Twenty-two staffers at Star! Daily, the flagship show at entertainment cable channel Star!, have been pink-slipped, and the show shut down by their new bosses at CTVglobemedia as the broadcaster integrates operations.

The move was a ‘programming decision,’ says Jordan Schwartz, newly minted SVP and GM of the entertainment group at CTVglobemedia.

In June, the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM’s specialty assets by CTVgm. The new owner found itself with two daily celebrity-based half-hour newsmagazine shows on its hands, eTalk and Star! Daily. Clearly, one had to go.

Schwartz notes that unlike Star! Daily, eTalk is considered priority programming by Canadian regulators, so the content scores points as two-thirds Canadian. It’s also a ratings winner hands-down, with an average of 409,000 viewers, compared to Star! Daily, which pulls down just 7,000 viewers per day on average.

CTVgm has been working since September to integrate the two brands. During the Toronto International Film Festival, the broadcaster replaced the traditional CHUM Schmooze party with eTalk Schmooze. On-air personalities at Star! Daily such as Danielle McGimsie have also been appearing on eTalk, and Schwartz said producers would continue to migrate the talent.

eTalk replaced Star! Daily on Star! on Monday. The half-hour program airs at 7 p.m. on CTV, then at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Star! and again on CTV late at night and at 10 a.m. the next day.