CBC announced on Tuesday it is investing more in local and regional news coverage as part of its mandate to deliver trusted news to Canadians across the country.
The announcement follows the CRTC’s approval of Google’s plan to compensate Canadian news organizations for the use of their news content.
“Canadians need trusted, local news more than ever. We will continue to deliver on our strategy of investing in local journalism to better serve communities, particularly in underserved news markets across the country,” said Brodie Fenlon, general manager and editor in chief of CBC News.
CBC News is adding up to 25 journalists in more than a dozen communities that are underserved by broadcast news outlets, with a focus on Western Canada. This builds on an expansion in 2022 in Lethbridge and Grande Prairie, Alta.; Cranbrook and Nanaimo, B.C.; and Kingston, Ont.
These new positions complement CBC News’ strategy to reach more Canadians by launching new local FAST (free ad-supported streaming) channels, offering local and breaking news on CBC Gem and the CBC News app, and connected TV platforms in the coming weeks.
Twelve new local news streaming channels are now in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatchewan, Windsor, Ottawa, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and the North. They join the three existing national, British Columbia and Toronto streaming channels.
For podcast listeners, CBC News has also launched four new daily local podcasts — This is Vancouver, This is Manitoba, This is Toronto, and This is Nova Scotia. They join the existing lineup of seven weekly podcasts serving Vancouver Island, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatchewan, Ottawa, Montreal, and P.E.I.
Exploring the stories shaping each community, the podcasts can be heard on CBC Listen and everywhere podcasts are available.
For TV viewers in Atlantic Canada, CBC is launching four new late-night TV programs in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The programs air nightly at 11 p.m. AT/11:30 p.m. NT on CBC TV, CBC Gem and on regional CBC streaming channels. The regional newscast Atlantic Tonight continues as a weekend news program, airing Saturdays at 7 p.m. AT/7:30 p.m. NT and Sundays at 11 p.m. AT/11:30 p.m. NT.