Media concentration inches downward, research group says

Ownership concentration in Canada’s media sector fell slightly in 2012, a new report by the Canadian Media Concentration Research Project (CMCR) said. In an analysis of CRTC data posted on its website Wednesday, the project said ownership concentration levels fell in 2012 in each of the conventional TV, “total” TV, broadcast distribution, and radio sectors. Ownership concentration in the pay and specialty TV industry, when segregated from total TV figures, was steady in 2012, the project said. According to the analysis, Canada’s four largest conventional broadcasters held an 83 per cent share of the conventional TV market in 2012, down from 87 per cent in 2011. CBC/Radio-Canada, BCE Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and Quebecor Media Inc. lost market share to independent broadcasters CHEK Media Group and Channel Zero Inc., the report said. It said there was a “small dip” in 2012 in concentration in the total TV segment, which includes both conventional TV stations and pay and specialty TV services, as the country’s four largest broadcasters lost two points in their collective market share. Services owned by Bell, Quebecor, Rogers Communications Inc. and the Shaw family collectively held 77 per cent market share in 2012, down from 79 per cent in 2011, the report said. Those companies' collective share of the broadcast distribution sector fell from 83 per cent to 81 per cent in 2012 due to the growth of Telus Corp.'s, MTS Inc.'s and SaskTel’s fibre-based IPTV services in western Canada, as well as Bell Aliant Inc.’s IPTV service in Atlantic Canada, the report said. “Concentration levels in the $4 billion Pay and Specialty TV services—the fastest growing and most lucrative segment of the TV industry—stayed steady,” said the project, headed by Carleton University professor Dwayne Winseck.

Media concentration inches downward, research group says

Brief | May 15, 2013

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