Bell says it’s also hiring 40 digital media specialists
TORONTO – Bell Media this week let go a number of people at several local radio and TV stations this week.
While the company declined to confirm the numbers, Bell Media union Unifor says at least 50 positions have been terminated spread across 17 stations. The cuts include on-air positions as well as technicians and other operations employees.
According to the Unifor press release, this last round of cuts eliminates what people have historically defined as local anchors and journalists dedicated solely to sports. Bell began this process earlier this year. Popular sports personalities Lance Brown and Joe Tilley, at CTV Toronto, for example, are included in the cuts.
“I can confirm we’ve made an editorial decision to transition sports coverage in response to evolving viewer behaviour. As a result, a number of positions have been impacted at local stations. Our viewers can continue to rely on CTV News to keep them informed about local and professional sports,” said a statement to Cartt.ca from Bell Media.
The company will also add clips and highlights from Bell Media’s TSN to its local broadcasts and other local general assignment reporters will be assigned sports coverage when required.
Other on-air staff being let go by Bell Media include Ottawa CTV 2 hosts Melissa Lamb and Lianne Laing, and BNN host Michael Kane, says the Unifor release. The union laid blame not just at the company, however. (Unifor later clarified that Laing left her post on her own accord.)
"This latest round of layoffs isn't just Bell Media's penny-pinching, this one has been directly caused by the CRTC," said Unifor Media Council Chair Jake Moore, in the release.
"We warned the CRTC that tough licencing conditions would be required if big media companies were granted five-year licences for local news. They didn't listen," said Moore. The broadcasters had their licenses renewed earlier this year by the Commission.
"These huge media companies were allowed by the CRTC to grow big and eat up smaller companies with the expectation that they would maintain a high level of local news coverage," added Unifor media director Howard Law in the release. "This was supposed to end happily for local news, and it has not."
Bell Media also released an official statement which reads: “Like other Canadian broadcasters, we are confronting rapid change in the media marketplace including new broadcast technologies and viewing options and fast-growing international competition. As the media marketplace evolves, local radio and TV stations are facing significant declines in advertising, their only source of revenue. We need to reorganize and reduce costs to manage the impact.
“That being said, Bell Media is evolving as our industry does with major investments in new content production and innovative digital platforms like CraveTV.
“For example, note that we’re now hiring 40 digital media specialists to support the growth of our next generation media services, like CraveTV, iHeartRadio, and TV Everywhere products.”
