Citytv cuts 60 jobs

Rogers-owned Citytv has cut 60 jobs across Canada as part of a major restructuring, The Canadian Press reports.

CP reports that Citytv  in Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton won’t be airing newscasts this evening after the cuts to programming and staff were announced.

The sixty layoffs equals about six per cent of Citytv’s workforce. A Rogers spokesperson told CP the restructuring is due to “shifting viewer patterns coupled with the overall state of the economy.”

Leslie Sole, CEO of Rogers Media Television said in a press release:

“Today’s changes, although difficult, are necessary to align our operations with the economic and regulatory realities of our industry. We are improving our core business by tightening our operations and concentrating on the strengths of our top performing local programs.”

According to the release Breakfast Television and CityLine will continue in all markets and CityNews at Six and CityNews Tonight in Toronto will also live on.

CBC News reports that CityNews at Noon, CityNews at Five, both in the
Toronto market, and CityNews International, which runs across the
country, have been cancelled and 6 p.m. newscasts in Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton have also been cut. In addition, CBC notes that “on-air personalities, including Anne Mroczkowski and Laura DiBattista in Toronto and Aisling Slattery in Calgary, were reported to be affected, as well as writers, producers, editors and camera people.”

At the end of 2009, Rogers Communications Inc. announced 900 layoffs, as part of a “restructuring and streamlining plan.” Those cuts amounted to 3 per cent of the company’s entire workforce.

Twitter is buzzing with news and comments about the layoffs.