JOBS CUTS AT MONTREAL ENGLISH RADIO STATION BLAMED ON QUEBEC MARKET Canadian Press A spokesman for Corus Quebec blames the loss of 18 jobs at a Montreal English-language radio station on the radio market in the province.
The job cuts were announced to employees late Friday by Mario Cecchini, the vice-president of Corus Quebec, after rumours began circulating earlier in the day.
Radio station 940 AM will continue to broadcast in English but it will move from a news talk format to a music format June 14.
"This change is necessary because despite everyone's best efforts, the radio market in Montreal and all across Quebec is facing difficult times," the Corus executive said in a note to employees.
"We wish to give a new voice to this station in order to maintain the diversity of our radio offer.
"The new Greatest Hits format appears to be the best alternative."
Cecchini said the new format will lead to internal changes which will see 18 jobs terminated on June 13.
The layoffs will affect on-air announcers as well as the news department. Some positions are also being reassigned.
The radio station will become known as AM 940 - Montreal's Greatest Hits.
Cecchini added that the company had been working very closely with the union representing its English stations since June 2.
He also went on-air on 940 Montreal to announce the format change to the station's listeners.
Cecchini told listeners "the quality of the programming on the air was not put in doubt."
"Unfortunately the ratings were not to (our) satisfaction and did not give us the boost we need after all the investment."
The radio station first went on the air as 940 News with an all-news format in December 1999.
Corus Quebec operates 14 English-and French-language radio stations in Quebec. |