ZoomerMedia
Public | |
Traded as | TSX-V: ZUM |
Industry | Media |
Founded | Toronto, Ontario (2007) |
Founder | Moses Znaimer |
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
Products | Broadcasting, Advertising, Publishing, Television production |
Website | www.zoomermedia.ca |
ZoomerMedia Limited is a group of Canadian media operations controlled by Moses Znaimer.[1] According to Znaimer, these media outlets primarily target what he calls "zoomers" or "baby boomers with zip", defined as people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who want to remain socially and culturally engaged and active.[2]
ZoomerMedia was formed in December 2007 following Znaimer's acquisition and merger of Kemur Publishing, publishers of CARP Magazine, and website operator Fifty-Plus.Net International.[3] It provides marketing, membership, and other services to CARP (formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons), of which Znaimer serves as executive director, and publishes Zoomer Magazine (the renamed CARP Magazine). The company also operates several Internet properties including a portal and a social networking site, all targeted to older adult audiences.
In addition, Znaimer previously personally owned a variety of other assets through his privately held company, MZ Media, that were also unofficially considered part of the "ZoomerMedia" group. These included southern Ontario classical music radio stations CFMZ-FM and CFMX-FM (Classical 96 and Classical 103 respectively), adult standards station CFZM Toronto (AM 740), and the annual IdeaCity conference.
In June 2009, ZoomerMedia Limited announced a deal to acquire the broadcasting assets of S-VOX, which includes conventional stations CHNU-TV and CIIT-TV along with specialty channels VisionTV and One: the Body, Mind & Spirit channel, for $25 million.[4] As part of the transaction and a related private placement, Znaimer also merged MZ Media into ZoomerMedia.
Following the transactions (which required the approval of minority shareholders and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)), Znaimer owns 66% of the combined company, and insurance company Fairfax Financial owns 28%.[5] All of these transactions were completed on June 30, 2010.[6]
In December 2014, ZoomerMedia was reportedly in talks with Quebecor to acquire the Sun News Network.[7]
Assets
Conventional television stations
ZoomerMedia's two conventional stations were part of a television system known as Joytv until August 2013 when CIIT was rebranded as "Hope TV" and dropped all non-secular programming. As Joytv, they were licensed as religious television stations that air religious-based programs in addition to other family friendly and entertainment programs. Both were previously owned by S-VOX. They had previously been a part of the Omni Television system, having been previously owned by Trinity Television before the sale to Rogers. Rogers sold the two stations to S-VOX on March 31, 2008.
Specialty channels
- VisionTV; airing multi-faith and multi-cultural programming
- One; programming on natural health, personal growth and holistic lifestyles.
Radio
- CFMZ-FM, Toronto, Ontario (Classical 96)
- CFZM, Toronto, Ontario (Zoomer Radio 740AM)
- CFMX-FM, Cobourg, Ontario (Classical 103)
- CFMO-FM, Collingwood, Ontario (102.9: new Classical station, airdate TBA) [8]
Magazines
- Zoomer Magazine
Digital
- EverythingZoomer.com
- Zoomers.ca
- ZoomerSingles.com
Other assets
- 64 Jefferson Avenue (commercial building within Liberty Village in Toronto, Ontario)
- MZTV Museum of Television
- MZTV Production & Distribution
- ideaCity (conference)
- Marketing / membership operations of CARP
- Zoomer Management Limited
- ZoomerCard
- ZoomerShow
References
- ↑ ZoomerMedia - Our properties
- ↑ "Media heavyweight addresses Sudbury's 45 plus crowd" Archived May 31, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.. Northern Life, May 26, 2009.
- ↑ Media Innovator Moses Znaimer Consolidates Voice For Zoomer Generation, Moses Znaimer press release, February 28, 2008
- ↑ "Spiritual TV fits Moses' Zoomer vision. The Globe and Mail, June 15, 2009.
- ↑ ZoomerMedia Limited Agrees to Purchase all Television Assets of VisionTV and $17.6 Million Private Placement with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, ZoomerMedia press release via Marketwire, June 15, 2009
- ↑ ZoomerMedia Limited Completes Acquisitions and Financing
- ↑ "Media mogul Moses Znaimer in talks to buy Sun News Network". Globe and Mail. December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-123