Janet Stewart to Leave CBC News for CBC Radio Noon

Announced by Janet Stewart herself, she will be taking over CBC Radio Noon for the Majorie Dowhos who will be on maternity leave for a year. Stewart's job, which she has held since 2007, has been posted internally. Stewart has said she would still be doing anchoring from time to time but it is clear the radio job is something she has worked comfortably in over her career.

Stewart was CTV News local anchor prior to her long time position at CBC. She served in that job from 2001 to 2006. The latest ratings periods are unknown but John Sauder, the long time meteorologist at CBC, departed in retirement several weeks earlier. There have been a series of people on the anchor desk over some weeks but it is likely the position will attract interest from a variety of people both in Winnipeg and in other CBC positions in Canada. It is also possible that the job will attract outside CBC interest as well.

CTV has been the highest rated TV News locally but has been badly wounded by losing their noon, weekend and holiday newscasts.. Global and CityTV also have news divisions so there could be a shuffling of how each approaches the changes.

Anchor jobs at CBC don't come up often. CBC Radio where Stewart is heading has been number 1 for several years and has a strong news department. The time for CBC to reclaim first in local TV news will lie in a makeover for the news in people and format. It will be interesting to see what they intend on doing.