Toronto: CBC Cuts Local News Jobs For Digital Jobs

CBC is slashing 244 jobs from local news services across the country as its plans to shift some of its limited resources to its digital operations, according to Global News.

The cuts include 144 positions from English-language services and 100 jobs on the French side, which include 20 vacant positions and retirements.

Meanwhile, the public broadcaster is adding 80 new digital jobs as it works towards offering a continuous news stream for mobile users.

Jennifer McGuire, Editor-in-Chief of CBC News, announced the English layoffs in a note to staff, which stressed that no stations would close and all local radio programming would be maintained.

McGuire admitted that “local services will be smaller overall” but said the relative size of each region would remain the same.

“It hits just about everything, it hits technical, it hits editorial, it hits management and administration,” McGuire said in an interview.