OTTAWA – The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) has filed an application for leave to appeal the CRTC decision’s denying the media union’s request for a public hearing into restructuring plans announced by Canwest Media Inc. last October.
Canwest is moving control and production of its television stations’ local newscasts to four broadcast centres and laying off 200 people in the process, claims CEP.
“Canwest is changing the face of Canadian broadcasting by introducing central casting, where each local television station’s local newscast is produced, packaged, assembled and transmitted from one of four broadcast centres,” said Peter Murdoch, CEP vice-president of media. “Programming from its Halifax station will actually come from Vancouver. If central casting becomes the norm because of the savings it brings broadcasters, Canadians will be left with a very different broadcasting system, one without truly local newscasts.”
The CEP said it sent a detailed complaint about Canwest’s plans to the CRTC last
November. The CEP complaint was dismissed by the CRTC in February. The commission said Canwest’s stations had complied with their licence terms from 2006 to August 2007, and it could, if necessary, assess the Canwest’s plans sometime in 2009 when the broadcaster’s licences come up for renewal.
“By failing to inquire into the nature and consequences of central casting now, we believe the CRTC is in breach of its duty to supervise and enforce Canada’s broadcasting legislation,” said Murdoch in a statement.
