While Corus Entertainment’s uprooting of WTN to Toronto and laying off its entire Winnipeg staff has caused an uproar among many of its female casualties, the CRTC is less concerned with the location of the service than it is with WTN carrying out its mandate under the new structure.

The commission tends not to mandate the location of a broadcast service, unless, as in the case of Salter Street’s Independent Film Channel Canada, the licence is approved based in part on its location.

In the case of WTN, the service’s location was hardly brought up in the proceedings or the decision, with the exception of the commission encouraging ‘Corus to maintain and build on WTN’s orientation as a Western-based service.’

As it stands, Corus maintains offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

‘Serving the women of Canada as a whole is the concern, more than the Winnipeg issue,’ says CRTC spokesperson Denis Carmel. ‘If you have 500,000 employees and overnight you have five, how can you fulfill your mandate.’

To be helmed by newly appointed VP and general manager Wendy Herman, most recently VP of marketing for Star Choice, the Corus-integrated WTN is a shadow of its former self with the prospect of only 22 full-time positions dedicated exclusively to the service, compared to 72 before the takeover in mid-November. But support services, including communications, legal and finance, for the new model are shared among the Corus television group – the main justification for moving the service to Toronto where Corus’ specialty channels are housed.

In a letter responding to the CRTC’s concerns about Corus’ commitment to the growth of women’s programming and WTN’s orientation as a Western-based service, communicated two days after the media giant laid off more than 65 WTN staff, Corus president and CEO John Cassaday writes, ‘under our ownership there would be a realization of corporate synergies.’

Likewise, the CRTC acknowledged in its licence decision ‘that approval of this application will ensure stability for WTN by allowing it to become a member of a strong group of specialty services. The resulting synergies should enable WTN to operate with greater efficiency.’

Cassaday also points out, ‘In the last two years, YTV, alone, has invested more than $10 million in Western-based productions. Corus services have commissioned original programming from Credo, Original Films and Minds Eye [Pictures] for exhibition in 2002….Clearly, we have a very strong Western presence, which could only benefit WTN.’

Cassaday’s letter will go on record in front of the CRTC broadcast committee before the new year, which could result in ‘calling Corus to a hearing to justify its mandate,’ says Carmel.

Meantime, there are 42 Winnipeg residents who will be out of work on Jan. 11, when the service switches over.

‘It was a shock for everybody, including me,’ says WTN president Elaine Ali. ‘But there’s always change with new ownership, plans for integration, economies of scale…’

Ali’s biggest concern is that Corus maintain the service’s self-mandated objectives.

As it stands, roughly 85% of the service’s mandated 70% Cancon is from independent producers, ‘many of which are female owned, run and directed from across the country,’ says Ali.

The service has also developed a handful of programming initiatives and mentoring programs Ali hopes are maintained.

Most recently, the new owners announced details of the Corus Women’s Programming Fund, which will provide $15 million to independent producers developing programming of relevance to women.

‘My vision is to build on the success WTN has enjoyed to date and take it to the next level,’ says Herman.

While the service is still committed to its information and entertainment platform, Herman says she wants to increase viewership and broaden the demographic to appeal to younger women, particularly the 18-49 group. ‘I want to make it more inclusive.’

WTN reaches roughly 1.7 million female viewers a week in the 25-54 target demo, second only in the specialty world to TSN.

In addition to Herman, who has spent most of her career marketing to women as director of marketing for Tambrand (Tampax Tampons) and Sara Lee (hosiery), WTN’s new senior management team includes: Karen Gifford, director of programming; Susan Schaefer, VP of marketing for Corus Television; Suzanne Carpenter, VP of sales for Corus Television; Dolores Keating-Mallen, creative head of Corus Television; and Shelley Gillen, who will assist with program development from Corus’ Vancouver office.

-www.corusentertainment.com