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Gerry Noble named CEO of Fireworks Entertainment

5/5/2003

Winnipeg, - CanWest Global Communications Corp. announced today that long-time CanWest executive Gerry Noble has been appointed Chief
Executive Officer of its wholly-owned production and distribution subsidiary, Fireworks Entertainment Inc., effective immediately.

"Gerry is an extremely capable executive, and has both our confidence and full support in assuming this position at Fireworks," stated Leonard Asper, CanWest's president and chief executive officer. "He has extensive experience and expertise in the media industry, most recently as president and CEO of Global Television Network, and a long association with CanWest, all of which will serve the company well as he assumes the helm at Fireworks."

Noble's mandate as Fireworks' new CEO is to re-focus the strategic direction of CanWest's entertainment division to take account of changing patterns in world-wide content distribution markets. This will include increased emphasis on working with the company's Canadian television operations - Global Television Network, CH Television, Prime TV and the Company's numerous digital cable channels - to create programming content for the Company's TV operations that will also have appeal to the broader North American market.

"We have redefined our content strategies recently to take better advantage of our relationships with North American producers/distributors and broadcasters, thereby limiting the extent to which we need to rely upon European TV markets for the success of our programming content," Asper added.

Noble's appointment coincides with the departure of Jay Firestone, Fireworks' current Chief Executive Officer. Firestone's five-year employment agreement, which commenced when CanWest acquired Fireworks Entertainment in 1998, expired on May 4, 2024. Firestone had indicated earlier his desire not to renew the arrangement, but to pursue other business ventures. Firestone has agreed to make himself available to Fireworks in an advisory capacity to assist with the transition of management

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