Canadian Radio: More Cutbacks Expected At CBC

Hurbet T. Lacroix

The CBC is shifting its priorities from television and radio to digital and mobile services, a move that will reduce staff, and supper-hour news broadcasts and programs produced in-house, says CBC president and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix.

“We used to lead with television and radio. Web came and then mobility came. We are reversing, we are inverting the priorities that we have,” Lacroix said, referring to the broadcaster’s 2020 strategy. “We’re going to lead now with mobility, we’re going to lead with whatever widget you use.

"You’re going to see an investment in mobility that’s going to rise as the investment in perhaps television ... is reduced.”

Lacroix said there will be job cuts over the coming years, but they will be made in "prudent steps."

In 2020, the corporation will have 1,000 to 1,500 fewer employees. This would be in addition to the reductions announced to date.

Currently, 1,000 employees are eligible for retirement. And through attrition, about 300 leave every year, according to the broadcaster.

“The goal is that to be able to meet a financially stable and sustainable CBC/Radio-Canada, we have to reduce the infrastructures ... but we also have to reduce the number of people who are working at CBC/Radio-Canada,” Lacroix said.

In April, Lacroix announced that funding shortfalls and revenue losses had forced the broadcaster to cut $130 million from its budget this year, a move that the CBC said will eliminate 657 jobs over the next two years and take the network out of competing for the rights to broadcast professional sports.