Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 68

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004 BUSINESS EDMONTON JOURNAL A-CIIANNKL Continued from III But it was no secret that the company needed access to more capital if it wanted to grow, Mota said. You need to look at the long-term to get over the lean years, especially when you are starting new channels, he said. "Itwas losing money with Toronto 1 and its new digital channels, and I think the Craig family decided they didn't want to be in it for the long haul." Another media company analyst said Craig Media's Toronto 1 launch called a bridge too far the station's popularity. But A-Channel's news director Chris Duncan dismissed that not ion at the time. Members of the Communication, Energy and Papcrworkcrs Union Local 1900 have been on strike since Sept.

17. Drew Craig, CEO of the tightly held family company, did not immediately return calls from Hie Journal Tuesday. Providence Equity Partners, the U.S. companythatowns 19.9percentofCraig Craig Media didn't have the critical mass to pull off the Toronto 1 launch. "It was kind of a bridge too far," said the analyst, who did not want to be named.

"Sometimes you overextend yourself and that's what happened here," I le also said the CRTC made a mistake in awarding the new Toronto station to Craig Media. 'They should have either not awarded one at all, orgiven it to a stronger player. It's fine to give the little guy a chance. But when it results in something like this, it's pretty ugly." It's not a bad time to sell a broadcast company, as the markets are reasonably good, the analyst said. But Craig Media is worth only $200 million to $250 million "on a good day," he added.

"It's hard to imagine them getting $400 million, but you never know." A-Channcl Edmonton's supper hour newscast, which had seen substantial ratings gains in previous Bureau of Broadcast Measurement surveys, dropped to 8,300 viewers from 22,600 last fall. It tied with CBC for the least-watched news show among the key 18-plus age group. The union representing A-Channel's striking workers said the numbers, released Jan. 7, prove its strike is affecting Media, has also declined comment. With files from The Canadian Press H6 'H i '( -a 1 'V f.

rl a -i I I .4. Boyle posed as Hollywood insider BOYLK Continued from III He also allegedly bounced a rent cheque and was thrown out of the business office he was leasing. According to a report in the San Francisco Examiner, Kevin Boyle has been going under the name Patrick Boyle in San Francisco, and was promoting a film script called "2 the He had been posing as a Hollywood insider, Sgt. Carrington alleged, and police pressured Boyle to produce evidence of a legitimate film project while investigating his activities and taking statements from possible victims. As Carrington placed Boyle in cuffs, the ever-confident con man asked the officer: "Can we talk?" "I said, 'Absolutely I've already heard this guy talk far too much," Carrington said.

The Examiner said victims of scams alleged to have been committed by Boyle continued to stream in following the arrest. One woman claimed Boyle had conned her out of $500 for a chance to win $1 million in a reality TV show. Others came forward with similar claims, and Carrington was also investigating allegations that Boyle sold tickets for a non-existent rave. Boyle also allegedly charged young would-be actors fees of $500 to $3,000 to appear on bogus TVshows, or to upgrade their talents through acting lessons. Carrington said more than a dozen complaints have been filed against Boyle for theft of funds and he expects many more could be forthcoming as he pursues the investigation further.

In the film scheme, the manager of a bar called Ireland's 32 said he authorized a bartender to pay Boyle $1,000 to have the Irish pub featured in the movie, a high-octane motorcycle racing flick. But the manager, Brendan Daly, changed his mind and tried to stop payment on the cheque. "He got me all right," Daly told the Examiner. "I just suddenly knew I'd been taken. It was like a pigeon after it drops on you.

"He was a smooth talker. If he ever went straight he could get a job in sales, selling cars." In Alberta and B.C., the Boyles were convicted after selling shares in a scheme called Mediaburst. This was purported to be a U.S. military technology that could bounce waves of media-rich data streams, such as videos, from one point to another off the atmosphere without use of cell towers. The Boyles, through a series of numbered companies in Alberta and B.C., were also promoting creation of a film and entertainment centre to produce movies.

Many of their victims here were former school friends and their families. Brian and Jason Boyle's current whereabouts are unknown. With files from the San Francisco Examiner pmarckthejournal.canwest.com v1 mums mtimimm liWUt nriiwCTDH.TTiP.iiriM-iinrl 1 I '111 i 1 i a ii tp i I' ir'' cr jui i 1 1 "X'O' Exploring faith DonRetson Saturdays in religion 7 I v-.