Izzy Asper, CanWest Global Communications chairman and ceo, says he would like to forge at least one new international broadcasting deal in 1994. In a recent interview, Asper said his team is currently examining the Hispanic market ‘because it’s a rather large language group… and now that nafta is sewn up, Mexico says it will negotiate free trade agreements with other Latin American companies.’

Since acquiring a stake in New Zealand’s TV3 in 1991 and in Australia’s Network 10 in 1992, Asper has continued to scour overseas markets for new acquisitions.

‘We were invited into Romania, a country that was looking at privatizing one of its state networks. We concluded they weren’t ready for us,’ says Asper. In addition, the linguistic group is small and other larger companies were scrambling to plant their flags there, he says.

Asper says CanWest Global’s success at turning around the Australian and New Zealand tv operations proves ‘our management technique is effective.’ CanWest Global was instrumental in putting these stations in the black by cutting back management personnel and put limitations on the amount of money spent on programming.

CanWest Global currently has an application before the crtc for two new Alberta tv stations. If the bid fails, it will focus its efforts outside the country, he says.

‘If the crtc specifically tells us they don’t buy the concepts we laid out in the Alberta application – the concept to have a third national force – we would intensify our non-Canadian acquisitions,’ says Asper. ‘We think we are the logical one (to become the third network). But if (the crtc) thinks it’s wic (Western International Communications) or Baton (Broadcasting), then we’ll move on.’