MUMBAI: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has released its annual report with statistical and financial data on conventional Canadian private television stations for 2001-2005.Overall, these stations remain profitable, and posted increased revenues and profits over this period.

From 2004 to 2005, total revenue and profit before interest and taxes for private television stations rose by close to four per cent coming in at $2.2 billion and $242.2 million respectively in 2005. The ad revenues for these stations grew by nearly five per cent, totalling $1.5 billion, while local time sales decreased by 1.1 per cent to $362.9 million.

Overall, broadcasters’ operating expenses increased by 4.3 per cent from 2004 to 2005, reaching $1.9 billion in 2005. Of that amount, $1.3 billion was invested in acquiring and producing programming, including $587 million for Canadian programmes. This figure includes the $138.5 million that broadcasters paid to independent producers in order to acquire programming.

Private broadcasters’ spending on Canadian programmes included $86.6 million for drama, $310.2 million for news programs, $59.4 million for other information programs, $83.1 million for general interest programming, and $29.2 million for musical and variety shows.

The report was produced using the financial summaries of private Canadian television undertakings. It also provides data from the CBC’s financial summaries. It is the first in a series of reports on broadcasting that the CRTC publishes every year in order to inform interested parties of the current financial situation of this industry in Canada.