Sportsnet 960, 660 News fall in Rogers Sports and Media radio station closures

There was only dead air on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 and 660 News on Tuesday.

The Rogers Sports and Media radio products were caught up in a number of station closures, resulting in job cuts.

Rogers said in a statement there are “six radio stations in four markets closing due to declining audience and revenue trends.”

“Others are news and sports stations in Vancouver and news stations in Halifax and Kitchener.”

Altogether, 230 jobs “are impacted.”

In Tuesday’s statement, Rogers called the decision “difficult but necessary.”

The media giant said the decision was made “after a thorough review of our radio stations across the country.”

“We are grateful to our listeners and to our team for their contributions to the local community,” it said.

‘Not a very good day at all for radio’

Rogers noted Sportsnet “will no longer produce Calgary Flames, Hitmen or Wranglers radio broadcasts.”

Peter Maher, the radio voice of the Flames for decades, called Tuesday “a sad, sad day.”

“I really feel for all of the guys and women that work at that radio station that now are no longer in work,” Maher told CTV.

“They certainly did contribute a whole lot to the Calgary sports scene and it’s certainly a huge, huge loss.”

Maher said Tuesday was “not a very good day at all for radio.”

Former CTV chief meteorologist David Spence worked at 660 News for nearly 10 years.

Spence called the loss difficult for a market that seeks out local news.

“It’s a loss of a credible news voice in an age where social media seems to be becoming more dominant in the news landscape, with information that cannot always be trusted,” Spence said.

On the street, some Calgarians were surprised and upset by the news.

“This is the end of an era,” said one person.

“That’s a disgrace. That’s what I think,” said another.

“What’s the alternative? There’s nothing,” said another still.

‘Blindsided’

Sean Kelso, the Flames’ vice-president of communications, told CTV the shutdown caught his organization by surprise.

He said the club was “blindsided” by the news from Rogers.

He said since the announcement is so fresh, the organization doesn’t yet have another plan for radio broadcasts for the Flames, Hitmen and Wranglers.

When there is one, he said, the organization will inform the public.

‘More and more concentrated; more and more limited’

Moshe Lander, an economist with Concordia University, said Rogers “has built themselves quite the little empire.”

“The market is becoming more and more concentrated,” Lander said.

“And the idea of regional outlets for TV, for radio, for newspapers, is becoming more and more limited.”

There’s some political fallout as well.

Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner issued a statement condemning the cuts.

Rempel Garner also blamed the Liberal government for giving Rogers what she called “a multitude of highly lucrative and expensive taxpayer benefits” in exchange for promises to preserve and create new media jobs.

It’s a commitment Rempel Garner says remains unfulfilled.

‘Part of our plan’

Rogers spokesperson Zac Carreiro, in another statement on Tuesday, noted “declining advertising revenue and changing audience habits.”

“These changes are part of our plan to focus our investment in areas that will drive growth long-term,” Carreiro said.

From October to May of this past year, Rogers said its Calgary sports radio station had an average of just 1,200 listeners.

Rogers also said there will be “no changes to Rogers TV properties in Calgary.”

With files from CTV’s Shaun Frenette and Tyson Fedor, as well as The Canadian Press