Last day for many at Radio Canada International, and Russian service

RCI's Russian Service Says Goodbye

It was the last day for many Radio Canada International employees today, June 22. The daily English program “The Link” and the daily French program “Tam Tam” broadcast their last editions today. And the teams for some of the pre-recorded weekend programs also signed off and said goodbye to listeners as RCI stops being a radio station.

A moving, and yet surprisingly jovial atmosphere, as the Russian team signed off both from radio and from being one of the services at RCI. It and the program for Brazil were among the services abolished as part of the 80% budget cut announced April 4, 2012. As well journalists gathered in the newsroom, as many signed off, turned off their computers, with only a few left for the weekend’s last newscasts.

As of June 25th, none of RCI’s programming will remain. Our presence will be limited to the website, and will reflect the few resources we have left.

We’ll have more photos tomorrow here and on our Facebook page, but in the meantime, a photo of our Russian team as they recorded their last edition of the show today.

UPDATE – June 23, 2012 – Some more photos of the last shows below. And soon, more photos of the last days.

Hector Vilar, Gilda Salomone, Cristane Hirata - last day for Brazil programme

Terry Haig (later he signed off Maple Leaf Mailbag) and Marc Montgomery doing the last edition of RCI's "The Link"

Raymond Desmarteau and national reporter Frank Rackow in last edition of RCI's "Tam Tam" French Service

RCI's Arabic Service saying goodbye to radio listeners

RCI's Spanish Service

One of the last radio programs from RCI's Chinese Service

Wojtek Gwiazda signing off on last edition of RCI's MASALA CANADA