Bell Media and CBC/Radio-Canada to Dissolve 2014/2016 Olympic Bid Partnership

Bell Media and CBC/Radio-Canada to Dissolve 2014/2016 Olympic Bid Partnership


TORONTO, June 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Bell Media and CBC/Radio Canada announced
today they will not submit any further joint bids for the exclusive
Canadian media rights for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the
Rio 2016 Olympic Games.



During their partnership, Bell Media and CBC/Radio-Canada submitted two
joint bids that were not accepted by the IOC.



As a result, the two parties have decided to formally dissolve their bid
partnership.



"We presented not one, but two fiscally responsible bids that are
reflective of the Canadian marketplace," said Phil King, President, CTV
Programming and Sports. "Unfortunately, we were not able to reach
agreement on terms with the IOC."



"We were optimistic that an agreement could have been reached but it has
to work for all parties...regrettably, that didn't happen," said Jeffrey
Orridge, Executive Director, CBC Sports Properties on behalf of
CBC/Radio-Canada. "In light of this decision, CBC will step back and
take some time to consider our options."


About Bell Media

Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in
television, radio and digital. With passion and an unrelenting
commitment to excellence, Bell Media entertains, informs and inspires
Canadians. Bell Media owns 28 conventional stations, including CTV,
Canada's #1 television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012
Olympic Games, and owns and operates 29 specialty channels, including
TSN, Canada's #1 specialty channel and RDS, Canada's #1 French-language
specialty channel. Bell Media also owns 33 radio stations, dozens of
websites including the Sympatico.ca portal, and Dome Productions. Bell
Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest
communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.


About CBC/Radio Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its
largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching
Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio,
television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in
the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer
diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight
Aboriginal languages, plus seven languages for international audiences.
In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada is celebrating 75 years of serving Canadians
and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of
Canada.


SOURCE Bell Media

Bell Media

CONTACT: Scott Henderson, Vice-President, Communications, Bell Media
416.384.5305 or scott.henderson@bellmedia.ca Chuck Thompson, Head of Media Relations, CBC English Services
416.205.3747 or Chuck.Thompson@cbc.ca


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