TORONTO – While there are positive synergies from the Bell/Astral merger, any big acquisition also means job losses for employees of both companies as the two organizations integrate staff and resources after officially completing the deal Friday. Our story then noted the initial promotions and departures among the senior executives.
While the integration is said to be an ?ongoing, fluid situation,? according to a Bell Media spokesperson, Cartt.ca can confirm that the following executives have so far been let go: At Astral ? Heather Senst, creative director of Astral Television; Claude Laflamme, VP corporate and regulatory affairs; Glenn Chalmers, VP sales Astral Radio West; and Rob Farina, EVP of content and platforms. At Bell Media: Neil Staite, vice-president and general manager, music and entertainment, Jim Fealy, VP finance for radio and local television and Mary Kreuk VP of marketing at CTV.
Correction: an earlier version of this story said Ian Lurie was another Astral executive let go. That is not the case as he has been named SVP English Radio, reporting to Bell Media radio chief Chris Gordon. Cartt.ca regrets the error.
At the senior management level, a reorganization of VPs is said to be taking place and will likely continue ?throughout the summer,? according to a Bell Media source, which means we will probably hear about more departures. Multiple sources have told us most of the executives to be let go will be informed this week, with staff at the director level finding out their fates before the end of July.
What remains unconfirmed at this time is where the Astral and Bell Media employees will be consolidated. It's assumed that Bell will move everyone out of the Astral Toronto headquarters in BCE Place as soon as possible, but it has not yet been announced who, or what divisions, will be moving to Bell Media's operations at 299 Queen St. W. or its major broadcast building in Agincourt at 9 Channel Nine.
There will be more to come on this story soon.
