TORONTO — Postmedia announced today it would be laying off several employees, including the reporter they assigned to cover the layoffs.
Wesley Brais, who was known for such headlines as “Shake-up at CBC” and “Sun Media cuts to the bone”, was informed by his employer that his services were no longer needed. He had just finished his most recent article “89 employees victims of Postmedia cuts” when he received an email from his HR to meet with his manager immediately.
The 41-year-old Ryerson graduate had been documenting how newspaper industries are struggling to deal with advertising revenue, sole-sourcing information, printing costs and corporate interference while trying to compete with free information. However, Postmedia had no interest in his stories or message.
“They told me that I was the 90th person,” Brais explained while holding his cardboard box filled with office material. “I told him that I was doing my best, putting in longer hours, writing advertorials that people would mistake for actual news, but my editor wouldn’t have it.”
While Brais is disappointed, he is certain that he could continue reporting on this trend for years to come.
According to sources, a new round of cuts will be announced, which will completely lay-off of all editorial staff leaving only the building custodians to write.
