A strike by 1,800 technical workers at the cbc is disrupting normal programming on both the main network and on Newsworld.

The staff affiliated with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada went on strike at midnight Wednesday, Feb. 17. That morning, the main network ran a test pattern until at least 8 a.m. instead of its usual news and information programming. A documentary on ballerina Karen Kain ran on Newsworld until 8 a.m. instead of the news service’s usual fare.

cbc spokesperson Ruth Ellen Soles says that during the strike, national television newscasts will be broadcast daily at noon, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The cbc tv schedule will maintain some original episodes of new series and selected live sports programming. All regional cbc tv broadcasts including news will be replaced with national programming.

Newsworld will have hourly newscasts during the walkout, says Soles. The program schedule will be made up of taped episodes of regular Newsworld programming.

Adam Litzinger, cbc director of national/sports sales, says that his department has assured advertisers that their spots will run on the shows they have purchased as scheduled. He says that no sales have been withdrawn so far. ‘We’re telling our advertisers that it’s business as usual,’ says Litzinger.