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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Manitoba escapes latest CBC layoffs

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 05/28/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

TORONTO -- Layoff notices were issued at the CBC Wednesday. But the Manitoba region is being spared any pain.

In March, the public broadcaster projected that about 393 jobs would have to be cut in its English-language service to make up for an overall $171-million shortfall in advertising revenue.

"No layoff notices are being issued in Manitoba," said John Bertrand, managing director of CBC Manitoba.

Six Manitoba positions had been affected by the March announcement, Bertrand said, but went down to five with the reinstatement earlier this month of the Thompson unit.

"Two of the five people worked on The Signal on Radio Two. Because the Winnipeg-based show was cancelled, the contracts for those people were not renewed."

According to the Canadian Media Guild, 100 contract employees will not be renewed, 158 permanent employees will be laid off and 19 vacant jobs are being abolished.

In addition, the guild says, 73 employees are taking retirement incentives.

"We are losing very experienced people who have devoted years to the CBC and we're also losing people who were beginning what should have been long and bright careers at the public broadcaster," Marc Philippe Laurin, president of the Canadian Media Guild's CBC branch, said in a release.

"Viewers, listeners and web surfers will notice their absence as programming is scaled back or cancelled altogether."

A spokesman for the CBC says those numbers are accurate, but cautioned that the situation is in flux as layoff notices are given out.

-- The Canadian Press / staff

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 28, 2009 D2

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