CHANGE IN PROGRAMMING AT 940 NEWS RADIO STATION - CEP FILES A COMPLAINT WITH THE CRTC CNW Corus, the owner of 940 News, the Montreal English radio station which recently abandoned its news operations has breached its licence commitment, says a complaint filed yesterday by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP-FTQ). The CEP represents the employees laid off at the station as a result of the 180 degree turn in programming.
"It's a clear violation of its license commitments," says John Caluori, a CEP National representative. "To go from all-news to oldies deprives Montrealers of diversity of information and a clear abandonment of obligations to audiences through the CRTC. It is yet one more case of the erosion of news and information. The CRTC has to act."
On June 6th, Corus, the owner announced unilaterally and with approximately one week's notice that the Montreal station which was exclusively broadcasting news on a non-stop basis would, as of June 14th, be broadcasting essentially 60s, 70s and 80s music. The 940 News station is one of the oldest English-speaking radio stations in Québec.
CEP objects to the fact that Corus is not respecting its broadcasting license for this radio station. According to the terms of the license issued in 1999 (when Métromedia owned the station) and renewed in 2003 (for the period ending in 2010) by Corus, the programming format of this station must be non-stop news. "That is what makes us claim that Corus is breaching its obligations since it has unilaterally changed the programming", explained Mr. Caluori. CEP is therefore asking the CRTC to carry out an investigation in order to make sure that Corus's license is respected. The Union is also asking that the public be consulted.
According to the new Corus plans, news will now only be broadcasted in the form of short news bulletins as they are by other similar stations. The newsroom, which employed twenty one (21) CEP members, will now only include two (2) journalists and five (5) technicians.
CEP has been denouncing the decision since Corus made the announcement and it intends to use all the means at its disposal to protect the jobs of the workers and preserve the diversity of information sources in the Montreal area. |