Bell Media Abruptly Drops Sports Format From TSN Radio Stations In Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton

Major Cutbacks

BELL MEDIA has abruptly dropped the Sports format from three of its TSN RADIO stations, CKST-A (TSN 1040)/VANCOUVER, CFRW-A (TSN 1290)/WINNIPEG, and CKOC-A (TSN 1150)/HAMILTON. CKOC has picked up the Business News format of BNN BLOOMBERG RADIO, the Canadian version of BLOOMBERG currently also airing on BELL's CFUN-A/VANCOUVER.

The company, which made substantial cuts at CTV and some of its News-Talk radio stations last week, said that an announcement will be made on FRIDAY at 7a local time, and ALL ACCESS hears that BELL MEDIA President WADE OOSTERMAN has told remaining staff in an email that the stations will flip to the "FUNNY" Comedy format used at CHAM-A (FUNNY 850)/HAMILTON and CKMX-A (FUNNY 1060)/CALGARY at that time. The entire staffs of the affected TSN stations appear to be out in the move. TSN stations in four other markets -- TORONTO, MONTREAL, OTTAWA, and EDMONTON -- appear to be continuing for now, as is the national TSN RADIO feed on iHEARTRADIO CANADA.

A message aired on the stations and posted to the websites of the VANCOUVER and WINNIPEG stations said, "It was a difficult decision, but the realities of the quickly evolving broadcast media landscape in CANADA have made this change unavoidable."

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