OTTAWA – CBC/Radio-Canada is trimming its supper news shows in favour of offering more local news and information throughout the day on mobile, web, radio and TV.
Starting in fall 2015, CBC/Radio-Canada said that it will reduce supper hour newscasts from 90 minutes to either 30 or 60 minutes starting at 6:00 PM (local time) in all of its existing English-language television markets. Television broadcasts of local Radio One morning shows (6 – 7 AM) will begin airing in all existing TV markets except the North.
Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Windsor, Montreal, and Fredericton will receive 30 minute supper hour programs, while 60 minutes will be offered in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Charlottetown, and St. John's. The hour in the North will be 30 minutes in English and 30 minutes in Inuktitut. In addition, the Corp. will create newsgathering capacity in Fort McMurray, AB plus increase its newsgathering presence in Quebec's Eastern Townships.
The public broadcaster also said that it will produce local hourly newsbreaks during the day and through prime-time, plus roll out new services specifically for mobile users, and strengthen its existing desktop and web services. The schedule and duration of local radio programs will not change.
Radio-Canada's French Services will also introduce new enhanced multi-screen digital content, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, featuring breaking news and alerts, live coverage and original content “designed to guide, interact, co-create and engage Canadians from morning till night”, reads the press release.
In the past few weeks, Radio-Canada has begun rolling-out new regional websites across the country with geo-located French language content adapted to all screen sizes and mobile devices. These new websites will be available Canada-wide by next fall.
In television, Radio-Canada will continue to broadcast 6:00 PM local news programs throughout the week and on weekends in each of the regions it serves, but these offers will change in some areas. By the fall of 2015, 30 minute supper hour news broadcasts will appear in certain regions of Quebec (Rimouski, Saguenay-Lac St-Jean, Mauricie and Sherbrooke) and throughout Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon. In each of these regions, Radio Canada will produce additional TV programming that it says “reflects the vibrancy and diversity of francophone communities”. In the Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa/Gatineau and Acadian regions, it will continue to produce and broadcast a 60-minute Téléjournal during the week and half-hour versions on weekends.
"CBC/Radio-Canada's new local strategy is about changing how we serve the audience. We are moving to become a comprehensive four-platform local news service – across the day and on demand," said Heather Conway, EVP CBC/Radio-Canada English Services, in the news release. "With our new mobile and digital services come new opportunities to tell stories, exchange and engage with the audience."
"This evolution of our regional services reflects the changing patterns of news consumption”, added Louis Lalande, EVP CBC/Radio-Canada French Services. “Our approach will strengthen local news and current affairs offers. It will allow us to bring Canadians more stories about the issues that are important to them."
