[SteelTown]

CHCH cuts staff, shows
Parent CanWest to eliminate 560 jobs across country

November 12, 2008
By Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator

CHCH-TV is cutting staff and programs to help parent company CanWest Global Communications deal with plunging share prices and cost pressures.

As part of a company-wide initiative, CanWest announced today it will cut 560 jobs to save $61 million. The firm, criticized for going on a binge of acquisitions, saw its shares trade at 84 cents today on the TSX. The stock traded at $7.33 at the start of 2008.

The union representing CHCH employees says the station is chopping 12 union jobs and two non-union jobs. Two other union members took early retirements last week.

Two on-air members are set to lose their jobs — entertainment reporter Kate Stutsman, and James McDonald, who has handled anchor and reporting duties. CHCH News general manager Patrick O’Hara said numbers were not finalized, but the cuts will come Dec. 1.

The station is also closing its Halton bureau in Oakville, reducing its noon news program from 60 to 30 minutes and cancelling four shows effective Dec. 1. The shows that will disappear are CH Straight Talk, CH Niagara Express, Sportscope and At Home.

This will cut the station’s locally produced content from 41.5 hours a week to 37 hours per week.

Its CRTC licence requires it to broadcast 36.5 hours of local programs.

There were other developments. The Global-TV station in Toronto is cancelling its morning show and, starting at the end of January, will simulcast CH Morning Live with Bob Cowan and Annette Hamm.

CanWest is also postponing plans announced a year ago to centralize studio work at a new broadcast centre in Toronto in 2009.

CHCH was to lose 25 jobs from that move, but union president Nick Garbutt estimated only a few of those jobs have already migrated to Toronto.

O’Hara said he was not given a target to cut by CanWest, but said the moves “were all about having a closer look at our business and adjusting to the economic reality.”

He said the company is always reviewing its operations and couldn’t rule out future cuts.

Garbutt said there were “a lot of sad faces” at the station after O’Hara hosted a meeting to outline the changes.

“It was a sad day,” said the head of Local 1100 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers.

“You work at a place and they’re not just your co-workers, they’re your friends. We’ll certainly miss them.”