The outlook for Red Deer television station CHCA remains fuzzy, but it appears owner CanWest Global Communications Corp. will soon be out of the picture.
Barbara Williams, CanWest’s executive vice-president, content, told reporters in Toronto last week that her company will not be running the stations in its E! network come fall. That network includes CHCA, as well as stations in Victoria, Kelowna, Hamilton and Montreal.
Williams made the comment after CanWest unveiled the fall programming schedule for its Global network and specialty stations. No information was provided about E! station programming.
CanWest president and CEO Leonard Asper said in February that CanWest was exploring the possible sale or closure of its E! stations.
Williams would not comment last week on whether CanWest was close to finding a buyer for the stations.
Contacted by the Advocate on Wednesday, CHCA station manager Bob Bourns said he wasn’t able to comment on his station’s future.
CanWest announced last November that it was cutting 560 broadcasting jobs, including 260 at its E! stations. Red Deer was affected by the cuts, but the extent was not disclosed.