OTTAWA-GATINEAU -The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released statistical and financial summaries for Canadian specialty, pay, pay-per-view television and video-on-demand (VOD) services. The report provides information on the profitability, revenues and expenditures of this sector of the industry for the broadcast year ending on August 31, 2008.
Profitability
This sector enjoyed a solid financial performance in 2008 with total revenues growing 7.6% to $2.9 billion, up from $2.7 billion reported the previous year. While profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) rose by 5.9%, coming in at $686.1 million, the PBIT margin remained consistent, going from 23.7% in 2007 to 23.4% in 2008. Over the last five years, the number of reporting services climbed from 123 to 182, and total revenues rose by over $850 million.
Sources of revenue
The total revenues of $2.9 billion were generated from the following sources:
- $1.3 billion from cable television subscribers
- $596.5 million from direct-to-home satellite subscribers
- $1 billion from national advertising
- $20.6 million from local advertising, and
- $54.8 million from other sources.
English-language channels captured $2.4 billion of the total revenues, while French-language channels brought in $481.3 million.
Revenue by sector
The largest share of the total revenues, $2.3 billion, was earned by specialty television services, including:
- $2 billion from 49 analog services
- $88.9 million from 18 Category 1 digital services, and
- $189.7 million from 78 Category 2 digital services.
Pay, pay-per-view and VOD services accounted for the remaining $612 million in revenues.
Canadian programming
The amount spent on Canadian programming surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2008. In total, these services invested $1.1 billion in Canadian programming, an increase of 11.3% from $954.5 million in 2007. Of the overall programming expenditures, $362.4 million was paid to independent producers to acquire Canadian programs.
Spending on Canadian programming included $146.6 million for news programs, $235.4 million for other information programs, $270.3 million for sports programs, $202.1 million for drama, $55 million for musical and variety shows, $72 million for general interest programming.
These services also spent $361.1 million on foreign programming, which represented an increase of 9.1% from $331.1 million in 2007.
Employment
In 2008, Canadian specialty, pay, pay-per-view television and VOD services employed 5,495 people and paid a total of $406.8 million in salaries. In comparison, the previous year this sector employed 5,501 people and paid a total of $408.4 million in salaries.
CRTC reports
The data compiled in this report were drawn from the annual reports of specialty, pay, pay-per-view television and VOD services.
The CRTC recently released the financial results for conventional television and will soon publish those for the broadcast distribution and radio industries. The CRTC's annual reports allow interested parties to stay informed about the state of the Canadian broadcasting industry.
The CRTC is an independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.
- 30 -
MediaRelations:
MediaRelations,
Tel: 819-997-9403,
Fax: 819-997-4245
General Inquiries:
Tel: 819-997-0313, TDD: 819-994-0423,
Fax: 819-994-0218
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)
TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)
On-line services
These documents are available in alternative format upon request.
