Rogers Sports & Media has announced the closure of six radio stations in four Canadian cities, a move aimed at cutting 230 jobs. The company issued a statement on Tuesday (7th) saying that the closed radio stations were located in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and Kitchener.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a Rogers spokesperson stated that the closure of the radio station will directly result in 80 job losses. The remaining 150 jobs involve other departments within the company, including sales and marketing, as well as a small number of television and radio-related positions. Additionally, a small number of positions outside the media sector are also affected. In a statement, the company said the “difficult but necessary decision” was made after a “comprehensive review of radio stations across the country.” “We thank our audience and team for their contributions to the local community.”
In Vancouver, this means Sportsnet 650 and News 1130 will be suspended; while in Alberta, Calgary 660 NewsRadio and Sportsnet 960 will also be affected. On Tuesday morning, Vancouver listeners tuned in to a recorded announcement on News 1130 and a rebroadcast on Sportsnet 650. Jeffrey Dvorkin, former chair of the journalism department at the University of Toronto, said the layoffs were not unexpected. “I think what we’re seeing now is media organizations looking for some way to regain shareholder satisfaction,” he explained, adding that Rogers is likely trying to consolidate its media platforms. “Rogers has realized they can no longer make money like they used to.”
In a statement, Rogers said the move was due to “declining listenership and revenue.” Radio sports broadcasts in both Vancouver and Calgary have recently experienced low listenership, with both stations averaging less than 2,100 listeners. Rogers added that broadcast production of Vancouver Canucks games will be moved to another station under Rogers Sports Media. The company will no longer produce broadcasts of Calgary Flames games. Toronto’s Sportsnet 590 radio station will continue to operate. Rogers stated that his 44 radio stations in nearly 30 communities across Canada are still operating.