CRTC Licence Renewal Demonstrates Commitment to Local Television

Sights now turn to comprehensive review to increase fairness and rebalance
system
WINNIPEG--(Business Wire)--
Canwest Global Communications Corp. ("Canwest" or the "Company") said today that
the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ("CRTC")
decision will help conventional broadcasters through the current economic
downturn but added fundamental change is still required to rebalance the system
and ensure they get fair compensation for their signals.

"Today`s decision represents a good first step,`` Canwest Broadcasting President
Peter Viner said. "We`re pleased that the Commission recognizes the local
broadcasting industry is under pressure and is moving quickly to address the
issue of fair compensation for signals in a comprehensive policy review that
will begin on September 29, 2009. We look forward to playing an active role in
that process.``

The one-year licence renewal in today`s CRTC decision harmonizes local
programming levels that had ranged between 9 and 42 hours of local programming
per week to new levels of 7 hours of local programming in smaller markets and 14
hours per week in larger centres such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and
Edmonton.

Mr. Viner pointed out that the local programming requirements represent minimums
that broadcasters must adhere to. He said Canwest remains committed to local
programming and that in some markets the Company will exceed these minimums. An
increase to the Local Programming Improvement Fund ("LPIF") to 1.5% of revenues
from cable and satellite companies announced today will help reduce some of the
ongoing losses at some local stations.

"We are also pleased that today`s decision will, for the first time, enable
Global Television to sell local advertising in Toronto and Montreal," said Mr.
Viner.

About Canwest Global Communications Corp.

Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), (TSX: CGS and CGS.A), an
international media company, is Canada`s largest media company. In addition to
owning the Global Television Network, Canwest is Canada`s largest publisher of
English language daily newspapers and owns, operates and/or holds substantial
interests in conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty cable
channels and web sites in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore,
the United Kingdom and the United States.

Canwest
John Douglas, Vice President, Public Affairs, 204-953-7737 (Media)
jdouglas@canwest.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009