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Cuts Coming to CBC/Radio Canada

Broadcaster to cut jobs, sports due to budget shortfall

Amidst a restructuring due to a budget shortfall, Canada’s national public radio and television broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., will cut some 650 jobs and scale back sports programming production.

The cuts represent about 8% of the total work force, according to the Globe and Mail, which reports the CBC is facing a $130 million revenue shortfall projected for 2014–15.

CBC/Radio-Canada President/CEO Hubert Lacroix told employees the broadcaster “is out of the business” of competing with private broadcasters for professional sports, according to the account. “We will only consider broadcasting an event that will allow us to at least cover our costs,” Lacroix is quoted as saying by the Globe and Mail.

In addition to sports, the news and advertising divisions will experience the changes as well; with CBC consolidating its news coverage in a number of markets. The company will produce and record fewer live concerts and no longer produce expensive reality TV shows.

The head of CBC’s English-language union said the broadcaster is still experiencing the effects from a $115 million government funding cut in 2012. “We’ve been through years — decades of cuts. The situation we’re in is untenable,” stated Marc-Philippe Laurin.

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