Rogers Sports & Media is set to close six radio stations across four Canadian cities, resulting in the loss of 230 jobs as part of its restructuring efforts. The affected stations are located in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, and Kitchener.
The company confirmed that 80 employees from the shuttered stations will be directly impacted, with the remaining 150 job cuts affecting various corporate positions, including sales, marketing, and a few roles in TV and radio. The decision to close the stations was described as difficult but necessary following a comprehensive review of the radio stations nationwide.
In Vancouver, the closure will mark the end of Sportsnet 650 and News 1130, while in Alberta, 660 NewsRadio Calgary and Sportsnet 960 will be affected. Listeners in Vancouver were greeted with pre-recorded messages on News 1130 and repeats on Sportsnet 650.
Furthermore, NewsRadio Halifax and NewsRadio Kitchener are also among the stations being shut down. News 1130 traffic reporter Alexander Carrigan expressed his shock upon learning about the closure while driving to work and hearing the announcement on air.
British Columbia Premier David Eby expressed sadness over the closures, highlighting the importance of local news outlets for the community. The decision was attributed to declining audience and revenue trends, with Rogers emphasizing the need to adapt to changing media consumption habits.
Notably, Rogers will continue airing Vancouver Canucks games on another owned station but will discontinue producing Calgary Flames broadcasts for radio. The company maintains operations at Sportsnet 590 in Toronto and operates 44 radio stations in nearly 30 Canadian communities.
The closures came shortly after Rogers Communications acquired full ownership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, in a deal worth $4.35 billion.