Closure of Rogers community television studios in Edmundston: Edmundston mayor requests a meeting as soon as possible

Sep 3, 2024

Edmundston Mayor Eric Marquis was dismayed to learn that Rogers Community Television is ending its separate French-language broadcasts in northwestern New Brunswick and laid off its employee.

For Mayor Marquis, this is a major setback for francophone viewers in northwestern New Brunswick. “We're losing programming that was really aimed at our part of the country. Locally produced programs reflected our identity by showcasing our people, both in front of and behind the cameras. It was also an interesting springboard for volunteers, many of whom went on to develop careers in the professional media. It's one less tool for development in our French-speaking regions.”

Community televisions, with their deep roots in the community, encourage greater accessibility and participation by citizens, since they enable them to be seen, to be heard, and to make our identity shine through. This is a sad day for New Brunswick's Francophonie,” explains Mayor Marquis.

“Every time a francophone region loses a media outlet, it loses opportunities for representation. For the Edmundston City Council, the fact that Rogers Community Television broadcast our public meetings allowed us to reach and inform a larger population, who might not otherwise have access to our meetings, without having to physically travel to City Hall.”

Mayor Marquis is therefore requesting a meeting with Rogers' regional management and will forward his concerns to the CRTC to see what can be done to safeguard community television in northwestern New Brunswick.

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CONTACT: Eric Marquis, Mayor of Edmundston, 506.739.2115