Radio-Canada Acadie to cut television newscasts and expand web coverage

Radio-Canada Acadie will shorten its weekday evening television newscast from one hour to 30 minutes starting in September, as part of a broader programming shift aimed at reaching audiences across TV, radio and digital platforms. Station director Nathalie Allaire says the change will free up time for journalists to spend more hours reporting in the field and help the newsroom produce more in-depth journalism through a new multiplatform program called Sens large.

The new show, hosted by Karine Godin, will air for 30 minutes at noon on radio and online, then at 1 p.m. on television. The format is intended to offer a more relaxed tone, with a wider range of guests, longer analysis and storytelling that goes beyond the pace of a traditional newscast. Allaire says the goal is to adapt to changing media habits, noting that breaking news is now available throughout the day on many platforms, and public broadcaster Radio-Canada must offer something distinctive.

On weekdays, Godin’s 6 p.m. newscast will end after 30 minutes, followed by a separate 30-minute program featuring Mathieu Nadon from the Ottawa-Gatineau station, focused on issues affecting francophones across Canada. Allaire says the evening newscast in Atlantic Canada has already been reduced to 30 minutes during the summer and on weekends, and that arrangement will remain in place.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Former federal MP Yvon Godin sharply criticized the move, arguing that Radio-Canada is reducing coverage for a public that still relies on television, especially older viewers who may not use the internet. He said many people in Acadie still sit down after dinner to watch regional news and questioned whether the broadcaster was giving enough attention to Atlantic Canada. He also urged federal MPs to summon Radio-Canada CEO Marie-Philippe Bouchard before the House of Commons official languages committee.

Others see the change as necessary. Economic development consultant Normand Thériault said media organizations need to shift with digital consumption patterns and that internet platforms now allow people to get news throughout the day. He said he already gets most of his information online and believes the extra time in the schedule could help viewers seek out other regional coverage or watch the next program devoted to francophone communities in Canada.

Academic observers also view the change as part of a broader trend. Gabrielle Mota, an information-communication professor at the Université de Moncton, said the reduction is consistent with what other regional Radio-Canada stations have done in recent years to reach wider audiences, including younger viewers. But she questioned whether Sens large will truly connect with that demographic, saying a successful youth-oriented podcast or multiplatform program would need strong storytelling, relatable characters, and topics and language that resonate more directly with younger audiences.

Radio-Canada Acadie says the move is meant to modernize its approach without cutting newsroom staff, and to maintain the new program for the long term.