Corus-Shaw tie-up to create Canadian content juggernaut


Details

Michelle Clancy

| 14 January 2016




Canadian media company Corus Entertainment plans to acquire Shaw Communications’ TV unit in a deal valued at $1.86 billion.



The combined Shaw Media-Corus entity will include 45 specialty television channels, 39 radio stations, digital assets, the content studio Nelvana, and 15 conventional television stations. Shaw Media’s assets include the specialty channels Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, DIY Network Canada, Slice, Lifetime, History Canada, H2, Showcase, National Geographic Canada, Nat Geo Wild Canada, Action, MovieTime, IFC Canada, Global News: BC1, BBC Canada, DejaView, Crime + Investigation, DTOUR and FYI. It also includes Global Television’s national conventional service with stations in Vancouver, Okanagan, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Saint John.

“This is a transformational acquisition that redefines Corus and Canada’s media landscape,” said Doug Murphy, president and CEO, Corus Entertainment. “This game-changing transaction brings together a powerful portfolio of synergistic media assets that will solidify Corus’ position as the market leader in the highly valued women, kids and family segments. It will also advance our strategic priorities through investment in content creation for our own platforms, and for global markets.”

JR Shaw, executive chair, Shaw Communications, added: “We believe these two companies will form a winning combination. Their complementary mix of assets and strong management teams fit extremely well together. This transaction represents an exciting new chapter and allows us, as a family, to participate in what we see as a very successful future for Corus, one that will support a vibrant Canadian broadcast system.”

Shaw Communications took a $55 million write-down of IPTV assets last July, after a failed plan to deploy its own end-to-end IP platform.