CBC News reorganizes to provide better service

TORONTO - CBC News announced plans to reorganize all aspects of its newsgathering processes with particular attention to strengthening its ability to deliver on a 24-hour, seven day multiplatform news cycle. The reorganization is designed to strengthen its local news while maintaining its commitment to national and international coverage as Canada's leading news organization.

"Despite the financial challenges we face as the result of a drastic decline in advertising revenue and the continuing erosion in real dollars of our public subsidy, we are proceeding with plans to re-engineer our operations. The efficiencies achieved will allow us to enhance our overall news service," Jennifer McGuire, interim head of news, told staff in a country-wide internal meeting. "Canadians will be better served by these changes and will continue to receive their news with both the depth and context they demand."

McGuire noted that while the news initiative has been underway for more than two years, its urgency has been increased by the requirement, announced last month, for CBC News to implement reductions of approximately $7 million and more than 70 positions as part of an overall austerity initiative throughout CBC/Radio-Canada.

"Re-engineering the news department will allow us to increase the number of hours of local news available on radio, television and online," she adds. "At the same time, by looking at new ways of doing things, we will be able to introduce new elements to many of our flagship news programs such as CBC News: The National, The World at Six and World Report, and on Newsworld and CBCNews.ca."

McGuire said specific announcements of new programs and schedules will come later this year and through early 2010.