1 - Stacks of wax
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Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Might be just a rumour ...
From jonah @yyzsportsmedia:
Multiple sources tell me that tomorrow* could be a very rough day at Bell Media. Word is multiple radio stations could be sold and or shuttered completely. I've heard as many as 50 could be effected. Word is staff meetings, shareholder and press releases to come in the am.
* Thursday, February 8, 2024
How could Hell be worse?
- Radiowiz
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
CKTB somehow survived the last round of shut downs.
Can they survive this next round?
*Never mind. The update shows the station has been sold to WhiteOaks.
Last edited by Radiowiz (February 8, 2024 10:21 am)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Jody Thornton
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Even if this ends up not to be true ... this type of story makes me so glad I left radio !!!
This type of rumor would be too stressful to live day by day beside. Whenever I hear all of the "radio is still as good as it always was - it's just adapting" nonsense, I say "Radio people ... look up and call the sky blue".
I feel terribly for those losing their livelihoods, but at the same time, there's too much of a fear by many to leave the biz and venture out to other things. It's a BIG world out there.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- pinto
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Can't speak for the date it will happen but this is not the first time I have heard this "rumour" I do know of a market that is being shopped by Bell so who knows.
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
And it's happened.
From the Canadian Press, with more to come:
BCE Inc. is cutting nine per cent of its workforce or around 4,800 jobs, including journalists and other workers at its Bell Media subsidiary. It is also selling off 45 of its 103 regional radio stations.
No word on which stations they are, but at least they're not closing them outright. RB reported on Thursday that the outlets involved are in Ontario, B.C., Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
I know radio ain't what it used to be, but what a horrible company they are. Second year in a row they've done something like this.
- pinto
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Potentially a good day for radio if the indy owners scoop some up and run them properly.
- Centerline
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
This story lists stations and new owners,
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Statement from BCE CEO Mirko Birbic, who, it should be noted, is still drawing a very healthy salary despite a legacy of failure in running his radio empire. He appears to be blaming hard economic times, radio's decline and his old favourite bug bear, government legislation. And he admits this is their biggest mass firing in 30 years, while "thanking" the newly unemployed for their "contributions."
My bet is he doesn't even know their names - or care.
"While it's clear that we are continuing to execute with discipline in a competitive marketplace, we need to take additional measures in response to increasingly unsupportive federal government and regulatory decisions, legacy business declines and a macroeconomic environment with higher interest rates and continued inflation.
"As our business is hampered by regulatory decisions that discourage investment, we are slowing the pace of our network expansion and capping fibre speeds. We intend to reduce capital expenditures by over $1 billion over the next two years, including a minimum $500 million year-over-year decrease in 2024 alone.
"In addition, we are undertaking a significant workforce restructuring initiative – our largest in nearly 30 years – reducing approximately 4,800 positions, or 9% of all BCE employees. I recognize that this decision is difficult for the team members impacted, and I thank each of them for their contributions."
Today's changes are difficult, but necessary to respond to evolving external drivers, accelerate our transformation and ensure Bell's future health and longevity so that we can continue to advance our purpose to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world."
BCE Press Release
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Centerline wrote:
This story lists stations and new owners,
In case you get a paywall:
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
The list of stations in Ontario is pretty extensive, and yes, CKTB is on it. The names in brackets are the new owners. There is little doubt this will completely rearrange the radio industry in Canada for decades to come.
CKLH, Hamilton, Ont. (Whiteoaks)
CHRE, St. Catharines, Ont. (Whiteoaks)
CHTZ, St. Catharines, Ont. (Whiteoaks)
CKTB, St. Catharines, Ont. (Whiteoaks)
CKLY, Lindsay, Ont. (Durham Radio)
CKPT, Peterborough, Ont. (Durham Radio)
CKQM, Peterborough, Ont. (Durham Radio)
CFJR, Brockville, Ont. (My Broadcasting Corporation)
CJPT, Brockville, Ont. (My Broadcasting Corporation)
CFLY, Kingston, Ont. (My Broadcasting Corporation)
CKLC, Kingston, Ont. (My Broadcasting Corporation)
CJOS, Owen Sound, Ont. (ZoomerMedia)
- Binson Echorec
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
You can almost set your watch to this:
Bell Let's Talk Day
Two weeks later - massive cuts
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
I was surprised to hear CFRB morning sub John Tory actually address this fairly extensively on air during the 8 AM hour. Usually, this kind of bad news is rarely mentioned beyond headlines. He said as a former executive with Rogers (and he blithely added he may yet be one again soon) firing people was the hardest part of the job and he never took it lightly.
At least he acknowledged it. I've been monitoring CKTB this morning and they haven't said anything - at least in the time frame I was listening. But it has to be a tough day, even for those who are still employed. You never know what plans a new owner has for an acquired property and how many will survive. It's a very unsettling day, even for those who've kept their jobs.
I also noted in the Star article that it said while some were notified this week they were on the street, "the balance" won't know "until the spring." Imagine working for one of the now ex-Bell stations and wondering if you're on that list. Talk about the Sword of Damocles. Hopefully, many will be offered employment by the new owners, but having been in stations that are taken over or sold, that rarely happens. In my experience, new brooms tend to want to sweep clean.
The fact they've already named the new owners (pending CRTC approval) means this has been in the works for a while.
- Skywave
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Winston Churchill
- mic'em
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
I agree with Jody Thornton. As much as I went through depression and envy of former colleagues when my radio time ended, I have never looked back . Onwards and upwards. Good luck to all involved with the Bell massacre.
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
The bottom line so far:
- Vista Radio and My Broadcasting consolidate their hold on small and medium markets across Canada. Their hyper-local focus may benefit audiences in those communities.
- Durham Radio picks up some holdings in cottage country.
- The big question mark is Whiteoaks Communications, which runs Christian/ethnic radio stations in Oakville and Mississauga. It will be interesting to see what changes they plan for their St. Catharines and Hamilton stations.
- Jody Thornton
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
And it's happened.
I know radio ain't what it used to be, but what a horrible company they are. Second year in a row they've done something like this.
And pretty much three years to the date of the major bloodletting of February 2021. I will say that 1010 was never the same after that one.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- Just a Radio Fan
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
So I am confused, although that is not difficult. Sold 45 stations, let go 4800 people. That is over 100 per station. There is no way any of these stations had 100 people working at them, even with support (sales, accounting ect.). Where are the rest of the people impacted from ?
- Jody Thornton
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
What I'm confused on is this:
It's pretty apparent that Dan Freeman's VT show was a way of shoring up for this day, to ease the labour load financially for a new buyer. However, now with different buyers occupying these 22 Bounce stations, how will that play out? Does this strategy still work?
On the Facebook Radio station Lounge, I joked that it was too bad that Dan Freeman didn't own rights to his own show, so that way he could syndicate.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
So I am confused, although that is not difficult. Sold 45 stations, let go 4800 people. That is over 100 per station. There is no way any of these stations had 100 people working at them, even with support (sales, accounting ect.). Where are the rest of the people impacted from ?
Expect to see more cuts at CTV News and in the back office and administration side of the organization. There's also the possibility of more regionalization of local newscasts, particularly in Western Canada.
- laffin
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Just confirms the brain trust at Bell should never have entered the broadcast industry in the first place.
- Dave The OTA guy
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
I totally agree: Bell is a cancer on the broadcast industry in this country. I wish they would just get out of the broadcast business all together.
Of course radio isn't what it once was or what it could be be cause BELL slowly dismantled it to the point where it has no soul. Three St. Catharines radio stations were owned by Bell and they only had people in studio in the morning. The rest was remote...to cut costs, no doubt.
How is it that a company like Bell says the industry isn't profitable yet, smaller companies have set up new stations recently (1220 CFAJ and 88.5 CKLK) Someone sees the potential.
Last edited by Dave The OTA guy (February 8, 2024 11:02 am)
- Chrisphen
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
There's nothing MBA's can't do!
- eladb
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
Thousands of jobs lost...another horrible day for radio, thanks to Bell.
- Glen Warren
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
There's nothing MBA's can't do!
Don't forget the CGA's... 'cause they are the "enablers"...
- RadioAaron
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
A few random thoughts:
-My quick math tells me Tarzan Dan just lost all but 3 of his 20+ stations
-MyFM now puts 6 local-like signals into Kingston.
-I'm shocked to see Zoomer as a buyer. Radio has been a money-loser for them for a while now. I guess Owen Sound becomes Classical?
-What on earth is an otherwise Christian broadcaster going to do with those three massive FM signals.
-Don't expect the likes of MyFM of Vista to turn the clock back on the reality of the business. These stations aren't going to suddenly have their live and local dayparts or newsrooms back.
-The "winner" in all this, if there is one, is the Bell cluster in Peterborough/Lindsay. Durham is a solid operator and invests in their stations. Enjoy KX105.
- ED1
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
So I am confused, although that is not difficult. Sold 45 stations, let go 4800 people. That is over 100 per station. There is no way any of these stations had 100 people working at them, even with support (sales, accounting ect.). Where are the rest of the people impacted from ?
Maybe the other divisions of BCE (telecom, The Source, etc) are also being impacted. The 4800 INCLUDES those at Bell Media.
- RadioActive
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
I totally agree: Bell is a cancer on the broadcast industry in this country. I wish they would just get out of the broadcast business all together.
I second that emotion. Bell never understood radio and didn't ever want to. They looked at it as a cash cow and when the cow didn't produce enough milk, they butchered it. It's not like selling shoes. Radio is a part of a community and if done properly, it becomes embedded in a city's make-up, especially in smaller markets. Bell never understood that, and likely never cared.
I love how they're blaming the government for not acting quickly enough to save them from having to take this drastic step. I'm pretty sure they would have taken the Bill C-11 money and done this anyway.
The irony, to me, is the pattern: Bell bought the stations, when they didn't produce enough to their over inflated standards, they cut the budgets (and quality) of most of them. When listeners heard that, they fled in droves. When they fled, so did the advertisers. When the advertisers fled, Bell cut more. It's a vicious circle that inevitably leads to what happened today.
A pox on all their houses. What a horribly irresponsible company. It's never good to see such huge job losses but maybe it will serve the stations better in the long run by being given to owners who may actually understand and appreciate the medium.
For those who say radio is done, a new survey at least partially contradicts that assertion. According to a new Radio On The Move survey, quoted on Broadcast Dialogue:
"Looking at ad-supported audio consumed by Canadian adults, Radio on the Move says three out of every four hours is currently going to live AM/FM, three times the total number of hours going to ad-supported podcasts and streaming services combined. In-car, radio is accounting for 59% of all audio consumption, followed by personal music (15%), SiriusXM (11%) and other paid streaming services (9%)."
If you believe those numbers, there may be life in the old gal yet. You just need owners who can see that and care enough to take advantage of it.
And by the way, I know many here are not fans, but I thought it was hilarious when Jerry Agar came out of the 10 AM news on CFRB telling listeners, "I'm still here. For now."
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
-I'm shocked to see Zoomer as a buyer. Radio has been a money-loser for them for a while now. I guess Owen Sound becomes Classical?
-What on earth is an otherwise Christian broadcaster going to do with those three massive FM signals.
Owen Sound is rapidly becoming a retirement hotspot for the over-60 set, due to low housing costs and its proximity to Georgian Bay. I suspect a repeater of Classical FM would snap up some local ad dollars, just as the Cobourg and Collingwood outlets have done. As for the second question, I too wonder what the end game is here.
- RadioActive
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I love the phrase used in MyFM's own story on their latest acquisitions.
"MBC President Jon Pole says he’s excited to add these two markets, as they complement the company’s concentration of stations across Eastern Ontario, while also righting the legacy from the CHUM era."
That "legacy" all but disappeared under the Bell banner. Let's see if they can restore it.
My Broadcasting Corporation to purchase Kingston and Brockville FM radio stations from Bell Media
- Leslieville Bill
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Re: Bell Media Cuts 4,800 Jobs, Selling 45 Stations
-I'm shocked to see Zoomer as a buyer. Radio has been a money-loser for them for a while now. I guess Owen Sound becomes Classical?
They already have a Classical FM transmitter in Collingwood. That's less than 60 km away. Would the signal reach there? If so, maybe Owen Sound becomes Zoomer Radio north?
Last edited by Leslieville Bill (February 8, 2024 11:57 am)
- Not an industry person. Just a guy with a love of Toronto radio.
