More than twenty people in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario were laid off from their jobs at Global News this week, as the parent company blamed the "current economic and regulatory reality" for media organizations.

CBC News confirmed that 25 jobs were eliminated in Western Canada, with thirteen in Calgary, eight in Edmonton, one in Vancouver, and three in Lethbridge.

CBC News also confirmed that journalists were laid off from Global's office in Ottawa.

Randy Keit, head of media at Unifor, said in a personal interview, "It is devastating to see them leave. They are professional journalists, many of whom have worked there for a long time, and this industry cannot afford to lose more journalists right now."

He added, "These are real people with families, and their jobs are desperately needed in this country. There needs to be support for the journalism that supports these people, and that support is not there. That is the tragedy of this situation."

Anna Arnone, a spokesperson for Global News, said the move comes as part of an ongoing assessment of its operations and a review of efficiency across Corus.

She declined to provide details regarding the roles targeted for cuts.

Arnone stated in an emailed statement, "These changes are related to the current economic and regulatory reality that we find ourselves in, along with other media organizations."

"We are continuously working to improve the way we gather, produce, and deliver award-winning content."

An internal memo distributed to Global News employees stated that the changes are "designed to prepare our news department for further economic pressures as the industry continues to evolve, with major international tech giants offering content and advertising platforms directly to Canadians, monopolizing Canadian advertising."

"We will continue to innovate and remain optimistic in our approach to gathering and distributing important and engaging news to the largest number of Canadians we can reach."

Rogers snatches discovery rights from Warner Bros

Last week, Corus announced that Warner Bros. Discovery had informed it that some of its programming arrangements would not be renewed when they expire at the end of the year.

Rogers stated on Monday that it has signed multi-year deals with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. for their popular lifestyle and entertainment brands in Canada, including HGTV and Food Network, among others.

That will take effect in January 2025.

Keit stated, "We know that global companies have been struggling."

In April, Doug Murphy, CEO of Corus, said the company is continuing to cut costs after laying off staff and implementing a programming reduction plan that began last year.

He noted that the company reduced expenses by 13 percent, or $38 million, in the last quarter ending February 29, and cut costs by 15 percent, or $88 million, year-to-date.

Corus reported a loss attributable to shareholders of $9.8 million in the second quarter, with Murphy indicating that there could still be lingering effects from last year's Hollywood strikes that led to a drop in advertising.

He also pointed to "ongoing distortions in the advertising market, whether due to the economy or increased competition."

Last month, the Canadian broadcasting regulator approved Corus’s request to ease some Canadian content spending requirements after the company warned of its increasingly dire financial situation.

The regulator had requested that the CRTC make the changes "quickly" last October, stating it would provide the "much-needed flexibility" amid uncertainty in programming and advertising, in addition to "severely constrained" financial resources.

Corus stock closed down five cents, or 17.5 percent, at 23.5 cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Other broadcast stations have also cut jobs this year amid financial concerns.

Bell Canada noted no progress in its request for regulatory relief when it announced in February that it would cut an additional 4,800 jobs, sell 45 radio stations, end multiple television news broadcasts, and cut other programs.