'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
Bell Media president Sean Cohan says recent layoffs and programming cuts are something he doesn't take lightly, but were necessary to accelerate the company's goals in the digital media landscape.
On Tuesday, Cohan made his first public appearance since stepping into the executive role by speaking at the inaugural Black Screen Office Symposium in Toronto, where he used a keynote address to outline Bell Media's continued commitment to diversity.
In an interview after the speech, Cohan said he takes issue with how layoffs across the country by parent company Bell Inc., have been characterized as "killing journalism."
In February, Bell announced 4,800 job cuts at all levels of the company, of which fewer than 10 per cent have affected Bell Media specifically. Bell Media also announced the end of multiple local newscasts across the country and said CTV's flagship investigative series "W5" would no longer be a standalone program.
Cohan said Bell Media now has "more dedicated journalists in more territories" in Canada than ever before as a result of the restructuring. The company says "CTV National News" will soon have dedicated newsgathering staff in all 10 Canadian provinces, a first for the newscast.
While BCE Inc., announced it was selling off 45 of 103 Bell radio stations as part of the restructuring, Cohan said he thinks radio is still "a viable business going forward."
He said the company sold those stations to "committed local players" it felt were "better homes."
In his keynote address at the BSO Symposium, Cohan said an important part of his mandate is to create greater diversity within Bell Media, adding that diversity makes for "great business."
He said the company wants half of the English and French language programs it commissions this year to be generated by creatives from Black, Indigenous, people of colour and under-represented groups. A publicist later said Cohan misspoke and was referring to English-language commissions only.
Cohan, who began his post in November, said he's committed to making sure the company delivers "differentiated storytelling" by having a "diverse, inclusive workforce."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2024.
CTV News is part of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.