Slumping ad dollars force Corus, Global News to centralize regional newscasts
· Toronto Sun
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Canada’s media landscape is enduring more layoffs and cutbacks, as one of Canada’s largest TV news providers takes a knife to its news production.
While exact numbers of those handed pink slips aren’t yet known, early word suggests Corus — the parent company of Global TV — will shutter its studios and control rooms in Calgary and Edmonton, moving operations to Toronto.
While anchors and reporters are expected to remain in their markets to gather and report on local news, newscasts for both markets will instead be produced remotely from Global’s studios in Toronto.
The move is expected to be complete by the end of August.
The Toronto Sun reached out to Corus for comment.
Slump in ad revenue
Corus, like other mainstream news outlets, is struggling with stark declines in ad revenue.
In the period ending May 31, Corus’ Q3 financial results reported a 20% year-over-year revenue drop, falling to $120.3 million, with overall revenue from its TV operations down 16%.
Revenue from its radio division also saw a 15% drop.
This week’s cuts come just weeks after Rogers Sports & Media gutted its radio division, shuttering six local radio stations — including 660 NewsRadio and Sportsnet 960 in Calgary — and saw 230 people lose their jobs.
Global Television has slowly cut back on its operations for nearly 20 years, starting with the Canada-wide closures of local master control rooms and replacing them with regional playout hubs in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto — all under previous parent Canwest.
Under the ownership of Shaw Media, Global transferred the presentation of local late-night and weekend newscasts across Canada to studios in Toronto in 2015, using Toronto-based anchors and green-screen “virtual sets” to make the transition appear seamless.
More to come . . .