Pattison Kicks Tires Of CHUM TV Spinoffs, Prefers Radio Expansion

Pattison

JIM PATTISON BROADCAST GROUP is looking at buying TV stations to be spun off by BELL GLOBEMEDIA in its purchase of CHUM LTD., but PATTISON Pres. RICK ARNISH tells the GLOBE AND MAIL that the company is more interested in expanding its radio operations. 

"They're definitely [a consideration]," ARNISH told the paper, "but what's the price at the end of the day... JIMMY [PATTISON] wants his payback model. He's the investor." Speaking in an interview at the CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS convention in VANCOUVER, ARNISH added, "We're very concerned about where is the future of small-market television in CANADA. We want to get bigger, but we're getting bigger in radio."

The VANCOUVER-based PATTISON owns 26 radio stations and three TV stations in BRITISH COLUMBIA and ALBERTA; BGM is spinning off the A CHANNEL independent TV stations across ONTARIO and VICTORIA, BC.

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