Sixteen media workers lost their jobs when CHAT-TV in Medicine Hat, Alberta, closed suddenly Monday, ending nearly seven decades of local news coverage in the southern Alberta city.
Pattison Media shut down the station immediately, citing financial pressures and declining advertising revenue as insurmountable challenges for local television operations.
The closure creates what union officials call a “news desert” in Medicine Hat, a city of about 65,000 people that had relied on CHAT-TV for local news, weather and sports coverage since 1957.
Union calls closure part of broader crisis
“The shuttering of CHAT-TV is not just the end of a station — it’s the loss of a legacy in Canadian news,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “At a time when disinformation spreads faster than facts and our sovereignty is challenged by foreign media dominance, we must act now.”
The 16 laid-off workers belonged to Unifor Local 1010, which represents media employees across the region.
“This is about more than job loss—it’s about the disappearance of our local voice and the stories that bind our communities,” said Local 1010 President Andrew Parry. “For generations, CHAT-TV told the stories of Medicine Hat.”
Financial pressures cited
Pattison Media said the decision came after efforts to reduce costs and streamline operations failed to address ongoing financial challenges facing local television stations across Canada.
The company pointed to the continued erosion of traditional advertising revenue as television viewers increasingly turn to streaming services and online platforms for entertainment and news.
Calls for government action
Unifor says the closure highlights the need for stronger government support for Canadian journalism, including enforcement of provisions in the Online Streaming Act that would require foreign streaming services to contribute to local news production.
“The closure of CHAT-TV is heartbreaking, but it’s not an isolated case. This is happening in community after community,” Payne said. “If we continue to lose local news, we lose a cornerstone of democracy.”
The union represents more than 10,000 media workers across Canada and has been advocating for increased sustainable funding for local news operations.
Industry-wide challenges
The Medicine Hat closure reflects broader challenges facing Canadian media, particularly smaller market television stations that have struggled to maintain viability as audiences and advertising dollars shift to digital platforms.
Several other local television stations across Canada have closed or reduced operations in recent years as traditional broadcast revenue models face pressure from changing viewer habits and competition from international streaming services.
