Christensen Communications Ltd. * 18 Turtle

Christensen Communications Ltd. * 18 Turtle Path * Lagoon City ON * L0K 1B0
www.broadcastdialogue.com * [email protected]
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Volume 20, Number 1
Page One of Four
ADIO: Vista Radio Group, which holds 38 licences in B.C., Alberta and the Northwest Territories, has
acquired Haliburton Broadcasting Ltd. and its 22 Ontario stations. Christopher Grossman founded
Haliburton in 1997. Toronto-based Westerkirk Capital, a new investor in Vista, assisted in the planned
expansion. Westerkirk has, subject to CRTC approval, agreed to purchase all of the shares not owned by
founding partners Paul Mann, Margot Micallef, Bryan Edwards, Barb Fairclough and Jason Mann. While the
following would usually appear in the REVOLVING DOOR section, these changes are relevant to the story. Vista
President Terry Coles will move into retirement at the end of 2012 and immediately into a consulting role with the
company. His successor is CEO Margot Micallef who will handle the dual roles of President/CEO. Bryan
Edwards moves to Sr VP of Business Development. Vista Kelowna GM/GSM Ross Hawse will become the
Director Western Operations. Gary Russell, Vista’s Director of Systems and GM of Vista Prince George, will
integrate Haliburton and Vista in Ontario as the Director of Integration and Operations, Vista East. CoFounder/Exec VP Paul Mann will add Sr VP of Sales and Training and Development to his duties. Assisting him
will be Tracey Gard, the GM/GSM of the Cariboo Group of Vista stations, as Director Vista Sales, West and
based in Courtenay. The former finance Exec at Corus and Telemedia, Chris Lecomte has joined Vista as Sr
VP/CFO and will be based in Toronto. Haliburton’s roster of stations, which includes two awaiting CRTC approval
of their purchase, are:
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CFZN-FM Haliburton
CFBK-FM Huntsville
CKLP-FM Parry Sound
CFBG-FM Bracebridge
CKKV-FM Kemptville
107.9FM Prescott
CHBY-FM Barry's Bay
CNMS-FM Bancroft
CFXN-FM North Bay
CFSF-FM Sturgeon Falls
CHMT-FM Timmins
CHPB-FM Cochrane
CKAP-FM Kapuskasing
CKHT-FM Hearst
CFIF-FM Iroquois Falls
CKNR-FM Elliot Lake
CJJM-FM Espanola
CHGK-FM/CJCS-AM Stratford
CKJN-FM Caledonia
CJED-FM/CFLZ-FM Niagara Falls
and,
pending CRTC purchase approval:
CFGM-FM Caledon and CJFM-FM
Bolton
Vista Broadcast Group, on another acquisition, has entered into an agreement to purchase CKAY FM Sechelt...
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Page 2
CKPC Brantford turns hybrid Monday when it begins
programming Christian music weekdays from 1 p.m. through 7
p.m. The rest of the broadcast day will be Country. The birth of
contemporary Christian music on CKPC, in the six-hour segment
to be called Rise Radio, is attributed to research indicating a
preference for it... CBC is cutting two-thirds of its live-concert
recording services. Chris Boyce, the Exec Director of Radio and
Audio, says the number will be reduced from about 300 per year
to as few as 100. Further, he said, several staffers will be cut.
Recording facilities and mobile studios in Ottawa, Winnipeg,
Regina, Calgary, Edmonton and St. John's will be closed
although CBC will continue doing live concert recordings in those
locations using different technology and on a reduced scale...
The Beat 94.5 Vancouver launches a new morning show next
Monday. The show, a compilation of the station’s on-air talent,
is called Beat Mornings with Holly (Conway), Jonny (Staub),
Nira (Arora) and Amy (Beeman)... The CRTC has approved an
application by CKPM-FM Radio Port Moody to change its
technical parameters by relocating the transmitter site, by
increasing the average effective radiated power from 470 to 540
watts and by increasing the effective height of the antenna
above average terrain from -193.2 metres to -155.1 metres. The
station, owned by Matthew McBride, was also given an extended
time limit to implement the change (to Nov. 30)... Jokes about
murders aired on the Dean Blundell morning show at 102.1 The
Edge (CFNY) Toronto breached the Canadian Association of
Broadcasters’ (CAB) Code of Ethics because, says the
Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, it had gratuitous
violence and made light of a violent act. A listener complained
that the segment about murders in Mexico was “entirely repugnant and disgusting”. CFNY acknowledged that the
“discussion was graphic and unpleasant”, but said the hosts were trying to “bring levity” to the subject. Details at
www.cbsc.ca... In another CBSC decision, while hair colour isn’t included in identifiable groups under the Human
Rights clause of the CAB Code of Ethics, it’s still in poor taste to disparage redheads on the air. The standards
council found that a X92.9 FM (CFEX-FM) Calgary Host’s comments about phasing out male redheads were not,
as a listener complained, unacceptable because they targeted a specific group. Details at www.cbsc.ca... Former
Nova Scotia politician and CJCB Sydney talk show Host Dave Wilson has been sentenced to nine months in jail
for defrauding the public purse of nearly $61,000 to feed a gambling addiction. Wilson, who pleaded guilty last
September to fraud, breach of trust and uttering forged documents, said he felt deep shame and remorse for his
actions... NL Broadcasting, the operator of Radio NL 610 AM/97.5 The River/Country 103 Kamloops, has
teamed with CIBC and The Prostate Cancer Foundation of BC for PETER’S PENNIES FOR PROSTATE! Radio
NL Morning Mayor Peter Olsen is fighting prostate cancer. The stations are asking listeners to donate their
pennies, before they go out of circulation, at a CIBC branch in Kamloops or any area branch with all donations
going directly to The Prostate Cancer Foundation of BC. Donations will be accepted through to June 15... The
GX94/FOX Yorkton Airwaves for Health Radiothon has raised $97,100 so far, with more cash coming in. All of
the donations are destined for the purchase of an ultrasound machine for the heart and stroke clinic, the
orthopedic surgeon and other specialty services operated in the Sunrise Health region.
ELEVISION: Nielsen Vice Chairman Susan Whiting says that while video consumers increasingly are
watching video on the best screen available, on more devices and at more locations, 91% of that anytimeanywhere consumption is still on traditional TV in real time. While mobile devices have fueled an explosion
in digital access to video, there remains a record number of TV sets in American homes. Her remarks are
based on Nielsen's latest State of the Media: Digital Consumer Report. The average viewer watches a 146 hoursplus of traditional TV. The average monthly total of viewing on mobile devices and computers is a little under nine
hours... And, coincidentally supporting the Nielsen numbers in an oddball way is an Ipsos Socialogue report that
concludes television is still king. It is so much a part of people's lives, says Ipsos, that 58% would forego social
networks if staying online meant they couldn’t watch TV. North America, Europe and the G8 countries are the most
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
Page 3
likely to prefer TV over social networking. Among those
younger than 35, there's a 50-50 split on who would give
up what... Netflix has projected slower subscriber growth,
sending its shares down 17%. It warns that domestic
streaming additions in the second quarter will be below
that the same period last year. One analyst said Netflix is
giving a signal to the street that their growth story is over
and he now rates Netflix as a "sell"... The financial
situation at Netflix corresponds to a CRTC decision to not
conduct a second fact-finding exercise on the impact of
over-the-top (OTT) programming services. While the
Commission said last year, after its first look-see at OTT
services, that it would repeat the exercise this year, it’s
now not considered necessary. The CRTC found that
such services “have not had an impact sufficient to
warrant another fact-finding exercise” although it will
“closely monitor over-the-top services in the context of the
evolving Canadian communications OTT services”... Soon after taking ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs,
senior execs at Rogers and BCE will be haggling over which of their specialty networks gets to broadcast the most
desirable games once the current deals expire in 2015. Since the two struck that $1.3-billion deal for a 75% stake
in Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) – which owns the Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto FC
and the Air Canada Centre – their overall objective was broadcasting rights. And divvying up the 51 Leafs games
each year between TSN and Rogers Sportsnet isn’t going to be easy. Meanwhile, at last Thursday’s TVB TV
Day in Toronto, one session saw the Chief of CBC's English services, Kirstine Stewart, say that she has every
intention of bringing back NHL coverage when the CBC’s contract with the league comes due in two years. She
argued that while Bell Media and Rogers can begin carving up regional rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the
league remains in control of all national broadcast rights. But Rogers’ Keith Pelley said that her argument has
nothing to do with Hockey Night in Canada. Still, said Stewart, CBC’s appeal to a general audience larger than
viewers of TSN and Rogers's Sportsnet may hold some sway with NHL execs when the contract expires at the
end of the 2013-14 season... A switching error at a cable company that put pornography onto CHCH-TV
Hamilton’s morning broadcast last Friday had dozens of viewers riled. Mike Katrycz, the VP of News, said he
noticed the issue right away and frantically called master control to try to fix it but since the problem originated
elsewhere they weren't able to immediately pull the material off the air. While CHCH wasn't at fault, said Katrycz,
“that still doesn't mitigate the impact on our viewers, those who saw it, and for that we apologize''... The CRTC
has recognized Telefilm Canada’s new private donation fund as a Certified Independent Production Fund. Other
endorsed funds include the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, Le Fonds Harold Greenberg and the Canada
Media Fund (CMF)... French-language specialty channel V did not violate any broadcast code during an interview
regarding student protests in Quebec, says the CBSC. The hosts spoke with a man March 22 who explained
students’ opposition to the Quebec government’s decision to raise tuition fees for college and university students.
The hosts stated their disagreement and challenged their guest on his views. There were 914 complaints alleging
that the interviewers had been disrespectful because they interrupted and made disparaging comments about the
student movement. Details at www.cbsc.ca... The U.S. National Religious Broadcasters is urging federal
Republicans to drop support for legislation eliminating must-carry regulations because it could spell the ruin of
many religious broadcasters. The must-carry rules give broadcast TV stations the right to have their signals carried
on cable systems in local markets. Killing the rules would allow cablecos to refuse to carry such signals... Thirty
students from the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University in Toronto will head to Los Angeles in August for
a two-week intensive course on the U.S. television market. The for-credit program will give the students hands-on
experience and networking opportunities with TV industry senior staff.
EVOLVING DOOR: Brad Muir, who most recently was Director of Programming for Newcap’s New
Brunswick stations in Fredericton and Moncton, is now PD at C100/101.3 the BOUNCE Halifax. He began
on Tuesday. His first PD gig was at K97/96X Edmonton in 2001... Andy LeBlanc, the current President
of the RTDNA and a TV instructor at the New Brunswick Community College’s Woodstock campus, will
become News Director at CTV Atlantic in Halifax. LeBlanc’s history with CTV includes having started his career
with it in New Brunswick as a Reporter and eventually moving up to become Assistant ND at Halifax before
accepting a job as ND at CTV Southwestern Ontario in Kitchener. His start date is expected to be before
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
the beginning of summer... William B.
Linton, the CFO at Rogers
Communications whose departure
was announced last October, completed
his last day yesterday (Wednesday).
Succeeding him in the post is Tony
Staffieri... Peter Christensen, the new
CTV Saskatoon Ops Mgr/Creative
Manager, arrived from 20+ years as a
Director of Photography in the episodic
TV world...
Cheryl McKenzie has
been appointed Host/Producer of APTN
National News, starting May 7.
McKenzie began working for APTN in
June, 2001, as a Reporter... Jack
Haskins, ex of Newcap TV
Loydminister, is now a Sports
Anchor/Reporter at Global Saskatoon.
He’s the son of Jim Haskins who runs
the CBC Alberta sales team from his
base in Edmonton.
Page 4
How Did Rogers
and Astral Solve
the Removal of
a Dead
Transmitter?
Read All About
the Ingenious
Solution in
May’s
Broadcast
Dialogue
Magazine.
IGN-OFF: Tom “Big Tom”
Fitzgerald, 38, in a St. John’s
hospital of heart disease. Fitzgerald, who would have turned 39 tomorrow (Friday), was a Co-Host on the
K-ROCK (VOCM-FM) St. John’s morning show.
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ENERAL: The NAB reports higher numbers for its 2012 annual convention in Las Vegas. The 2012 NAB
Show saw a slight bump in exhibitors, from 1,550 last year to 1,600. Registered attendees numbered
91,932 (with 151 countries accounting for 24,928 of those in attendance)... Rogers
Communications’ first quarter results show net income at $356 million or 67 cents a share compared with a net
income of $423 million or 76 cents a share in the same quarter last year. Quarterly revenue was $2.95 billion,
down 1% year over year. First-quarter adjusted operating profit was $1.091 billion, down 6% year over year.
Quarterly adjusted operating margin was 36.9% compared with 38.8% in the year-ago quarter. During the first
quarter of 2012, Rogers Communications generated $528 million from operations compared with $943 million in
the year-ago quarter. Free cash flow during the reported quarter was $79 million compared with $323 million in
the year-ago quarter.
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OOKING: Vista Radio Group, Courtenay - All positions; Country 103 Kamloops - Local Sales Manager;
SparkNetworks - Affiliate Relations Manager; The Beach Collingwood/Wasaga Beach - Morning Host;
Newstalk 1010 Toronto - a Producer and a News Reporter; CHQR Calgary - Morning News Announcer;
XM 105 Whitecourt - News/Sports Reporter/Announcer; Newcap Radio Halifax - Account Manager; Bell
Media Toronto - a Technician (CTV) and a Junior Technician (MTV): CBC Toronto - Director, English Services
Training and an Executive in Charge of Production (Kids’ CBC); and Global Montreal - Redacteur en chef.
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UPPLYLINES: CTV is adding Harris Corp. digital news solutions at CTV Victoria and CTV Ottawa, and
upgrading others as CTV establishes a common news production platform across its TV properties. The
Victoria and Ottawa stations will get Harris NewsForce solutions for the first time while CTV Montreal and
CTV Halifax are upgrading existing solutions.
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UBLISHER’S NOTE: With today’s edition, the Broadcast Dialogue brand turns 20 years of age. Remarkably,
there are those still on the BD Briefing distribution list who have been with us from day one and who took
delivery via fax back then (pdf hadn’t become the standard until well after BD’s launch). My sincere thanks
for the support of long-timers and newbies.