CBC announced Wednesday the expansion of its local news coverage, which will see CBC News this year add 33 local journalists and create 11 new bureaus in communities underserved by CBC.
This will increase CBC’s footprint from 66 to 77 local stations and bureaus, and is in addition to last year’s CBC News local service expansion of 30 journalists hired in 22 communities across Canada, CBC said in a Wednesday press release.
The 11 new bureaus include: Richmond, B.C.; Haines Junction and Dawson City in the Yukon; Swift Current, Yorkton and Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan; Selkirk/Interlake Region and Flin Flon in Manitoba; Peel Region in Ontario; and Sept-Îles/North and Lower North Shore, and Châteauguay/Montérégie in Quebec.
Job postings for the new journalist roles across the country will be published in the coming weeks, CBC said, adding 22 of the new roles will be stationed in the 11 new locations.
CBC said CBC News’ continued expansion strengthens the proximity pillar of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Here for Canada five-year strategic plan, “which aims to increase the national public broadcaster’s presence, relevance, trust and relationship with communities across the country, by telling the stories that matter and elevating those stories to national audiences.”
“We see this historic investment in local journalism as another meaningful opportunity to connect more Canadians with each other and the important, untold stories of their communities,” Brodie Fenlon, general manager and editor in chief of CBC News, said in a statement.
“As we establish our new bureaus, we are committed to preserving and improving on the diversity of trusted news sources that local communities can rely on,” said Barbara Williams, executive vice president of CBC. “We look forward to championing the work of other news organizations in these communities and will seek opportunities to support and partner with them in the best way possible to contribute to a healthier media ecosystem for Canadians.”
To showcase this new local journalism, CBC has launched 44 additional regional web pages on CBCNews.ca available at CBC.ca/local.
CBC also announced its local news podcast slate is expanding from 13 to 15 locations with the launch of new “This Is” podcasts in Kelowna and Quebec City in February.
Artwork via CBC
