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The television broadcasting sector's operating revenues totalled $6.5 billion in 2009, up 0.6% from 2008. This was the lowest year-over-year increase since 1997, when a decrease in revenues had been reported. However, the financial picture varies widely across the various segments of the industry.

Revenues of public and private conventional television broadcasters fell 3.9% from 2008 to $3.4 billion in 2009, the steepest decline in 10 years. It was a particularly difficult year for private conventional television. Compared with 2008, the operating revenues of this segment dropped 7.7% in 2009, the largest annual decrease in more than 30 years. Public and non-commercial television posted a 1.9% increase in operating revenues between 2008 and 2009.

The specialty (+3.3%) and pay television (+16.6%) segments posted operating revenue gains in 2009 compared with 2008. Revenues for the two segments combined totalled $3.1 billion. Nevertheless, revenue growth for pay and specialty television has been diminishing each year for the past few years in both absolute and percentage terms. The year-over-year increase was $230 million in 2007, $200 million in 2008 and $175 million in 2009.

Canadian television broadcasters' advertising revenues fell 8.4% from 2008 to $3.1 billion in 2009, the first decline in 15 years. The weak growth of operating revenues in the television industry as a whole in 2009 was largely due to the decrease in advertising revenues, as other revenue sources were up.

Advertising revenues have long been the largest source of income for the television sector, accounting for more than half of its revenues. However, for the first time in a number of years, advertising revenues represented less than half (47.8%) of the sector's total revenues. A decade earlier, these revenues accounted for nearly 60% of the sector's total revenues.

Private conventional television has faced a myriad of financial challenges in the past several years, especially in the area of profits. Although the profit margin before interest and taxes of this sector was 11.2% in 2005, it obtained a negative result (-5.7%) in 2009. While profits before interest and taxes totalled $4.8 million in 2008, losses amounted to $113.4 million in 2009. It was the first time in 30 years that profits were negative. Pay and specialty channels, on the other hand, generated a profit margin in excess of 20% for the fifth consecutive year. Their profit margin rose from 22.1% in 2008 to 23.5% in 2009, and their operating profits increased from $648.2 million to $728.7 million.

Available on CANSIM: table 357-0001.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2724.

The publication Television Broadcasting Industries, 2009 (56-207-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

For further information or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Sylvain Ouellet (613-951-2779; sylvain.ouellet@statcan.gc.ca), Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division.

Table 1

Financial indicators: Television broadcasting industries1
  2008 2009 2008 to 2009
  $ millions % change
Total revenues by type of broadcaster      
Private conventional television 2,147.4 1,981.8 -7.7
Public and non-commercial television 1,433.9 1,460.8 1.9
Specialty television2 2,333.0 2,409.3 3.3
Pay television2 596.4 695.6 16.6
Total 6,510.7 6,547.5 0.6
Total revenues by source      
Air time 3,412.8 3,127.7 -8.4
Subscription 1,866.9 2,051.4 9.9
Grants 877.7 935.2 6.5
Other 353.3 433.2 22.6
Total 6,510.7 6,547.5 0.6
Sale of airtime by type of broadcaster      
Private conventional television 2,006.8 1,816.4 -9.5
Public and non-commercial television 379.6 311.3 -18.0
Specialty television2 1,026.5 1,000.0 -2.6
Pay television2 . . .
Total 3,412.8 3,127.7 -8.4
not available for any reference period
North American Industry Classification System 2007 (51512, Television Broadcasting; 51521, Pay and Specialty Television).
Statistics collected and published by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Industry analysis group.
Note(s):
Totals may not add due to rounding.

Table 2

Financial indicators: Television broadcasting industries1
  2008 2009
  %
Profit margin by type of broadcaster (private)    
Private conventional television 0.2 -5.7
Specialty television2 23.5 26.7
Pay television2 16.9 12.3
Total 12.9 12.1
Market share by type of broadcaster (revenue)    
Private conventional television 33.0 30.3
Public and non-commercial television 22.0 22.3
Specialty television2 35.8 36.8
Pay television2 9.2 10.6
Market share by type of broadcaster (air time)    
Private conventional television 58.8 58.1
Public and non-commercial television 11.1 10.0
Specialty television2 30.1 32.0
Pay television2 . .
not available for any reference period
North American Industry Classification System 2007 (51512, Television Broadcasting; 51521, Pay and Specialty Television).
Statistics collected and published by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Industry analysis group.
Note(s):
Totals may not add due to rounding.