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Astral TV revenues top $350 million
Montreal: Astral Media Inc. reports net earnings for fiscal 2003, the year ending Aug. 31, increased 42% over last year, rising to $71.3 million or $1.31 per share. Consolidated revenues in ’03 totaled $475.7 million, an increase of 23% over the $386.6 million recorded last year. Q4 revenues were up 27% to $125.2 million.
CRTC scuttles CAB confab focus
Quebec City: Just days before the Canadian Association of Broadcasters met in Quebec City for its annual conference, a great triumphant ‘boo-yah!’ went out among its members when the CRTC scuttled two very unpopular plans put forth by the cable companies and advertising upstart 49th Media.
Winners at CAB
Quebec City: On Nov. 11, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters handed out its Gold Ribbon awards, commending individuals and broadcast outlets for excellence on the airwaves.
CAB media quiz
Quebec City: The media is not the top priority for Canadians. Nor is it the second, third, fourth or fifth. But according to a new study released by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the Canadian Association of Newspapers, a slim majority of us, 57%, feel that ‘maintaining a strong Canadian media’ should be an important job for the new federal government – after health care, the environment, the budget and a few others.
Feds set digital rules
Quebec City: During the conference of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters in Quebec City, the CRTC unveiled its basic rules for the distribution of over-the-air digital signals by cable outfits, DTH and other broadcast distribution undertakings. The new rules are similar to those that govern analog signals.
Fall LFP oversubscribed by $10M
The Canadian Television Fund announced almost $14 million in funding to documentary and children’s programming from its Licence Fee Program fall envelope on Nov. 14, but requests exceeded available funds by more than $10 million.
TPB makes big splash at Tidal Wave
The Trailer Park Boys thrilled fans at the closing-night party for the third annual Tidal Wave Film Festival in Fredericton, NB. The party featured a screening of two episodes of the hit Showcase series and appearances by John Dunsworth (Mr. Lahey), Patrick Roach (Randy), Lucy DeCoutere (Lucy) and Sarah Dunsworth (Sarah).
Sprockets goes year-round
Children will soon get the chance to experience different and exciting cultures through film on a monthly basis. The Sprockets film festival for children is introducing Sprockets Globetrotter, a new year-round subscription series, starting in January.
Barna tells ACTRA to keep lobbying
Two days before they went public, Laszlo Barna was already using the new CTF guidelines as a rallying cry for increased funding from Ottawa. Speaking to members of ACTRA Toronto on Nov. 15, the producer and CFTPA chair complained bitterly of working conditions in Canada and called for more federal dollars for the Canadian Television Fund.
ThinkFilm aims high with Bible story
The latest release from Canuck distributor ThinkFilm has brought in $300,000 at the Canadian box office since opening Oct. 24, not a bad showing considering the film is a three-hour-long version of a story many people have already heard a thousand times.
People
* Felix (Fil) Fraser of Edmonton has been named to the board of directors of Telefilm Canada.
Smoothing the waters of bridge financing
Sandra Richmond is a partner in the Toronto law firm of McMillan Binch LLP and a member of the firm’s KNOWlaw Group.
What’s in store for 2004?
From this seat, it’s too bad our Year in Review had to come in late November. (Don’t ask why. It’s an ad sales thing.)
Corrections
Regina-based Minds Eye Entertainment has not filed for bankruptcy, as reported in our last issue, but has voluntarily applied for bankruptcy protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in the Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan.
Packer has day in court on Wonderland
Toronto-based cinematographer Gerald Packer finds himself in court these days, not as a plaintiff, but rather lensing the dramatic series This Is Wonderland, coproduced by Toronto’s Indian Grove Productions and Montreal’s Muse Entertainment for CBC.
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