Rogers has unexpectedly cancelled The Rick Gibbons Show on its Ottawa newstalk station 1310 News (CIWW-AM).
Gibbons, 66, the former publisher and CEO of The Ottawa Sun, had been with the station since 2017. Prior to Rogers, he’d been host of The Lunch Bunch and The Homepage on Bell Media competitor 580 CFRA. Earlier in his career, he was a foreign and parliamentary correspondent for Broadcast News, the radio division of The Canadian Press.
Adam Haga, Gibbons’ producer, was also a casualty of the cancellation. He transferred to 1310 News in Nov. 2017 from sister station 570 News (CKGL-AM) Kitchener.
Some personal news: Today was my last day at @1310NEWS. Was an honor to be part of a small, mighty news team. Will miss the daily challenge of putting a show together. Thanks to Mark Campbell & show regulars. Special thanks to much talented producer & pal @AdamHaga.
— Rick Gibbons (@rick_gibbons) June 27, 2019
Rogers’ Communications Manager Charmaine Khan told Broadcast Dialogue that the station is making changes to its programming schedule. Among those changes will be the expansion of the Rogers’ news wheel format in the afternoon on 1310 News, starting this fall.
Khan said in the interim, Ottawa Today with Mark Sutcliffe will broadcast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by Baseball Central Replay from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Afternoon News with Mark Day and Sara Buchan will air 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Rick is one of Ottawa’s most engaging and highly respected broadcasters, and Adam a strong and emerging broadcaster. We thank them both for their contributions to 1310 News,” said Khan.
Today was unexpectedly the last day of The Rick Gibbons Show on 1310 NEWS and my time with Rogers. I have nothing but respect and admiration for a station and company that took a chance on me as a 19 year old coming out of college.
— Adam Haga (@AdamHaga) June 27, 2019
What I will miss most about working with @rick_gibbons and @AdamHaga is hearing them laugh uproariously on the other side of the studio door when they were, at least theoretically, preparing for their show. Both terrific people and true professionals.
— Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) June 28, 2019
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