Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby radiofan » Tue Nov 17, 2015 8:12 pm

Bell Media cuts felt at CTV Vancouver, TSN 1040

November 17, 2015. 3:58 pm • Section: Now, STAFF


CTV Vancouver sports director and anchor Perry Solkowski was one of at least 18 Bell Media staffers laid off Tuesday in Vancouver as the Canadian communications giant continued with its latest round of job cuts.

Bell announced earlier this month a plan to slash hundreds of jobs — production and editorial positions — at its TV and radio properties across the country. The company said it would cut 270 jobs in Toronto and another 110 in Montreal.

Today, the axe fell in Vancouver as Bell Media human resources managers delivered the bad news to employees at both CTV Vancouver and TSN Radio 1040/1410

Solkowski, reporter Lisa Rossington, reporter Peter Grainger, meteorologist Michael Kuss, assignment editor Len Catling and producer John Scott were among those who lost their jobs at CTV Vancouver.

Solkowski and Grainger had worked at CTV Vancouver since 1997, when the station was still known as Vancouver Television (VTV). Rossington, the station’s senior reporter, joined CTV News in 1998.

Kuss, Catling and Scott, who produced CTV News at Noon, all joined CTV Vancouver in 2011.

Jeff Paterson, Matt Baker and Cam Mitchell were among those laid off at TSN Radio.

Paterson, who worked at TSN/TEAM 1040 for nine years and was part of Vancouver Canucks broadcast team, wrote in a Twitter post this afternoon that he had just lost his “dream job.

Jeff Paterson ‎@patersonjeff

In hockey terms, I'm an unrestricted free agent. In real life, I'm unemployed


Along with the job cuts in Vancouver, Bell Media also eliminated close to 20 positions in Ottawa today.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2015/11/1 ... -tsn-1040/
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby GrumpyOldMan » Wed Nov 18, 2015 12:24 pm

The irony and cruelty, not lost on many of the casualties yesterday, is that 8 days ago, Bell was proudly trumpeting their status as a top 100 Employer in Canada. 3 days earlier, they reported one of the best Q3's in their recent history. While several people were gassed at 969 Robson, Tamara Taggart sat at home collecting her fat paycheque while on "leave", completely immune from dismissal thanks to a horrific contract signed by an executive who has since been dismissed in disgrace.

Consider that roughly 400 people lost their jobs country wide. At a conservative estimate of $60,000 each when you include benefits etc, that translates into 24 million dollars once all the buyouts are complete. Does that mean, sales is incapable of selling Bell Media's vast array of broadcast properties, or is the product itself unsalable? Because I don't see cutting personalities and going to newsroom automation as improving the product to sell. In fact, one could argue that it was when Global BC switched to automation, that CTV was able to capitalize on the nightly errors of Mickey Mouse proportions.

Traditional television is slowly dying along with the traditional audience, and the same trends can be seen with radio too. The only way to save both is to innovate, and why would anyone with talent, ideas and vision ever get into traditional broadcasting? It's easier to launch, brand and execute your own on-line platform using social media to promote for free, until you attract enough audience to monetize.
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby Tom Jeffries » Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:23 pm

Bang on.
What upsets me and a lot of other folks is that schools are charging kids heavy coin, to get a "broadcast degree". They come out with a huge debt and zero job prospects , or minimum wage starters in Chicken's Instep, Alberta.
They arrive and no one knows dick about delivering a great broadcast product = and like the man said = "it's curtains, Louie".
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby Tighthead » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:37 pm

Coolcat wrote:I have often wondered how TSN1040 could sustain the large number of staff they have with the lame ratings they continue to bring in. If it wasn't for the Canucks games as well as the access to the Canucks organization the ratings would be even worse.

They should also focus on the mornings as the show has deteriorated. Many times when tuning in for sports I hear non sports talk like US politics, wine tasting talk and weird news stories of the day. Not sure if that is what their target listeners are after.


Paterson had by far the best knowledge of hockey at 1040. Knows the league, trends, players. The bloated older guys on the drive shows (Jake, Pratt, Moj, Taylor and BMac) just ramble on with general sports observations, heavy doses of nostalgia, and personal stories. Obviously there has to be a balance but those 5 are all mailing it in. I think they are likely good at bringing in sponsors but it is terrible radio.

I am a sports fan, so are most of my friends. I have honestly not heard one single person ever say that they like Jake in the mornings, but he just got a new deal.

I suspect that as radio diminishes in significance, the Canucks radio fees are now a gross overpayment by Bell. If they came up for renewal tomorrow, would anyone besides 1040 make a bid?
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby Tom Jeffries » Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:36 pm

Jake has a good lawyer?
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby crs » Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:28 am

Fall is here and the pink slips are out! :violent1: As a survivor of similar corporate cutbacks over a decade ago, trust me you'll land on your feet...maybe not in the industry. But in the end you'll be much happier because of it. To this day I am thankful :yahoo: that the corporates did me the favour of making me a casualty. WHO in their right mind would want to work in the Corporate radio/tv world nowadays is beyond me. To the corporates on Bay Street who don't have a clue they've ruined a once proud industry: :pottytrain2:
Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!
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Re: Black Tuesday at Bell and Newcap

Postby Tom Jeffries » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:02 pm

The layoffs at CTV include Dan Matheson, who has been there for years, and a lot of other long time people were let go, in multiple companies, this week.

The industry is screaming that the advertising market is 'soft'.

The Economy is shaky, and you can bet the Christmas sales are going to be insane.....already....stores are discounting and putting up Christmas Decorations, 40 days from Christmas. Bizarre.
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