTC's decision on the deregulation of retail telephone prices of traditional telephone companies. The CRTC's market-share test was replaced with one that emphasizes the presence of competitive infrastructure in a local telephone exchange, in order to deliver the greatest benefits to consumers, discipline the marketplace and strengthen investment.
|
IMAX Corporation reports 2006 and first quarter 2007 financial results
HIGHLIGHTS
- Company completes restatement of financial results for reporting periods covering 2002 through 2005 and will file Form 10-K for fiscal 2006 and Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2007. Company revises accounting policy regarding revenue recognition for theatre system installations.
- Company enjoys a record opening week for Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix: An IMAX 3D Experience, with $11.6 million in
worldwide IMAX box office on 126 screens, building on the strong
performance of 2007 film slate to date, including 300: The IMAX
Experience and Spider-Man 3: The IMAX Experience.
- Company continues to advance its joint venture initiative, with joint
venture agreements for five theatres signed since January, and
multiple discussions ongoing.
- Company remains on track to introduce its digital projection system
on time and within budget.
- Company announces 13 theatre system signings in the first quarter of fiscal 2007, two of which were joint venture arrangements and three of which were subject to certain conditions, and six theatre system signings in the second quarter of fiscal 2007.
TORONTO - IMAX Corporation reported that it completed its restatement of financial results covering 2002 through 2005, and will file today its Form 10-K for fiscal 2006 and Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2007, recording a net loss per diluted share from continuing operations of ($0.12) for the first quarter of fiscal 2007, compared to a restated net loss of ($0.15) per diluted share from continuing operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2006. For the full year 2006, the Company reported a net loss from continuing operations of $18.3 million, which includes several significant one-time items, such as a future tax valuation allowance, costs associated with its restatement, regulatory inquiries and attempted sales process, and other write-downs, compared to restated reported earnings from continuing operations of $5.8 million in 2005.
IMAX Co-Chief Executive Officers Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J.
Wechsler stated, "We are pleased to complete our restatement and to file our
10-K and 10-Q today. In recent months we have been working very closely with
the regulators, our auditors, counsel, Audit Committee and Board to manage
this process, and are happy to be moving ahead unencumbered by the overhang of
delayed filings. Most recently, we carefully evaluated our accounting
practices in light of comments received from the staffs of the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC"),
and, during the course of our interaction with these regulators, decided that
we should revise our accounting policy as it relates to revenue recognition of
theatre systems. The SEC and OSC inquiries remain ongoing. As for our
performance to date in 2007, we are pleased to have had 19 signings completed
in the first half of the year. In addition, our joint venture initiative is
being positively received by exhibitors due principally to the strength of our
film slate and the strong financial performance of the JV's that have been
installed to date. While the Company navigated several challenges in fiscal
2006, we believe IMAX is now well positioned to expand our worldwide network
and generate greater recurring revenues. Many of the events that impacted the
Company in fiscal 2006 are now behind us, and several compelling growth
opportunities lie ahead."
The Company formally launched its joint venture initiative at the
beginning of the year as part of its effort to add incremental momentum to
theatre growth and realize the benefits of network economics more quickly. In
2007 to date, IMAX has signed joint venture agreements for five theatres: a
two-theatre joint venture agreement with Regal Cinemas in the first quarter
and three-theatre deal with Muvico Theaters in the second quarter. Three of
those five theatres have since opened and have experienced strong early
results, and numerous discussions are ongoing both domestically and abroad.
During the first quarter, the Company signed agreements for 13 IMAX(R)
theatre systems, two of which were joint venture arrangements and three of
which were subject to certain conditions. The Company recognized revenue on
four theatre systems in the first quarter and recognized one additional sale
of an existing system. The Company signed agreements for six theatre systems
in the second quarter of fiscal 2007.
On the film side, the Company reported that Warner Bros. Pictures' Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: An IMAX 3D Experience opened July 11,
with the film's 18-minute finale digitally converted into live-action IMAX(R)
3D. The film grossed $11.6 million in its first week on 126 IMAX screens,
which represents the Company's largest worldwide opening ever. It shattered
several other opening box office records including largest domestic per screen
average at $98,700, and largest single day at $1.9 million. The film's opening
weekend domestic box office performance was double that of the opening weekend
of the previous instalment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The IMAX
Experience. The film set several international records as well, including the
best opening weekend at $1.4 million on 35 screens; in coming weeks the film
will open in 17 additional international IMAX theatres.
In addition, Warner Bros. Pictures' 300: The IMAX Experience, released on
March 9, 2007, has grossed $24.0 million to date and Sony's Spider-Man 3: The
IMAX Experience, released domestically on May 4th, has grossed approximately
$24.1 million to date.
"We are delighted with the ongoing strength of our film slate, which has
now featured five consecutive well-received films: Happy Feet, Night at the
Museum, 300, Spider-Man 3 and last week's release of Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix, with the finale in unparalleled IMAX(R) 3D. For the last
several years, we have discussed the impact of the growing theatre network on
our film and other recurring revenues. The performance of Harry Potter 5, as
well as our other recent releases, is demonstrating the power of the expanded
network. In its first week, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix grossed
$11.6 million on 126 IMAX screens, compared to a first week of $5.5 million on
75 IMAX screens for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. These
increasingly strong results not only impact our film revenues, but also our
joint venture arrangements, owned & operated theatre performance and ongoing
network royalties. We have said that the network economics as the number of
global IMAX theatres expands are going to be increasingly impressive, and this
is strong evidence that this is already happening. With our terrific film
slate, the positive initial response to our joint venture initiative, and the
Company on track to introduce our new digital platform in late 2008 to
mid-2009, we believe IMAX will see even greater enhanced network growth,
improved network economics and increased recurring revenues going forward,"
concluded Messrs. Gelfond and Wechsler.
In March 2007, the Company announced that it would delay the filing of
its annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2006 and its quarterly report on
Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2007 due to the discovery of
certain accounting errors, mostly in the area of film accounting and inventory
capitalization and taxes. The impact of these previously-disclosed errors
resulted in a net overstatement of aggregate earnings previously reported for
the periods 2002 through the third quarter of 2006 of $4.0 million. Of this
$4.0 million, approximately $2.5 million was recognized in the fourth quarter
of 2006, with the remaining $1.5 million expected to be recognized in future
periods, the majority in 2007.
The Company subsequently broadened its accounting review to include
certain other accounting matters, based on comments the Company received from
the SEC and OSC. Under the former method for recording revenues under multiple
element arrangement accounting, as reflected in the Company's 2005 10-K, the
Company recognized revenue when the projector and sound system were installed
and deferred revenue recognition of components deemed to be separate
deliverables until their subsequent installation, such as the screen. Because
the projector and sound system are delivered together, wired together and
coordinated to provide a synchronized audio-video experience, the Company
considered these two components to be a single deliverable, with other
deliverables, such as the glasses cleaning machine and the screen system,
treated separately. After extensive review and consideration, the Company
determined that the screen, 3-D glasses cleaning machine and initial services
including projectionist training should be considered one single deliverable.
In addition, the Company will now require receipt of a signed acceptance from
each client before recognizing revenue, in the absence of which the Company
will recognize revenue upon the opening of the theatre.
Consequently, the Company concluded that errors occurred in its prior
accounting for theatre systems, has revised its policy with regard to revenue
recognition for theatre systems, and restated its financial results in
accordance with the revised policy. The revised policy has the effect of
shifting theatre systems revenues from the period in which they were
previously reported to subsequent periods. The impact of these errors resulted
in a net overstatement of aggregate earnings previously reported for the
periods 2002 through 2005 of $10.4 million. The operating results for 2006
include the recognition of income resulting from the restatement of
$7.4 million, meaning that the net earnings impact on future periods is
$3.0 million. It is anticipated that, of that $3 million in net impact, the
majority will be recognized in income in 2007. Breaking it down further, a
total of 16 installation transactions with a total revenue and margin impact
of $25.4 million and $14.1 million, respectively, shifted between reported
quarters in their originally reported years. In addition, a total of
14 installation transactions, with a total revenue and margin impact of
$27.1 million and $14.0 million, respectively, shifted between fiscal years.
As part of the Company's review of these transactions, certain other
adjustments were identified, including misallocation of value to elements and
accounting for finance income on certain leases that were previously reserved
against. The net amount of these adjustments over the period 2002 through 2005
was a decrease in income of $1.9 million. Transactions and events related to
these adjustments are expected to result in the majority of the income
reversing into 2007.
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company's total revenues
were $27.2 million, as compared to $23.3 million reported for the prior year
period. Systems revenue was $13.1 million versus $12.8 million in the prior
year period. The Company recognized revenue on 5 theatre systems which
qualified as either sales or sales-type leases in the first quarter of 2007,
compared to 5 in 2006.
For the first quarter of 2007, film revenues were $9.1 million, as
compared to $6.0 million in the first quarter of 2006. This included IMAX
DMR(TM) revenues of $4.6 million compared to $1.1 million in 2006. Theatre
operations revenue was $4.5 million in the first quarter of 2007 compared to
$3.7 million in the first quarter of 2006.
The Company's cash and short term investments position was $27.4 million
as of March 31, 2007, compared to $27.2 million as of December 31, 2006.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company's total revenues were
$129.3 million, as compared to $135.3 million reported for the prior year.
Systems revenue was $72.1 million versus $88.6 million in the prior year, a
decrease due principally to a reduction in settlement revenue for 2006. The
Company recognized revenue on 30 theatre systems which qualified as either
sales or sales-type leases in fiscal 2006, versus 30 in 2005, as restated.
For fiscal 2006, film revenues were $36.3 million, as compared to
$26.0 million in fiscal 2005. This included IMAX DMR revenues of $14.6
million, compared to $8.9 million in 2005, an increase of 65%. Theatre
operations revenue decreased to $16.9 million in 2006 from $17.5 million in
2005. Other revenue was $4.0 million in fiscal 2006, compared to $3.2 million
in fiscal 2005.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, the Company recorded a
write-down of $3.2 million related primarily to inventories, property, plant
and equipment and accounts receivable. It also recorded a deferred tax
valuation allowance of $6.2 million, which equates to approximately $0.15 per
share, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006. This tax write down relates
to the Company's current assessment that the ultimate utilization of certain
tax assets previously recorded on the balance sheet may not be realized within
a two-year period.
The Company will host a conference call on Friday, July 20, 2007 at
8:30 AM ET. To access the call interested parties should call (866) 904-6251
approximately 10 minutes before it begins. International callers should dial
(416) 915-8321. The code for both the live call and the replay is 3772743. The
Company will also host a webcast of the conference call, which can be accessed
on www.imax.com by clicking on 'Company Info' and then 'Investor Relations.'
|
How could he let it happen? The Conrad Black inside story: A Maclean's special report
Was it a disastrous defence that did him in? Maclean's 30-page special
report features in-depth coverage of the Conrad Black trial, from
the deals that did him in to the ugly truth about white-collar prisons.
Read it all, in this week's Maclean's.
TORONTO - Never mind that 12 of the 16 charges against the Hollinger insiders fell through at trial. Forget the fact that the jury rejected the central allegation in the case-that Hollinger operated as an elaborate scheme to enrich insiders at the expense of public shareholders. And don't dwell on the fact that Black was acquitted of the most vivid accusation-that he abused his Hollinger expense account to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, to finance expensive parties, gifts and vacations abroad. None of that matters now.
"As the prosecutors knew all too well," Maclean's deputy managing editor
Steve Maich reports, "they needed a conviction on only one criminal count to
exact the retribution they sought." After 11 days of grueling deliberations, a
jury of nine women and three men - hairdressers, truck drivers and office
clerks - convicted Black of three counts of fraud related to payments and was
convicted on the additional charge of obstructing justice, related to his
improper removal of 13 boxes of documents from his Toronto office during the
criminal investigation, in the early evening of May 20, 2005 - one disastrous
office relocation.
It wasn't the dastardly master plan prosecutors alleged, not by a long
shot. But in the eyes of U.S. justice it was a crime nonetheless, one that
carries a penalty more harsh than most murderers face in Canada. "Black's
place in the U.S. federal prison system is now all but sealed," writes Maich.
The only thing left to determine is how long he will serve behind bars among
drug lords and thugs - three to five years as his lawyers hope, or upwards of
15 years as the prosecution will request from Judge Amy St. Eve. That question
will be resolved on Nov. 30. But others may linger forever, and this one most
of all: how could he let it happen?
<<
Look to this week's 30-page special report in Maclean's for full coverage
of the Conrad Black trial, including:
- Mark Steyn on the battle behind the scenes
- Dissection of the deals that did Conrad in
- A profile of the man behind the Hollinger myth
- Conrad's next fight
- The ugly truth about white-collar prison
- The forgotten felons from the trial
- Black's changing face - the trial captured in pictures
This week on Macleans.ca:
Look to Canada's leading online news source for complete Conrad Black
trial coverage, reaction and preditions leading to sentencing.
- Blogging and analysis throughout the trial from Mark Steyn
- Live from the courtroom: verdict coverage by Steve Maich in Chicago
- Full guide to the trial of the century, including history and bios
of all major players
- Unique global perspective-Macleans.ca synthesizes how Conrad's trial
was perceived around the world.
|
New Quark Volume Licensing Program Reduces Costs and Increases Efficiency of Purchasing and Deploying Multiple QuarkXPress Licenses
Quark's New Initiative Offers Discounts on QuarkXPress Licenses,
Complimentary License Management Software and Support from Two New Service
Programs
DENVER - Quark Inc. announced Quark Volume Licensing Program (QVLP), a new licensing program that provides volume discounts and purchase and installation management for users who purchase or upgrade five or more QuarkXPress licenses. Designed for any organization requiring multiple QuarkXPress licenses, QVLP reduces overall costs, simplifies the purchase of volume licenses, and protects investments in Quark software through two new maintenance programs specifically designed for QVLP participants.
QVLP simplifies the purchase of multiple QuarkXPress licenses by basing
cost savings on a tiered scale that associates the number of licenses
purchased with corresponding discounted pricing. In addition to cost savings,
organizations purchasing more than five QuarkXPress licenses benefit from:
-- Streamlined Purchasing: All QVLP purchases are tied to a single
serial number and validation code
-- No Contracts: QVLP does not require ongoing commitment, ensuring that
organizations can purchase QuarkXPress software when needed
-- Transactional Discounts: Purchases made through QVLP are not
restricted to specific start and end dates
-- Free Quark License Administrator: QVLP includes complimentary license
management software that manages licenses and tracks deployment to optimize an
organization's use of QuarkXPress
Sheldon Haselwood, IT manager for Final Film, a prepress and print
service provider based in Los Angeles, said, "We purchased our QuarkXPress
licenses through the Quark Volume Licensing Program, and it simplified the
process for purchasing, installing and deploying QuarkXPress considerably. At
Final Film we run QuarkXPress on a number of computers and must add the
software to new machines fairly regularly. One advantage of QVLP is Quark
License Administrator which allows me to install the software once and run on
multiple computers without worrying about server conflicts or tracking a whole
list of serial numbers."
In addition to QVLP, Quark introduced two new maintenance plans
associated with the volume licensing program:
-- QuarkAssurance Maintenance Plan: QuarkXPress software maintenance
program that includes premium technical support and free upgrades to the most
recent version of QuarkXPress during the enrollment term
-- ServicePlus Maintenance Plan: QuarkXPress software maintenance
program that includes new feature training, premium technical support and free
upgrades to the most recent version of QuarkXPress during the enrollment term
"The new Quark Volume Licensing Program makes it extremely easy for
corporate, government and small to midsized customers to deploy world-class
productivity software with maximum effectiveness," said Cherie Walker,
director of channel and educational sales for Quark. "We are excited to offer
our customers a program that simplifies the purchase, deployment and
management of QuarkXPress software licenses while offering the benefit of a
volume discount."
QuarkXPress licenses purchased under QVLP are run concurrently using
Quark License Administrator (QLA). QLA is a server-based license management
system developed by Quark to manage the purchase, installation and maintenance
of five or more QuarkXPress licenses. For more information on QLA visit
www.quark.com/products/qla/overview.html.
|
A Record Breaking BBM Results Show CHUM FM Continues to Be Toronto's No. 1 Radio Station
TORONTO - 104.5 CHUM FM has once again earned the top spot in the Bureau of Broadcast Measurements Spring ratings released Monday. CHUM FM is the No. 1 station overall with a 10.4 share of tuning. As well, CHUM FM holds a huge lead in the lucrative adult 25-54 demographic with a 13.9 share of audience. These numbers are some of the largest in the history of CHUM FM.
"From Roger, Rick and Marilyn in the morning to Cory Kimm in the
evenings, we are thrilled Toronto listeners make chum FM their No. 1 radio
station 24/7", said Rob Farina, Program Director, CHUM FM.
"Thank you Toronto for keeping us number one!" said David Corey, Program
Coordinator, CHUM FM. "We want to congratulate everyone at CHUM FM as well for
their hard work in making us Toronto's favourite radio station."
Canada's No. 1 morning team of Roger, Rick & Marilyn continues to
dominate morning radio in Toronto with double the ratings of its closest
competitor. CHUM FM also leads the afternoon and drive home hours in Toronto,
showing a 27.4 and 19.7 respectively among females 25-44.
CHUM FM attributes its continued success to the fact that they play
"Today's Best Music, and to their popular roster of Toronto personalities
including Ingrid Schumacher's No. 1 midday show, Darren B. Lamb's No. 1
afternoon drive show, and Cory Kimm, host of The Sound Lounge, which boasts a
24% increase in overall share.
CHUM FM (www.chumfm.com) draws a weekly audience of almost 1,100,000
listeners and is the most listened to FM radio station in Canada. The radio
station plays a wide variety of contemporary music from artists as diverse as
Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Bon Jovi, Rihanna and Nickelback. CHUM FM is
a CTVglobemedia station.
|
Marketwire and Capitol Hill Broadcasting Network Forge Agreement to Offer Video Press Release Services for the Political Community
Marketwire to Provide Premier, Discounted Newswire Service to CHBN Members
WASHINGTON, DC- - Marketwire, a full-service newswire and communications workflow solutions provider, today announced an agreement with Capitol Hill Broadcasting Network (CHBN), a website featuring user-generated political videos, to serve as its newswire partner. Under the agreement, Marketwire will host a news site for CHBN, as well as provide a discount on domestically distributed press releases to individuals posting videos on CHBN's website.
CHBN members can easily sign up for a free Marketwire account to issue a press release promoting their video. They have a choice of purchasing at a discount Marketwire's national, regional, state and metro distributions as well as Marketwire=27s targeted Capitol Hill and Public Policy circuits. Industry-specific trade distribution is included with these newslines, as is 24/7 customer service, editorial support and online news monitoring. CHBN members also receive a discount on multimedia enhancements such as audio and video links, embedded photos and photo distribution via AP PhotoExpress, AP Topic Gallery, and the NewsCom network.
"With the tremendous growth of user-generated political and advocacy videos, there is a need to give our users the power to engage in proactive publicity and media distribution efficiently and cost-effectively," said David Livingston, CHBN founder. "We created the CHBN platform to offer web-based communication tools for the political community. Marketwire gives our community the ability to distribute their videos worldwide, nationwide or to micro-targets within specific cities or states. And we found that Marketwire is the perfect partner for us because of its simple, user-friendly online interface, its reputation for technological innovation, especially when interacting with HTML platforms, and its customer-first service."
Marketwire's Capitol Hill and Public Policy circuits target 6,000 media outlets, as well as all U.S. House and Senate committees. The Public Policy circuit also reaches the Washington Press Corps, national and international Washington, D.C. bureaus, and public policy journalists nationwide.
Executive Director, Media Relations for Marketwire, Jessica Strange, said, "Our partnership with CHBN represents an ongoing integration of technologies that brings what previously was financially and logistically out of reach for many people into the realm of possibility. There are millions of user-generated videos on the Internet, and this number is growing every day. We are pleased to be a part of this innovative, one-stop solution for publicizing candidates' messages and public issues to the right media, especially as the 2008 election season heats up."
|
BLACKENTERPRISE.COM ANNOUNCES RELAUNCH
On Demand Video, Exclusive News, and Easier Navigation Highlight Site Redesign
New York, NY – black enterprise, the premier business and financial resource for African Americans, today unveiled a complete redesign of its Website, BlackEnterprise.com. The redesign sets the destination apart as being the most comprehensive source of online information for African American professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers.
The redesigned BlackEnterprise.com provides original interactive content pertaining to small business, wealth building, careers, and homeownership. The site’s wider, cleaner layout makes for better usability, intuitive navigation, and enhanced search capabilities for all BE’s signature lists, including a current and historical archive of the BE 100s, the top-grossing black-owned businesses in the nation, the Top 50 Colleges for African Americans, Best 10 Cities for African Americans, the 40 Best Companies for Diversity, and more.
BlackEnterprise.com now features a multimedia library with unlimited, free-of-charge video access to black enterprise’s television programs, Our World with Black Enterprise and Black Enterprise Business Report, as well as audio access to be’s radio program, Black Enterprise Magazine’s Keys to a Better Life.
“black enterprise is the country’s most recognized media brand for the African American business community,” says Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., President & CEO of black enterprise. “With the relaunch of BlackEnterprise.com, we can leverage the phenomenal power of the black enterprise brand across all mediums—print, online, radio, and television. Our distinctive, award-winning content is now available to consumers wherever and whenever they want it.”
BlackEnterprise.com reports more than 200,000 registered users, with more than 450,000 monthly visitors. In the coming months, BlackEnterprise.com will be further optimized to support even more online advertising opportunities. The company’s online ad sales revenue went up 25% between the first half of 2006 and the first half of 2007. The boost is attributed to increased inventory due to a 30% increase in online traffic.
Originally launched as BE Online in 1996, the site offers utility through content, Web tools, and strategic alliances with industry leaders such as AOL Black Voices, YellowBrix, ShareBuilder, Franchise Solutions, FinancialContent.com, and Black Wealth Network. The site fosters business development and networking opportunities for individuals and corporations seeking information pertaining to African Americans, or seeking to do business with African Americans.
|
More than 1,000 Canadians tell CRTC to stop big media
VANCOUVER - In the space of three weeks, more than 1,000 Canadians have written the CRTC asking for policies to limit concentrated and cross-ownership in the media. They are unhappy with the lack of choice in their communities and are calling for measures to increase media diversity.
"Our campaign to stop the big media takeover is striking a chord with
Canadians from coast to coast," says Steve Anderson, co-ordinator of Canadians
for Democratic Media. "It's clear that there's a lot of dissatisfaction,
especially about news coverage. The situation in Vancouver-Victoria, where
CanWest Global owns three daily newspapers and two TV stations, is a
particular source of anger."
"When you have fewer and fewer companies owning more and more outlets,
quality and diversity of content tend to go down."
Canadians for Democratic Media launched its online campaign on June 27 to
spark participation by regular Canadians in the CRTC policy hearing.
"Too often in these proceedings, policy-makers only hear from people and
companies with a vested interest in the media industry," Anderson says. "This
time, they're also hearing, in droves, from Canadians with a democratic
interest in the media industry. We hope the CRTC will get the message that
there is appetite for a shift in direction for Canada's media policy, where
rules for broadasters are being abandoned and unprecedented consolidation
appears welcome."
Canadians have until July 18 to submit a comment. The CRTC will hold a
public hearing on the issue in September.
To find out more and to ask the CRTC to Stop the Big Media Takeover,
visit www.democraticmedia.ca
Canadians for Democratic Media is a broad-based network of consumer,
labour, media reform and citizen groups from across Canada.
|
Direct Digital Solutions Inc. Signs Exclusive Contract for In-House Digital Signage Network at the University of Montreal
The flat screen media network will deliver over 4 million highly targeted impressions annually.
MONTREAL - Direct Digital Solutions Inc. (leaders in end-to-end digital signage systems) announced the signing of an exclusive digital advertising contract with the University of Montreal (Canada's second largest University & one of the largest French-language Universities in the world). Direct Digital Solutions Inc. has commenced the strategic installation of flat panel LCD displays throughout the Cepsum fitness centre. This new, exciting network is scheduled to kickoff the upcoming 2007 fall semester.
The CEPSUM needed a novel way to communicate with its 60,000 plus members (comprised mainly of students from U of M & affiliated schools such as HEC Montreal) of new programs, special offers, home team schedules and a variety of other important announcements. In response to these requirements, Direct Digital Solutions Inc. with its cutting-edge solutions have been chosen to fuel the network. Direct Digital Solutions Inc. will be responsible for the complete set-up and management of CEPSUM's in-house digital media network (Target Network). In addition to CEPSUM's announcements, Direct Digital Solutions Inc. will open the floor to a select group of third party advertisers on a local and national level. The high impact, professionally installed flat-panel LCD monitors will be installed throughout the complex in high traffic / captive locations (i.e. customer service counters, training rooms, cafeteria etc.).
The complete solution will be managed on a secure network and will be controlled via the Internet from the head office of Direct Digital Solutions Inc. In addition to CEPSUM's daily announcements and third-party advertisers, the multi-zoned display will also include real-time content such as breaking news highlights, weather updates and a variety of other useful information. Direct Digital Solutions Inc. plans to expand the Target Network to high-traffic locations throughout Montreal to reach over 12 million highly-targeted annual impressions by December 2008.
|
G4techTV Canada to air hit British comedy "The IT Crowd"
TORONTO - G4techTV Canada is pleased to announce the addition of "The IT Crowd," the International Emmy-nominated British comedy series to its summer line up. The 30 minute show will premiere on July 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET and will air on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, repeating on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET.
"The IT Crowd" is set in the London offices of Reynholm Industries, which
is full of glamorous go-getters and high-flying executives. While their
beautiful colleagues work upstairs in posh and spacious surroundings, the IT
department - Jen, Roy and Moss - lurk below in a dingy basement, scorned by
their co-workers as geeky losers. The show focuses on the high jinks of the
socially-inept IT trio as they deal with the onslaught of tech issues and
demanding coworkers. "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" and "Are
you sure it's plugged in?" are common cries from the depths of Reynholm
Industries as the Jen, Ross and Moss struggle for acceptance and a moment of
peace from the never ending demands of the company.
"We are thrilled to air the original British version of "The IT Crowd,"
Tom Ayley, General Manager, G4techTV Canada. "The show has proven to be so
popular that an American version is currently being developed for a US
network. "The IT Crowd" is a natural fit for G4techTV Canada we are pleased to
offer our viewers the best in technology related programming from Canada and
abroad."
Written and Directed by Graham Linehan, co-creator of "Father Ted" and
produced by Ash Atalla of "The Office" fame, "The IT Crowd" is recorded in
front of a live studio audience and has built a global fan base and a strong
blog following.
|
XM-Sirius Merger Should Go Forward
Regulators Need to Let Private Initiative Flourish
Washington, D.C. —The proposed merger of satellite radio companies XM and Sirius should be cleared by the Federal Communications Commission, according to regulatory comments filed yesterday by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
“Satellite company mergers are one element of an evolving marketplace that increasingly magnifies consumer choice and ability to customize information; not merely information received, but also that which individuals themselves create or assemble for distribution to others,” said Wayne Crews <http://www.cei.org/dyn/view_Expert.cfm?Expert=34> , Director of Technology Studies at CEI. “That personalization coexists with media enterprises that exist on a gigantic scale.”
Opponents of the merger have suggested that a combined XM-Sirius would raise antitrust concerns, but that would only be the case if their market were defined so narrowly as to intentionally exclude all other competitors beside XM and Sirius themselves. Both companies exist in an intensely competitive market for news and entertainment content currently being accessed by consumers across an array of media.
“Bureaucrats cause untold damage when they undermine network industries’ efforts to orient themselves, to attain the scale appropriate to fostering customization, and to achieve such feats as moving global information to the exosphere as satellite operations do,” said Crews. “Liberalizing spectrum for future satellite and communications operations—not restraining the private operations of those that now exist—should be FCC’s focus.”
|
Rogers Media to Acquire Vancouver's 'Channel M' From Multivan Broadcast Corporation
TORONTO - Rogers Media and Multivan Broadcast Corporation ("Multivan") today announced an agreement under which Rogers Broadcasting, a Rogers Media subsidiary, will acquire Vancouver based multicultural television station Channel M.
The acquisition of Channel M significantly expands Rogers' ethnic
television operations into the richly diverse lower Vancouver mainland and
Vancouver Island markets, Canada's gateway to the Pacific Rim and home to
three million residents.
In just four short years Channel M has built a highly successful and
award winning multicultural television offering in Vancouver and Victoria,
broadcasting in 22 different languages and producing and airing hundreds of
hours of original local programs each month. Expansion into these Greater
Vancouver Area markets represents a natural extension to Rogers' proven and
successful OMNI TV multicultural platform in Ontario and is further
complemented by the multilingual and ethnic television station licenses in
Calgary and Edmonton which Rogers was recently awarded.
"Rogers has built its successful television business by serving
community-focused and niche audiences," said Leslie Sole, CEO Television,
Rogers Broadcasting. "The addition of Channel M to Rogers' ethnic broadcasting
portfolio greatly enhances our position as Canada's premier multicultural
broadcaster and furthers our objective of bringing a vision of diversity,
respect and inclusiveness to the communities that Rogers serves. We pride
ourselves in providing a primary bridge to first generation Canadians in the
language of their origin and in relaying multicultural experiences at both a
local level and now with the acquisition of Channel M, across other regions of
the country."
"We are proud of the success that Channel M has had in bringing our
citizens in Vancouver and Victoria a comprehensive and meaningful
multicultural television experience," said Art Reitmayer, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Channel M. "Rogers is a highly respected Canadian media
company with a terrific track record building media brands, and is an
excellent fit to lead this channel forward. I know they will continue to grow
Channel M and apply their significant expertise and commitment to TV
broadcasting to ensure that Channel M will continue to thrive long into the
future."
This transaction is subject to Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission ("CRTC") approval and is expected to close at
the end of 2007 or early in 2008. No further details of the transaction are
currently available.
|
Television broadcasting in 2006 - Revenues 8.2% higher than in 2005
Statscan - Overall, operating revenues for the television broadcasting industry reached slightly more than $6 billion in 2006, a gain of 8.2% from 2005. It was the third largest year-over-year revenue increase in the past 10 years.
Advertising revenues for the industry rose 7.6% to $3.3 billion, while subscription revenues jumped 11.3% to $1.6 billion.
However, the picture for the industry as a whole masks some substantial differences among its segments.
Private conventional television broadcasters reported revenues of $2.2 billion in 2006, unchanged from the previous year. This segment still ranked first in terms of revenues, but the gap between it and the specialty television segment is closing rapidly. Advertising sales accounted for almost 92% of private conventional television revenues.
On the other hand, specialty television revenues increased 11.2% to just over $2.0 billion. This segment's advertising revenues jumped 14.7% to $0.9 billion, while its subscription revenues totalled $1.1 billion, 8.9% more than in the previous year.
The pay television segment, however, had the strongest growth in 2006, with revenues climbing 17.7% to $482.3 million. This is largely due to the growing popularity of pay-per-view television and video-on-demand. Revenues from those services soared 41.0% to $157.4 million in 2006.
After falling 5.2% in 2005, revenues for the public and non-profit television segment rose 15.6% in 2006 to $1.4 billion. The resumption of activities in the National Hockey League had a positive effect on advertising revenues, which climbed 44.2% to $351.1 million.
Profits also varied widely among segments.
Profits before interest and taxes for private conventional television fell 62.5% from $242.7 million in 2005 to $90.9 million in 2006. It was the first time in 15 years that this segment generated less than $100 million in profits. The 4.1% profit margin was the smallest posted in the last 30 years.
Specialty television made $447.8 million in profits before interest and taxes, slightly less than the $449.2 million it earned in 2005. However, the segment's 22.2% profit margin was the second best recorded in 10 years.
For a fifth consecutive year, the pay television segment had the best profit margin of the industry, generating for its owners more than 25 cents in profits before interest and taxes for every dollar of revenue.
|
XM to become exclusive satellite radio carrier of NHL
NEW YORK, TORONTO, WASHINGTON, D.C.,- The National Hockey League and XM announced June 28, 2007 that on July 1, XM becomes the exclusive satellite radio home of the NHL.
XM broadcasts more than 1,100 NHL games per season to hockey fans across
the U.S. and Canada. XM also offers the first and only 24-hour nationwide
hockey radio channel, Home Ice - featuring news, commentary, interviews and
play-by-play analysis from hockey experts such as Phil Esposito, Bill Clement,
Denis Potvin and Gary Green.
XM's first day as the exclusive satellite radio home of the NHL falls on
the same day as Free Agency Day, the annual start of the free-agency period
for NHL players. Home Ice will provide round-the-clock coverage of the latest
signings and negotiations.
"We are excited with this new partnership and as the only satellite radio
provider to air NHL games, XM will continue to be the premier destination for
hockey fans across Canada," said John Bitove, Chairman and CEO of XM Canada.
"Not only do we cover the games, but we also deliver up-to-the-second
highlights and analysis. No matter where you live, you can catch your
favourite team face-off against your rival - I know I'll never miss a Battle
of Alberta or a Leafs-Habs game again!"
The 2007-08 NHL season will mark XM's third season of NHL coverage and
its first season as the exclusive satellite radio provider of the League. XM
and the NHL have a long-term broadcast partnership, through 2015. As the
exclusive satellite radio partner of the NHL, XM is officially rebranding the
Home Ice channel to NHL Home Ice.
"This is a great opportunity for the NHL to reach hockey fans by using
this exciting outlet," said John Collins, Senior Executive Vice President,
Business and Media, NHL. "Through this partnership, we can take advantage of
XM's extensive network coverage to give fans across North America the ability
to follow their favorite team and players."
Through its unparalleled coverage, XM provides hockey fans exclusive
access to the action, from the first drop of the puck to the hoisting of the
Stanley Cup. XM's year-round carriage of hockey programming includes special
events such as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL All-Star Game and the NHL
Awards.
"We are proud and excited about our exclusive partnership with the NHL,"
said Eric Logan, Executive Vice President, Programming for XM Satellite Radio.
"Being able to provide our fans with full access to games, analysis, and
overall coverage truly establishes XM as the premier satellite radio
destination for hockey fans."
|
The Class of 2007: Canada's Top Companies and Executives
Balsillie Tops Best Paid according to Report on Business Report.
TORONTO - Report on Business magazine unveils the year's most extensive and anticipated business ranking: The Report on Business Top 1000. The Top 1000 ranks publicly traded Canadian companies by profit and also includes an array of specialized rankings: 50 biggest private companies, 50 biggest income trusts, 50 best-paid executives, investment tables and rankings by industry.
"The Report on Business 1000 represents the class of 2007 and includes
Canada's most successful companies as well as those on the way up and down,"
says Report on Business editor Gary Salewicz. "It's an essential resource for
CEOs measuring their companies' performance against competitors as well as for
investors looking for a place to grow their money."
<<
Highlights of the Top 1000 - the top five by profit:
1. EnCana Corp., AB ($5.7 billion (U.S.)), at the top for the fourth
consecutive year.
2. Royal Bank of Canada, ON ($4.7 billion), runner up for the second
year in a row.
3. Toronto-Dominion Bank, ON (S4.6 billion), up from seventh last year.
4. Manulife Financial, ON ($3.9 billion), down from third last year.
5. Bank of Nova Scotia, ON ($3.6 billion), down from fourth last year.
The Biggest Moves up the Top 1000 - by % gain in profit:
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, ON - 8,369% gain in profit, moving
it from 950th place last year to 11th this year.
- LionOre Mining International, ON - 661% gain in profit, 52nd on the
Top 1000, up from 980th last year.
- Domtar Paper, QC - 185% gain in profit, 70th on this year's rankings,
up from 996th the year before.
- Fairfax Financial Holding, ON - 148% gain in profit, 79th on the Top
1000, up from second last (999th) last year.
- Rogers Communications, ON - 1,482% gain in profit, 42nd on this year's
list, up from 960th spot a year ago.
More than two thirds of the Top 50 best-paid executives are new to the
list while a dozen are departing the C-suite and collecting rich payouts. The
top three bumped Magna's Frank Stronach to number four (executive compensation
includes base salary, annual bonus, other payments, share value and option
gains, to the nearest $100,000):
1. James Balsillie, co-CEO, Research in Motion: $54.7 million
2. Glenn Murphy, former CEO, Shoppers Drug Mart: $34.4 million
3. Michael Lazaridis, co-CEO, Research in Motion: $32.9 million
Top 50 biggest private companies by revenue - the top three:
1. General Motors of Canada ($33.3 billion)
2. Daimler Chrysler Canada ($15.2 billion (EU))
3. Shell Canada ($14.8 billion)
Top 50 biggest income trusts by revenue - the top three:
1. Canadian Oil Sands Trust ($2.7 billion)
2. Provident Energy Trust ($2.3 billion)
3. Superior Plus Income Fund ($2.3 billion)
>>
Also in the July/August issue:
Hogtown vs. Cowtown - When it comes to business, Toronto has ruled the
roost for as long as most can remember - that is, until now. Behold the
grudge match between Toronto and Calgary for head-office glory. Report on
Business explores the rise of power on Stephen Avenue and the ever-
increasing number of head offices located in Calgary.
Patriot games - Worried about hollowing out? Business News Network
investment reporter Andrew Bell profiles five Canadian companies who have
staunchly avoided the feeding frenzy of foreign predators. "Like savvy
poisonous beetles, they've done it by making their businesses so
repellent, so confusing or so just plain scary that would-be acquirers
won't come near them."
Get big or die tryin' - Report on Business associate editor Dawn Calleja
revisits seven once-sexy companies now relegated to the "Whatever
happened to...?" file. Remember Corel, Lowen, or Laidlaw?
The July/August issue of Report on Business magazine is available in
tomorrow's Globe and Mail and online at reportonbusiness.com/magazine.
Report on Business magazine is Canada's most-read business publication.
Published monthly in The Globe and Mail, Report on Business magazine offers
readers insightful, award-winning coverage of Canadian and global business and
economics. The Globe and Mail is a division of CTVglobemedia, a dynamic
multimedia company that also owns CTV, Canada's leading private broadcaster.
|
Largest ever study of Canadian media sheds light on state of journalism
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Journalism is a dangerous occupation, according to a new study released today by Canada's largest media union.
More than 80% of TV camera operators and half of broadcast reporters who
completed the survey said they have been assaulted or threatened with injury
at least once while doing their current job. In the print sector, more than
75% of photographers and almost 30% of reporters said they been assaulted or
threatened with injury. Of those who reported assaults or threats, more than
20% said it had happened three or more times. Almost half of TV camera
operators and slightly more than 20% of photographers also reported suffering
a physical injury in their current job that caused them to take time off work.
The study also revealed a strong desire for an independent code of ethics
for the news media. More than 86% said they want owners, management and
working journalists to agree on a code of ethics that everyone in the news
media should follow.
The study was conducted by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers
Union of Canada, with input from researchers at McMaster and Ryerson
universities, who developed a questionnaire that was distributed by the union
to broadcast and print newsrooms represented by the CEP. These include most
private English language television stations, four of the top-five circulation
English daily newspapers, dozens of other daily and weekly newspapers, a few
radio stations and one mass circulation newsmagazine. More than 850 reporters,
print and broadcast editors, camera operators and photographers, producers,
announcers, and others who gather and package the news, completed the
questionnaire.
It is the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in the
privately-owned Canadian media.
Among other highlights:
- More than 77% said promotional considerations influence the news agenda
and 58% reported being assigned a story to promote
paper/station/management.
- More than 95% said their job is essential to democracy, though many
question the commitment to quality journalism of the corporations they
work for.
- Almost 70% of the journalists who completed a lengthy questionnaire disagreed with the statement that "the corporate owners of this publication/station value good journalism over profit." Almost one- third disagreed with the statement that "the corporate owners of this publication/station respect journalists." Among print journalists 44% disagreed and only 28% agreed with the statement.
The Canadian Media Study PDF
|
Osprey Media announces offer from Black Press
TORONTO - Osprey Media Income Fund announced today that it has received a definitive offer (the "Black Press Offer") from Black Press Ltd. to acquire all of the outstanding units of Osprey Media at a price of $8.25 in cash for each unit of Osprey Media.
The Board of Trustees of Osprey Media, following the recommendation of
its Special Committee and consultation with legal and financial advisors, has
determined that the Black Press Offer is a superior proposal to the previously
announced offer to acquire Osprey Units made by Quebecor Media Inc. (the "QMI
Offer") pursuant to the terms of an acquisition and support agreement dated
May 31, 2007. Osprey Media has provided notice of the superior proposal
determination to QMI and QMI has until the end of the day on July 5, 2007 to
amend its offer so that the Black Press Offer would no longer be superior. If
QMI does not do so, Osprey Media expects to terminate the QMI acquisition
agreement, pay QMI a termination fee of $15 million and accept the Black Press
Offer.
QMI has advised Osprey Media that QMI believes that Black Press may have
breached standstill obligations to Osprey Media that Osprey Media is obligated
to enforce by the terms of the QMI acquisition agreement. QMI has advised that
it is preserving all its rights in this regard, including possible litigation.
Osprey Media believes that it is in full compliance with its obligations under
the QMI acquisition agreement.
As previously announced, on May 31, 2007 QMI agreed to make a take-over
bid to acquire all of the outstanding units of Osprey Media at a cash price of
$7.25 per unit. Scotia Merchant Capital Corporation and Ontario Teachers
Pension Plan, the principal unitholders of Osprey Media, agreed, subject to
certain conditions, to tender approximately 53.9% of the total Osprey Media
units outstanding to the QMI Offer. The principal unitholders may terminate
their agreement to tender to the QMI offer in the event that Opsrey Media
terminates the QMI acquisition agreement in accordance with its terms. On
June 14, 2007, QMI mailed the QMI Offer to Osprey's unitholders and Osprey's
Trustees mailed a circular unanimously recommending acceptance of the QMI
Offer.
Black Press is the largest private newspaper publisher in Canada. It owns
150 community papers and 15 regional web press operations. The company
operates primarily in Western Canada, Washington, Oregon, Akron Ohio and
Honolulu. The head office is in Victoria. Revenue is $500,000,000.
The Black family owns 80.6 percent of the shares of Black Press Ltd.
Torstar Corporation owns 19.4 percent. David Black is CEO and Chairman.
|
Canadian Idol Top 18 Revealed as Three Toronto Competitors and One Quebec Singer are Voted Out
- Top 18 have option to compete with instruments next week for first time in North America -
Toronto - Half of Toronto's Canadian Idol competitors were eliminated tonight when Christine Hanlon (21), Derek Hoffman (17) and Justyn Wesley (22) received the fewest votes after performance shows on Monday and Tuesday. The fourth to be sent home during tonight's live results show on CTV was 25-year-old Maud Coussa-Jandl from Sherbrooke, QC. A total of 1.9 million votes were counted following Monday's and Tuesday's Canadian Idol broadcasts on CTV. Now 18 competitors remain in the race for the Canadian Idol title and will have the option for the first time in North America to perform with or without instruments when taking to the Idol stage to compete next week.
Download all-new photos for Canadian Idol at idolpix.ca.
That 50 per cent of Toronto's Top 22 competitors went home in the early rounds is consistent with previous Canadian Idol seasons. Despite annually having the largest audition turnout and generally delivering more Top 22 competitors than any other Canadian market, Toronto rarely sees local competitors advance beyond the semi-final rounds.
Monday night was Guys' Night when the Top 11 males performed for the first time, including Hoffman with his rendition of Move Along (All-American Rejects) and Wesley's Some Kind of Wonderful (Grand Funk Railroad). The Top 11 female competitors took to the stage on Tuesday night when Coussa-Jandl performed Dreams (The Cranberries) and Hanlon chose Possession (Sarah McLachlan).
Since its fifth season premiere in early June, Canadian Idol has once again become the most-watched program in Canada, outdistancing its nearest competitor by nearly 23 per cent with an average audience of just over 1.5 million viewers.
The remaining Canadian Idol Top 18 competitors returning to perform next week are:
Performing Monday, July 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT: The Males
Andrew Austin, 27, Sarnia, ON, Musician/Singer/Songwriter
Jaydee Bixby, 16, Drumheller, AB, High School Student/Performer
Liam Styles Chang, 17, Victoria, BC, High School Student
Dwight d'Eon, 28, West Pubnico, NS, Lobster Fisherman
Brian Melo, 24, Hamilton, ON, Construction Worker
v
Tyler Mullendore, 19, Lake Ainslie, NS, Musician/Construction Labourer
Clifton Murray, 27, Port McNeill, BC, Singer/Actor
Greg Neufeld, 23, Abbotsford, BC, Singer/Songwriter/House Framer
Matt Rapley, 18, Regina, SK, High School Student
Performing Tuesday, July 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT: The Females
Naomi-Joy Blackhall, 25, Halifax, NS, Account Manager
Scarlett Burke, 18, Toronto, ON, Spa Receptionist
Khalila G, 23, Dorval, QC, Day Care Worker
Montana Martin Iles, 16, Sainte-Julienne, QC, High School Student
Carly Rae Jepsen, 21, Mission, BC, Student/Waitress
Martha Joy, 16, Toronto, ON, High School Student
Mila Miller, 17, Toronto, ON, High School Student
Annika Odegard, 16, Calgary, AB, High School Student/Performer
Tara Oram, 23, Hare Bay, NL, Singer
Canadian Idol was created by Simon Fuller and is produced in association with CTV by Insight Productions. John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby are Executive Producers. Mark Lysakowski is Supervising Producer. Senior Producer is Sue Brophey. Mary Sexton is Regional Producer. Jane Rimer is Executive Consultant for FremantleMedia. Rick Lewchuk is CTV's Senior Vice-President, Program Planning and Promotion. Ed Robinson is CTV's Senior Vice-President, Comedy and Variety. Susanne Boyce is CTV President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group.
Pantene Pro-V and McDonald's Restaurants of Canada are the major broadcast sponsors of the fifth season of Canadian Idol.
FremantleMedia is one of the largest international creators and producers of programme brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FremantleMedia has production offices in over 20 countries worldwide, providing local sales and production support for its international TV brands such as Idols and the world's longest running game show, The Price is Right.
The company's licensing operation, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, exploits FremantleMedia's many strong brands across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing. Fremantle International Distribution, the company's international distribution division licenses over 19,000 hours of programming to 150 countries worldwide. FremantleMedia is the content arm of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company.
|
Film, television and video post-production 2005
Total revenues in the film, television and video post-production industry increased in 2005 compared to the previous year, but an even larger gain in expenses held profits in check.
The industry recorded total revenues of $844 million, a 7.9% increase from 2004, while expenses rose 10.0%. Half of industry expenses were associated with the cost of goods sold.
As a result, profits totaled $47.4 million, down from $58.3 million in 2004. The industry posted a profit margin of 5.6%.
Film, television and video post-production industries include establishments that are primarily engaged in providing post-production services to the motion picture and video industries. These services include specialized motion picture or video post-production services such as editing, transferring films or tapes, subtitling, creating credits, closed captioning, producing computer graphics, animation and special effects, as well as developing and processing motion picture films.
Firms in Ontario and Quebec combined accounted for the vast majority (90%) of total national post-production operating revenue. Ontario firms dominated Canadian post-production, earning 51.2% of total operating revenues in 2005. Quebec firms accounted for 38.7%, while those in British Columbia represented 8.7%.
Ontario and Quebec firms showed operating profit margins just above the national average at 5.8% and 5.7% respectively, while firms in British Columbia recorded an operating profit margin of 4.9%.
The survey data presented in the rest of this release are based on 259 post-production companies whose combined revenues account for about 95% of the industry's total revenues.
For these 259 companies, survey data show that salaries, wages and benefits rose 7.0% from 2004. In this industry, salaries, wages and benefits accounted for 23.3% of total expenses.
Employment increased 12.7% from 2004 to 2005. Part-time employment was up 27.4%, more than twice the 10.6% rate of growth in full-time employment. Full-time employees accounted for almost 9 out of every 10 employees in 2004.
Although two-thirds of revenue continued to be generated from post-production services to foreign clients, revenue from domestic clients has increased. In 2005, revenues from domestic clients were up 8.6%, more than twice the gain of 4.1% from foreign clients.
In 2005, the top five companies represented almost three-quarters of total revenue and accounted for half the employment in the industry. However, their operating profit margin was 3.9%, slightly lower than the 5.5% margin for the survey portion of the industry. This was due to the higher proportion of expenses these companies had from cost of goods sold, compared with the overall industry. Salaries, wages and outsourcing costs accounted for one-quarter of total expenses for these five companies.
Note: Data for 2005 should not be compared with previously published film, television and video post-production data, since significant changes were made to the survey. However, some key trends can still be determined, as this release includes data for two previous survey years, 2001 and 2004, using the new 2005 methodology. The survey was not conducted in 2002 and 2003. Data are now collected using a sample that represents 95% of total revenues earned by the film, television and video post-production industry. Administrative data are used to account for the smallest firms.
|
Radio listening in Decline as Listeners switch to more personal choices
Canadians devoted less time listening to their radios as a form of entertainment in 2006 than in previous years, especially teenagers and young adults, many of whom appear to be switching to digital music players and online music services.
On average, Canadians tuned in to their radios for 18.6 hours during "measurement week" in fall 2006, down from 19.1 hours a week in 2005. Since the fall of 1999, when radio listening peaked, this average has dropped by nearly two hours.
In 2006, much of the decline occurred in two age groups: teenagers aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged 18 to 24.
Teenagers listened to their radios barely 7.6 hours a week, the lowest of all age groups. This was down from 8.6 hours in 2005 and 11.3 in 1996.
Among young adult men, listening fell from 15.1 hours to 13.7. Among their female counterparts, it slipped from 15.4 hours to 14.6.
The popularity of digital music players and online music services had the biggest impact on the radio listening habits of teens and the young adult crowd.
Senior women continued to be the most ardent radio listeners, tuning in for 22.7 hours per week, virtually unchanged from 2005. Among senior men, listening edged down from 20.3 hours a week to 19.5.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) was the most popular listening format for both senior men and senior women. It was least popular among young adults.
Radio listening increased in only three provinces in 2006: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Residents of Nova Scotia were the most avid listeners, tuning in for 20.4 hours a week. This was 3.5 hours more each week than their counterparts in British Columbia, where listening was at a nationwide low of 16.9 hours.
The largest declines occurred in Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Listening among francophone Quebeckers slipped by a full hour a week. However, their anglophone counterparts tuned in to English-language radio for 20.8 hours a week, the highest level among the provinces.
Listeners in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island were a close second and third to anglophone Quebeckers.
Adult contemporary music captures over a fifth of nation's listening time
Overall, adult contemporary music was still the first choice of Canadians on the radio.
In the fall of 2006, this station format captured 22.3% of Canadians' listening time, followed by gold/oldies/rock (13.9%). The adult contemporary format was the first choice of listeners in New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario.
The CBC rebounded to third place in overall format ranking in 2006, with an 11.6% share of the total listening audience.
The CBC's share had dropped to under 9% during the previous year, when a lockout by management coincided with the survey period.
In fourth and fifth places were talk radio and country, each capturing about one-tenth of total audience share.
The choice of station format varied considerably from province to province. Country music was the first choice for listeners in Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta and Manitoba.
The CBC remained a popular choice in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, capturing 17% or so of the audience for second place in both provinces.
However, the public broadcaster was least popular in Alberta, where only 8.4% of the total audience turned it on. Country music and gold/oldies/rock were by far the leading formats in Alberta.
Talk radio was a tremendously popular format in Newfoundland and Labrador, capturing a share of almost 30% of the province's radio audience. This contrasts sharply with the rest of the Atlantic provinces, where talk radio's listening share was virtually non-existent.
| Average hours per week of radio listening, by province, age group and sex, fall 2006 |
| |
Canada |
N.L. |
P.E.I. |
N.S. |
N.B. |
Que. |
Ont. |
Man. |
Sask. |
Alta. |
B.C. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
English |
French |
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
| Males |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18 and over |
19.9 |
20.1 |
21.1 |
22.0 |
19.6 |
20.4 |
20.2 |
20.1 |
20.0 |
20.2 |
20.5 |
20.7 |
18.2 |
| 18 to 24 |
13.7 |
10.7 |
19.4 |
10.9 |
8.8 |
11.1 |
13.3 |
12.9 |
14.1 |
17.2 |
17.9 |
16.2 |
11.1 |
| 25 to 34 |
19.7 |
15.4 |
19.9 |
25.3 |
19.8 |
21.6 |
21.4 |
21.3 |
19.2 |
20.1 |
19.1 |
19.1 |
18.4 |
| 35 to 49 |
21.6 |
21.2 |
23.2 |
23.7 |
22.4 |
23.7 |
22.0 |
22.2 |
21.5 |
21.5 |
21.2 |
23.3 |
19.0 |
| 50 to 64 |
21.2 |
22.4 |
20.4 |
22.3 |
21.9 |
19.1 |
20.9 |
20.5 |
21.6 |
19.6 |
22.9 |
22.1 |
20.2 |
| 65 and over |
19.5 |
24.1 |
19.1 |
21.2 |
17.2 |
21.4 |
18.4 |
18.7 |
20.3 |
21.1 |
19.3 |
19.1 |
18.1 |
| Females |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18 and over |
19.5 |
21.1 |
21.7 |
21.0 |
19.1 |
23.1 |
19.5 |
19.9 |
19.9 |
18.8 |
19.7 |
19.0 |
17.4 |
| 18 to 24 |
14.6 |
15.6 |
22.7 |
16.3 |
18.2 |
15.4 |
13.3 |
13.5 |
15.3 |
10.9 |
14.5 |
15.3 |
13.2 |
| 25 to 34 |
16.9 |
15.8 |
22.0 |
20.1 |
15.7 |
20.5 |
17.2 |
17.7 |
17.5 |
16.7 |
15.3 |
15.8 |
14.4 |
| 35 to 49 |
19.7 |
21.1 |
21.0 |
21.3 |
18.8 |
23.0 |
21.0 |
21.1 |
19.9 |
17.8 |
18.7 |
19.9 |
16.7 |
| 50 to 64 |
20.9 |
23.0 |
23.5 |
22.1 |
21.4 |
22.6 |
20.6 |
20.7 |
21.2 |
20.6 |
22.9 |
20.5 |
19.5 |
| 65 and over |
22.7 |
26.6 |
19.0 |
21.8 |
20.1 |
29.1 |
20.9 |
22.0 |
23.6 |
24.6 |
23.7 |
22.1 |
21.0 |
| Teens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 12 to 17 |
7.6 |
6.8 |
8.7 |
8.7 |
9.1 |
10.3 |
5.4 |
6.1 |
7.8 |
9.1 |
7.1 |
9.2 |
7.2 |
| Total population |
18.6 |
19.5 |
20.2 |
20.4 |
18.5 |
20.8 |
18.6 |
18.8 |
18.9 |
18.4 |
18.7 |
18.8 |
16.9 |
| Note: | For Quebec, the language classification is based on the language spoken at home. The total column includes those respondents who did not reply to this question or who indicated a language other than English or French. |
|
| Percentage share of radio listening by format by province, fall 2006 |
| |
Canada |
N.L. |
P.E.I. |
N.S. |
N.B. |
Que. |
Ont. |
Man. |
Sask. |
Alta. |
B.C. |
| |
% |
| Adult contemporary |
22.3 |
11.1 |
15.0 |
13.1 |
35.8 |
28.1 |
25.8 |
9.8 |
21.3 |
10.6 |
14.8 |
| Album oriented rock |
6.0 |
1.7 |
21.9 |
7.5 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
6.4 |
7.6 |
12.6 |
9.8 |
5.1 |
| Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |
11.6 |
9.6 |
11.6 |
16.9 |
13.9 |
11.9 |
9.8 |
11.6 |
11.3 |
8.4 |
17.6 |
| Contemporary |
8.8 |
15.0 |
1.0 |
18.9 |
0.7 |
19.3 |
4.0 |
10.0 |
0.0 |
7.1 |
5.0 |
| Country |
10.0 |
18.7 |
26.8 |
24.1 |
15.1 |
0.6 |
8.1 |
19.7 |
36.9 |
22.9 |
7.9 |
| Dance |
0.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
1.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| Easy listening |
3.6 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
1.6 |
0.0 |
2.3 |
5.5 |
| Gold/oldies/rock |
13.9 |
7.9 |
23.4 |
12.4 |
10.2 |
11.8 |
14.8 |
11.0 |
4.3 |
16.6 |
18.0 |
| Middle-of-the-road |
2.8 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
5.6 |
3.6 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
2.6 |
| Other |
6.3 |
6.7 |
0.2 |
6.0 |
14.1 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
10.4 |
6.2 |
10.4 |
12.2 |
| Sports |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
1.4 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
| Talk |
10.2 |
29.3 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
2.1 |
14.5 |
9.7 |
14.0 |
6.7 |
9.8 |
5.2 |
| U.S. stations |
3.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
4.9 |
2.1 |
4.5 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
4.2 |
| Total listening |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
Note to readers
The results in this release are based on a survey of Canadians aged 12 and older.
The radio project of the Culture Statistics Program is a joint endeavour of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Department of Canadian Heritage, and Statistics Canada.
The Statistics Canada radio listening data bank integrates files from a variety of sources. The basic listening data are acquired from BBM Canada and include demographic characteristics of survey respondents. The information on specific radio station formats is provided by the CRTC.
While the return rate, at 42.5%, is modest by Statistics Canada standards, it is in line with Canadian and international broadcasting industry practices for audience measurement. However, the data should be interpreted with caution.
|
Telmar's Patent-Pending ReSearch Guru Simplifies Media Research
Key Word Search Tool Simplifies Media Analysis for Non-Specialists
NEW YORK, NY - Telmar, the world's leading provider of media planning software, today announced the introduction of its new proprietary web-based search tool named ReSearch Guru(SM) http://www.telmar.com/rsguru. This revolutionary product combines the simplicity of Web-based Search with the complex world of questionnaire analysis. It does so by integrating Telmar's existing survey analysis engines with the latest programming architecture referred to as SOA, .Net and a new Telmar search optimization routine which selects the right survey for any search and delivers results via its secure data security and application distribution systems.
According to Stan Federman, Telmar's Chairman and CEO, "The beauty of ReSearch Guru(SM) is that it allows someone other than a highly trained media or marketing research specialist to track down and analyze relevant media information. As media planning's role within the advertising process has gained in prominence, it's important to expand access to media analysis beyond just the media community. With ReSearch Guru(SM) there's no reason that the Creative Director, as well as the Account Director and Brand Manager can't glean basic facts about a particular product."
While ReSearch Guru(SM) has just become available to agencies, a number of experts in the field have been given the opportunity to test-drive the product. Graeme Hutton, Senior Vice President, Director of Consumer Insights for Universal, McCann stated, "Telmar's | |
