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Kingston’s CKWS would have celebrated their 70th year this fall.
On Aug. 17, hundreds of community members went to the Royal Kingston Curling Club to say thanks and goodbye to radio and TV station workers impacted by the recent Global News and Corus cuts.
“Thank you for being so loyal over the years,” said CKWS veteran news anchor Bill Hutchins to the crowd after 95% of the station’s staff were laid off, as well as local radio announcers at 96.3 BIG FM and Fresh 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.”
Last month, Global’s parent company Corus Entertainment announced the replacement of the dedicated Kingston newscast with a regional newscast with only a few reporters remaining on the ground in Kingston. The local morning news cast was cancelled and the station building closed, leaving CKWS a shadow of its former self.
"The announcement of more Global News layoffs in B.C. and eastern Canada is yet another devastating and disheartening death by a thousand cuts to the media industry,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement last 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.”
During the bittersweet celebration, honouring nearly seven decades of quality local journalism, Unifor Local 87-M President Carleen Finch called the cuts “heartbreaking,” contributing to larger swaths of news deserts across Canada.
“We are here for you and our remaining members,” she said. “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 importance of local journalism.
“The importance of local news is never going away if you want a healthy community,” said Hsu.
