Kingston politicians raise concerns about impact of Corus cuts

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Recent staff cuts at Corus Entertainment, affecting Global TV Kingston and local radio stations, have drawn sharp criticism from local Kingston politicians.

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In a letter sent to Corus Entertainment on Monday, Mark Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and the Islands, and Ted Hsu, MPP for Kingston and the Islands, expressed deep concern about the impact these cuts would have on local news coverage.

“Local news and radio play an important role in connecting us to events, issues and stories that directly impact our lives. They provide a platform for local voices, highlight community successes and inform us about emergencies, local government decisions, cultural events and more. By changing these services, CORUS risks depriving our community of a vital source of information,” the letter said.

Gerretsen and Hsu urged Corus to explore alternative solutions and work directly with the community to mitigate the impact of these cuts.

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The cuts, announced on July 18, include the complete elimination of presenters at the two Corus-owned radio stations in Kingston: Fresh Radio 104.3 (CKLC-FM) and BIG 96.3 (CKWS-FM). These stations will now rely on voice tracking to produce local content.

In addition, Global TV Kingston has had to make significant cuts to its news staff. The exact number of jobs eliminated is not yet known, but the impact on local reporting is already being felt throughout the community.

In response to the layoffs, CKWS-TV reporter Paul Soucy shared his thoughts on social media.

“To the people of Kingston, I want to say that I share your sadness about the changes at CKWS/Global Kingston,” said Soucy, one of the few reporters who survived the layoffs. “Local news is not going away, we are retaining a very lean but determined team that is still well connected in the community and happy to continue telling your stories.”

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Mayor Bryan Paterson called the situation a “very sad day” for the community and emphasized the essential role of local media in maintaining a well-informed and engaged citizenry.

“Local media is critical to the health of our democracy and our community as a whole,” Patterson said. “There needs to be a discussion about the role of local journalism as a very important public good in our society and of course in our community.”

Gerretsen and Hsu’s letter, along with Patterson’s comments, reflects a broader concern about the declining presence of local media and its impact on community engagement and democratic participation.

Chris Fanning, associate professor of English at Queen’s University and editor of the Picton Gazette, one of Canada’s oldest weekly newspapers, believes local journalism is at a crossroads.

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“These cuts will certainly undermine every single local journalism unit and their ability to do their jobs,” Fanning said.

Fanning acts as a mediator between citizens and their government and institutions and emphasized the role of local journalism in bridging gaps and encouraging civic engagement.

“It allows a single person to find out what they need to know and encourages them to take action – whether that’s talking to their local council or writing a letter to the editor. It provides a forum, not like a moderated Facebook group, but something traditionally sanctioned,” Fanning added.

Fanning reminds readers to support local journalism.

“Make sure you read your local newspaper. It’s easy to ignore it because your computer or phone is feeding you all kinds of information,” Fanning said. “Make sure it’s local.”

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