I imagine things would look up for the private broadcasters if they didn’t have to compete against their own government and its state-run media conglomerate which is funded by a BILLION dollars PER YEAR of TAXPAYER money.
What kind of government competes against its own citizens? What kind of government has state-run news media and documentary channels and “film boards” and sponsorship of certain shows and state censors which decide what TV channels or radio stations we can and can’t watch or listen to?
A Liberal government. That’s what kind.
OTTAWA (CP) — Canada’s conventional TV broadcasters generated marginally higher revenues between 2003 and 2004 but rising operating costs reduced their earnings before interest and taxes, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said Thursday.
In a financial report, the federal regulator said broadcasters’ revenues rose last year by one per cent to just over $2.1 billion from just under $2.1 billion in 2003. Those figures included a 6.1 per cent boost in local advertising revenues, but a 1.5 per cent drop in national sales.
At the same time, earnings before interest costs and taxes fell by 22.7 per cent due to jumps in both programming and operating expenses.
Spending on Canadian programming rose by 5.8 per cent to $575.5 million in 2004. But the portion spent on comedy and drama — perennially a sensitive issue within the industry — fell by 13.2 per cent to $86.5 million.
Stepping back, however, the CRTC noted that when compared to 2000 spending, the payout for dramatic and comedy programming is still up by $8 million, or 10.1 per cent, for an average annual increase over the period of 2.4 per cent.
Overall spending increased for reality, musical/variety and news programming.
In 2004, nearly 8,000 people were employed in the industry, accounting for more than $553 million in salaries.
The data is drawn from annual reports submitted to the CRTC by the broadcast companies. The regulator will also be issuing similar reports for specialty and pay channels, radio and broadcast carriers.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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