WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

CANADA
Research
Circulation is audited by: The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)
Readership is measured by: NADbank
Methodology: NADbank is owned by daily newspapers and
carries out over 31,000 telephone interviews of adults 18+,
conducted once a year from January to May.
Taxes
VAT on: sales 7% advertising 7%
newsprint 7% plant 7%
composition 7% (standard VAT rate 7%)
Other taxes on:advertising 7%
Discounts
on: post 0 rail 0 telephone 0 telegraph 0 telex 0
Ownership
Does any law exist governing publishing-house ownership, or the
registration of shares in newspaper-publishing companies Yes
Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies or
individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the majority of
shares, of daily newspapers Yes, although daily newspapers
receive no special treatment. The Investment Canada Act
requires a review of foreign purchases or establishments of
Canadian businesses with assets greater than C$5 million.
Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical publishers
from operating radio or television stations in the same locality No,
but the Federal Broadcasting Regulator is reluctant to grant a
broadcasting licence to a company that already has daily
newspapers in the same market.
So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital structure
and to avert silent partnerships, is there a law or rule making it possible
to determine who actually owns a publishing company No, but some
jurisdictions maintain a register of shareholders with voting
powers in publicly traded companies.
Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily press
No. Publishing is dealt with by the same law as other businesses.
The Federal Competition Act enables the government to obtain
an enforceable order requiring divestiture, or prohibiting
purchase, where ownership “prevents or lessens, or is likely to
prevent or lessen, competition substantially”. No order has been
put on a newspaper publisher under the Federal Competition
Act and so what constitutes a publisher in a “dominating
position” is unspecified.
Is further regulation of media concentration expected No
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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003