CBC News has announced it’s expanding its footprint, with plans to create 11 new local bureaus and hire 33 journalists.
The new bureaus increase the public broadcaster’s presence to 77 bureaus and stations, including three additional locations in Saskatchewan, and two each in the Yukon, Manitoba and Quebec. Those new communities are: Richmond, BC; Haines Junction and Dawson City, YK; Swift Current, Yorkton and Moose Jaw, SK; Flin Flon and the Selkirk/Interlake Region in Manitoba; the Peel Region in Ontario; and Sept-Îles/North and Lower North Shore and Châteauguay/Montérégie in Quebec.
The expansion is in addition to the 30 journalists CBC hired across 22 locations last summer.
“We see this historic investment in local journalism as another meaningful opportunity to connect more Canadians with each other and the important, untold stories of their communities,” said Brodie Fenlon, General Manager and Editor in Chief, CBC News.
The expansion is in line with the “proximity pillar” of CBC/Radio-Canada’s new five-year strategic plan and Here for Canada strategy, “which aims to increase the national public broadcaster’s presence, relevance, trust and relationship with communities across the country, by telling the stories that matter and elevating those stories to national audiences.”
“As we establish our new bureaus, we are committed to preserving and improving on the diversity of trusted news sources that local communities can rely on,” said Barbara Williams, Executive Vice-President, CBC. “We look forward to championing the work of other news organizations in these communities and will seek opportunities to support and partner with them in the best way possible to contribute to a healthier media ecosystem for Canadians.”
In addition to the new bureaus, CBC has launched 44 additional regional web pages on CBCNews.ca available at CBC.ca/local. It’s also expanding its local news podcast slate to 15 locations with the launch of “This Is” podcasts in Kelowna and Quebec City in February.
The new journalist roles will be posted in the coming weeks. CBC says 22 of the 33 new roles will be stationed in the 11 new bureaus.
