1 of 1- Just a Radio Fan
- Member
Offline
Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
So apparently today the bloodletting is taking place at CTV Agincourt. No word on how many people impacted at this point but I am sure we will find out soon.
- Just a Radio Fan
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Update, CTV 2 Barrie today as well. Again no names or numbers so far.
- •
Thread Starter- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
No details yet, but Cartt.ca has this tidbit in an update about what's happening at Agincourt:
"Jobs eliminated, we are told by sources, are in every area of the corporation and will include more reporters and on-air talent as the week progresses."
- Media Observer
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
RadioActive wrote:
No details yet, but Cartt.ca has this tidbit in an update about what's happening at Agincourt:
"Jobs eliminated, we are told by sources, are in every area of the corporation and will include more reporters and on-air talent as the week progresses."
...and yet on yesterday's 6:00 pm newscast, Michelle Dube welcomed a new female reporter to the team.
Would this be a case of a cheaper contract replacing a more expensive one?
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Could be. But it may also be part of their BIPOC hiring initiative, which they entered into with much fanfare last October.
- paterson1
- Member
Online!
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
No details yet, but Cartt.ca has this tidbit in an update about what's happening at Agincourt:
"Jobs eliminated, we are told by sources, are in every area of the corporation and will include more reporters and on-air talent as the week progresses."...and yet on yesterday's 6:00 pm newscast, Michelle Dube welcomed a new female reporter to the team.
Would this be a case of a cheaper contract replacing a more expensive one?
This is the strange thing about cutbacks and layoffs. Watch when you go to the "work for us" section at the Bell Media site or to Milkman Unlimited in a few weeks. You will see that Bell Media is still hiring. Not that they will be necessarily replacing everyone they let go, but they will still have job openings in various departments. This happens all the time.
Here in Kitchener they had some layoffs about three or four years ago and got rid of sports and let go of some reporters and news staff. Then about 6 months later they expanded the evening weekday news package to two hours and hired some new reporters and on air staff. Go figure.
- TomTV
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
This reminds me of the CityPulse purge many moons ago. Fired lots of long-time on-air reporters (that were probably drawing decent salaries) and then slowly replaced them with cheaper new hires.
- Media Observer
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Thanks to all for your feedback.
Normally such a move wouldn't grab my attention, but for all the Bell cutbacks. You folks in the profession must have (or had) some trying times over the years!
Last edited by Media Observer (February 3, 2021 5:40 pm)
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Toronto Mike is reporting that weather guys Anwar Knight & Tom Brown are among the on-air figures who've lost their gigs at CFTO. Knight was on the noon Wednesday.
Knight has been there since 2007, while Brown joined the station in 2004.
- mace
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
According to Wikipedia, Lyndsay Morrison is the "Chief Weather Anchor" for CTV NEWS at Noon, 5 and 6pm. She probably earns much less than Anwar and Tom.
- TomTV
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Being a recent hire, she definitely costs Bell less money. I hope she's ready to build a toy mountain later this year.
- dieter
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Dana Levinson made a good move in leaving awhile ago and eventually landing her Capital Direct ad gig.
- ED1
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
Interesting how Anwar Knight retweeted this today (assuming this afternoon after his termination)....
- dieter
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
There was a subtle change on the 11:30 pm News weather segment. Lyndsay did not sit at the anchor desk before or after her report, so it must have been pre-recorded. The throws back and forth made it look seamless, but it was not the same. Who will do the weekend weather -- an anchor?
- TomTV
- Member
Offline
Re: Bell bloodbath-Wednesday: Anwar Knight & Tom Brown Both Gone
It was pre-recorded. This isn't the first time that they've done it this way e.g. they did it a few times with Anwar Knight who would work live at noon and 6pm, and then they'd air a pre-recorded weathercast at 11:30pm but edited to make it seem live.
Maybe Dana can come back and do the weekend weather, while plugging for Capital Direct during the commercial break?