J-Source

Rogers Media radio stations see changes in programming, staff following layoffs

Rogers Media has announced sweeping changes to programming at various radio stations, following the layoffs of 94 staff, and adding more Sportsnet content to its programming. Seven people were laid off at Ottawa’s 1310 News and another 11 at Halifax’s 95.7 News. At Toronto’s 680 News, anchor Ann Doose and entertainment reporter Gloria Martin are…

Rogers Media has announced sweeping changes to programming at various radio stations, following the layoffs of 94 staff, and adding more Sportsnet content to its programming. Seven people were laid off at Ottawa’s 1310 News and another 11 at Halifax’s 95.7 News. At Toronto’s 680 News, anchor Ann Doose and entertainment reporter Gloria Martin are among the layoffs. 

Rogers Media has announced sweeping changes to programming at some of its radio stations, after laying off 94 staff.

At Ottawa’s 1310 News, Rogers laid off seven staff, according to the Ottawa Citizen. A significant proportion of the station’s content will now come from Rogers’ all-sports station Sportsnet 590 The FAN. 

While the weekends will deliver round-the-clock sports coverage from Sportsnet, the Citizen reported the station will continue to broadcast general news weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and between 3 and 8 p.m. and air Sportsnet coverage outside of those hours. The Ottawa station also added a new talk show called Talk to the Hand, hosted by veteran broadcaster Ed Hand.


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At Toronto’s 680 News, anchor Ann Doose and entertainment reporter Gloria Martin are among those laid off.

Sportsnet also let go of sports personality Barb DiGiulio.

At Halifax’s 95.7 News, 11 staff were laid off, and popular shows Maritime Morning and Maritime Morning Weekend Edition were cancelled. The station will also carry more Sportsnet content. Morning anchor Erica Munn; sports anchor Scott MacIntosh; reporter Desiree Finhert, who was on maternity leave, and her replacement Amanda Debison; The Rick Howe Show producer Melissa Mancini; morning news editor Connie Thiessen and Lite 92.9 DJ Jamie Paterson were among those laid off.

Tamara Baluja is an award-winning journalist with CBC Vancouver and the 2018 Michener-Deacon fellow for journalism education. She was the associate editor for J-Source from 2013-2014.