Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Paul Sparkes, and I am executive vice-president of corporate affairs for CTV.
As Canada's largest broadcaster, we are pleased to be here today to comment on the implications of vertical integration for the broadcasting industry. At the outset, I should point out that while we are appearing together here today, CTV and Bell are not one company yet. The BCE and CTV transaction still has to be approved by regulators.
At CTV, we are proud of our legacy as Canada's number one private broadcaster. We are passionate about what we do and believe in the enhancement of our national identity through high-quality Canadian programming. Our track record in this regard speaks for itself.
We have created many popular Canadian shows that provide a shared experience for Canadians from coast to coast, programssuch as Degrassi, Corner Gas, Dan for Mayor, Flashpoint, Canadian Idol, eTalk, So You Think You Can Dance Canada , and many, many more, including coverage of some of our greatest awards celebrations, such as the MuchMusic video awards, the Junos, and the Gillers. All distinctly Canadian, these programs have provided an opportunity for us to celebrate who we are and to unite our viewers in a common shared experience.
Our Canadian programming is not restricted to our own airwaves. Many of our shows, including Degrassi and Flashpoint, are currently putting Canadian talent on the global stage.
We are also proud to be the home of Canada's number one national newscast, CTV National News, with Lloyd Robertson. Our local newscasts are also number one in all but one market. Our 24-hour all-news network, CTV News Channel, provides information on breaking news, current events, and politics with Power Play, all of which draw on our news organization, CTV News, to deliver breaking news the second it happens from communities across this country and around the world. In addition, CP24 remains an integral part of the Greater Toronto area as a premier source of news and information.
Sports is also a major component of the programming we offer, both on conventional television and through our specialty properties, including TSN and RDS. One of our foremost achievements, and one that we are very proud of, was being the official broadcaster of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Our commitment was to tell the stories and make Canada's athletes household names in both official languages. I think you will agree with us that we succeeded on all these fronts.
With Bell buying CTV, we will be able to continue and even improve on this legacy. The reason we have remained a leader in our business for so long is that we have successfully stayed ahead of our competitors and the changes in our industry. As you are aware, the communications sector is being reshaped by technological change. Unregulated media and over-the-top services like Netflix, YouTube, and AppleTV are changing traditional business models.
In response, cable companies and telcos are acquiring content providers to help them differentiate their product offerings. For CTV to survive, we must be part of this change. Cable companies and telcos owning broadcasters is not a new phenomenon. The CRTC has allowed them to own conventional television since the mid-1990s, and specialty and pay services since 2001. Virtually all of our traditional competitors are now vertically integrated, including Rogers, Shaw, and Quebecor. But this is not solely a Canadian phenomenon.
Vertical integration is the new norm internationally as well, particularly in the U.S. But why is all this occurring now? It is a response to changes in the competitive environment and consumer behaviour. Whereas broadcasters could once rely on "appointment viewing", the same content is now available across multiple platforms from numerous sources, regulated and not. This is causing audience fragmentation and revenue erosion. And while CTV is trying to compete by making its programming as widely available as possible, without access to distribution infrastructure we are at a significant disadvantage.
In light of all of this, the best path for CTV to remain a leader is to align ourselves with a company that has a strong presence in broadcast distribution and telecommunications. Companies that both create the content and distribute it will be able to maximize the consumer experience and remain relevant in the media landscape moving forward.
This brings me to Bell's proposed acquisition of CTV. Without doubt, this is the right move for CTV, our viewers, consumers, and the Canadian broadcasting system. Why? Because it allows us to continue to do what we do best.
Without this transaction, we would most likely have been broken up and sold piecemeal to our competitors. This would not only have been bad for the Canadian production community, consumers, and viewers, but it would also have negatively impacted the diversity of voices that Canadians have access to today.
Most importantly, this represents a tremendous opportunity for us at CTV. It will allow us to showcase our content on more platforms, providing an even greater experience for our viewers.
And why Bell, you might ask. Because they know us, and we know them. They have been a shareholder of CTV for a decade. We have a history together. We most recently partnered with them during the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, where Bell provided mobile video streaming. This included coverage of both the men's and women's hockey games, as well as recaps and highlights of numerous sporting events. Through this partnership with Bell, we had great success building audiences on alternative platforms.
This transaction will provide us with the stability and the confidence to compete with both our regulated and non-regulated competitors, and it provides us with the knowledge that we will be able to continue to bring great Canadian stories to the screen.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to appear, and I'm happy to take your questions.