Second Canadian broadcaster posts layoffs

TORONTO, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- The CTV television network is the second Canadian media group in a week to announce job layoffs, a hiring freeze and expense cuts.

In a memo to employees Tuesday, CTV Chief Executive Officer Ivan Fecan said he would give details Wednesday at a "town hall" meeting at a Toronto newsroom.

Fecan said the measures aren't all doom and gloom, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"Each situation will be judged by its own circumstances … where there is strong revenue or competitive reasons, we may choose to add, not cut, resources," his statement said.

The memo refers only to the private broadcaster's operations at CTV Inc., which includes the CTV television network of 27 television stations, along with some specialty cable channels such as The Sports Network and the Business News Network, the Financial Post said. It also maintains news bureaus in Washington, London and Beijing. CTV's owner is CTVglobemedia, which also owns the Globe and Mail newspaper.

A week ago, media giant Canwest Global announced it was cutting 5 percent of its workforce in television and news reporting, including 210 broadcast and 350 publishing jobs.