Quebecor to pull the plug on community television channel MAtv Montréal

Quebecor headquarters is seen as the media company holds its annual meeting Thursday, May 11, 2023 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Québecor announced on Wednesday that it would be pulling the plug on its community TV station MAtv Montréal, resulting in "the abolition of the equivalent of five positions."

The company explained that it had made the decision in order to support the local news offering produced by TVA and ensure its sustainability.

In a press release, Québecor referred to a "context of strong media competition and major financial challenges for the entire television industry."

"It is clear that the media are evolving in a precarious competitive context, where financial resources must be consolidated to protect the sustainability of our activities," said the company's president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau.

Québecor states that with its decision to strengthen local information with TVA, it is meeting its obligations under the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's regulatory framework for local and community television.

MAtv Montréal is distributed exclusively to Videotron customers. The channel will be available to subscribers in the greater Montreal area until summer 2024, with content produced in recent months.

"I'd like to thank all our MAtv Montréal collaborators, who have made it possible to provide a wonderful showcase for the Montreal community, as well as a springboard for the many talents who today shine throughout Quebec," Péladeau said in a press release.

MAtv's other regional stations in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Granby, Outaouais, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Sorel-Tracy will continue to operate.

However, Québecor also announced on Wednesday that it has eliminated three positions in this network of regional stations. Last winter, the company also announced the elimination of 240 jobs, including 140 at Groupe TVA.

In May, in an interview with Radio-Canada, Péladeau did not rule out the possibility of further cuts.

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on Aug. 30, 2023.