Source : Montreal Gazette

Surveys say: Montrealers can't get enough local news on the tube. So newly minted CTV-Montreal news director Jed Kahane is expanding the station's 6 p.m. news package on weekends from 30 to 60 minutes.

Beginning in January next year, the Saturday and Sunday dinner newscasts will be hosted by Tarah Schwartz, who already anchors the weekend news, as well as Paul Karwatzky, also a reporter at the station.

Kahane says much of the focus for the additional half hour will be on the city. To that end, reporter Christine Long will be doing extended coverage on Saturdays on the city's arts and cultural front. And weather-reporter Lori Graham will be pitching in with a culinary column, commenting on restos and recipes.

Astute observers will note that this new format means the end of Ron Reusch's SportsNight 360, a ratings hit that has been running Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Also getting the axe is Entertainment Spotlight, which has been airing Sundays at 6:30 p.m.

Local sports fans probably will be up in arms over the cancellation of SportsNight 360, the best - if only - local anglo TV sports program on the tube.

SportsNight 360 doesn't just offer analysis into the sports world from a Montreal perspective, but it is also one of the only locally produced anglo TV shows able to transcend the cultural divide and bring together both anglo and francophone commentators in lively debate. Guests like Jacques Demers, Pierre Houde and François Gagnon schmooze and occasionally spar with the likes of Michael Farber, Mitch Melnick and Jack Todd.

Kahane understands that local sports fans will be unamused with the cancellation of the show, but pledges to offer an expanded sports package on the weekend, including a panel hosted by Brian Wilde that will include many of the same guests Reusch had on SportsNight 360.

"We're trying to ease the blow to legions of local sports fans by extending the sports package on the weekend," Kahane says.

As for host Reusch, a nightly fixture on the CTV-Montreal sports desk until he was nudged into retirement two years ago, Kahane says: "We'd love for Ron to be a regular guest on our new panel. There are few people in the city with more of a mind for sports than Ron."

Reusch indicated yesterday he would be open to appearing on this new panel, but is hopeful that SportsNight 360 can be saved. He is buoyed by the fact that sources say SportsNight 360 isn't "dead in the water just yet," that it could re-surface elsewhere on the CTV-Montreal programming schedule.

"Obviously, I'm interested in keeping the show alive," Reusch said.

"The show has been such a rewarding experience. Reaction on the street has been terrific. And if it does come to an end, I'll know that after four and a half years, we're going out on top."

Entertainment Spotlight, however, is apparently dead in the water. Mose Persico, the show's host and a CTV staffer, will be on hand Sunday evenings in the new format to offer his unique insights on the film scene.

© Montreal Gazette