CALGARY - CBC brass has decided against eliminating local evening newscasts. That's the good news.

Supper-hour news will, however, be cut back to 30 minutes this fall and some Calgary jobs will be lost as late-night local news will be scrapped altogether.

"The new format will see the national and international news broken out and that will be presented by a national newscaster," said Pat O'Brien, acting regional director of Alberta television.

"Where it will come from -- be it Toronto or one of the regional stations -- still hasn't been decided."

Late-night news shows in Calgary and other centres are being scrapped altogether as the national broadcaster overhauls its English operations.

"The CBC is on life support, it has to earn its keep," CBC president Robert Rabinovitch said yesterday. "There will be significant layoffs."

One scenario leaked to the media this month proposed ending all local news broadcasts and cutting 700 staff -- including 137 full-time employees in Alberta.

"It's some relief but we're sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop," said CBC Calgary senior producer Laurie Long.

"We're disappointed the program that we work on now will not be around come October but we're grateful we'll at least have the opportunity to still do local news in that 6-7 p.m. timeslot."

O'Brien noted the Alberta news departments are already trim after drastic cuts in 1990.

The Canadian Media Guild yesterday speculated 300 jobs could be lost with the new plan.

-- with files from CP