REVOLVING DOOR:
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Anne Lavrih has retired after almost 35 years with Rogers Sports & Media and 40 in broadcasting. Lavrih started her career in 1988, while attending the University of Toronto, as a club and concert reporter at 99.9 CKFM, followed by a traffic reporter gig at 97.3 CJEZ. She began working with 680 NewsRadio (CFTR-AM) Toronto in 1991, serving as Newsroom Coordinator and hosting the “Today’s Parent” segment. Since 2021, she’s held the title of Newsroom Operations Lead and hosted the Real Estate & Renovate Report. Lavrih has also taught in the Broadcast Journalism program at Centennial College.
Mark Connolly has signed off from CBC Edmonton after 36 years with the public broadcaster and 46 in broadcasting. As previously reported, Connolly steps away from Edmonton AM after 12 years. He started with CBC as a sports reporter in 1988, moving into TV anchoring from 2010-13, before assuming his current role. Connolly, who has covered 12 Olympic Games, started his career in Fort McMurray, AB, where he was the play-by-play voice of the Alberta Junior Hockey League Oil Barons. He went on to work in Red Deer and for Edmonton’s K-97 (CIRK-FM). Connolly has launched markconnolly.ca, reinventing himself as an emcee and host.
Buck Martinez is returning to the Toronto Blue Jays broadcast booth on Aug. 8 after taking three months off due to undisclosed health issues. Martinez, 76, called his last game in May, postponing a previously scheduled return in June.
Marcy Mailloux is rejoining Corus Entertainment in Vancouver as Promotions Manager. Mailloux arrives from Rogers Sports & Media where she’s served as the Branded Content & Integration Manager for Western Canada for the last decade. She previously worked at Corus from 2005-11 as Promotions Director for CFOX, where she started her career in 1996 as a Community Cruiser Reporter.
Caroline Dignard and Heidi Bonnell have been appointed to the Canada Media Fund (CMF) Board of Directors by the Canadian Coalition for Cultural Expression (CCCE). Dignard was most recently Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Privacy Officer at Cogeco Connexion, while Bonnell has served as Vice President of Government Affairs at Rogers Communications and held senior roles in both federal and provincial governments. Departing the CMF board are longstanding members Alison Clayton and René Guimond.
RADIO & PODCAST:
The CRTC has approved the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ (CAB) plan for a new temporary Commercial Radio News Fund (CRNF), subject to certain conditions. The conditional approval follows a public consultation undertaken by the commission late last year. Similar to the Independent Local News Fund (ILNF) for independent television stations, there was previously no mechanism specifically supporting local radio news production. The CRNF will require certain online audio undertakings to contribute 1.5% of their annual revenues. To be administered by the CAB, the fund will be accessible to commercial radio stations outside of Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa-Gatineau. Read more here.
560 CFOS Owen Sound has made the move to FM after 85 years. 89.3 The NEW CFOS FM made its debut at 8:10 a.m. ET on Friday morning, launching with INXS’ New Sensation, and featuring the tag line “Putting Grey Bruce First!” Playing a mix of Oldies and Classic Adult Contemporary, the station will feature music from the 1960s through early 2000s, with many of the programs CFOS is known for on AM continuing on the FM signal, including Dial A Deal, Community Connection, the ag report, bingo, and funeral, birthday and anniversary announcements. The move to FM marks the return of Fred Wallace to his longtime morning slot, alongside Paul Hill. Read more here.
My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of 101.3 CKOT-FM and 107.3 CJDL-FM Tillsonburg, and 92.3 CJET-FM Smiths Falls from Rogers Sports & Media. With the deal finalized, MBC officially relaunched the stations Friday under Classic Rock brand 101.3 Giant FM (formerly Easy 101.3); New Country 107.3 (formerly 107.3 Country); and Classic Pop format 92.3 WOW FM (formerly JACK 92.3). Read more here.
The CRTC has approved Gospel Media Communications’ application to increase the daytime transmitter power for CKZW Montréal. The English-, French-, and third-language religious music AM station will increase its power from 1,000 to 3,000 watts. All other technical parameters will remain unchanged. The commission did not receive any interventions in regards to GMC’s application.
SiriusXM Canada is launching Maximum Metallica, a new year-round music channel, starting Friday, Aug. 29 on Channel 42 and the SiriusXM app. “The Most Metallica Anywhere,” the channel will dive into Metallica’s expansive catalogue – from mega hits and deep cuts to live shows and behind-the-scenes stories. Additionally, fans can expect rare recordings, exclusive interviews, and surprises curated by the band members themselves.To celebrate the new channel, SiriusXM will host a live performance by Metallica at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, NY, on Aug. 28.
JAR Audio is now JAR Podcast Solutions, a strategic rebranding “with a sharper point of view, a clearer offering, and a renewed commitment to delivering business results through the power of podcasting.” Launched by Roger Nairn, Jen Moss, and Aaron Johnson in 2017, the Vancouver-headquartered company will continue under the same leadership. Its clients include Amazon, Cirque du Soleil, Genome BC, The Wharton School and RBC.
LISTEN: Since 2019, the MADE | NOUS initiative has been putting the spotlight on Canadian talent in film, TV, gaming, and digital entertainment, aiming to shift the perception of Canadian content both at home and abroad. The industry effort – largely fueled by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Telefilm – has taken its message on the road this summer, led by ambassador and veteran broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos. Already underway, the tour is making stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Saint John, Moncton, P.E.I., and Nunavut, before wrapping up in Toronto in September – collecting stories along the way on how Canadian film and television has shaped Canadian culture and continues to inspire future generations. The CMF’s Mathieu Chantelois joins Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the MADE | NOUS campaign and why there’s never been a better time to celebrate Canadian storytellers.
LISTEN: Jeff Vidler, who retired as President of Signal Hill Insights last fall, is on the latest Sound Off Podcast. Much like a musician never stops being a musician, and a writer never stops being a writer, researchers may stop working for research companies, but their minds never stop asking questions. Among other topics, Vidler and Matt Cundill talk about the importance of YouTube for podcast discovery and the challenges faced by Canadian podcasters due to smaller advertising budgets.
TV & FILM:
TIFF has announced the first group of honourees to be recognized at the seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards, celebrating outstanding contributions to cinema and serving as the kick-off to awards season. Academy Award–winning Mexican-born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award, two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, Japanese writer, director, producer HIKARI will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award; and South Korean actor Lee Byung Hun is the recipient of a TIFF Special Tribute Award, attending TIFF this year with the North American Gala premiere of Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice. Academy Award–winning actor and 2022 Tribute Performer Award recipient Brendan Fraser will return to the Tribute Awards as the 2025 Honorary Chair. The awards take place Sunday, Sept. 7, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
Rogers Xfinity has added CBC Gem, ICI TOU.TV, Paramount+ and DAZN to its streaming app offerings. The move allows customers to access the streaming services directly through its interface or via voice remote. They join existing apps on the platform like Prime Video, Netflix, Tubi, BritBox, Plex, and others. Read more here.
CBC/Radio-Canada has signed a multi-year broadcast deal with the Canada Games Council (CGC), making the public broadcaster the National Media Partner for the Canada Games from 2025 through 2031. The partnership encompasses the next four editions of the Canada Games, including the 2025 games (Aug. 9-24) in St. John’s, NL; the 2027 games in Quebec City (Feb. 27 – March 14); the 2029 games in Moncton and Saint John, NB (Summer, TBA); and the 2031 games in Québec (Winter, Host City, Dates TBA). Read more here.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Canada has announced a new film and TV licensing deal with free, ad-supported streaming service, Tubi. The deal encompasses roughly 130 Sony Pictures titles, including the Jumanji franchise, The Da Vinci Code, Captain Phillips and Resident Evil, in addition to TV series. Sony Pictures has a separate content licensing deal with Bell Media’s Crave.
Blue Ant Media has completed its previously-announced “go public” reverse takeover of Boat Rocker Media with subordinate voting shares of Blue Ant now trading on the TSX under ticker symbol “BAMI.” Boat Rocker Studios has also closed its management buyout, marking the company’s return to operating as a privately held, independent studio. Led by co-founders David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg alongside longtime partner John Young, Boat Rocker Studios will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and brand. The newly private studio retains its Scripted, Unscripted, and Kids & Family divisions together with its global distribution business, brand & franchise group, and creative partnerships arm.
T.O. Webfest, Canada’s premier festival for short form online series and podcasts, is running Sept. 16-17 at the Novotel Hotel, Toronto. The 12th annual edition will bring together independent creators, industry leaders, and enthusiasts for two days of screenings, conference sessions and networking, and the highly-anticipated Awards Gala. This year’s keynote speaker is Mark Montefiore, Founder and CEO of New Metric Media, who is currently executive producing comedic miniseries Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story for a 2026 debut (GameTV, Paramount+ in Canada) and hit Letterkenny spinoff, Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), now in its fifth season.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Stingray Group has reported an “exceptional” start to its fiscal year 2026, highlighted by FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channel growth and a resurgence in the radio segment. The company reported total revenues of $95.6 million for the first quarter, ended June 30, a 7.4% increase year-over-year. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA reached $33.7 million, a 35.2% margin. Stingray’s Radio division was a standout in Q1, with revenue up 6.2% to $34.2 million, and adjusted EBITDA in the segment experiencing impressive growth of 11.2% to $11 million, driven by higher airtime and digital sales, boosted by the recent federal election and “Buy Canadian” fervour ignited by the U.S.-Canada trade war. Read more here.
Bell Media has unveiled greater flexibility terms across TV, Audio, Digital, and Out-of-Home (OOH) to appeal to clients leaning into multi-platform advertising strategies. Effective immediately, the terms include more flexibility with shorter commitment windows, allowing TV advertisers to change or cancel campaigns with 14 days’ notice (down from four weeks); new OOH flexibility tiers tailored to product types, cutting the notice period in half to 14 days on most digital and 30 days on static posters; and seven-day notice on audio and digital ads. Bell Media says improved flexibility will enable advertisers to make faster pivots in strategy and messaging and drive greater efficiency and execution in the buying process, in addition to reducing risk. Read more here.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
ADVERTORIAL: Dielectric is touting the benefits of two strategic partnerships helping drive FM radio business opportunities in the U.S. and Canada. While no stranger to radio, Dielectric’s North American business had largely been focused on TV opportunities over the previous decade, fueled through the U.S. spectrum repack and early ATSC 3.0 trials and technology developments. As those opportunities wrapped up and gave way to expanded FM activity, the moment for strategic partnerships arrived. Enter SCMS (United States) and Pippin Technical Service (Canada), Dielectric’s valued FM Radio partners in North America. Read more here.
Dielectric President Keith Pelletier joins this special, sponsored episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the evolution of the industry and the importance of broadcast industry partnerships.
OverActive Media, the Toronto-headquartered global esports, digital media and entertainment company, has launched ActiveVoices, a proprietary AI-powered publishing platform targeted at esports teams, streamers, and content creators. Announced at the China Esports Conference (GEC) in Shanghai, ActiveVoices is being billed as a first-of-its-kind AI platform, empowering creators with features like instant translation, dubbing, and multi-platform publishing across YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram. At launch, the platform features support for more than a dozen languages, enabling creators to overcome language barriers to expand their global audience reach and revenue opportunities without incurring additional production costs. OverActive has partnered with multimedia translation company, Aview, to support infrastructure and tech development. Read more here.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF) have announced that the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES), the global standard for colour management, is joining the ASWF, a home for open source software developers in the motion picture and broader industries. Developed and maintained by the Academy for more than a decade, ACES is an open source framework for colour management and image interchange across the entire motion picture production life cycle, from on-set acquisition, visual effects, post-production, mastering, and archiving. As an ASWF project, ACES will leverage the foundation’s open governance model, legal framework, and community infrastructure, increasing the quality and quantity of open source contributions to ACES, benefitting both creative users and technical implementers, driving collaboration and integration between ACES and other key open source projects like OpenColorIO, OpenEXR, and MaterialX. Additional details about ACES and the transition to ASWF will be shared during Open Source Days, Aug. 10-11, at the Marriott Pinnacle in Vancouver and virtually. View the full Open Source Days schedule and register free here.
