Bell Media Applauds Investment by Canada's Private Broadcasters in Canadian Programming

– Canada's private broadcasters invested more than $2.25B in Canadian programming in 2017 –

TORONTO, April 3, 2019 /CNW/ - Following the release of the CMPA's Profile 2018 media production report, Bell Media applauds the significant investment by private broadcasters in Canadian production and their key role in developing and commissioning programming distributed worldwide by foreign OTT players.

"Bell Media alone invested nearly $900 million in Canadian programming in 2017, twice the amount spent by all foreign companies, and more than any other private broadcaster," said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media. "Bell Media and other private broadcasters invest in a variety of programming, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, in which OTT players do not, including local and national news and sports."

Canadian broadcasters are far and away the leaders in the development and commissioning of almost all Canadian production. Foreign OTT players often invest in shows after Canadian broadcasters have committed to productions and triggered tax credits and CMF funding, filling in financing with worldwide OTT rights.

"Canadian broadcasters take the initial risk, investing time, money, and resources in early-stage development, thereby helping projects become more attractive to international broadcasters and foreign OTT companies," said Lennox. "It's time to rebalance the regulatory system to support the companies that create and invest in Canadian programming."

About Bell Media
Bell Media is Canada's leading content creation company with premier assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, digital media, and more. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's highest-rated television network; 30 specialty channels, including leading specialty services TSN and RDS. Bell Media is Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 215 music channels including 109 licensed radio stations in 58 markets across the country, all part of the iHeartRadio brand and streaming service. Bell Media owns Astral, an out-of-home advertising network of more than 30,000 faces in five provinces. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; video streaming services including Crave, TSN Direct, and RDS Direct; and multi-channel network Much Studios. The company owns a majority stake in Pinewood Toronto Studios; is a partner in Just for Laughs, the live comedy event and TV producer; and owns Dome Productions Inc., one of North America's leading production facilities providers. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. Learn more at www.BellMedia.ca.

SOURCE Bell Media