Quebecor suspends decision to cancel weekend newscasts, plans staff reductions

By Ahmad Hathout OTTAWA – Quebecor announced Tuesday it will abandon its plan to cancel two weekend newscasts but will “carry out further staff reductions” in the alternative to weather deteriorating financial conditions to produce local news. “We acknowledge the Commission’s request and suspend our decision to withdraw the weekend newscasts from TVA Quebec,” Quebecor said in a French-language letter addressed to the CRTC. “Thus, we will put in place the necessary efforts to continue to meet these requirements” until the CRTC rules on its Part 1 filed June 1. The letter came in response to a CRTC letter last...