Citing changes in viewing habits and the advertising market, Rogers Media is shutting down its Toronto-based all news station CityNews Channel and making other cuts that will reduce the broadcast workforce by 2.5%.
CityNews Channel only launched in October, 2011 to take on Bell-owned CP24.
“Today, we made changes to the company’s television strategy to reflect evolving viewer habits and the global structural shift in advertising,” said Scott Moore, president of broadcast, Rogers Media, in a release.
“Moving forward, we will focus our broadcast news resources in Toronto on 680News and CityNews on City, and as a result, have ceased operations of CityNews Channel, effective immediately.”
Aside from shutting down CityNews Channel, Rogers is ceasing the English-language South Asian newscast on OMNI Television and stopping production operations in Alberta.
“We remain committed to ethnic programming and will deliver news in four other languages, as well as continue to air programming in more than 40 languages,” said Moore.
“Today’s changes impact 2.5% of the company’s broadcast workforce. While difficult, these changes enable us to continue to focus our efforts where we know the market is growing, while helping us to effectively manage our costs.”
A source with the company said the actions, which were abruptly announced Thursday morning, have “impacted” 23 full-time positions at CityNews Channel and 39 full-time positions at OMNI Television.
