Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) announced Wednesday the elimination of 1,300 positions, or about 3% of its workforce, and to dispose of nine radio stations, by closing or selling them, while the company plans to “adapt considerably” his way of disseminating information.
The job cuts are a response to unfavorable public policies and regulatory conditions, the company argued.
The plan involves “moving to a one-stop newsroom approach for all brands, allowing for increased collaboration and efficiency,” Bell Media vice president of news Richard Gray explained in an internal memo distributed. to staff on Wednesday morning and of which The Canadian Press obtained a copy.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Bell’s executive vice president and chief legal and regulatory officer, Robert Malcolmson, said the company’s media division “couldn’t afford” to continue operating with different brands — such as CTV National News, BNN, CP24, its television news stations and local radio stations — that operate independently of each other.
The positions eliminated include a 6% reduction at Bell Media, part of BCE’s Bell Canada division. Bell Media’s assets include the CTV television network, specialty television channels, radio stations and production studios.
Employees were also notified of the closure of radio stations Funny 1290 in Winnipeg, Funny 1060 in Calgary, TSN 1260 Radio in Edmonton, BNN Bloomberg Radio 1410 and Funny 1040 in Vancouver, as well as NewsTalk 1290 in London.
Bell Media also sells AM Radio 1150 and AM 820 from Hamilton, as well as AM 580 from Windsor, to an undisclosed third party, subject to Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval.
Executive positions are reduced by 6%, according to the company. There will also be 20% fewer management positions in the company compared to 2020.