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CRTC Approves Rogers' Application to Acquire NOWTV
[May 20, 2005]

CRTC Approves Rogers' Application to Acquire NOWTV


TORONTO, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced today that Rogers Broadcasting Limited's application to acquire NOWTV (CHNU-TV-Fraser Valley) and to launch CIIT-TV in Winnipeg has been approved.


"We are delighted with the CRTC's decision and are committed to fulfilling the unique mandate for religious and spiritual programming that has been entrusted to us," said Rael Merson, President of Rogers Broadcasting Limited. "We have nearly twenty years of experience serving the ethnic communities of Southern Ontario and look forward to leveraging our experience and resources to serve the many different religious communities in the lower mainland of British Columbia, in Victoria and in Winnipeg."
"We are eager to start work on further developing these two stations," said Leslie Sole, CEO of Television for Rogers Broadcasting Limited. "We are committed to the long term success of these stations and will ensure that NOWTV continues to be responsive to the evolving needs of the various religious and spiritual communities that it serves."
"Trinity is excited that part of this agreement allows us to partner with Rogers in programming initiatives as well as other roles," said Jeff Thiessen, Winnipeg based Senior Vice President of Trinity Television. "Rogers has been terrific to work with and we know that they share our excitement, enthusiasm and commitment towards the continued development of a very strong television brand."
Willard Thiessen, President of Trinity Television continues, "NOWTV represents relevant programming that impacts the community. We are proud to have made a difference in the Lower Mainland of BC with NOWTV over the last four years providing extremely relevant programming that has positively impacted the communities we serve. We are extremely grateful to staff and supporters who have worked with us to accomplish so much and with our 29 years of TV programming serving Western Canada look forward to continuing to add value to NOWTV."
As part of the overall NOWTV transaction, Rogers has dedicated to spend $1.3 million on initiatives to support the production and distribution of Canadian religious television programming. This includes the development of a number of new funds such as a NOWTV Documentary Fund, grants for local independent productions, and scholarship awards.
The CRTC has also approved the expansion of NOWTV's broadcast into Victoria through the installation of a separate transmitter. As part of Rogers' commitment to the communities of Victoria and Vancouver Island, Rogers will augment the NOWTV documentary fund by $250,000 and offer grants to local producers of $100,000.
About Rogers:
Rogers Media Inc., a division of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG) operates Rogers Broadcasting and Rogers Publishing. Rogers Broadcasting has 46 AM and FM radio stations across Canada. Television properties include Toronto multicultural television broadcasters OMNI.1 (CFMT) and OMNI.2, televised and electronic shopping service, The Shopping Channel, Canada's live event and high-definition leader, Rogers Sportsnet and the management of two digital television services. Rogers Publishing produces many well-known consumer magazines such as Maclean's, Chatelaine, Flare, L'actualite and Canadian Business, and is the leading publisher of a number of industry, medical and financial publications. All media properties are integrated with their own popular web sites. Rogers Media also owns The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and Rogers Centre, a year-round sports and entertainment facility.
Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG) is a diversified Canadian communications and media company engaged in three primary lines of business. Rogers Wireless Inc. is Canada's largest wireless voice and data communications services provider and the country's only carrier operating on the world standard GSM/GPRS technology platform; Rogers Cable Inc. is Canada's largest cable television provider offering cable television, high-speed Internet access and video retailing; and Rogers Media Inc. is Canada's premier collection of category leading media assets with businesses in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, publishing and sports entertainment. For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit http://www.rogers.com/. Separate annual and quarterly financial results for Rogers Wireless Inc. and Rogers Cable Inc. are also filed and are available on SEDAR and EDGAR.
Rogers Communications Inc.


CONTACT: Rael Merson - Rogers Broadcasting Limited, (416) 935-8220; JeffThiessen - Trinity Television Inc., (204) 949-3312;Archived images on this organization are searchable through CNW Photo Archivewebsite at http://photos.newswire.ca/. Images are free to accredited members ofthe media.

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