CBC axing 32 positions
in shutdown
of Newsworld Calgary,
but creating 25 TV news jobs in Alberta
Canadian
Media Guild | CWA Canada
Local 30213
The CBC has announced that it will
move production of Newsworld Calgary to Toronto and
eliminate 32 positions in the prairie city. At the
same time, it will expand its newsgathering ranks in
Alberta, adding 25 TV jobs in Calgary and Edmonton.
CBC Calgary will lose about one-fifth of its workforce
when production of Newsworld shifts to Toronto at the
end of May. The 32 employees, most of whom work as
producers, associate producers, editors or technicians,
are members of the Canadian Media Guild (CMG).
The CMG says it is not yet
clear what will happen to the Newsworld employees, "but
there is potential for significant impact up to and
including layoff."
Meanwhile, the Guild was trying to get details on
the new jobs and whether the positions will be in Calgary
or Edmonton.
In a memo to all staff, John
Cruikshank, Publisher of CBC News, said the jobs
to be created are primarily reporters and camera
operators. He framed the "resource
re-allocation" as a "major step in (the)
evolution of newsgathering."
Part of CBC's strategy, he
said, "is to have
more reporters in the field ... in what is now arguably
the most dynamic region in the country."
Cruikshank said the affected
employees in Calgary, "some
of whom have been there since the network went to air
in 1989, deserve our sincerest gratitude for their
professionalism and commitment, not to mention their
contributions to making CBC Newsworld the number-one
news network among Canadian viewers."
The Calgary local of the CMG is forming a committee
that will ensure the 32 Newsworld employees have opportunities
to move to vacant and new positions.
In Toronto, the Guild is requesting a meeting with
management about workload concerns after the corporation
said existing resources would be used to produce the
two-hour Calgary program, which airs in the afternoon.