Canada’s national public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada has announced it will shorten supper-hour television newscasts across Canada as of autumn of next year.
In a press release Thursday (December 11) titled “CBC/Radio-Canada to expand local digital services and local connection across the day” the broadcaster says this latest decision is an “important element to make local services more relevant in local communities”. The statement emphasizes that as part of this strategy it “will introduce new services specifically for mobile users, and strengthen existing desktop and web services.”
Most of the existing supper-hour newscasts run 90 minutes. But on Thursday, the CBC said that some newscasts would be reduced to one hour, and others to 30 minutes.
As part of the change to “offering local content throughout day” local radio morning shows (6-7 a.m.) will be aired on the television network “in all existing TV markets except the North.”
On Twitter, the citizen’s group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting tweeted: ” Dismantling of CBC continues. Here’s the note to staff explaining todays cuts to local service http://bit.ly/12RSKLN #cdnpoli #wevoteCBC ”
This latest announcement by the public broadcaster comes after CBC/Radio-Canada president and CEO Hubert Lacroix said in June that the broadcaster would be shifting its priorities from television and radio to digital and mobile services. And at a time he has announced cuts to hundreds of jobs at the broadcaster.
More information:
CBC/Radio-Canada press release – CBC/Radio-Canada to expand local digital services and local connection across the day – here
CBC News – CBC announces changes to local supper-hour newscasts – here
National Post – CBC cuts all local supper-hour TV newscasts to 60 or 30 minutes, plans regular local newsbreaks instead – here
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