The current situation of Quebecor and TVA is more critical than ever.
As ratings plunged and TVA Sports was drowning in debt, the company desperately tried to make Qub Radio, now on 99.5 FM, compete with 98.5 FM.
Unfortunately, the use of figures like Gilles Proulx, with his inflammatory statements, only makes things worse.
His controversial remarks about the Crees, calling these people “manipulators” and “children in high chairs”, shocked the public, causing a wave of unease across Quebec.
“They are not paying their Hydro-Québec bills even though they have been deluged with millions of dollars.”
“It’s children in high chairs. It’s damned to say that, I come across as a racist.”
“The Jesuits, that is to say even the most educated missionaries, a Jesuit is above the average of the others. They said: deceivers and manipulators. It still is, alas. And there , I can pass for the most abject being.”
How can Pierre-Karl Péladeau accept these comments? Does he want to increase television ratings so much that he wants his business to scandalize the population?
Is it the company’s debts that are causing the media linked to Quebecor to lose editorial control?
TVA’s financial situation is catastrophic, with accumulated debts that threaten the company’s survival.
When TVA Sports was created in 2011, Pierre Karl Péladeau promised a thriving future for this new channel dedicated to sport.
Unfortunately, several strategic errors precipitated the fall of this ambitious project. The contract signed in 2013, worth $720 million over 12 years for the broadcast rights to the Montreal Canadiens, plunged TVA Sports into significant financial losses.
These losses, which vary between $9.3 and $22 million annually over the last five years, have contributed to weakening the entire TVA Group.
In 2023, TVA Sports recorded a loss of $9.3 million, an alarming figure almost equivalent to the total loss of TVA Group.
This financial chasm is fueled by the need to repay debts linked to broadcasting rights. Added to this is a liquidity deficit of $88 million.
Faced with this situation, Quebecor had to intervene several times to inject funds, borrowing $91 million and providing an additional credit line of $29 million.
Despite these efforts, TVA is financially suffocated and is unable to turn things around.
The consequences of this crisis are disastrous: hundreds of positions have been eliminated, key executives have left the company, and programs that were part of Quebec’s heritage have been taken off the air.
The reduction in the credit line and the increased dependence on Quebecor illustrate the seriousness of the situation. Added to this is ruthless competition from streaming platforms like Netflix, which eat up a huge part of advertising revenue and audiences, accentuating the fragility of TVA.
But the financial crisis is not the only hard blow for TVA. The recent comments of Gilles Proulx, broadcast on Qub Radio, have aggravated the already delicate situation.
By calling the Cris “deceitful and manipulative,” Proulx not only shocked public opinion, but he also seriously damaged the reputation of the company.
As TVA desperately seeks to attract and retain a disaffected audience, these inflammatory comments risk turning away even more listeners and sponsors.
The decision to give a platform to Gilles Proulx and to allow the broadcast of such remarks put Quebecor under fire from criticism.
Rather than focusing on strategies to turn around the company’s financial situation, the company finds itself managing a public relations crisis that could worsen its already tarnished image.
It is now clear that Quebecor, TVA and Qub Radio are under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons, and if management does not take drastic measures quickly, the entire TVA Group could be condemned to disappear.
In this climate of tension and uncertainty, TVA’s editorial decisions could further precipitate the channel’s downfall.
Proulx’s comments are very damaging to the company’s reputation. This reminds us of the comments of Jean-Charles Lajoie, which, even if they were much less serious, really affected the destiny of TVA Sports.
His public outing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he attacked residents of the regions of Quebec, really hurt since TVA’s audience mainly comes from outside Montreal.
His comments, calling people in the regions “happy imbeciles” for their attitude towards deconfinement, sparked a wave of contempt and anger which, according to some, affected the image of TVA Sports, TVA and Quebecor at the time. great suit.
“The happy idiots in the regions who do not feel concerned by the COVID19 crisis and who demand deconfinement and economic recovery, I despise you.”
Your I before the WE. Where would you be without the invaluable contribution of the greater Montreal region COLLECTIVELY?”
Even if we are not talking about the same level of seriousness compared to Gilles Proulx’s comments, the fact remains that these attacks targeting specific communities have disastrous consequences for the company.
Since its inception in 2011, TVA Sports has never been profitable, racking up colossal losses of $242 million.
This situation is amplified by a steady decline in advertising revenues and an alarming decrease in the number of subscribers.
In 2023, the channel lost 9% of its subscribers, or 115,000, amplifying already catastrophic financial results.
Gilles Proulx’s recent remarks against the Crees have plunged Quebecor into an even deeper crisis.
The controversies are accumulating, contributing to the progressive collapse of a media power, whether on TV, radio or in writing.
Attacks targeting communities, whether ethnic, cultural or geographic, are catastrophic for an already struggling media company.
In a context where the company is over-indebted and struggling to remain competitive, these media misconduct only accelerate its fall.
Pierre Karl Péladeau, despite his limitless loyalty to figures like Lajoie and Proulx, will have to face a reality: these errors of judgment could well cost the survival of the entire TVA Group.
