CRTC releases conventional TV revenue data
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has released financial data gathered from conventional Canadian private television stations between 2000 and 2004. The commission found that the revenues of these stations had increased one percent from $2.087 billion in 2003 to $2.105 billion in 2004, but that earnings before taxes and interest had declined 22.7% over the same period due to increased programming and operating expenses. Local advertising sales were $364.1 million in 2004, an increase of 6.1%, while national advertising totaled $1.447 billion, a decrease of 1.5%. Over the entire four-year period, total revenues for private television were up 12%, while total operating expenses had increased 15.5%. The CRTC compiled this data from the annual reports submitted to the commission by conventional private television licensees. The CRTC will release similar reports on specialty, pay and pay-per-view television, plus radio and broadcasting distribution, in the near future.