(CANWEST GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP. LOGO)
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 4, 2004
NEW MILESTONES FOR CANWEST GROWTH STRATEGY
Realigns Operations under CanWest MediaWorks Banner
Announces Senior Executive Appointments
WINNIPEG MB: CanWest Global Communications today announced a realignment of
operations under the CanWest MediaWorks corporate brand. CANWEST MEDIAWORKS
includes all Canadian business units including newspapers, television and radio
operations, web-based interactive operations and the new music, book publishing
and merchandising units. Consumer brands such as the Global Television Network
and the names of individual CanWest newspapers will not be affected by the
corporate name change. CANWEST MEDIAWORKS INTERNATIONAL includes CanWest's
investments in Network TEN in Australia, CanWest MediaWorks (NZ) Limited in New
Zealand, and TV3 in Ireland.
CanWest President and Chief Executive Officer Leonard Asper also announced today
that Richard C. (Rick) Camilleri, formerly Chief Operating Officer, (Operations)
has been named President, CanWest MediaWorks. Thomas C. Strike, formerly Chief
Operating Officer (Corporate) was named President, CanWest MediaWorks
International. In addition to his ongoing responsibility for all functions at
the CanWest corporate office including finance, legal, corporate development and
corporate affairs activities, Mr. Strike is also Chairman of the Board of
CanWest MediaWorks (NZ) Limited and a member of the Boards of Network TEN, and
TV3, Ireland.
Mr. Camilleri announced also today a number of senior executive appointments at
CanWest MediaWorks. With these appointments, CanWest MediaWorks has assembled
some of the best global talent to lead the company's Canadian media operations
in sustained growth and to meet the challenges in what may be the world's most
competitive and sophisticated media market.
MS. KATHLEEN A. DORE is appointed to the position of President Television and
Radio, CanWest MediaWorks and MICHAEL G. WILLIAMS is named President,
Publications, CanWest MediaWorks. Both appointments fill positions that have
been vacant since early in 2003. JOSEPH T. MANGIONE is appointed to the position
of President, Sales and Marketing, CanWest MediaWorks. Biographical information
on each of the new executives is contained in the backgrounder attached to this
release.
"The world has changed and the ingredients for success are different," said Mr.
Camilleri. "We know that growth only comes when we focus on the customer.
Today`s customers choose how, when, and where, they receive news, information,
and entertainment. We are going to excel in giving them that choice with
superior service."
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"The company has achieved much since it launched the integration of its greatly
expanded portfolio of media assets acquired in 2000," Camilleri continued. "More
efficient and lower cost operations, integrated sales and marketing teams, and
the introduction of new and complementary businesses including radio stations,
music marketing and distribution, and book publishing have been important
milestones in our strategy to date. CanWest MediaWorks is now the industry
leader in cross-media advertising and multi-media sales and marketing campaigns.
These activities increase revenues, support newspaper circulation and increase
television ratings. We are confident that we have the foundation of history,
talent, and critical experience to continue to win in the marketplace," Mr.
Camilleri stated.
In welcoming the new executives, Mr. Camilleri spoke of CanWest MediaWorks'
important innovation and growth opportunities going forward. "Looking ahead, our
priority is to adapt our publishing businesses to reflect changing consumer
demands and readership trends through the introduction of new products and
digitized delivery systems - more choices, superior service."
"The number one priority of our broadcasting operations is to address challenges
to the conventional television business model posed by the proliferation of new
specialty television channels and certain regulatory advantages they currently
enjoy," added Mr. Camilleri. "In that regard we will continue to make
significant investments in new programming to boost ratings and increase
revenues at Global. We will generate more Canadian television production,
including profitable news and information programming. CanWest MediaWorks will
continue to build the subscriber and advertising base of its successful new
digital television channels while actively looking at opportunities to launch
new channels and to expand its position in Canadian radio. CanWest MediaWorks
will also launch new business units in the coming months as we evolve to a
customer focused content and marketing company," said Mr. Camilleri.
"With our world-class leadership, CanWest MediaWorks will continue to deliver on
its growth strategy - to offer more innovative and superior products to its
customers at lower costs, to advance the competitive position of our publishing,
broadcasting, and interactive operations, and to strengthen the company's
financial performance for the benefit of our shareholders," added Mr.
Camilleri.
Mr. Camilleri announced a number of additional appointments to the new CanWest
MediaWorks executive team, the details of which are also included in the
attached backgrounder. These appointments, which fill existing vacancies or are
in anticipation of planned retirements, will further the integration of
CanWest's Canadian media operations, which began in 2003 when the management of
CanWest's Canadian newspaper, television and interactive operations were
combined into one business.
Also commenting on today's announcements, CanWest President and Chief Executive
Officer Leonard Asper said, "I am delighted to welcome this addition of talent
to CanWest MediaWorks. These appointments are the result of an extensive
executive search in Canada and elsewhere to identify and recruit the best global
talent to help us realize our vision to become a top-ranking international media
company. The three essential ingredients for our successful growth strategy are
securing the right people at all levels, generating or acquiring superior
content, and using the best technology to deliver that content to consumers how
and when they want it. These additions to our management team at CanWest
MediaWorks represent an important milestone in ensuring that CanWest continues
to move forward on all those fronts," Mr. Asper added, "Over the past four years
we have fully digested the two major acquisitions that the company made in 2000.
We have completed the integration of our operations, and realized the resulting
efficiencies. Now it is time for us to address the structural challenges to our
mature businesses, drive forward our
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growth assets and create organic growth from the development of the brands and
assets we have."
CanWest MediaWorks is a division of CanWest Global Communications Corp. (NYSE:
CWG; TSX: CGS.S and CGS.A, www.CanWestglobal.com), an international media
company. CanWest is Canada's largest media company. In addition to owning the
Global Television Network, CanWest is Canada's largest publisher of daily
newspapers, and also owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in
conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty cable channels, Web
sites and radio networks in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland.
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For more information, please contact:
Geoffrey Elliot,
Vice President, Corporate Affairs
CanWest Global Communications Corp.
Telephone: (204) 956-2025
Fax: (204) 947-9841
gelliot@CanWest.com
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MEDIA BACKGROUNDER: SENIOR EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
KATHLEEN A. DORE: to the position of President, Television and Radio, CanWest
MediaWorks. Ms. Dore was previously President, Entertainment Services, for
Rainbow Media Holdings Inc., where she was responsible for US cable networks AMC
(American Movie Classics), IFC (Independent Film Channel) and WE (Women's
Entertainment). Prior to that, Ms. Dore was President of Bravo Networks (US)
until its sale to NBC in 2002. At Bravo, Ms. Dore oversaw development of
award-winning series, Inside the Actors Studio and Queer Eye for the Straight
Guy. She partnered with Cirque du Soleil to make Bravo its official television
outlet in the US. During her tenure, Bravo partnered with CHUM to launch Bravo
Canada in 1995, and with Salter Street Films (Alliance Atlantis) to launch IFC
Canada in 2000. Earlier this year, IFC Films released Canadian director Guy
Maddin's film, The Saddest Music in the World, in US theatres.
MICHAEL G. WILLIAMS: to the position of President, Publications, CanWest
MediaWorks. Mr. Williams joins CanWest from the masthead of The New York Times
where he served in senior executive roles as Vice President and Chief
Information Officer of both The New York Times Company and The New York Times
newspaper. In this dual role Mr. Williams was responsible for all IT strategy
and operations as well as a wide range of publishing operations. This
encompassed the production of all Times products printed by outside partners
including The New York Times Magazine and TV Books and the National Edition of
The New York Times. Mr. Williams also helped to develop The New York Times'
highly successful online strategy and also that of The International Herald
Tribune.
JOSEPH T. MANGIONE: to the position of President, Sales and Marketing, CanWest
MediaWorks. Mr. Mangione joins CanWest following a long career in media sales
and marketing, most recently as Senior Vice President, at Time Warner where he
was responsible for all multi-platform integrated sales and marketing
relationships across the US. Prior to that Mr. Mangione was Senior Vice
President, Global Client Solutions, at Turner Broadcasting. Previous positions
included Publisher, Integrated Marketing, at Better Homes and Gardens where his
activities spanned print and TV properties, and Vice President Marketing for
Playboy magazine.
Mr. Camilleri also announced the following additional senior executive
appointments in anticipation of planned retirements at the executive level and
to fill existing vacancies. These appointments include Senior Vice Presidents in
charge of digital content, interactive operations, and human resources.
PETER ASHKIN: to the position of Senior Vice President, Digital Content, CanWest
MediaWorks. Mr. Ashkin joins CanWest from America Online, Inc., where he was
Executive Vice President, Digital Media Services (DMS). DMS developed AOL's
standards based content distribution platform. At AOL Mr. Ashkin was also
President, Product Strategy and guided technical implementation, including
platform architecture, of consumer based products and services. Prior to that
Mr. Ashkin was Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Gateway
Computer, Inc., where he led Gateway's engineering and supply base management
activities. This included planning design, development, procurement, and
outsource manufacturing for Gateway PC products. In previous years Mr. Ashkin
held executive management positions at Toshiba and Apple Computer.
ARTURO DURAN: to the position of Senior Vice President, Interactive, CanWest
MediaWorks. Mr. Duran joins CanWest from America Online Inc. (AOL) where he
served in senior executive positions in Canada, Mexico and the United States
with a particular focus on generating revenue through subscription, advertising
and other revenues including through partnerships with content
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providers. Prior to that Mr. Duran held senior management positions for the
Polaroid Corporation in the US, China and Mexico. While in Canada, Mr. Duran was
elected in 2002 Member of the Board at the Interactive Advertising Bureau of
Canada (IABC) and in 2003 elected Director of the Board at the Media Awareness
Network based in Ottawa (MNet).
GRACE PALOMBO: to the position of Senior Vice President, Human Resources,
CanWest MediaWorks. Ms. Palombo has spent the last 15 years in senior positions
in the areas of Human Resources, Legal, and Corporate Communications. Most
recently Ms. Palombo was Vice President, Human Resources, Husky Injection
Molding Systems. Prior to that, she held senior positions at a number of large
Canadian companies including Canada Life Financial Services, Union Gas and
Bombardier Aerospace. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Ms. Palombo has
also practiced law in Toronto, in the areas of Employment, Labour Relations and
Corporate Law.
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