Canada’s largest private television news operator says it is losing tens of millions of dollars a year, warning MPs that the future of local broadcasting is increasingly uncertain as audiences and advertising shift away from traditional platforms.Blacklock's Reporter says executives with Bell Media told a Commons committee that its news division is running annual losses of roughly $40 million, despite maintaining strong viewership in some markets.“The economics of local journalism remain under serious strain,” said Richard Gray, vice-president responsible for CTV News, in testimony before the heritage committee. “At Bell Media alone, news operations lose approximately $40 million a year.”Gray said the financial pressures are weighing heavily on the long-term sustainability of local newsrooms, describing the situation as a growing concern across the broadcast sector.“News continues to be a very labour-intensive business,” he said, while renewing calls for expanded federal subsidies, including payroll rebates of up to $29,750 per employee similar to those already available to certain print outlets under tax law.Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, a former broadcaster, pointed to visible cutbacks in local programming, particularly in Saskatchewan.“I don’t recognize CTV Saskatoon anymore,” Waugh said. “We don’t have weekend news out of Saskatoon. The noon news was cancelled.”.He warned that continued financial losses would likely lead to further reductions, suggesting the network may ultimately shift away from traditional local broadcasting.“I see you trying to get out of local news,” he said. “When you bleed $40 million, you’re going to make more changes.”Gray acknowledged morale concerns within the organization, saying uncertainty about future cuts is affecting staff.“There is fear that exists in our operations,” he said, adding the issue extends beyond one company to the broader conventional media industry.Asked whether the network might abandon cable distribution in favour of digital platforms, Gray said the transition is gradual and complex, with both audiences and advertising revenues shifting slowly.Bell Media employs about 700 people in its English-language local news operations and another 235 in Québec.The company has repeatedly warned that local television has been unprofitable for more than a decade. In earlier submissions to Parliament, executives said private local TV stations have not turned a profit since 2013.Regulators at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission have also flagged structural challenges, noting younger Canadians are increasingly turning to social media rather than traditional broadcasts for news.According to the regulator, Canadians aged 18 to 34 are now more likely to get local news online, while television and radio audiences skew older, raising questions about the long-term viability of legacy media models.
