No more local sports coverage at CTV Calgary

Radio news from Alberta

No more local sports coverage at CTV Calgary

Postby rtirdnewsguy » Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:20 am

From the Calgary Herald :

As part of a nationwide restructuring by parent company Bell Media, CTV Calgary is losing three sports reporter/anchor positions in Calgary.

Local athletes, other members of Calgary’s sports media and viewers took to social media to show support for Glenn Campbell, Lisa Bowes and Heath Brown, whose positions were affected at CTV Calgary, although what happens to them could ultimately depend on local union procedures.

Canadian hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser tweeted:

“Very sorry to hear this news. @CTVGCampbell @CTVHeathBrown @CTVLisaBowes . . . great people who did a lot for #yycsports,” Canadian hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser tweeted.

In turn, each thanked Calgarians for their support.

“Just wanted to say thanks for all of you who have reached out to us,” Campbell, CTV Calgary’s sports director, wrote in a tweet. “I’m born in YYC and loved covering sports in our great city.”

Bowes, a sports anchor and reporter, also tweeted out a response.

“Amazing ride @CTVCalgary. Thank you team.”

Bell Media announced in January that it planned to reduce staff at more than two dozen of its locations. The layoffs at CTV Calgary are a part of this downsizing.

“Although we have reduced a number of broadcast positions at local TV stations, including CTV Calgary, as part of a larger restructuring at Bell Media, we are continuing to provide sports coverage,” Matthew Garrow, a Bell Media spokesman, said Wednesday.

“The restructuring is a response to the challenges we and other Canadian media companies are facing on multiple fronts: changing broadcast technologies and growing international competition, a tough advertising market and ongoing regulatory pressure.”

Unifor, the largest private-sector union in Canada, said in a statement that the cuts demonstrate the urgent need to address “the crisis in media.”

“People turn to local television to keep up on what is happening in their communities,” said Howard Law, the media director for Unifor. “These cuts give people less of a reason to turn to local news.”

Law said three CTV positions have been lost in Calgary, two in Edmonton, nine in Kitchener, Ont., and four in London, Ont., and Windsor, Ont., a total of 18. More cuts are to be expected at CTV stations across Canada. Bell Media would not confirm the number of layoffs.

“There are some simple moves the federal government could make to help ensure the viability of this vital industry, including regulatory and tax changes,” Law said. “Unifor will be very active during the coming review of the industry.”

Unifor said it would meet with CTV in order to discuss the layoffs and negotiate a deal for the workers who are affected.

Bell Media lost 774 employees between 2014 and 2015, going to 6,568 from 7,342 in total. Its operating revenue did grow 3.6 per cent to $845 million in 2016, but its operating costs rose by 3.9 per cent.
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Re: No more local sports coverage at CTV Calgary

Postby Kaslo » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:14 am

Henry Viney must be spinning in his grave.
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