Globe & Mail on recent CanWest cuts

Grant Robertson of The Globe & Mail has added more details regarding the recent developments concerning CanWest in his latest report. He spoke with a high-ranking executive of the company's newspaper subsidiary about its plans regarding its recent employee downsizing and layout operations.

Jamie Pitblado, vice-president of promotions and community investment at Pacific Newspaper Group Inc., said between 20 and 30 jobs at the [Vancouver] Sun and Province would be eliminated.

The cuts come amid a push by Pacific Newspaper Group's parent company, CanWest Global Communications Corp., to centralize some production work for its 10 city newspapers at offices in Hamilton.

[snip]

Mr. Pitblado said the layout operations for international and national news pages, as well as weekly driving and travel sections, are being moved to Hamilton. That office has already been providing sports and business agate pages for several years, as well as TV listings and weather.

"It's not a question of decision-making moving, it's just a question of a production function moving," Mr. Pitblado said.

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(Special thanks to John Cosway of The Toronto Sun Family Blog for bringing this story to our attention.)

UPDATE: Sun Media has lots more coverage here, here and here.