What do Maple Leafs fans do now when they want daily coverage of the team? As part of layoffs and cutbacks across Bell Media, TSN 1050 in Toronto has dropped Leafs Lunch from its lineup.
Co-hosts Julia Tocheri and Mike DiStefano have not been let go. Tocheri will still work on the company’s digital platform Bardown and on TSN’s CHL coverage. DiStefano has a number of other roles at the network.
“It’s a tough day on everybody, even those that remain at the station,” Jim Tatti, who was guest hosting Game Play on the station Wednesday, said. “It’s not easy to navigate a day like this. It’s a tough day for families, right across the country.”
A similar move was made in Ottawa. TSN 1200 cancelled In the Box with Steve Lloyd halfway through the Wednesday show.
Bell Media seeks to eliminate 1300 jobs through layoffs and leaving positions unfilled. Achieving that goal has included shutting down six stations, including Edmonton’s TSN 1260.
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star reports that Leafs Lunch is the only casualty for TSN 1050. The rest of the lineup remains unchanged.
