City has introduced a new morning strategy for Winnipeg, taking Breakfast Television off the air in the market, and replacing it with a broadcast version of popular radio show Wheeler in the Morning, which also runs on the Rogers Media-owned 92 CITI-FM as Wheeler in the Morning with Rena and Philly.

The switch means the loss of 14 positions, including the jobs of Breakfast Television Winnipeg hosts Courtney Ketchen and Jeremy John.

Jordan Schwartz, VP, in-house productions, Rogers Media, says 11 other Breakfast Television staffers will be moving over to the new show.

Wheeler in the Morning with Rena and Philly will be broadcasting its radio show as usual, only with cameras tracking the shows hosts in action. The TV version of the show, Wheeler in the Morning, will feature interviews and other in-house segments from City television personalities Drew Kozub and Jenna Khan during periods when radio listeners are hearing music.

Wheeler in the Morning will run from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. CT on City and Wheeler in the Morning with Rena and Philly will be live 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. CT on Rogers Radio station 92 CITI-FM. The new show hits TV sets next Monday, Jan. 12.

Schwartz says the new show aims to focus the company’s efforts on its most popular program in the market. While he said he couldn’t report on recent ratings because Winnipeg is a Numeris diary market, Schwartz allowed that Breakfast Television was not achieving the ratings the network hoped it would.

Competitors in the market include Global Television’s Morning News Winnipeg and CTV’s CTV Morning Live, both launched in the past two years. CBC will also begin simulcasting its morning radio show on TV in Winnipeg next fall.

Image (left to right): Wheeler in the Morning hosts Rena Jae, Dave Wheeler and Phil Aubrey