It’s been embarrassing to many members of the CHEK news department that the employee-owned operation has not aired any local newscasts on stat holidays for many years; in fact, since the employee-owners took over the station.
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But today, Labour Day 2016, saw a change in this policy, with regular anchor Stacy Ross heading up a bare-bones staff producing a 30 minute newscast. It aired live at 5 pm, and was repeated at 6. No weather person, no sports anchor, and only one parttime reporter appeared to be involved, but there was a decent smattering of local news and footage, backed up by the usual regional and national coverage supplied (suprisingly without any credit) by the CBC.
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No word on the machinations and policy decisions involved behind the scenes in removing the black eye that many of us regarded the lack of a CHEK newscast every time a holiday Monday came around. (Is there another station anywhere which shuts down the newsroom on stat holidays to avoid paying overtime?)
The decision on this change was made early enough that the correct programming was listed in such program guides as TV Week, which is of necessity printed several weeks ahead of time.
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Was it not on PSR that they asked their staff to go part time to help out CHEK?
In Edmonton, CTV treated us to a Calgary newscast completely devoid of relevant “news” to anyone. Even the weather showed southern Alberta. What a waste.
Good on for CHEK TV!