Canadian Television Sales
Canadian Television Sales (CTS) is a U.S. rep firm that provides information to American advertising agencies so they have the ability to place advertising on Canadian television, radio stations and online properties. CTS represents Astral Media, Canwest, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada and the Score Media properties.
History of Canadian Television Sales
CTS was started by Michael Custardo in April 1997 to provide the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) with a dedicated sales force in the United States and respond to the increasing number of requests from U.S. advertising agencies looking to incorporate Canada into their upcoming media campaigns.
In 1998, CTS began representing Showcase Television and History Television for Alliance Communications, who merged with Atlantis Communications to become Alliance Atlantis later that year. After the merger, CTS picked up Atlantis’ Life Network (renamed Slice) and HGTV Canada. CTS remained the U.S. sales representative for Alliance Atlantis stations after they were acquired by Canwest Global Communications in 2007, and now represents all of their specialty television networks such as Food Network (Canada), Discovery Health (Canada), BBC Canada, BBC Kids and more.
CTS also began representing Astral Media in 1998, expanding into the French-language market with their specialty stations Canal Vie and Canal D. Soon after, Standard Radio hired CTS to represent its 82 radio stations in English Canada. Astral Media acquired Standard Radio in 2007 and CTS continues to represent their extensive list of radio stations.
In 2001, CTS began representing The Score Television Network, a Canadian English-language cable television specialty channel. The next year, CTS further expanded into French Canada by picking up Société Radio-Canada (SRC), the French arm of CBC.
In 2008, CTS created a new division, ripe — reliable internet planning and execution — in response to audiences’ shift to the Internet for news and entertainment. Ripe works with U.S. agencies looking to place buys on the 40+ Canadian websites owned by CTS media partners.