CBC To Cut 657 Jobs

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CBC To Cut 657 Jobs

Postby radiofan » Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:43 am

CBC to cut 657 jobs, will no longer compete for professional sports rights
Broadcaster challenged to make up revenue and government funding shortfalls


CBC News Posted: Apr 10, 2014 12:30 PM ET Last Updated: Apr 10, 2014 1:27 PM ET

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Funding shortfalls and revenue losses have forced CBC/Radio-Canada to cut $130 million from its budget this year, a move that will eliminate 657 jobs over the next two years and take the network out of competing for the rights to broadcast professional sports, the public broadcaster says.

"Very tough and controversial choices needed to be made and were made," CBC president and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix said at a townhall meeting with staff Thursday.

Lacroix said CBC could no longer compete against private broadcasters that have specialty sports channels and multiple media platforms. The result will mean "substantially reducing" the size of the sports department and covering fewer sporting events, including amateur sports. But the CBC will still compete for sporting events of national significance, like the Olympics.

Among the cuts, English Services will slash $82 million from its budget and eliminate 334 full-time jobs.

Lacroix said the broadcaster looked for solutions to shield Canadian programming in prime time and its commitment to the regions and digital from cuts.

"We were not able to protect these priorities as much as we would have liked to. And Canadians will now notice," he said.

Radio will also reduce some of its live music performances and some local musical performance shows will be cancelled or consolidated into regional shows.

Losing the rights to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada to Rogers was a significant loss, but only one of the factors leading to Thursday’s announced changes.

CBC has been coping with a loss of $115 million in federal government funding over three years that was announced in the 2012 federal budget.

Meanwhile, a softening of the advertising market and CBC’s poor performance in attracting the important 25-54 age demographic to its prime-time TV schedule represented a $47-million hit to the network’s revenue.

Projected advertising sales for Radio 2 and Espace Musique have also fallen short, resulting in a $13-million loss.

As well, fixed-cost increases of $42 million and a $30-million funding freeze from the federal government added pressures to the broadcaster’s budget.

Among the changes:

    Television will have one less original series, to be replaced with a Best of the World series.
    George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, which is ending its 10-year run, will not be replaced.
    Cancellation of late night news in the North.
    Service expansion into the London market shelved.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cbc-to-cu ... -1.2605504
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: CBC To Cut 657 Jobs

Postby pave » Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:30 am

Does this mean Little Mosque On The Prairie won't be resurrected any time soon?
Oops - bad choice of words there. I mean: returning. Yeah. That's much better.

Time to drag out the pilot about a misunderstood Newfie prostitute with the heart of gold - "Lard Tunderin' Puhtata Ho".
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Re: CBC To Cut 657 Jobs

Postby jon » Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:39 am

The Toronto Star on the impact on Sport coverage:

CBC to trim sports coverage amid budget cuts
It’s likely that the only major sporting event CBC viewers could see in the future will be the Olympics following massive layoffs at the public network.
By: Curtis Rush Sports reporter, Published on Thu Apr 10 2014

It’s likely that the only major sporting event CBC viewers could see in the future will be the Olympics following massive layoffs at the public network.

The CBC, already a bit player in coverage of professional sports, announced Thursday that it will no longer compete with private broadcasters for rights to televise pro sports and cut back on coverage of amateur sports.

However, the public broadcaster will still bid for future Olympics, according to reports from a CBC town hall.

The CBC currently broadcasts pro sports such as the NHL, but recently lost hockey rights to Rogers Sportsnet.

CBC president Hubert Lacroix announced to employees that CBC/Radio Canada will trim $130 million in expenses and shed 657 positions over the next two years to meet budget targets.

“We will only consider broadcasting an event that will allow us to at least cover our costs,” Lacroix told employees. “In light of these decisions, we are substantially reducing the size of our sports department in both CBC and Radio-Canada.”

The public network has become a bit player on the professional broadcasting scene, primarily showing some curling tennis and show jumping events.

CBC has been coming to terms with getting leaner after the 2012 federal budget cut $115 million in funding to the public broadcaster over three years.

While CBC retains its Saturday hockey time slot with its deal with Rogers, it will no longer make any money from the show. Rogers assumes control over content, on-air talent and the creative direction of Hockey Night in Canada when the deal kicks in at the start of the 2014 NHL season.

The shakeup also cost CBC one of its most prominent television personalities. George Stroumboulopoulos will become the new face of Hockey Night in Canada.

There was no word yet on how the cutbacks would impact CBC’s on-air sports personalities or camera operators and technical employees.

The broadcaster brings in about $350 million in annual advertising revenue and hockey provided more than $100 million of that.

However, Lacroix said these cuts are not about hockey and that there were other financial considerations at play. He told employees that although sports coverage will be trimmed back, the national broadcaster will still try to land large sporting events that are of interest to Canadians.

The CBC has 6,994 permanent employees, 859 contract employees and 329 temporary workers.

With files from Star wires and Joel Eastwood
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