Local sports anchors impacted by Bell cuts

As part of a nationwide restructuring by parent company Bell Media, CTV Calgary is losing three sports reporter/anchor positions in Calgary.

Local athletes, other members of Calgary’s sports media and viewers took to social media to show support for Glenn Campbell, Lisa Bowes and Heath Brown, whose positions were affected at CTV Calgary, although what happens to them could ultimately depend on local union procedures.

Canadian hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser tweeted: “Very sorry to hear this news. @CTVGCampbell @CTVHeathBrown @CTVLisaBowes . . . great people who did a lot for #yycsports.”

In turn, each thanked Calgarians for their support.

“Just wanted to say thanks for all of you who have reached out to us,” Campbell, CTV Calgary’s sports director, wrote in a tweet.

“I’m born in YYC and loved covering sports in our great city.”

Bowes, a sports anchor and reporter, also tweeted out a response.

“Amazing ride @CTVCalgary. Thank you team.”

Bell Media announced in January that it planned to reduce staff at more than two dozen of its locations. The layoffs at CTV Calgary are a part of this downsizing.

Howard Law, media director for Unifor, the largest private-sector union in Canada, said, “These cuts give people less of a reason to turn to local news.”

Law said three CTV positions have been lost in Calgary, two in Edmonton, nine in Kitchener, Ont., and four in London, Ont., and Windsor, Ont., for a total of 18.

More cuts are to be expected at CTV stations across Canada.

Bell Media would not confirm the number of layoffs. Unifor said it would meet with CTV to discuss the layoffs and negotiate a deal for the workers who are affected.