CTV restructuring cuts noon-hour newscasts in Ottawa

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Ottawa residents tuning in to CTV’s local news update at noon Thursday were surprised to see a game show on the air instead. 

It soon became evident the noon-hour newscast in Ottawa was among the news programs slashed by CTV as part of parent company Bell Media’s latest restructuring efforts. All of CTV’s noon newscasts were eliminated in cities across the country, with the exception of Toronto.

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An internal memo signed by executives Richard Gray, vice-president of news at Bell Media, and Dave Daigle, vice-president of local TV, radio and Bell Media Studios, said the cuts are a response to the “ongoing financial crisis facing our industry,” a situation exacerbated by “persistent declining advertising revenue and shifting news consumption habits.” 

Losses across the news operations are more than $40 million a year, they wrote, adding, “We now know that the Online News Act will do little to help.” 

Matt Skube, the popular host of CTV’s noon newscast in Ottawa, declined to comment on the impact of the cuts. “It’s been an emotional day around here,” he said.

Evening newscasts in Ottawa will continue to be produced, including weekends and statutory holidays. 

However, the memo also states that “additional correspondent changes are being made in Ottawa.” Details of those changes were not announced. 

lsaxberg@postmedia.com

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