CRTC releases 2012 financial results for Canadian conventional television stations

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, June 13, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released statistical and financial information on Canadian conventional television stations for the broadcast year ended August 31, 2012. These annual reports allow interested parties, including Canadians, to stay informed about the state of the Canadian communications industry.

Despite a decline in revenues, private conventional stations invested 17.6% more on Canadian programming, while spending slightly less on foreign programming. This activity resulted in new television programs for Canadians, including programming related to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, and thousands of jobs in the Canadian production sector. In 2012, these stations employed 6,343 people and paid $537.2 million in salaries.

Canadian programming

Total expenditures on Canadian programming by private conventional stations rose from $562.9 million in 2011 to $661.8 million in 2012, of which $133 million was paid to independent producers to acquire programming.

These investments supported the production of Canadian programming in all regions of the country, including programs of national interest such as dramas, comedies, documentaries and award shows. Specifically, conventional stations invested $58.9 million for drama series, $82.3 million for general interest programming, $353.6 million for news programs, $16.5 million for long-form documentaries, $32.3 million for other information programs, $29.4 million for music and variety shows, $68.5 million for sports programming, and $17.5 million for game shows.

The purchasing of foreign programming declined from $729 million in 2011 to $726 million in 2012.

Profitability

Private conventional television stations saw their revenues drop by 5% from $2.14 billion in 2011 to $2.04 billion in 2012.  In the same period, expenses went from $1.9 billion in 2011 to $1.92 in 2012, an increase of just over 1%.  As a result, profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) declined from $151.6 million to $22.9 million, and the PBIT margin decreased from 7.1% to 1.1%.

Revenues and expenses

In 2012, revenues from the sale of local advertising remained relatively stable at $355 million.  However, private broadcasters experienced a decline in national advertising revenues from $1.47 billion in 2011 to $1.35 billion in 2012. At the same time, investments in the acquisition and production of programs increased from $1.36 billion in 2011 to $1.44 billion in 2012, which represented a 5.8% increase.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

The CRTC's report also includes financial and statistical information on the CBC's French- and English-language conventional television stations. In 2012, the national public broadcaster reported advertising revenues of $372.7 million, which represented a 1% increase from the $369.6 million generated the previous year.

In addition, the CBC's programming expenditures totaled $786.1 million, 93% of which was spent on Canadian programs.

CRTC reports

Each year, the CRTC compiles financial data on Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries to produce a series of reports. The CRTC has published similar reports for Canadian cable and satellite companies as well as specialty, pay and pay-per-view services and video-on-demand services

The CRTC will soon publish the financial results for AM and FM radio, followed by the release of its annual Communications Monitoring Report, which provides an overview of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industries.

Conventional Television - Statistical and Financial Summaries 2008-2012

The CRTC

The CRTC is an administrative tribunal that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.

SOURCE: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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These documents are available in alternative format upon request.