Hundreds of job cuts, a $1-billion write-down and, now, the sell-off of its E! channels have put a typhoon-sized cloud over a certain media giant in Winnipeg, raising the question: ‘Can Canwest keep it together?’

Short answer, yes. Luck and finance will always rise and fall, but I think, in this business, the one thing you can count on is people. Canwest has strong, resilient leaders on their staff, and I don’t think they like to lose.
Paul Zimic,
Founder, Grindstone Media

We still believe the company needs to embark on more material asset sales such as its French-language specialty channels and Ten [network in Australia] in order to weather the next year in terms of covenant challenges.
Ben Mogil,
Analyst and director, broadcasting and entertainment, Thomas Weisel Partners

In order to really sort out its troubles, Canwest needs to stop making excuses and blaming Canadian content rules, and instead take a long look at its internal operations and the billions spent in the acquisitions it has made in the past five years.
Heather Allin,
President, ACTRA Toronto

If Canwest went back to making Canadian shows like Train 48 that were cheap, funny and gained a good solid audience, they would get tax credits, Cancon and spend less and make more.
Penelope Buitenhuis,
Writer/director, A Wake

The trick will be whether Asper is able to, in the next few weeks, ensure his debtors that he can manage his way out of it, and that he is positioning the company to be able to compete with other methods of media, such as the Internet, cable and new technologies.
Svetozar Ristovski,
Director, Dear Mr. Gacy

In order to survive, some internal changes need to occur and, as big as Canwest is, they may need to crawl before they can climb once again.
Alan Powell,
Director/writer/producer, Saturday