CRTC releases 2013 financial results for Canadian local television stations

OTTAWA, ON and GATINEAU, QC, May 6, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released statistical and financial information on Canadian local television stations for the broadcast year ended August 31, 2013.

In 2013, private stations invested $605.4 million in the creation of programs made by Canadians, including local news and drama series, and employed over 6,000 people. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Société Radio-Canada (CBC/SRC) invested an additional $700.8 million in this type of content. In total, local television stations spent more than $1.3 billion to fund the creation of new Canadian programs for viewers.

Canada's local television stations continued to operate within a challenging advertising market. Private stations brought in $74.7 million less in advertising revenue, which contributed to a 4.6% decrease in overall revenues from $2.04 billion in 2012 to $1.94 billion in 2013. For its part, CBC/SRC reported $331 million in advertising revenues in 2013, an 11% decrease from the $372.7 million generated in 2012.

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

The CRTC will soon publish the financial results for cable and satellite companies and AM and FM radio. Following the publication of these reports, the CRTC will issue its annual Communications Monitoring Report.

These annual reports help interested parties to stay informed about the state of the Canadian communication industry and to participate in the CRTC's public consultations.

Quick facts

• Private local television stations saw their revenues drop by 4.6% from $2.04 billion in 2012 to $1.94 billion in 2013. Expenses went from $1.92 billion in 2012 to $1.85 billion in 2013, a decrease of 3.5%. Profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) declined from $22.9 million to -$2.3 million, and the PBIT margin decreased from 1.1% to -0.1%.

• Investments by private local television stations in Canadian-made programs decreased by 8.5% from $661.8 million in 2012 to $605.4 million in 2013. However, investments in sports-related programs were higher in 2012 due to coverage of the London Summer Olympic Games. If sports-related programs are excluded, investments in other programs made by Canadians rose by 1% from $593.3 million in 2012 to $598.9 million in 2013.

• Private local television stations invested $66 million for drama series, $73 million for human interest programs, $355.3 million for news programs, $7.9 million for long-form documentaries, $31.1 million for other information programs, $24.5 million for music and variety shows, $6.5 million for sports programming and $19.4 million for game shows.

• As part of these investments, local television stations paid $139 million to Canadian independent producers.

• Revenues from the sale of local advertising declined from $355 million in 2012 to $351 million in 2013, a 1% decrease. Private local television stations also experienced a 5% decline in national advertising revenues from $1.35 billion in 2012 to $1.28 billion in 2013.

• In 2013, CBC/SRC reported advertising revenues of $331.1 million, which represented an 11% decrease from the $372.7 million generated the previous year.

• CBC/SRC's programming expenditures totaled $724.6 million, 97% of which was spent on Canadian programs.

Related links

Conventional Television – Statistical and Financial Summaries 2009-2013

SOURCE: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Follow us on Twitter: @CRTCeng; Media Relations: Media Relations, Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]; General Inquiries: Tel: [phone], TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: [phone], Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-CRTC (2782); Ask a question or make a complaint; This document is available in alternative format upon request.