CAJ dismayed over Globe and Mail, PostMedia cuts

OTTAWA, Jan. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists is once again saddened to hear of more job losses for journalists working in Canadian media outlets.

On Monday, the Globe and Mail and Postmedia Network confirmed job cuts totaling at least 70 positions across their operations, including up to 16 from their respective newsrooms.

Globe and Mail publisher Phillip Crawley confirmed the positions the company seeks to cut from its newsroom would be done via voluntary buyouts, followed by layoff notices to be issued in February. Nine positions would be cut from the newsroom, with another nine positions lost from other departments. Postmedia cut seven newsroom jobs at the National Post along with outsourcing 48 call-centre jobs to a company based in the U.S.

"These decisions could make it more challenging for these media companies to continue to provide the same quality of news and information their audiences have come to expect," CAJ president Hugo Rodrigues said. "We understand the challenging business environment being faced by media across Canada as companies attempt to maintain a sustainable business. The CAJ continues to question whether other cost reductions could have been contemplated that wouldn't strike at the heart of newsrooms."

With this latest announcement, Canada's media companies have cut over close to 2,000 jobs across their operations since 2012. This tally is estimated based on the publicly announced cuts at media companies and doesn't include any unannounced losses.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing approximately 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.

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SOURCE: Canadian Association of Journalists

Hugo Rodrigues, CAJ president, 519-535-8680, [email protected]