Post by mike on Jun 2, 2005 23:11:22 GMT -5
Less than two years ago, Calgary-based Craig Media launched Toronto 1 with great hullabaloo, promising an independent channel with a sassier, more grassroots and racially diverse approach to local news and programming than anything the big national networks offered. But this week it was announced that all that was coming to an end.
To help with the upstart of Toronto 1, high-profile reporters were hired: Ben Chin of CBC, Sarika Sehgal of CH Hamilton and Wei Chen of CTV's W-Five. This week, those same high-profile journalists -- along with up to a dozen other reporters -- were told their jobs will be no more, as of July 15. After 20 months of struggling with low viewership, expensive production costs and new owners (financially challenged Craig Media sold Toronto 1 to Quebecor Inc. of Montreal), the little station that could is being totally revamped and rebranded.
Two of Toronto 1's main programs have been axed: the flagship current affairs show Toronto Tonight, co-hosted by Ben Chin and Sarika Sehgal, and the local entertainment show called The Source, hosted by Wei Chen. Nothing was said about the cancellation of entertainment show, The A-List. It is unclear as to whether the A-List is cancelled.
All fired anchors and reporters say that they will be looking for other work. It has already been announced by Global TV that Ben Chin as been hired as a senior correspondent on their national news show "Global National with Kevin Newman."
Toronto 1 executives could not be reached yesterday, but staffers said they were told Wednesday of the job cuts by Quebecor management, who flew in from Montreal. Mr. Chin says Toronto 1 is going to move away from hard news and concentrate more on local cultural, lifestyle and entertainment shows. "We certainly didn't know exactly what was coming," Mr. Chin said yesterday. "But we knew everything was on the table with the new ownership. But it's very sad. We worked very hard on the show, taking it from a rambling one-hour program that wasn't quite doing it to a tight half-hour package that was quite good. I was pleased with the progress we'd made. But them's the breaks. And that's the TV business."
Ms. Sehgal agreed. "I'm obviously truly disappointed at what happened," she said. "We put our hearts and soul into this project and into the launch of this channel. It's personal on some levels, but it is business. This is TV. And nothing is forever."
In the past few months, there have been other high-profile defections from the Toronto 1 camp, including Barbara Williams, Toronto 1's vice-president and general manager who was lured away by Global, and Toronto Tonight's executive producer Zev Shalev, who followed Ms. Williams to CanWest.
Mr. Chin hinted he will make some kind of career decision within the next few days. Ms. Sehgal suggested she'll try to find another job in news.
Some elements taken from an article in the Globe & Mail
To help with the upstart of Toronto 1, high-profile reporters were hired: Ben Chin of CBC, Sarika Sehgal of CH Hamilton and Wei Chen of CTV's W-Five. This week, those same high-profile journalists -- along with up to a dozen other reporters -- were told their jobs will be no more, as of July 15. After 20 months of struggling with low viewership, expensive production costs and new owners (financially challenged Craig Media sold Toronto 1 to Quebecor Inc. of Montreal), the little station that could is being totally revamped and rebranded.
Two of Toronto 1's main programs have been axed: the flagship current affairs show Toronto Tonight, co-hosted by Ben Chin and Sarika Sehgal, and the local entertainment show called The Source, hosted by Wei Chen. Nothing was said about the cancellation of entertainment show, The A-List. It is unclear as to whether the A-List is cancelled.
All fired anchors and reporters say that they will be looking for other work. It has already been announced by Global TV that Ben Chin as been hired as a senior correspondent on their national news show "Global National with Kevin Newman."
Toronto 1 executives could not be reached yesterday, but staffers said they were told Wednesday of the job cuts by Quebecor management, who flew in from Montreal. Mr. Chin says Toronto 1 is going to move away from hard news and concentrate more on local cultural, lifestyle and entertainment shows. "We certainly didn't know exactly what was coming," Mr. Chin said yesterday. "But we knew everything was on the table with the new ownership. But it's very sad. We worked very hard on the show, taking it from a rambling one-hour program that wasn't quite doing it to a tight half-hour package that was quite good. I was pleased with the progress we'd made. But them's the breaks. And that's the TV business."
Ms. Sehgal agreed. "I'm obviously truly disappointed at what happened," she said. "We put our hearts and soul into this project and into the launch of this channel. It's personal on some levels, but it is business. This is TV. And nothing is forever."
In the past few months, there have been other high-profile defections from the Toronto 1 camp, including Barbara Williams, Toronto 1's vice-president and general manager who was lured away by Global, and Toronto Tonight's executive producer Zev Shalev, who followed Ms. Williams to CanWest.
Mr. Chin hinted he will make some kind of career decision within the next few days. Ms. Sehgal suggested she'll try to find another job in news.
Some elements taken from an article in the Globe & Mail
