The Daily. Wednesday, July 4, 2001

Private television broadcasters

Total revenues of private television broadcasters reached $1,887.9 million in 2000, up 0.7% from 1999. This was the smallest annual increase in revenues since 1993. Revenues of private broadcasters grew at a rate above the national average in Quebec (+3.4%), Alberta (+0.9%) and British Columbia (+1.5%), and at a rate below the national average in all other regions.

At the national level, profits before income tax slipped from $182.6 million in 1999 to $180.0 million in 2000. Despite the small decrease, these results are among the best of the last decade. Profitability varied considerably by region. Broadcasters in British Columbia and Quebec achieved the best results, with profit margins of 17.2% and 10.7%, respectively. In contrast, broadcasters in the Atlantic Provinces declared losses representing 8.3% of their revenues.

Employment decreased 1.0% in 2000 compared with 1999, the sixth consecutive year of decline. Over that period, the average weekly number of employees fell 8.0% from 8,273 to 7,624. The 2000 decline occurred in every region except Ontario, where employment increased by 2.8%.

Note: The statistics in this release are for the year ended August 31, 2000 and cover traditional private broadcasters only. Pay and specialty television operators are excluded.

Available on CANSIM: table 3570001 and matrices 1803-1810.

More detailed information are available in the Broadcasting and telecommunications bulletin, Vol. 31, no. 1, (56-001-XIE, $10/$32).

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Daniel April (613-951-3177; daniel.april@statcan.gc.ca or Joanne Lambert (613-951-6673; joanne.lambert@statcan.gc.ca), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.