Astral Media

Astral Media Inc. was a Canadian media conglomerate whose businesses eventually covered radio broadcasting, premium and specialty television, film and video activities, and out-of-home advertising. Although the company was formally organized in 1973 as Astral Bellevue Pathé, its roots extended to Angreen Photo, a photography-concession business established in Montreal in 1961 by Harold Greenberg and his brothers. Through acquisitions and expansion, the enterprise moved from retail photography and photographic processing into motion-picture laboratories, videocassette duplication, film distribution, and television services. A major turning point came in 1983, when the Greenberg family obtained full control of the First Choice and Premier Choix TVEC pay-television services. These services later became The Movie Network and Super Écran, respectively, and formed the foundation of Astral's long-term position in Canadian premium television. Astral also launched or acquired interests in a broad range of specialty services, including French-language channels such as Canal Vie, Ztélé, Séries+, VRAK.TV, MusiquePlus, and MusiMax, as well as English-language services and the Teletoon group. The company withdrew from direct film and program production over time, selling its program-development and distribution divisions to Coscient Group in 1996, but retained important media and distribution assets. Astral became a major radio operator during the 2000s. It acquired Radiomutuel in 2000 and most of Telemedia's radio assets in 2002, although the jointly owned Radiomedia AM network was subsequently sold to Corus Entertainment for competition-related reasons. In 2007, Astral purchased Standard Radio, significantly increasing its English-language radio presence. At its height, the company operated 84 radio stations across eight Canadian provinces, alongside 23 specialty television channels and two conventional television stations. Its outdoor-advertising operations, inherited in part through Radiomutuel's interest in Omni Outdoor, developed into Astral Out-of-Home. Astral changed its corporate name from Astral Communications to Astral Media in February 2000. In 2010 it moved its headquarters to 1800 McGill College Avenue in Montreal, a building renamed Maison Astral, and introduced a multicoloured lowercase “a” identity. The company subsequently became the target of Bell Canada's proposed $3.38 billion acquisition. The first version was rejected by the CRTC in October 2012 because of concerns about concentration, programming diversity, affordability, and vertical integration. Bell submitted a revised transaction involving substantial divestitures and other safeguards. The CRTC approved that version on June 27, 2013, and the acquisition closed on July 5, 2013. Astral was dissolved later in 2013 as its operations were absorbed or sold. The Astral name continued in outdoor advertising through Astral Out-of-Home, although that business later became associated with Outfront Media's Canadian operations.

Astral Media developed from a Montreal photography business into one of Canada's largest broadcasting groups. In 1961, Harold Greenberg and his brothers established Angreen Photo to operate a photography concession in the Miracle Mart department-store chain. The company expanded through the acquisition of Bellevue Pathé in 1963, gaining photography rights connected with Expo 67, and later operated a large chain under the Astral Photo name. Acquisitions of Pathé-Humphries and Associated Screen News Industries in 1968 and 1969 moved the business into motion-picture processing and related technical services. The corporate entity that became Astral Media was formed in 1973 as Astral Bellevue Pathé Limited. It expanded into videocassette duplication, video wholesaling, and film-related production and distribution. Its subsidiaries included Astral Films, Astral Film Productions, and Astral Video. During the 1980s, Astral also participated in feature-film projects and television development, though it ultimately shifted away from direct production. In 1983, the Greenberg family took complete control of First Choice and Premier Choix TVEC, two pay-television services that became The Movie Network and Super Écran. This acquisition established the company's enduring premium-television platform. Astral broadened its specialty-television portfolio by launching and acquiring interests in both English- and French-language channels. Radiomutuel, acquired in 2000, added radio assets and an outdoor-advertising interest, while most of Telemedia's radio assets followed in 2002. Astral became Canada's largest radio broadcaster, eventually operating 84 stations in eight provinces. The 2007 acquisition of Standard Radio strengthened its English-language presence and gave the company a larger national radio footprint. In 2010, Astral moved its headquarters to Maison Astral in Montreal and adopted a colourful “a” logo associated with collaboration and creativity. The company remained active in out-of-home advertising alongside broadcasting. Its television portfolio included premium services, specialty networks, conventional stations, and interests in the Teletoon group. Several holdings were jointly owned with other Canadian media companies, creating a complex regulatory profile. That profile became central when Bell Canada proposed to acquire Astral for $3.38 billion in 2012. Competitors and public broadcasters argued that the transaction would increase Bell's leverage over distributors and reduce consumer and programming choice. The CRTC rejected Bell's initial proposal in October 2012, finding that the combined company could possess excessive power across broadcasting and distribution. Bell and Astral negotiated a revised transaction that required the sale of selected television and radio assets and imposed conduct restrictions. The Competition Bureau cleared the revised proposal in March 2013, and the CRTC approved it on June 27. Conditions included fair treatment of competing distributors, limitations on restrictive bundling of The Movie Network and Super Écran, substantial investment in Canadian programming, and commitments concerning station operation and local programming. The acquisition closed on July 5, 2013, and Astral was dissolved later that year. The divestiture process redistributed much of Astral's former portfolio. Corus Entertainment acquired radio stations and interests in Historia, Séries+, and Teletoon-related services. Other assets, including Family Channel and its sister services, were later acquired by DHX Media, while MusiquePlus and MusiMax went to Remstar. Several radio stations were sold to the Jim Pattison Group and Newcap Radio. The Astral name survived mainly through the outdoor-advertising business, which continued as Astral Out-of-Home and later became part of Outfront Media's Canadian operations.

1. 2014Family television assets transferred to DHX Media

   DHX Media completes its acquisition of Family Channel and related services that had been divested from the Bell-Astral combination.

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2. 2013Revised acquisition approved and completed

   The CRTC approves a revised transaction on June 27, and Bell completes the acquisition on July 5.

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3. 2012Bell announces proposed acquisition

   Bell Media announces an agreement to acquire Astral for $3.38 billion; the initial proposal is later rejected by the CRTC.

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4. 2010Headquarters and visual identity refreshed

   Astral relocates to Maison Astral in Montreal and introduces a multicoloured “a” logo.

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5. 2007Standard Radio acquisition completed

   Astral completes its acquisition of Standard Radio after regulatory approval, materially increasing its English-language radio holdings.

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6. 2002Telemedia radio assets acquired

   Astral purchases most of Telemedia's radio assets, expanding its Canadian radio network.

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7. 2000Radiomutuel acquisition and corporate rebranding

   Astral acquires Radiomutuel and changes its corporate name from Astral Communications to Astral Media.

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8. 1996Program-development and distribution units sold

   Astral Communications sells its program-development and distribution divisions to Coscient Group.

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9. 1983Entry into controlled pay television

   The Greenberg family obtains full control of First Choice and Premier Choix TVEC, later known as The Movie Network and Super Écran.

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10. 1973Astral Bellevue Pathé is constituted

    The corporate predecessor of Astral Media is organized under the Astral Bellevue Pathé name.

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11. 1963Bellevue Pathé acquisition

    The company acquires Bellevue Pathé and expands its photography operations, including work connected with Expo 67.

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12. 1961Angreen Photo is established

    Harold Greenberg and his brothers establish a Montreal photography-concession business, providing the roots of the later Astral group.

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A Canadian multi-platform media operator combining national radio broadcasting, French- and English-language television services, premium movie channels, and outdoor advertising.

• The Movie NetworkPremium television

  A Canadian premium movie and entertainment service that originated as First Choice. It became one of Astral's principal English-language television assets and was later absorbed into Bell Media's premium-television operations after the acquisition.

• Super ÉcranPremium television

  A French-language premium television service that originated as Premier Choix TVEC. It formed a central part of Astral's French-language portfolio and continued under Bell Media following the 2013 transaction.

• Astral radio networkRadio broadcasting2000

  Astral's radio operations grew through the Radiomutuel, Telemedia, and Standard Radio acquisitions. At its peak, the group operated 84 stations in eight Canadian provinces, spanning French- and English-language formats.

• French-language specialty channelsSpecialty television

  Astral owned or held interests in channels including Canal Vie, Ztélé, Séries+, VRAK.TV, MusiquePlus, and MusiMax. These services addressed focused French-language audiences across lifestyle, science fiction, youth, general entertainment, and music programming.

• Teletoon group interestsSpecialty television

  Astral held interests in the Teletoon network group, an important Canadian animation and youth-television business operated with Corus Entertainment. The interests were among the assets transferred in the post-acquisition divestiture process.

• Astral Out-of-HomeOut-of-home advertising

  The outdoor-advertising division developed from assets associated with Radiomutuel and Omni Outdoor. The Astral name continued in this business after the parent company was dissolved and remained associated with Canadian outdoor advertising.

• 2010Astral corporate rebrand

  Canada

  Astral introduced a multicoloured lowercase “a” logo and emphasized collaboration and creativity as part of a broader corporate identity refresh following its move to Maison Astral.

  Outcome. The company used the Astral name and refreshed identity until its acquisition and dissolution in 2013.

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• 2013Revised Bell-Astral transaction with divestituresM&A

  After the CRTC rejected the original proposal, Bell and Astral restructured the transaction to reduce market concentration and address regulatory concerns.

  What changed. Bell proposed divestitures of selected television channels and radio stations, restrictions on bundling premium services, and programming and local-operation commitments.

  Aftermath. The CRTC approved the revised transaction on June 27, 2013, and Bell completed it on July 5. Astral was subsequently dissolved; several assets were sold to Corus Entertainment, DHX Media, Remstar, the Jim Pattison Group, and other buyers.

  Canadian programming investment commitment. $246.9 million (Seven years from regulatory approval)

  • Rogers Media — Asked regulators to require Bell to divest The Movie Network and raised concerns about access to premium content.
  • Corus Entertainment — Acquired selected radio and specialty-channel assets as part of the required divestiture process.
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• 2013Divestiture of selected Astral assetsM&A

  Regulatory approval required Bell to reduce its post-acquisition broadcasting concentration and dispose of specified assets.

  What changed. Assets were sold or placed into arrangements involving Corus Entertainment, DHX Media, Remstar, the Jim Pattison Group, and Newcap Radio.

  Aftermath. The divestitures redistributed several Canadian radio and specialty-television services, while Bell retained and integrated other Astral businesses.

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• 2012Initial Bell Media acquisition agreementM&A

  Bell sought to combine Astral's radio and television assets with its own vertically integrated broadcasting and distribution businesses.

  What changed. Astral agreed to be acquired by Bell Media for $3.38 billion.

  Aftermath. The first proposal faced opposition from competitors and was rejected by the CRTC in October 2012 over concentration and diversity concerns.

  Proposed acquisition value. $3.38 billion (Announced March 2012)

  • Cogeco — Opposed the transaction with other distributors, arguing that the combination could reduce consumer choice and increase carriage costs.
  • Vidéotron — Joined opposition to the proposed combination on competition and distribution-cost grounds.
  • Eastlink — Joined the distributor coalition expressing concern about Bell's increased market power.
  • Rogers Media — Expressed interest in acquiring selected Astral assets if divestitures were required.
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• 2013CRTC approves revised Bell-Astral transaction

  Approval followed a revised structure involving asset divestitures, programming commitments, and restrictions on bundling premium services.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2013Bell Media completes acquisition of Astral Media

  The transaction closed on July 5, after which Astral's corporate identity was wound down and its assets were integrated, divested, or placed in trust.

  M&A
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• 2012Bell Media announces proposed acquisition of Astral Media

  Bell Canada announced a proposed $3.38 billion acquisition of Astral, triggering extensive competition and broadcasting-regulation review.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2012CRTC rejects Bell's first Astral acquisition proposal

  The regulator cited concerns about market power, programming diversity, affordability, and vertical integration.

  Regulation
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• 2007Astral Media agrees to acquire Standard Radio

  The transaction, approved by the CRTC in September and completed in October, expanded Astral's English-language radio network.

  M&A
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• 2000Astral Media changes its corporate name to Astral Media

  Astral Communications adopted the Astral Media name as its operations increasingly centered on communications and media services.

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1. Astral Media