More big names from CTV National news axed in latest round of Bell Media layoffs

Canadian viewers will find familiar faces missing from CTV National News after more big-name reporters were axed in the latest Bell Media layoffs.

BCE Inc. President and CEO Mirko Bibic announced in an open letter on Thursday that 4,800 jobs (9 per cent of Bell's total workforce) would be cut and that the company would sell 45 of its radio stations.

"Restructuring decisions are incredibly tough for all of us because it affects the people we work with and care about. We know these decisions are hardest on those leaving Bell," he wrote.

Sources within the CTV newsroom have confirmed that several key CTV National News reporters were affected by the Bell Media layoffs.

CTV National's Alberta bureau chief Bill Fortier, Montreal reporter Vanessa Lee, and Winnipeg bureau chief Jill Macyshon have all been axed, per the sources.

From left to right: Former CTV National News reporters Jill Macyshon, Vanessa Lee, Bill Fortier (CTV News)

Bell Media has been contacted for confirmation and comment.

The three reporters have not indicated this change on their X accounts.

This comes less than a year after Bell Media's last round of layoffs in June 2023, slashing 1,300 jobs.

That round of layoffs saw many well-known CTV National reporters and producers cut, including Glen McGregor, Daniele Hamamdjian, Tom Walters, and Rosa Hwang, to name a few.

Canadians have been expressing their frustrations on social media towards this latest round of Bell Media layoffs.

CTV noon and weekend news shows in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver were also shut down as part of the shake-up.

Bibic explained that the company's operating environment has become more complicated and faces regulatory challenges in a tough economy.

Of the 45 radio stations, 21 are in BC, 12 are in Ontario, seven are in Quebec, and five are in Atlantic Canada. A complete list of them can be found here.