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Heather Conway on the finances & future of the CBC

Yesterday was a tough day for people at the CBC and as its President Hubert Lacroix said "things aren't going to get easier any time soon." We speak with Heather Conway, the VP of English Radio and TV on the future of the CBC and public broadcasting in Canada....
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Yesterday was a tough day for people at the CBC and as its President Hubert Lacroix said "things aren't going to get easier any time soon." We speak with Heather Conway, the VP of English Radio and TV on the future of the CBC and public broadcasting in Canada.


CBC and Radio-Canada will no longer compete with private broadcasters for professional sports. On the television schedule, you'll see one less drama in prime time, you'll see one less comedy. And that will be part of how we get to funding a $130 million shortfall.CBC President Hubert Lacroix

The mood here at CBC -- in every location across our country-- has been pretty sombre over the last 24 hours. Yesterday CBC management announced $130 million worth of cuts -- about 8 per cent of the CBC's budget.

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CBC President Hubert Lacroix
(CP/Pawel Dwulit)

657 full-time jobs will also be cut over the next two years--that amounts to about 8 per cent of the people who work here.

Management cited funding shortfalls, lower-than-expected advertising revenue and the fallout from losing our rights the National Hockey League. In addition, the CBC will no longer compete for the rights to broadcast professional sports and plans for local expansion will be halted.

Heather Conway was one of the people delivering the news yesterday. She is Executive Vice President of English Services at CBC. She is in charge of CBC Radio One and 2, CBC TV, CBC News, CBC News Network, CBC.ca and the network's documentary and digital operations. Heather Conway was in our Toronto studio.


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