REVOLVING DOOR:
Blair Bartrem has announced his departure from the Pooja & Gurdeep Show and Rogers Sports & Media’s 98.1 CHFI at the end of the year. As Executive Producer, Bartrem has been helping guide the show since just prior to its launch in January 2022. Prior to Rogers, Bartrem was Program Director at Virgin Radio (CJFM-FM) Montreal, following a more than 12-year run as PD of Toronto’s Q107 (CILQ-FM).
Emily Jurisevic is joining Stingray Radio Toronto as General Sales Manager. Jurisevic brings 16 years of experience in the media industry to Stingray, the last 12 at Corus Entertainment in the GTA, most recently as an Integrated Account Manager, working on client and agency partnerships across TV, radio, social, digital, Connected TV and podcasts. She’ll manage Stingray Toronto’s local sales operations across its portfolio of broadcast, digital and retail platforms, starting Nov. 18.
Vic Dubois is retiring after 55 years in radio, the last 23 years as General Manager of Saskatoon Media Group, encompassing CJWW-AM, CKBL-FM, and CJMK-FM. Dubois began his radio career at CFBV Smithers in 1969, where he ascended to Program Director and morning show host by the time he left for CHWK Chilliwack in 1972. In 1975, he moved to Red Deer as PD and morning show host at CKGY, followed by subsequent stops at Calgary’s CHQR and then CJWW Saskatoon. In 1990, Dubois was named GM and a few years later VP of parent company, Forvest Broadcasting, adding its Regina AM and FM stations to his responsibilities, followed by FM stations in Edmonton and Winnipeg, and the acquisition of Saskatoon’s CFQC-AM, flipping it to FM. Dubois became President of the company in 1997. The Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) and the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Famer will continue as part-time host of the “Sunday Sockhop” on CJMK-FM, “Vic’s Country Classics” on CJWW, and “Coffeetalk.”
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Bob Willette has joined Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto as weekend midday/afternoon host, heard from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET. Willette was most recently the Program Director at Corus Kingston, up until February when Corus realigned its FM radio leadership team. Willette, who had been in the position since 2019, was named Program Director of the Year (Medium Market) in the 2022 Canadian Radio Awards and was a runner-up in 2023.
Mark Carcasole has joined CBC News Network as a Breaking News Host. Carcasole left Global News in October after 12 years as a reporter and anchor, and the network weekend anchor since 2018, seen in markets including Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Peterborough, Kingston, and Winnipeg.
Amber Kanwar is stepping away from the BNN Bloomberg anchor desk with her last broadcast set for Nov. 8. Kanwar has been with the network for nearly 15 years, starting as an intern and working her way up to segment producer and later anchor and reporter in 2012. Kanwar says she’ll continue to write her daily Substack trading newsletter, Beyond the Bell.
Eddie Huband has left CKPG-TV Prince George to join Citytv Winnipeg. Huband had anchored CKPG’s noon and 5 p.m. newscasts for the past two years. Prior to joining the station, he was a reporter at CFTK-TV Prince Rupert.
Geri Mayer-Judson has left 980 CKNW Vancouver after serving as an on-air contributor there since June of last year. The former Canadian Traffic Network reporter hasn’t revealed her next move.
Tanuka Roy is now General Manager of theatrical and digital distributor, CosmoBlue Canada. Roy arrives from Super Channel where she served as Chief Operating Officer for the past year. She also held various roles with Bell Media/Astral Television over a 14-year period, leaving in 2021 as Associate Director Digital, OTT Services. As GM of CosmoBlue Canada, she’ll lead operations and oversee the Canadian expansion strategy.
Hubert Maston joins visual effects and production house Crafty Apes – which has studios in Montreal, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Baton Rouge, Albuquerque, and London – as Chief Innovation Officer, one of several global expansion hires. Maston will be responsible for pipeline, talent development and advancement in CG, including high-end 3D and effects innovation, and research and development of new technologies. Maston, who is based in Montreal, arrives from MPC where he held the title of VFX Supervisor. Julie Tardieu also joins Crafty in a new role as Global Head of Assets, focused on increasing the company’s offerings in the creation and rendering of photoreal creature and FX assets. Also based in Montreal, she previously worked as a generalist and animator at Framestore and Double Negative. She’ll report to Maston. Crafty Apes has also hired Vancouver-based Mariana Silveira as Global HR Manager.
Sean Perkins has been named Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Connections and Events (GCE) at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), where he will oversee marketing efforts for NAB Show and NAB Show New York. Perkins will drive strategies aimed at increasing engagement and visibility for NAB’s premier events, reporting to Karen Chupka, Managing Director and Executive Vice President, GCE. Perkins brings more than 30 years of marketing expertise, having led successful marketing efforts for brands like AOL, Amtrak, AARP, Intel, Sage, Neustar and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), most recently serving as VP of Marketing for the CTA.
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Angie Seth is the new president of RTDNA Canada, the first woman of colour to hold the position. Seth, who succeeds former CTV News Channel and CTVNews.ca General Manager Lis Travers in the role, has most recently been contributing at CBC Toronto as a a freelance anchor/reporter. She previously anchored at CTV News Channel, up until February when she was caught up in a round of layoffs at Bell Media.
RADIO & PODCAST:
The CRTC has opened its consultation on a temporary fund to support local radio news. The commission announced in June that new funding collected from online streaming services under the Online Streaming Act would be directed at areas of immediate need in the broadcasting system. It subsequently determined that a new temporary fund for commercial radio stations in smaller markets should be created. The fund will be administered by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) and be available to stations outside of Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa-Gatineau. The CRTC is now welcoming comments as part of its public consultation until Dec. 19. Read more here.
Torres Media has rebranded Lite 98.5 Ottawa as The New Mix 98.5 FM Ottawa’s Perfect Music Mix. The station is one of three in Ontario recently divested by Evanov Communications, pending CRTC approval. Formerly carrying the call letters CJWL-FM, Torres is proposing changing the station’s call sign to CITM-FM.
iHeartRadio Canada has launched Bryan Adams Radio, a dedicated streaming channel hosted by the one-time Grammy and 20-time JUNO Award winner. Available 24/7 on the iHeartRadio Canada app and iHeart.com, the channel’s launch coincides with Adams’ 65th birthday and the 40th anniversary of the release of his 1984 album Reckless, which spawned six singles that charted in the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. CTV and Crave will present Reckless Live at Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, Nov. 9, which will air at noon ET on CTV, CTV.ca, the CTV app, and Crave, in which Adams will perform Reckless in full. Orbyt Media will also be making the weekly, syndicated Bryan Adams Radio Show available to broadcasters across North America. Read more here.
Rogers Sports & Media has expanded Sam McDaid’s on-air footprint. The host of Country Nights with Sam McDaid, weeknights on Rogers’ Country stations, will now also be heard on Nights with Sam on KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto, KiSS 91.7 (CHBN-FM) Edmonton and Star 95.9 (CHFM-FM) Calgary from 7 – 10 p.m. Prior to joining Rogers in May, McDaid was heard in mornings on Ottawa’s Pure Country 94 (CKKL-FM) and Pure Country 99 (CKLC-FM) Kingston, alongside Gord St. Denis.
Podtrac’s new Top Podcasts by Country list is a comprehensive monthly ranking of the top 100 podcasts in each of 30 countries. The New York Times’ The Daily tops the Canadian ranker, followed by The Joe Rogan Experience, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd, Dateline NBC, and CBC daily news podcast Front Burner. CBC is the top publisher with seven podcasts in the Top 100.
The Pro Bono Group and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) are launching a seasonal message titled “Christmas Tree.” It can replace the current PSA “Lucky.” A new PSA will follow after the Holidays.
LISTEN: Creative professionals, including those of us in media, have become accustomed to hearing that our jobs may soon be replaced by artificial intelligence. Ronit Novak’s new podcast The Grain is encouraging honest conversations in the creative community – from filmmakers to those in advertising, design and photography – about the impact of AI on their careers. She joins Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about why creatives need to start talking openly about AI and the future of creativity.
LISTEN: Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media returns to the Sound Off Podcast to make a compelling case for why every podcast needs a well-crafted audio promo. While promos are often overlooked, sitting low on the priority list for many podcasters, Goldstein says this is a missed opportunity, as an effective promo can hook listeners and drive them to tune in. Goldstein touches on focusing on storytelling and emotion, emphasizes the importance of frequency, and encourages podcasters to “burn in” their promos rather than worrying about overexposure.
SIGN OFFS:
Darrel Janz, 83, on Nov. 2. Janz grew up in the small town of Main Centre, SK, initially pursuing teaching as a career, but after just one year landed at CFAM Radio in Altona, MB where he kicked off six decades in broadcasting in 1962. From there, he moved on to CHAB-TV & Radio in Moose Jaw and then CFQC-TV Saskatoon. By the late 1960s, he was anchoring and reporting on Montreal’s CFCF-TV. A brief stint anchoring in London, ON at CFPL-TV followed, before Janz joined CFCN-TV (now CTV Calgary), where he signed a five-year contract, but stayed for the next 50 years. Janz anchored the 6 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. newscasts from 1973-87, and then co-anchored the 6 p.m. cast From 1987 to 2010, 21 of those years with Barb Higgins. After Higgins left CTV to run for mayor in 2010, Janz returned to reporting, launching the weekly “Inspired” series that profiled exceptional Albertans and ran for 13 years. In addition to his work on television, Janz was a broadcast journalism instructor at SAIT for 11 years and at Mount Royal College for 15. He retired from CTV at the end of 2023 and had been hosting interview show” Legacy Makers,” alongside Bill Clements, on YES TV for the last year and a half, continuing to come into the studio up until just a month before his passing. Among the accolades Janz was presented with over the years were numerous RTNDA Awards, including the RTNDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006; the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) Hall of Fame Award; an Honorary Bachelor of Communications – Journalism Degree from Mount Royal College; Honorary Bachelor of Applied Technology Degree from SAIT; the Heart of Calgary Award recognizing volunteer efforts; and the City of Calgary Award for Community Activism.
TV & FILM:
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and NABET 700-M UNIFOR have announced a tentative deal establishing updated terms, conditions and rates for a number of technical crew members engaged in film, TV and digital media productions in Ontario, including construction, hair, makeup, props, transportation, lighting, sound and set dressing. Details of the new agreement in principle will be presented to the CMPA Board of Directors, and NABET 700-M UNIFOR membership for ratification in the coming weeks. The current Collective Agreement expires Dec. 31.
The National Directors Division (NDD) of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has launched the new National Director Observer Initiative, aimed at building a pathway for DGC Directors upwards through the industry and help advance careers. The initiative empowers Producers and Shooting Directors to discover new talent and invest in the future of the industry through on-set placement of a DGC Director as an Observer or “shadow.” Participating Producers and Shooting Directors will be provided a detailed listing of qualified DGC Directors poised to participate.
Rogers Communications has announced that Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen joins Bravo, further strengthening the channel’s lineup of unscripted franchises, including Below Deck, Summer House, Southern Charm, Top Chef, and Vanderpump Rules. Featuring guests like Meryl Streep, Cher, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Lawrence, Mariah Carey, Will Ferrell and Gwyneth Paltrow, Cohen continues to welcome some of the biggest celebrities to the late night series, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. Since returning to Canada this fall, Rogers says Bravo has reached more than 2M Canadians in its first month on television. Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen started airing on Bravo on Nov. 3 and is available to stream on Citytv+ through Amazon Prime Video Channels.
Boat Rocker has greenlit Dino Ranch: Island Explorers, a spinoff of its hit preschool animated series Dino Ranch, with CBC/Radio-Canada and Warner Bros. Discovery on board as broadcast partners. The new animated series (52 x 11 mins) will air on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC Kids YouTube, ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV and Radio-Canada.ca in Canada and Warner Bros Discovery’s Cartoonito across Europe, Middle East, and Africa in 2026. Dino Ranch has seen international sales in more than 170 countries and 15 languages worldwide.
Canada’s Drag Race has been renewed by Crave for a sixth season, ahead of its Season 5 premiere on Nov. 21. Applications are now open for Canadian drag artists looking to flaunt their distinct brand of Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent.
Normal has begun production in Winnipeg, led by the same creative team who birthed and produced the international smash, Nobody. Continuing shooting through December, the action thriller follows Bob Odenkirk’s character, Ulysses, who is appointed substitute sheriff for the forgotten Minnesota town of Normal. When the local bank is robbed, Ulysses unknowingly uncovers something far more explosive than a simple bank robbery. Joining Odenkirk in the cast are Henry Winkler (Barry, Happy Days) and Lena Headey (Game of Thrones, 300). Ben Wheatley (Free Fire, Kill List) is directing the script, with shared story credit from Derek Kolstad (Nobody, John Wick) and Odenkirk (Nobody, Better Call Saul) with screenplay by Kolstad. Producers are Marc Provissiero (Nobody, No Hard Feelings), Odenkirk and Kolstad. The project comes off the heels of the recently wrapped Nobody 2. Repped by WME, Normal was one of the biggest pre-sales of 2024 at the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin.
DAZN has inked a multi-year media rights agreement with boxing promoter Queensberry Promotions, founded by promoter Frank Warren, making the sports streamer the exclusive home of Queensberry’s elite boxing events. Starting in April, Queensberry’s stable, which includes heavyweight champions Daniel Dubois, Zhilei Zhang, Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma, alongside middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz and leading female boxer Chantelle Cameron, will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN. Queensberry joins Matchroom, Golden Boy Promotions and Misfits on DAZN, where fans can enjoy over 150 premium fight nights every year.
Tennis Canada has confirmed that the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals and Davis Cup Final 8, held in Malaga, Spain, will be livestreamed by CBC Sports and broadcast live on TVA Sports in French. The Billie Jean King Cup Finals run from Nov. 13-20, followed by the Davis Cup Final 8 from Nov. 19-24. Viewers can watch free on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app, and CBC Sports’ official YouTube channel. The ties will also be available in French, on TVA Sports and TVA Sports Direct.
Spark Animation, Western Canada’s largest celebration of animation, has recognized Oscar-winning animator Torill Kove with the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field, as well as this year’s Canadian Film Prize for her new short film, Maybe Elephants, co-produced by Mikrofilm and the National Film Board (NFB). The new honour for Maybe Elephants brings it to a total of four awards and mentions to date, including the Short Film – Audience Prize at South Korea’s Bucheon International Animation Festival and Best Nordic-Baltic Animated Youth Film at Norway’s Fredrikstad Animation Festival.
The Whistler Film Festival (WFF) is gearing up for its 24th edition, with a lineup of over 100 films, Dec. 4-8 in Whistler, BC. This year’s opening night film is The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dave Bautista, a portrait of a seasoned Vegas performer suddenly facing uncertainty when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run. The moody feature film is directed by Gia Coppola. WFF’s closing film is Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey, based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. Music is a prominent theme this year at WFF with the festival adding new program, Play It Loud!, launching Thursday, Dec. 5 with the world premiere of Blue Rodeo: Lost Together. Band founders Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy will be in attendance.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Innovation, Science & Industry Min. François-Philippe Champagne has ordered the wind up of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc., following a national security review under the Investment Canada Act. Champagne said in a statement released late Wednesday that the federal government is taking action to address “specific national security risks” related to Beijing-headquartered ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada through the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. acting on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners. Canadians will still be allowed to access TikTok and create content. The federal government is urging Canadian users to assess the “possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
RTDNA Canada has announced the winners of its Best National and Canadian Local News Awards. Best National TV Newscast was captured by Global National with Dawna Friesen, while CTV’s W5 was named Best News Information Program. CBC’s The House won Best News Information Program in the Audio category. Local News winners included Saskatoon’s CKOM, which won Best Radio Newscast (Small/Medium Market), while Winnipeg’s CJOB claimed the honour in the Large Market category. CTV Atlantic won Best TV Newscast (Small/Medium), with CBC Vancouver at 6 winning the Large Market prize.
The CRTC is calling on telecom service providers to inform customers that the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) can help resolve issues, and that the Wireless Code protects Canadians when they buy or lease a cellphone. The commission says it will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks to build on these protections, focused on ensuring information is clear and consistent, making it easier to compare offers and switch services or providers. The CRTC also plans to consult in future on combining the Wireless Code, Internet Code and TV Service Provider Code. The CRTC says it’s concerned with recent trends suggesting Canadians may not be benefiting from the full protections of those codes.
Cogeco has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter ended Aug. 31. Revenue remained stable at $768.7 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased by 5.5% to $371.2 million. American telecom revenue decreased by 2.3% in constant currency, mainly due to subscriber base declines, especially for entry-level services, and a higher proportion of customers subscribing to internet-only services. Revenue in media activities decreased by 10.1% as competitive dynamics in the radio advertising market remain challenging. Canadian telecommunications’ revenue increased by 0.8%, mostly driven by the cumulative effect of high-speed internet service additions over the past year, including from network expansion projects, as well as the Niagara Regional Broadband Network acquisition completed in February.
TVA Group has reported consolidated financial results for the third quarter of 2024, including $112,416,000 in revenues, a 5.2% decrease compared with Q3 2023. It reported $9,520,000 in adjusted EBITDA in the Broadcasting segment, a $4,936,000 unfavourable variance resulting mainly from lower revenues and recognition in the third quarter of a retroactive charge for the new digital services tax, partially offset by lower operating expenses in connection with the reorganization plan announced in November 2023. It reported $3,285,000 in adjusted EBITDA in the Film Production & Audiovisual Services segment (MELS), a $2,616,000 favourable variance primarily due to higher volume of soundstage and equipment rental activities, with major productions filming at its studios.
Bell Canada has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ziply Fiber, the leading fibre internet provider in the U.S. Pacific Northwest for approximately C$5.0 billion cash and the assumption of outstanding net debt of approximately C$2.0 billion to be rolled over at transaction close, representing a transaction value of approximately C$7.0 billion. Bell says the transaction enhances its growth profile and strategic position by giving it a foothold in the large, under-penetrated U.S. fibre market, while increasing its scale, diversifying its operating footprint and unlocking significant growth opportunities. Ziply Fiber’s focus on network technology and innovation has resulted in steady expansion of its footprint since 2020, with over 1.3 million fibre locations across four U.S. states and plans to reach more than three million locations in the next four years. Upon closing, Bell will be poised to expand its fibre footprint to over 12 million locations across North America by the end of 2028, reinforcing its position as the third-largest fibre internet provider on the continent.
Eastlink has confirmed its purchase of Sunwire’s home internet, TV and phone services. Based in Sudbury, Sunwire has operated for over 15 years in all areas of telecommunications including voice & phone infrastructures, network engineering, software development, cybersecurity & IT and structured cabling. Originally founded as a software development firm, it achieved early success by developing SolSwitch – a customizable and scalable cloud communications platform. Eastlink says the acquisition deepens its commitment to Northern Ontario where it’s invested over $180M over the past decade to connect hundreds of communities with high speed internet and other advanced communications services powered by the company’s fibre network.
The Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) and Bell Media have announced RONA and its agency Sid Lee as the winners of its 2024 Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity in Advertising (IDEA) Competition. This year’s focus was on gender equity, with the winner awarded $1 million worth of inventory on Bell Media platforms. In the winning concept, RONA aims to address the imbalance, lack of awareness, and limited encouragement regarding opportunities in the trades for women.
