André Bureau was born in Trois-Rivières, Québec. He received his Bachelor of Law degree from Université Laval and a post graduate diploma from the University of Paris' Institut de droit comparé. Mr. Bureau, who has spent his professional career in the field of communications, is Counsel with the legal firm Heenan Blaikie LLP, as well as Chairman of Astral Media Inc. Astral Media is the country's largest operator of English and French specialty, pay and pay-per-view television services, involved on its own or with partners, in 19 network licences. On the radio front, Astral owns sixteen FM stations in Québec, including the Énergie, RockDétente and Boom FM networks, and eight stations in the Maritimes. Astral Television Networks operates four English and French pay and pay-per-view movie networks, The Movie Network, Mpix, Viewer's Choice Canada, Super Écran. Les Chaînes Télé Astral comprises eight French-language specialty channels, MusiquePlus, MusiMax VRAK.TV, Canal D, Canal Vie, Ztélé, Historia and Séries+ (Astral Media owns 50% of these last two services). Astral Media also owns the English-language Family Channel premium service and is a 50% partner of the English and French TELETOON animation specialty networks. The Company also owns Astral Media TVPlus, a sales advertising agency that represents specialty television services, and Astral Media Outdoor, one of the most innovative outdoor advertising companies in Canada. In 2002, the Canadian Film and Television Academy awarded him the "Grand Prix de l'Académie" for his exceptional contribution to the Canadian television industry. The following year he received the Gold Ribbon for broadcast excellence awarded by the Association of Canadian Broadcasters (ACR) and in November 2004, he was introduced into the Hall of Fame by the ACR for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the private broadcasting and to Canada. Until 1989, André Bureau was Chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Before his CRTC appointment, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Cancom, a national (radio and television) satellite distribution. For many years, Mr. Bureau was associated with Québec-based Télémédia Communications inc., first as Executive President and later as President of this broad-based national communications company. Earlier in his career, after having worked several years in private practice, Mr. Bureau occupied the position of Executive Vice-President of La Presse ltée, one of Québec's largest French-language daily newspapers. In addition, Mr. Bureau is Director of The Guarantee Company of North America and of Maison Saint-Gabriel. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Viewer’s Choice Canada (VCC), Historia, Séries+, TELETOON and Great Lakes Hydro Fund. He is a member of the Investment Committee of Fonds ID, SEC, of Fier ID and of Fonds Propulsion III, SEC. |