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CanWest says Conrad Black to leave its board

Jan 21, 2004

Source : Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - CanWest Global Communications says press baron Conrad Black and longtime Hollinger executive David Radler will leave the board of directors following their involvement in a high-profile controversy over unauthorised payments.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based broadcaster and newspaper publisher, Canada's No. 1 media group, said on Tuesday that Black and Radler will not seek re-election as directors at CanWest's annual meeting in Montreal on January 29.

Black, a Canadian-born member of the House of Lords, resigned as chief executive of Hollinger International in November after a special board committee uncovered $32.2 million (17.7 million pounds) in unauthorised payments to him, Radler, other executives, and the parent company.

Chicago-based Hollinger, the publisher of the Daily Telegraph, the Chicago Sun-Times and Jerusalem Post, said Black and Radler each received about $7.2 million in unauthorised payments.

Black and Radler joined the CanWest board in November, 2000, when CanWest bought most of Hollinger's Canadian newspapers for C$3.2 billion (1.4 billion pounds).

The Asper family, which is CanWest's controlling shareholder, in consultation with CanWest's board, said it will soon announce who they will put forward to replace Black and Radler.

© Reuters