Bell Media has made its third rounds of layoffs in less than a month, following Wade Oosterman taking over the operational reins as the division’s new president.
After a series of sweeping executive departures at head office in early January, a middle management purge followed two weeks later that saw names like Rob Farina, Head of Content, Strategy & iHeartRadio, and Lis Travers, General Manager of CTV News Channel, part ways with the company.
On Monday, those layoffs were extended to frontline staff with Montreal news/talk station CJAD 800, among the harder hit properties. As first reported by Montreal-based media blogger Steve Faguy, CJAD has made a move to cancel its evening talk shows – The Night Side with Jon Pole and Passion with Dr. Laurie Betito. Pole, who also serves as President of My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which operates several small and medium market stations in Ontario, had hosted the show since 2014, while Betito had been heard on the station for more than two decades.
— Jon Pole – RADIO ATHLETE 🥇 (@jonpole) February 1, 2021
After 22 years of Passion on @CJAD800 it is time to say goodbye. The powers that be are restructuring their evening lineup. It’s been a great run. No regrets, just gratitude. Thanks to all my loyal listeners for their support ❤️❤️
— Dr. Laurie Betito (@DrLaurieBetito) February 1, 2021
Sad to report I’m the latest casualty of layoffs after nearly 28 yrs at CJAD. Thanks to all the class acts I’ve worked with & all the listeners. Grateful & proud to have been part of the legacy of CJAD reporters. (Need a slightly used journalist/assignment editor? Please DM me!)
— Shuyee Lee (@SLeeMtl) February 1, 2021
Richard Deschamps, Elizabeth Zogalis, and Shuyee Lee were also casualties at CJAD with CTV Montreal to now provide evening news breaks. CJAD was already simulcasting CTV’s local newscast between 5 – 6 p.m. Its revised schedule doesn’t indicate whether it will follow the lead of Toronto sister station Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) and air CTV National News at 10 p.m. ET.
Layoffs have also been reported within the Bell Media sales team, including Kim Katayama, National Sales Coordinator – Radio, who was based in Vancouver.
Have you been impacted by a recent layoff and want to let employers know you’re available for work? Drop Broadcast Dialogue a line at submissions@broadcastdialogue.com and we’ll include you in our Revolving Door column in an upcoming edition of our Weekly Briefing.
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