Hamilton Media

[FairHamilton]

^ Hey, I understand what you are saying. I've railed here before about Torstar's ownership of The Spec (and CH outside ownership) in other threads. The Spec especially because of the lack of investigative/hard hitting journalism that outside ownership means for Hamilton.

My disagreement with your original statement centred on your simply wishing for CBC funding cuts, or for it to be privatized. I think what you really want is expanded funding, which will be spent in the 'regions', not the centres.

I can't see that happening, but that's a want I'd support.

[raisethehammer]

some more crackpot broadcasting by our media:

http://900chml.com/Channels/Reg/News...spx?ID=1025489

"city's east end" - Barton and Crooks. Lol.

[LikeHamilton]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

some more crackpot broadcasting by our media:

http://900chml.com/Channels/Reg/News...spx?ID=1025489

"city's east end" - Barton and Crooks. Lol.

Crooks runs York to Barton 3 blocks east of Dundurn Park.

[holymoly]

I don't see a reference to "east end" in the linked article -- I guess they changed it.

BTW, anyone know why the street is called Crooks?

[SteelTown]

CanWest is cutting jobs and it'll affect CHCH.

News at Noon will be cut down to 30 minutes instead of one hour. Niagara Express and Sports Scope on Sunday will be cut out of the program.

[raisethehammer]

let's hope they keep cutting until the entire station is closed down.

[flar]

As bad as CHCH is these days, it would be worse without the local news (and I say this as someone who doesn't like their newscasts--I walked by a tv this morning and our local newspeople were talking about Britney Spears' son.)

[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.”

[comadriver]

Originally Posted by flar

As bad as CHCH is these days, it would be worse without the local news

Although I sincerely sympathize with the people who will loose their jobs, I do have a question: this day and age, what benefit do we derive from the news being read to us over the radio/TV? Why wait for someone to decide which story to tell us and which one to avoid? Don't you find the stupid commercials intellectually insulting? Do we seriously like the music on the radio? What do you get from CHCH that you can't get in a more efficient way elsewhere (internet anyone?).

Again, it's not my intent to sound insensitive to the job cuts -- it can be devastating to anyone.

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by comadriver

Although I sincerely sympathize with the people who will loose their jobs, I do have a question: this day and age, what benefit do we derive from the news being read to us over the radio/TV? Why wait for someone to decide which story to tell us and which one to avoid? Don't you find the stupid commercials intellectually insulting? Do we seriously like the music on the radio? What do you get from CHCH that you can't get in a more efficient way elsewhere (internet anyone?).

Again, it's not my intent to sound insensitive to the job cuts -- it can be devastating to anyone.

I think the bigger issue is the further deterioration of our local media outlets. 30 minutes local programming over the minimum for their CRTC license requirements is embarrassing.

I think it's important to have varying news sources, i.e. TV, Daily/Weekly newspaper/internet vs. relying on just one because that's the safest get the broadest perspective and avoid bias.

[adam]

I am with you comadriver, I find its nearly impossible to get unbias news when all of our media outlets are owned by the same very exclusive group of people. Canada is world renowned for its extremely tight group of media moguls.

[comadriver]

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

I think it's important to have varying news sources, i.e. TV, Daily/Weekly newspaper/internet vs. relying on just one because that's the safest get the broadest perspective and avoid bias.

Agreed. We should definitely get our information from multiple sources. I consider the internet more as the medium that gives you quick access to multiple sources. It makes me smile when I hear "... more on this topic at 9 PM Eastern, 9:30 in Newfoundland...". Are you kidding me? When I need to know more, I will log in and look it up. And I will get as much detail as I need, on my own time. And I will get the facts and statistics I need -- not the predigested mash of opinions. When I need analysis, I will read world-renowned experts' take on the issues, not the local Raymond James adviser pushing the sales pitch on the radio.

Anyway, I suppose we are a different generation, and these guys aren't really catering to us. In the long-term, TV and radio in their current form will continue to die off. Anything that's not interactive or on-demand has no mainstream future IMO. Specific content requirements (i.e. Canadian, local, French, etc) are another cute relic from the stone-age days.

Just my 2 cents

Now, where is that lunch...

[markbarbera]

Currently CH news is doing not much more than re-reading the 680 News script. Local news coverage is not much more than an on-air reading of the Spec. With the morning news program simulcasting with Toronto, there will be even less local coverage.

[fastcarsfreedom]

Quote
let's hope they keep cutting until the entire station is closed down.

The most apalling comment I've read on this Forum in a very long time. I question your desire for Hamilton to truly be a better place when you wish away a local media outlet and the well-paid jobs that accompany it.

I also bemoan the loss of individual local identity and depth of coverage in news coverage. Nonetheless, it is not a situation that is unique to Hamilton or Canwest-owned outlets--it's a global phenomenon--and it's here to stay.

[MsMe]

And with the news on tv, it's on at certain times. When we have the net now one can find many news sites and get the news right then.

[adam]

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

Quote
I also bemoan the loss of individual local identity and depth of coverage in news coverage. Nonetheless, it is not a situation that is unique to Hamilton or Canwest-owned outlets--it's a global phenomenon--and it's here to stay.

When was the last time a media giant like Canwest adequately gave local identity? Things are shifting to the internet where individual identity can be expressed by the rich, the poor, the middle class. Its the best thing that's happened to free speech in hundreds of years..

[fastcarsfreedom]

adam--presumably you can recall CHCH-TVs period of ownership by Western International Communications--it was branded as ONtv at the time, and was completely devoid of any local content. Canwest may be an imperfect owner--but they've invested in technology and produce news and current affairs programming that's about Hamilton...as opposed to Toronto. You may well choose to seek your information from the internet--more power to you.

[SteelTown]

CH stars might be next to go
Longtime news anchors Smith and McLean in negotiations

November 14, 2008
Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator

More changes may be coming to CHCH News with the potential loss of two of their longest serving and most recognizable on-air personalities.

The station has made proposals to Dan McLean and Connie Smith, who co-host the station's noon news, that could lead the pair to leave the station they both have called home since the 1970s.

The actions follow job cuts and program cancellations on Wednesday to help parent company Canwest Global Communications deal with cost pressures. Canwest announced it will chop 560 jobs to save $61 million. It lost $21.5 million in the first nine months of its business year on $2.4 billion revenue.

The company said 210 jobs will be cut through restructuring of news operations at its E! stations, which includes Hamilton. The station will chop 14 jobs, cancel four TV programs, reduce its noon news to 30 minutes and close its Halton news bureau.

McLean, 61, has been at the station since 1971 and hosted two talk shows before becoming a news anchor in 1980. Asked if the station had offered him a buyout package, the Welland native said yesterday. "I'm not at liberty to say anything. Does that tell you anything? I'm not at liberty to be able to respond to that. I would think in two weeks we will know something. ... I'm in negotiations and I'm not in a position to talk about it yet."

Asked if the negotiations don't go well, it could lead to him leaving the station, he replied, "It might."

Smith, 54, has been at the station since 1976. Her station bio says she was the first woman weather person at CHCH and was the first woman anchor of the weekday news. She launched the first noon news show in 1988 with the late Tom Cherington.

Smith said she was told after Wednesday's show her anchor duties would end Nov. 28 and her show CH Straight Talk was being cancelled.

The Ancaster resident has been told she can return to reporting, but is mulling over her future. She is talking to a financial adviser, family, friends and a lawyer. While she may decide to stay with the station, she said, "There's a lot of other stuff I haven't done yet, so maybe this is a good time to do some things that I've always wanted to do."

Both McLean and Smith stressed they are in pain over the layoff of their colleagues. "I just feel badly it comes to this because I feel sorry for the people that are going," said McLean. "I wish they weren't."

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

adam--presumably you can recall CHCH-TVs period of ownership by Western International Communications--it was branded as ONtv at the time, and was completely devoid of any local content. Canwest may be an imperfect owner--but they've invested in technology and produce news and current affairs programming that's about Hamilton...as opposed to Toronto.

I believe that at the time of the Canwest purchase, one of the Aspers said of ONTV that he couldn't imagine why anyone would watch it, let alone consider it a local station -- and I agree that, although the station is abundantly flawed, local content is something that Canwest made a mandate, as opposed to the regional focus of the late '90s. I'm sure if anyone bothered to compare some old ONTV-era TV listings with even the E!/CH lineup, the difference would be notable. I believe ONTV had the evening news, recycled at 11, and that was it... of that, my guess would be 10-15 minutes of local stories.

[flar]

Originally Posted by comadriver

Although I sincerely sympathize with the people who will loose their jobs, I do have a question: this day and age, what benefit do we derive from the news being read to us over the radio/TV? Why wait for someone to decide which story to tell us and which one to avoid? Don't you find the stupid commercials intellectually insulting? Do we seriously like the music on the radio? What do you get from CHCH that you can't get in a more efficient way elsewhere (internet anyone?).

Again, it's not my intent to sound insensitive to the job cuts -- it can be devastating to anyone.

A lot of people don't read news on the internet, and they don't read papers. They still watch TV, especially older people. As bad as the local news is, it would be a great loss to Hamilton if there was no Hamilton presence on the air. For example, my parents-in-law watch the Hamilton news just because my wife, daughter and I live here.