Kingston’s CKWS would have celebrated their seventieth 12 months this fall.
On Aug. 17, tons of of group members went to the Royal Kingston Curling Membership to say thanks and goodbye to radio and TV station staff impacted by the latest Ontario Chronicle and Corus cuts.
“Thank you for being so loyal over the years,” mentioned CKWS veteran information anchor Invoice Hutchins to the gang after 95% of the station’s workers had been laid off, in addition to native radio announcers at 96.3 BIG FM and Recent 104.3.
“It was tough, it was a punch in the gut. It was 70 years of broadcast legacy wiped out in one day. And at a time when Kingston’s population is growing. You will always be in our hearts and our legacy will live on. We never lost sight of why we got into broadcasting –
to provide you news, sports and entertainment over the years. We appreciate you.”
Final month, World’s mother or father firm Corus Leisure introduced the alternative of the devoted Kingston newscast with a regional newscast with just a few reporters remaining on the bottom in Kingston. The native morning information solid was cancelled and the station constructing closed, leaving CKWS a shadow of its former self.
“The announcement of extra Ontario Chronicle layoffs in B.C. and japanese Canada is one more devastating and disheartening dying by a thousand cuts to the media business,” Unifor Nationwide President Lana Payne mentioned in a press release final week.
“We will support our affected journalists and media worker members during this uncertain and difficult time. We need governments to continue to direct critical funding to save local news and give democracy a chance to survive this crisis.”
Throughout the bittersweet celebration, honouring almost seven many years of high quality native journalism, Unifor Native 87-M President Carleen Finch referred to as the cuts “heartbreaking,” contributing to bigger swaths of stories deserts throughout Canada.
“We are here for you and our remaining members,” she mentioned. “It’s amazing to see all of you here and the community support that stands behind us.”
Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson, Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen and MPP Ted Hsu all affirmed the significance of native journalism.
“The importance of local news is never going away if you want a healthy community,” mentioned Hsu.
