Originally published in the June 19, 2025 edition of The Weekly Briefing
Joe Bowen is retiring as the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bowen, 74, announced last week that the upcoming 2025-26 season – his 45th – will be his last. Bowen, who will reach the 3,800 game milestone sometime this year, first worked with Harry Neale as his colour commentator. For the last 26 years, he’s called games alongside Jim Ralph. Bowen began his career in his hometown covering the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Sudbury Wolves and serving as sports director for CKSO. He went on to call for the American Hockey League (AHL) Nova Scotia Voyageurs, making his play-by-play debut with the Leafs in 1982. He also handled play-by-play for regional Leafs TV broadcasts from 1989-95 and 1998-2014.
Richard Madan is signing off from CBC News after less than two years as the public broadcaster’s Washington, DC correspondent to pursue an opportunity outside journalism. Madan has been a political correspondent since 2000, starting with CBC as the legislative reporter for CBC Manitoba. He went on to spend six years with Citytv Toronto as a political specialist, before joining CTV News – first as parliamentary correspondent and then as the network’s Washington correspondent, starting in 2016. He rejoined CBC in late 2023 after getting caught up in layoffs at Bell Media.
Jeremy Baker is the new afternoon host at CFOX Vancouver, following last week’s departure of Tyler & Lynch as part of a round of cuts at Corus Entertainment. Baker will also be heard on the Corus Radio network: 7 – 10 p.m. on 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto, 6 – 9 p.m. on 107.3 The Edge (CFGQ-FM) Calgary; and noon – 4 p.m. Sundays on FM96 (CFPL-FM) London. Baker previously hosted afternoon drive on CFOX from 2016-21, before joining 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) Vancouver in mornings, alongside Charis Hogg. He returned to the station last fall, heard in evenings and weekends, in addition to some network voicetracking.
Gene Valaitis has announced that he’s the new midday host at 610 CKTB St. Catharines, which is now owned by Whiteoaks Communications Group. Valaitis will be heard from 9 a.m. to noon ET. He was last on-air on terrestrial radio on Vancouver’s Roundhouse Radio (CIRH-FM) in mornings from 2017-18. The on-air lineup at 610 CKTB also sees Jon “Gonzo” Mark expand his role as primary host of The Drive, with CKTB News Director Bonnie Heslop contributing to the program weekly. The Drive’s other weekly host Walter Sendzik is shifting into other business, while still contributing to CKTB programming.
Ashleigh Darrach will be returning to Whiteoaks’ 97.7 HTZ-FM St. Catharines in July to host middays (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.), also serving as Music Director for both HTZ-FM and the newly-rebranded Legend 102.9 FM (CKLH-FM, formerly Bounce Radio).
Taylor Kaye will host middays on Legend 102.9. She was formerly heard on the station as a fill-in host on midday and drive, in addition to hosting a weekend show. Tom Park, a 102.9 K-Lite alum and formerly the morning show producer for Sunni & Hayes, is the station’s new weekend host and will lend his imaging voice talent to Whiteoaks’ Hamilton and Niagara stations.
Kayla joins Whiteoaks’ dream 105.7 (CHRE-FM, previously MOVE Radio) as Music Director and midday host. She formerly hosted Rogers Sports & Media national radio show, Canada’s Most Requested, and contributed to social media and digital engagement for KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto. All other current hosts and dayparts remain unchanged on Whiteoaks’ new stations.
Robyn Metcalfe joins Whiteoaks as Traffic Coordinator, arriving from the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN). Elana Kennedy is Traffic Manager, previously the Traffic Coordinator at CKLH-FM for eight years. Erin MacGillivary joins as Group Creative Director, marking a return to CKLH-FM, while Jeff Kirkwood is the company’s new Imaging Producer. He formerly spent 24 years with CHUM Radio in Toronto and another 12 with Bell Media.
Joanne Gurney is Whiteoaks’ new Senior Engineering Manager reporting to Director of Engineering & IT, Summer Dent. Gurney was formerly Chief Engineer at Bell Media’s Niagara stations for three decades. Also new to the company is Senior Staff Accountant Rebecca Wilson, while Catherine Carr was promoted earlier this year from Financial Controller to VP of Finance. Read more here.
Mike Kelly, VP, Radio & TV station operations, at Corus Entertainment, is the new board chair of Radioplayer Canada, replacing outgoing Rogers Sports & Media representative Paul Kaye as he departs the company. Al Ford, Senior Manager, National Content Operations, becomes Rogers new representative on the board.
Scott Steele has left Anthem Entertainment and joined music tech company, Boost Collective as their new Head of Fulfillment. Steele had been with Anthem as its Music Distribution Coordinator since September 2023, arriving from Play MPE where he helmed Music Industry Relations. He formerly had a career in radio promotions, working with Rogers Sports & Media, Newcap and Harvard Media in Ontario and Alberta.
Dylen Postnikoff has joined Blink49 Studios as Vice President, Marketing and Communications. Based in the company’s L.A. office, Postnikoff will report to Nelson Kuo-Lee, Chief Operating Officer. Most recently, Postnikoff served as VP of Brand Marketing and Communications at Shaftesbury, where she led cross-platform marketing initiatives for Murdoch Mysteries, Hudson & Rex, and Departure. Prior to that, she held the role of Head of TV Entertainment and Content Marketing at CBC.
