Louis Audet, has announced he’s planning to step down as CEO of Cogeco, but will stay on as chairman. Audet has helmed the Montreal-based cable company since 1993 after taking over from his late father Henri Audet. Philippe Jetté, president of Cogeco’s Pier 1 business services division, will assume the CEO’s role on Sept. 1.
Lindsey Wiebe is joining the New York Times as its first Canada audience growth editor. For the past five years, Wiebe has been working in online engagement and audience development with Rogers Media. She will continue to be based in Toronto, working as a bridge between NYT Canadian correspondents and NYT Global. Canada is the Times’ biggest reader/subscriber market outside the U.S. and viewed as a prime target for growth.
Alex Panetta has announced he’s leaving The Canadian Press after 18 years. Panetta started with CP as its Quebec City correspondent in 2001, with moves to Parliament Hill, Montreal and most recently Washington, D.C.
Ryan Everest is now program director at CKBW and Country 100.7 Bridgewater, NS. Everest has been with Acadia Broadcasting in various roles since 2013.
Morgan Sheppard has landed at TA2 Sound + Music as the Toronto studio’s media manager and cultural liaison. Sheppard was formerly promotions director at Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto, prior to layoffs last fall. Her new role will include hosting TA2’s Sisters of Sound podcast highlighting women working in sound.
Christine Puma is the new local sales manager for the Corus Radio stations in Barrie and Collingwood: 93.1 Fresh Radio (CHAY-FM), BIG FM (CIQB-FM) and The Peak (CKCB-FM).
Alex Hindmarch has joined Newcap’s Rewind 103.9 (CHNO-FM) Sudbury. Hindmarch had been holding down afternoon drive at JACK 96.9 (CJAQ-FM) Calgary for the last three years.
Nanci MacLean, VP of Bell Media Studios, has also been named president of Toronto’s Pinewood Studios, as Bell Media completes its acquisition of a majority stake in the studio. Geoff Grant has been appointed general manager. His most recent role was director of TV Operations for Bell Media, responsible for Bell Media Studios North in Scarborough. Bell Media president Randy Lennox; Nikki Moffat, president, Radio and Local TV, and senior VP of Finance; and Arjan Stroomberg, director of Corporate Strategy and M&A, will join Pinewood’s board of directors.
Toby Dormer, one of the founding partners at UK-based Remedy Productions, is joining eOne as senior VP of unscripted development and production. Current SVP Vibika Bianchi is departing in July. Marnie Sugarman, who has previously worked on CTV’s W5, Cash Cab and The Great Canadian Baking Show joins as senior director of unscripted development and production for TV. Allison Brough also joins eOne as director of unscripted TV development. Brough was previously director of development at Toronto’s Lone Eagle Entertainment.
Samantha Falk has anchored her last newscast at Global BC. Falk, who first joined Global News Vancouver in 2002, is headed to a PR gig with Hootsuite. Falk was formerly host of national Global News health series Body & Health and also spent time as a reporter with CTV News in Toronto and Vancouver.
Robin Neinstein is leaving Corus Entertainment for Netflix. Neinstein, who has been manager of Original Content – Scripted, Factual and Kids since 2016 and with Corus since 2012, will join the Netflix production team next month.
Marianne Culbert has joined Toronto’s Portfolio Entertainment as its new VP of production. Culbert will oversee production of Portfolio’s animated shows and manage its animation studio, reporting to CEO Lisa Olfman. Culbert was previously EVP, production at Arc Productions and VP, production at Mercury Filmworks.
