I’m standing outside the TVA headquarters in Montreal as employees stream out clutching their belongings. The faces tell stories before words can – confusion, anger, grief. Today marks one of the largest mass layoffs in Quebec’s media landscape, with 547 jobs cut at Québecor’s media wing, including 140 at TVA network.
“They’re gutting our newsroom,” says Martine Desjardins, a veteran producer I’ve known for years. “How are we supposed to cover our communities with half the staff? This isn’t just about jobs – it’s about who will tell Quebec’s stories.”
The crisis unfolding in Quebec’s private television sector represents more than financial spreadsheets and corporate restructuring. As TVA, Bell Media, and other broadcasters slash jobs and programming, cultural leaders and media experts warn that Quebec’s distinct cultural voice could be significantly diminished.
The numbers paint a sobering picture. Beyond TVA’s cuts, Bell Media eliminated 4,800 positions across Canada earlier this year, with substantial impacts on its French-language operations. Cumulatively, Quebec’s broadcasting ecosystem has lost over 1,000 media jobs in 2023-2024 alone, according to data from the Fédération nationale des communications.
“What we’re witnessing is the systematic dismantling of Quebec’s storytelling infrastructure,” explains Catherine Tait, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, during a recent conference on media sustainability. “When private broadcasters retreat from local content creation, the ripple effects touch everything from our cultural identity to our democratic discourse.”
For generations, Quebec television has served as the guardian of French-language culture in North America, creating shared reference points and reinforcing linguistic distinctiveness. Shows like “Tout le monde en parle,” “District 31,” and historical dramas like “Les filles de Caleb” have functioned as cultural touchstones, reaching viewers across class and regional divides.
When I visit the set of “Indéfendable,” one of TVA’s popular dramas, the mood is tense. Crew members wonder if their show will survive the next round of cuts. Nadine Bismuth, an award-winning writer for the series, expresses what many are thinking: “American streaming giants don’t care about telling Quebec stories. If our networks collapse, who will reflect our reality, our language, our jokes, our perspectives?”
The crisis stems from multiple factors. Advertising revenue for traditional broadcasters has plummeted as digital platforms capture increasing market share. According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), private conventional television stations saw advertising revenues decline by 44% between 2011 and 2021, while production costs continued to rise.
The Quebec market faces unique challenges. With approximately 8.5 million French speakers, the potential audience is limited, making it difficult to amortize high production costs. Meanwhile, international streaming platforms offer vast libraries of content at subscription prices that undercut traditional channels.
“We’re caught in a perfect storm,” says Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Québecor, TVA’s parent company. “Foreign digital giants operate here without the same regulatory obligations while siphoning away advertising dollars and viewers.”
In Saint-Félicien, a small city in Quebec’s Saguenay region, I meet with Jean-François Bouchard, who ran a local TVA news bureau until it closed last year. Over coffee at a busy diner where everyone seems to know each other, he explains the local impact.
“When we shut down, stories stopped being told. The municipal council meetings, community initiatives, local sports – they disappeared from the collective conversation,” Bouchard says. “People here feel abandoned, like their lives aren’t important enough to document anymore.”
Cultural policy experts suggest the implications extend beyond journalism. Quebec’s star system – the ecosystem of French-language celebrities, directors, and creatives – depends heavily on television exposure. As production budgets shrink, fewer Quebec artists find platforms to reach audiences.
“Television has historically been our most democratic cultural medium,” explains Véronique Guèvremont, UNESCO Chair on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions at Laval University. “When it weakens, our ability to recognize ourselves in our entertainment weakens too. We risk becoming cultural consumers rather than cultural producers.”
The crisis has prompted calls for regulatory intervention. The Online Streaming Act (formerly Bill C-11), which received Royal Assent in April 2023, aims to bring streaming services under Canadian content regulations. However, implementation remains uncertain, and many industry insiders doubt it will address the immediate financial pressures.
Quebec’s provincial government recently announced a $250 million five-year plan to support media organizations, including private broadcasters. Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe described the measure as “essential for preserving Quebec’s cultural sovereignty.”
Critics argue these measures may be insufficient. “We need structural solutions, not band-aids,” says Michel Bissonnette, Executive Vice-President of Radio-Canada. “The business model for private television is fundamentally broken. Without significant reform, we’ll continue seeing cuts.”
For viewers, the consequences are already visible. Original Quebec productions are being replaced by dubbed international content and reality formats requiring minimal investment. Prime-time slots once dedicated to Quebec dramas now feature adaptations of American concepts with lower production values.
As evening falls, I join a group of TVA employees gathering at a nearby pub. Among them is Sophie Thibault, the network’s respected news anchor. Despite her own uncertain future, she focuses on what’s at stake beyond individual careers.
“Television shaped Quebec’s Quiet Revolution and our cultural renaissance,” she says, referring to the province’s social transformation in the 1960s. “If we lose our ability to see ourselves on screen, to debate our issues, to laugh at our own jokes – we lose something essential about being Québécois.”
As media consolidation continues and financial pressures mount, the question remains whether Quebec can maintain its distinct cultural voice in an increasingly homogenized media landscape. What’s clear is that the crisis in private television broadcasting represents more than an industry in transition – it reflects a society at a crossroads, grappling with how to preserve its cultural expression in the digital age.
