Global News lays off unspecified number of staff in 'significant' restructuring in Toronto

Corus Entertainment's headquarters is shown in Toronto on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. (Cole Burston / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

TORONTO — In what it describes as a "significant" restructuring, Global News is cutting some of its workforce.

The Canadian news organization owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. confirmed it has laid off staff in an email to The Canadian Press, but declined to provide exact numbers.

Corus executive vice-president of broadcast networks Troy Reeb attributed the layoffs to challenges faced by the news industry in recent years, including regulatory restraints, a lack of government support, advertising losses and most recently, COVID-19.

An internal memo Reeb sent to staff says significant changes will take place at the company's network digital operations in Toronto and that Globalnews.ca will no longer support lifestyle, entertainment and social media teams.

Reeb says this will help the company shift back to its core mission of providing breaking news and fact-based journalism, while emphasizing video over social media feeds that have lesser benefits for Global.

Reeb says the company has tried to delay layoffs and programming cuts for as long as possible, but in its most recent quarter advertising revenues declined and the company's news and radio businesses are 100 per cent dependent on such income sources.