CBC is not renewing the contracts of two of its foremost foreign correspondents, Don Murray in London and Beijing’s Patrick Brown. The network confirms that both newsmen will not be re-signed following the expiration of their current contracts later this year, though a Ceeb spokesman raised the possibility that they might continue to report on a freelance basis.

‘We are still very interested in a continuing relationship with both correspondents,’ said CBC’s Jeff Keay, via e-mail, adding that the move does not signal a reduction in overseas reporting. ‘Our bureaus in London, Beijing and Shanghai and elsewhere remain fully staffed.’

Former CBC news chief Tony Burman has spoken out against the cuts, casting the move as a ‘shameful’ effort at cost-cutting in The Globe and Mail.