National

Trudeau says he's furious over Bell Media layoffs, calling it a 'garbage decision'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Feb, 2024 10:57 AM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is trash-talking BCE Inc.'s widespread layoffs, calling the cuts a "garbage decision."

Trudeau says he's furious over Bell Media's decision to end multiple television newscasts and that the corporation should know better.

The outlet made program cuts Thursday after its parent company announced job reductions and the sale of 45 of its 103 regional radio stations.

Trudeau says large corporations have bought up radio stations, small community newspapers and local outlets, only to lay off journalists and change the quality of their offerings.

He says when readership and viewership then decline, corporations sell off outlets and say they're not profitable, eroding local journalism and Canada's democracy.

Chief executive Mirko Bibic says Bell Media's advertising revenues declined by $140 million in 2023 compared with the year before, and the company's news division is seeing more than $40 million in annual operating losses.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. Premier Eby writes to Bank of Canada governor, urging him to halt rate hikes

British Columbia Premier David Eby is calling on the Bank of Canada to halt further interest rate hikes. In a letter Thursday to Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, Eby urged him to consider the "human impact" of rate hikes. The Bank of Canada is set to make an interest rate decision next Wednesday.

B.C. Premier Eby writes to Bank of Canada governor, urging him to halt rate hikes

Doctors urge parents to ensure kids vaccines up to date as they head back to school

Public health agencies across the country have been running vaccine catch-up programs, but it's still important for parents to check and ensure their kids are protected against vaccine-preventable illnesses, said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer.

Doctors urge parents to ensure kids vaccines up to date as they head back to school

Rain across B.C. Interior aids wildfire fight in Okanagan, Shuswap and Fraser Canyon

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says while cooler weather brought winds that may increase fire behaviour at the Bush Creek East blaze near Chase, the rain is "creating conditions for firefighters to increase their attack" on the fire now measuring 431 square kilometres.

Rain across B.C. Interior aids wildfire fight in Okanagan, Shuswap and Fraser Canyon

Thief caught sleeping in the driver's seat of a stolen vehicle

On August 26th at approximately 5:00am patrol officers responded to a call about a suspicious car parked on Churchill Street. When officers attended, they could see a male sleeping in the driver’s seat. Given the male did not match the description of the registered owner, officers contacted the registered owner who confirmed his car had been stolen overnight.

Thief caught sleeping in the driver's seat of a stolen vehicle

British Columbians unsure about self-driving cars

A new study from U-B-C suggests British Columbians have mixed feelings about self-driving cars. Researchers engaged more than 11-hundred participants from across the province, asking them to watch eight videos showing interactions between pedestrians and vehicles at crosswalks.

British Columbians unsure about self-driving cars

2 charged in Ponzi scheme

Police in Edmonton have charged two people in an alleged Ponzi scheme targeting residents of Alberta and B-C. The department's financial crimes section says it became aware of the alleged scam in early 2020.