New purge in Bell Media

Thunderclap in the world of English-speaking media when we learn that CJAD’s newsroom will be shut down by its owner, Bell Media.

Talk radio station is a company based in Montreal. At Bell, we were very kind with the details. “Additional changes have been made to reflect the systematic operational structure of Bell Media […]. This includes a limited number of staff reductions, most of which are changes in broadcasting roles due to the programming decisions of Bell Media’s radio brands, ”said Vanessa, a spokeswoman for the company.

On the TV side, Bell Media is also cutting CTV News. At least two uniformed union members lost their jobs on Monday. “The multi-tasking cameraman and the engineer we represent have been fired,” union spokesman Oliver Carrier said.

Among the branches, the production of CJAD’s evening news bulletins is now understood to be handled by CTV News’ broadcast managers. “It was also told to us, but the owner did not confirm it to us,” Mr. Carrier adds.

He said CTV employees were concerned about the extra workload it would create.

Other Bell Media office employees were also fired Monday. “Heads fell this morning. It started at 8:30 in the morning and my fits were cut at 9:00 in the morning,” said one of them.

This fired employee saw it coming. “It simply came to our notice then. We read financial statements like everyone else, ”he said.

Bell Media’s revenue fell 16% in the third quarter of 2020, which ended in November. Earlier this month, several Bell media executives who worked in Toronto were fired, including Mike Cosentino, president of content and programming, and Tracy Pierce, president of distribution and pay television.