CBC/Radio-Canada will cut fewer positions than expected this year thanks in particular to new state funding, management announced to employees on Wednesday in an internal letter, consulted by AFP.
Last December, the group explained that it planned to cut 600 jobs, or 10% of its workforce in 2024. To this should be added 200 vacant positions.
“Since then, we have reduced our workforce by 141 employees and eliminated 205 vacant positions,” management explains in its letter, specifying that it no longer plans “major additional cuts this year.”
On Tuesday, in its 2024 budget, the federal government announced additional funding of $42 million for CBC/Radio-Canada for the current year.
“This investment in the public broadcaster is welcome and timely. This will help the company manage its financial challenges in a more stable manner,” the group’s management further writes.
The group does not provide details as to which positions have already been eliminated. Initially, 250 positions were to concern CBC, the group’s English-speaking network, and 250 others to Radio-Canada, its French-speaking part, the rest relating to technical and support functions.
Many Canadian media outlets, including the largest, are currently in a poor financial situation due in particular to the erosion of their advertising revenues and competition from digital giants.
Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), Canada’s largest telecommunications and media company, announced in February the elimination of 4,800 jobs, or 9% of its workforce, as well as the sale of 45 radio stations.
At the beginning of November, more than 500 TVA Group employees were laid off, or around a third of the workforce.