(CANWEST GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP. LOGO) NEWS RELEASE For immediate release October 4, 2005 FIREWORKS DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION SELLS CANADIAN TELEVISION LIBRARY RIGHTS WINNIPEG - CanWest Global Communications Corp. announced today that Fireworks Distributing Corporation, an indirect subsidiary, has completed the sale of its Canadian and certain other television program receivables and rights to Motion Picture Distribution LP. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Since February 2004, these assets have been accounted for at fair value as a discontinued operation. CanWest Global Communications Corp. (NYSE: CWG; TSX: CGS.SV and CGS.NV, www.CanWestglobal.com {http://www.canwestglobal.com/}), an international media company, is Canada's largest media company. 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, Ireland and the United Kingdom. For further information contact: Geoffrey Elliot Vice President, Corporate Affairs CanWest Global Communications Corp. Tel: +1 (204) 956-2025 Fax: +1 (204) 947-9841 gelliot@canwest.com