Bell Media doesn’t believe it will be able to return to its flooded building anytime soon. That’s why the company is continuing to build new studios for RDS and Noovo on Nuns’ Island, where it moved after a water main burst in Montreal’s Ville-Marie borough.
In an interview, Bell Media’s Vice President of Content Development, Programming and Information, Suzane Landry, revealed that three other studios are currently under construction: one for RDS and two for Noovo. The first will host The debatersthe news show hosted by Michel Bherer on weekdays at 10:30 p.m. after his news bulletin; the second will be used for Friday ODwhich will resume service in three weeks.
These studios are in addition to the four sets built urgently last weekend, notably to present the Noovo, RDS and CTV Montreal news programs.
“We are setting up to make sure we are ready, and to make sure we offer viewers the programming we have prepared.”
20 feet of water
Bell Media’s head office was not spared, on Friday, August 16, by the eruption of the famous “geyser” under the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. The water quickly invaded the basements of 1755 René-Lévesque Boulevard East.
It was major. In 2 hours, we had 20 feet of water in our building.
Suzane Landry, Vice President, Content Development, Programming and Information at Bell Media
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BELL MEDIA
Inside the garage at Bell Media’s downtown headquarters after the flood
The incident caused heavy material damage. The indoor garage, where several production vehicles were parked, was submerged. The servers, as well as the building’s electrical system, were not spared.
The basement also housed two generators. Why did Bell Media choose this location to store these devices? “We had no other choice,” says Suzane Landry. “The two generators were as big as a 24-seat yellow bus. That’s not something you can put just anywhere. And that’s what it takes to power such a large building.”
Result of the flood: the broadcast signal of Bell Media channels (Noovo, RDS, Canal Vie, CTV Montreal, etc.) was interrupted at 7:40 a.m. Thanks to the work of the teams, Bell Media managed to resend the signal to the various cable distributors around 9 a.m., via Toronto (since the Montreal broadcast was no longer operational).
Later in the morning, all Bell Media channels were showing contingency content, programming that was waiting to be broadcast in the event of a major problem.
Usual programming
The decision to move the equipment to the Bell Campus, located in the Verdun borough, was made on Friday at 6 p.m.
Throughout the weekend, while workers at the head office were drying out the basements and others were trying to restore part of the electrical system (a 36-hour blitz), Bell Media teams were busy on Nuns’ Island, allowing the various channels to return to their normal programming. Noovo returned to its usual schedule on Monday at 4 p.m. The specialty channels resumed their usual routine on Wednesday.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BELL MEDIA
Pumping water into the Bell Media building at 1755 René-Lévesque Boulevard East in Montreal
“Right now, for our viewers, it’s business as usual. For our part, we have to keep working hard,” emphasizes Suzane Landry, praising the efforts made around her over the past week. “In 48 hours, at the Bell Campus, we managed to build four film sets, three control rooms and three new newsrooms.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BELL MEDIA
An RDS set, built at the Bell Campus, on Nuns’ Island
“I am so proud of everything that has been accomplished in a short period of time,” continues the big boss. “It is in difficult situations that we notice the strength of a team, and honestly, ours is spectacular. I have observed a lot of tenacity, dedication… People have shown ingenuity. At all levels.”
Far from over
According to Suzane Landry, it is still much too early to talk about a return to 1755, boulevard René-Lévesque Est.
“There’s still a lot to do. And before we go back into the building, we’re going to make sure everything is in order. Employee safety is a priority. We’re going to take the time we need to do things right.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BELL MEDIA
An RDS control room on Nuns’ Island
As planned, Noovo is expected to launch its 2024-2025 programming on Wednesday, during a dry media event in the Villeray borough. Its fall programming will begin on Sunday, September 8.
“We’re pedaling, we’re working to make sure we’re going to deliver everything we have to deliver,” says Suzane Landry. “It’s spectacular to have succeeded, given the event we’ve experienced.”
Bell Media is not the only broadcaster affected by the flooding of part of downtown Montreal. Télé-Québec has also suffered significant damage.
Read “A “miracle” launch for Télé-Québec”