SYDNEY RIVER — Viewers of "Mass for Shut-ins" on Sunday mornings won't see anything different in their weekly broadcasts on CTV with the closure of the Sydney office and studios.
Bell Media has laid off an administrative assistant and salesperson due to the office closure.
The transmitter will remain operational and reporters will continue working from home as they have since March 22, when COVID-19 pandemic safety measures were put in place, resulting in the closing of all non-essential businesses.
WEEKLY WORSHIP
With the closure of the CTV office in March, Mass for Shut-ins didn't have a studio to film in.
Rev. Patrick O'Neill, who presides over Our Lady of Fatima Church in Sydney River, has been producing the show for the past four years. He decided to move filming to his church and it has been a success so far.
"Filming in an actual church is far better than in a studio made to look like a church. The environment, overall, is better. I would say the picture quality is much better and the sound is much better, too," said O'Neill.
"We're getting a lot of positive feedback from viewers. People are writing in saying they like the show much more ... Even if the building reopened I don't think we'd go back."
SIX DECADES
O'Neill isn't surprised by the news the CTV Sydney office and studios won't reopen.
"We already knew down the road there was a good chance they might not reopen the building," he said.
"It's a big building and only a few people were working there and with COVID-19 and everyone having to work from home, I thought if they could go that route (keep people working from home) then they would close the office."
"Mass for Shut-ins" has been broadcast on CTV for 58 years, making it the longest-running show on the network.
Airtime is purchased by the Diocese of Antigonish and the show is pre-recorded eight days before broadcasts with rotating priests and musicians.
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