REVOLVING DOOR:
John Ferri, TVO’s Vice President of Programming and Content, has announced his upcoming retirement at the end of March. Ferri has been with TVO since 2014, joining the Ontario public broadcaster as VP, Current Affairs & Documentaries. He previously had a long career as an editor with the Toronto Star, including serving as Digital Editor from 2012-14.
Susan Bonner has announced she’ll be leaving CBC at the end of March. Bonner has hosted CBC Radio flagship nightly newscast Your World Tonight for the last 12 years. She’s been with the public broadcaster since 1985, starting out as an intern and going on to work in Saskatoon, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, the Parliamentary Bureau and later CBC’s Washington, D.C. bureau.
Rob Fai has been named the host of Corus Radio’s new national weekend morning show as veteran political reporter Ben O’Hara-Byrne moves over to Global BC’s Legislative Bureau in Victoria. Fai, who has been a host on Corus’ flagship news/talk station CKNW Vancouver since 2023, will take up his new role the weekend of March 21. O’Hara‑Byrne officially rejoins Global News as B.C. Legislative Anchor and Reporter, based in Victoria, on March 16. He steps into the role vacated by Richard Zussman, who left Global last November to join global PR firm, Burson. Read more here.
Alex Soloducha is taking on a new role at CBC as the new Senior Producer for the CBC News social and audience team. Soloducha has been with CBC since 2017, working as a reporter, social media producer and digital producer in Saskatchewan.
Kate Walker has signed off from CityNews Vancouver. Walker had been a reporter with the station since 2023, arriving from the Saltwire Network in Halifax. Prior to that, she was a video journalist with CTV Atlantic.
Srushti Gangdev has announced her departure from 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM) as she pursues an opportunity in communications. Gangdev has been with the station since 2023 and had served as Assistant News Director for the past year and a half.
Joe Fruci has retired from Whiteoaks Communications after 58 years. Fruci has worked alongside three generations of the Caine family, starting with the company in the fall of 1967 as a producer and board operator at CJMR Mississauga and CHWO Oakville.
Shawna Winterhalt has been restructured at Harvard Media. Winterhalt had been with the company, based in Regina, for the last decade, holding roles including Creative Director and Commercial Producer.
Dana Thompson’s footprint at Pattison Media has expanded with her afternoon show on JR Country, now heard on both 93.7 JR Country (CJJR-FM) Vancouver and 89.5 JR Country (CHWK-FM) Chilliwack.
Lincoln McCardle is departing Bell, where he’s most recently served as Network Project Administrator, based in London. McCardle has worked with the company in various roles for more than three decades, including serving as host and community producer of weekly show, #LdnOnt, from 2012-15.
Sharon Shaji has joined Signal Hill Insights as Lead Analyst. Shaji arrives from Dynata, where he’d been a Research Analyst since 2022.
Marc M. Tremblay has been appointed to the Quebecor Board of Directors as Chantal Bélanger and Érik Péladeau announce they do not intend to seek re-election in May. Tremblay was a Quebecor executive from 2007-22, successively holding the positions of Vice-President, Legal Affairs, and Senior Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer.
RADIO & PODCAST:
CJOB is marking 80 years on the air in Winnipeg today. Here is a look at the station’s legacy: pic.twitter.com/7W0sPqDKV1
— Global Winnipeg (@globalwinnipeg) March 12, 2026
Corus Radio’s 680 CJOB Winnipeg celebrated its 80th anniversary on Thursday, marking the occasion with a special broadcast from Portage & Main. The station first went to air on March 11, 1946 at just 250 watts, founded by “Jack” Oliver Blick, whose initials account for the “JOB” in CJOB. The station has been part of the Corus talk network since 2000.
Orbyt Media and Radio Express have announced a partnership to bring The Bryan Adams Radio Show to radio stations worldwide. Radio Express will handle international distribution, while Orbyt Media will continue to represent the program within Canada. Hosted by legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, the show blends hand-picked music with personal stories and behind-the-scenes insights drawn from his four decades in music, combining familiar tunes from the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s with select songs from Adams’ own catalogue.
YEA Media Group (YMG) has announced the launch of new 24-7 Adult Hits / Adult Variety format Greg FM, anchored by syndicated Canadian radio personality Greg Beharrell. Developed with veteran consultant Mike McVay, Greg FM will feature artists like Journey, Pink, U2, Joan Jett, Sugar Ray and Alanis Morissette. KDRF Albuquerque, NM is the first station set to introduce the format. The Greg Beharrell Show currently airs on 58 stations.
Christy Clark, former premier of B.C. and a talk host on CKNW Vancouver from 2007-10, has announced the launch of The Christy Clark Show. The podcast promises “thought-provoking conversations with public figures, cultural leaders, and everyday change-makers about how their views have evolved, and what it means to lead with curiosity, not certainty.”
The Sonar Podcast Network has teamed up with Canadaland on a second season of The Worst Podcast. Filmmaker and notorious curmudgeon Alan Zweig and sidekick Kattie Laur host another series of interviews featuring notable people talking about their worst moments and deepest regrets. The first episode features Canadian improv legend Colin Mochrie, with forthcoming guests to include comedian and former Conan O’Brien late night sidekick Andy Richter, in addition to infamous podcaster Ned Fulmer.
Words and Culture – an insider’s look at Indigenous language and culture – will launch its third season on April 6, focused on the Blackfoot language. The Blackfoot episodes are hosted by actor, stuntman, storyteller and cultural advocate Eugene Braverock (Dark Winds, Wonder Woman) from the Blood Tribe of the Blackfoot Confederacy, who is also the founder of the Oki Language Project, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing Indigenous languages. Additional hosts this season include Leela Gilday (Dene), Shaneen Robinson (Gitxsan), and Suzette Amaya (Kwaḵwaḵaʼwakw). The radio and podcast series airs on over 75 campus and community radio stations, along with SiriusXM, which sponsors the show via the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).
Pro Bono Group has released new food bank creative for all provinces, in addition to a new PSA for Feed Ontario. It’s suggested radio stations and podcasters replace whatever creative they’re currently airing with the new food bank spots, both titled “Volunteer.”
LISTEN: The new book, Track Changes, examines the rise of all that came with the internet and how it changed Canadian music from new media to message boards, fan sites, MP3 blogs, and more, diving into how legacy brands were forced to evolve, including major record labels, retailers, and of course the media and radio. Authored by Cam Gordon, Track Changes essentially chronicles the shared cultural history of music, technology and media in the 1990s and 2000s. He joins us on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast.
LISTEN: Andrea Collins is on the latest Sound Off Podcast talking about her career in radio and her transition to voiceover. Collins worked in Winnipeg and later Montreal and Toronto, prior to her shift to voiceover after being laid off in 2018. Among other things, she discusses how she is handling AI and her business and her involvement with CAVA – the Canadian Association of Voice Actors – a non-profit, national organization formed by industry professionals who saw the need for a Canadian version of the U.S.-based National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA).
TV & FILM:
The 98th Oscars are live Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on CTV, and streaming on Crave via the live CTV channel. ETALK anchor Tyrone Edwards and Senior Correspondent Lainey Lui lead ETALK’s red carpet coverage in ETALK Live at the Oscars beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET on Crave and YouTube. This year, model, writer, and TV personality Lauren Chan joins Lui with the most talked-about arrivals, extended red carpet interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments across ETALK’s social platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Immediately following the ceremony, ETALK After the Oscars returns to CTV and streams live on Crave, breaking down the biggest Oscars moments from the rooftop of the Hollywood Roosevelt.
Oh no. Not Bob’s Rolodex! 😳@TSNBobMcKenzie @tsnjamesduthie @DarrenDreger @reporterchris @PierreVLeBrun @odognine2 #TradeCentre pic.twitter.com/7S7Agnnpis
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 6, 2026
TSN’s live coverage of the NHL Trade Deadline, Tradecentre, reached a total of 1.3 million viewers on TSN on Friday, March 6, +48% more than the network’s closest competitor, according to preliminary overnight data from Numeris released by Bell Media. In the main coverage window, the TSN special attracted an average audience of 153,000 viewers, an increase of 61% compared to 2025, and 143% more than its closest competitor. TSN ranked as the country’s most-watched network on Friday. Social media content across TSN and BarDown platforms saw a 53% increase in video views across Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok compared to 2025, highlighted by combined totals of 1.1 million engagements, 3.1 million video views, and 37.9 million impressions.
Jacob Tierney – the executive producer behind Heated Rivalry, Letterkenny and Shoresy – has a new series in pre-production at Netflix. Alexander, based on Annabel Lyon’s novel, The Golden Mean, explores the relationship between Aristotle and Alexander the Great, set against the backdrop of the crumbling Athenian empire as Aristotle arrives in Macedonia to tutor the volatile young prince.
Crave’s new original docuseries Blue Collar follows actor Dan Petronijevic (The Trades, Letterkenny) as he swaps punchlines for pressure by stepping into some of Canada’s toughest, dirtiest, and most physically demanding jobs. The professions Petronijevic faces head on include waste management and recycling; commercial fishing; sanitation; pest control; auto recycling; firefighting; tree planting; farming; and amusement park services. All 10 episodes are available for streaming on March 27.
Crave has renewed Project Runway Canada for a second season. Season 2 – produced by Bell Media in association with Fremantle, and in collaboration with the School of Fashion at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) – will see host and judge Coco Rocha return, joined by judges Jeanne Beker and Spencer Badu. Aurora James is also set to return as mentor to the designers. Production begins this summer in Toronto, with Season 2 to debut on Crave later this year.
OUTtv has revealed a new wave of original commissions alongside the renewal of returning fan-favourites. The slate spans scripted comedy, panel entertainment, mockumentary, documentary, and returning drama, including feature doc The Hockey Player, which follows Canadian hockey player Luke Prokop, who came out in 2021 as the first openly gay player under NHL contract. The lineup also includes UK comedy panel series Gay vs. Straight, scripted titles Pass The Salt, Sweet As Sugar and One Baby, Please, and mockumentary Sexy Touch – all coming to the service later this year. Rounding out the slate are the returning Willam’s Dark Room Duel, commissioned for a second season, and Two Brothers, renewed for a third.
MTM Junior has released its latest report, What Kids Like to Watch – Popular Genres of TV and SVOD Content. It highlights that kids are now more likely to watch SVOD services than traditional linear TV. While just under seven in 10 kids watch linear TV, four in five watch SVOD services monthly. Adventure content stands out as the most popular genre, with just over half of kids, aged two to 17, watching adventure shows and 44% engaging with “everyday adventure” content. MTM also found that genre preferences evolve with age. While interest in animation and educational content is high among younger children, it declines as they get older. Conversely, teenagers show a stronger interest in drama, mystery, science fiction, and reality competition shows.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
TikTok Canada has announced an agreement with the federal government that will allow the short-form video platform to continue local operations. The agreement follows a court ruling in late January that set aside a wind up order from former Innovation, Science & Industry Min. François-Philippe Champagne in November 2024 over national security concerns related to Beijing-headquartered ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada. The new agreement includes commitments by the social platform to enact enhanced data security for Canadian TikTok users with third-party oversight; additional support for Canadian organizations that work in youth online safety and digital literacy; access to TikTok’s Research Tools Program for Canadian academics; and continued support for Canadian creators and cultural organizations with a focus on Francophone and Indigenous creators. Read more here.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage heard this week about the sustainability of local news, the role of the CBC, and the impact of big tech and AI on the media ecosystem, but it was former CBC host Travis Dhanraj’s scathing testimony around what he alleges is a culture of “systemic control” and “tokenism” that took centre stage as part of a broader inquiry into the “State of the Journalism and Media Sectors” in Canada. The former host of Canada Tonight, who has a human rights complaint pending against CBC, told MPs that his belief in a public broadcaster that belonged “to the public, not to power” was shattered by internal toxicity. Raj Shoan, Interim Executive Director of Friends of Canadian Media and a former CRTC commissioner, also testified, describing journalism as “democratic infrastructure” that is currently being hollowed out by global digital platforms. Read more here.
CBC/Radio-Canada President & CEO Marie-Philippe Bouchard is being called to testify before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage as its members question its new streaming partnership with Amazon Prime Video. The public broadcaster announced last week that both CBC News Network and ICI RDI are now available on Prime Video as add-on subscriptions for $4.99/month each. MPs from Quebec questioned at Tuesday’s committee meeting why the public broadcaster is announcing a partnership with an American streamer before its 24-hour French-language news channel, in particular, is made available on other Canadian-owned services. Read more here.
The Federal Court of Appeal has turned down an appeal by Rogers challenging two CRTC decisions forcing it to freeze movement of certain Corus Entertainment-owned channels it argued was within its contractual right to repackage and remove. Following a hearing in September, the high court ruled last week that Rogers cannot change the terms of its agreement with Corus after the initiation of a dispute because that would be contrary to the standstill, which requires that the status quo be maintained until the dispute is resolved. Read more in our sister publication, CARTT.ca (paywalled).
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) says Toronto’s 680 NewsRadio (CFTR-AM) should have disclosed its ownership during a Toronto Blue Jays giveaway last October. The CBSC decision is in response to Rogers Communications’ “Bring It Home” campaign, launched during the Blue Jays World Series run, announcing on CFTR it would be giving away free tickets to fans for every home game. CFTR reported on the giveaway, noting that Rogers owns the baseball team. A listener later complained the station should have mentioned it is also owned by Rogers because the giveaway constituted a promotion of another Rogers-owned entity, suggesting a conflict of interest. The CBSC’s English-Language Panel ultimately concluded that the station should have disclosed its common ownership with the team. Read more here.
CBC and Radio-Canada have released their respective carbon footprint reports for in-house and independent TV productions during the 2024–25 fiscal year. Covering 63 productions for CBC and 55 for Radio-Canada, the CBC report indicates travel and transport is once again the highest emitting category across all genres (57%), followed by filming spaces (16%) and materials (10%). Overall, productions from fiscal 2024/25 emitted an average of 25.4 tonnes of CO2e/hr, equivalent to over 25 one-way road trips from Vancouver to Montreal. By genre, Comedy & Drama, Kids and Other (current affairs/sports/misc. entertainment), saw a decrease in carbon emissions, while there was a slight rise in emissions from Factual Entertainment. The Radio-Canada report shows its productions emitted an average 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per hour, a decrease of 0.5 tonnes compared to the previous year.
Robert Fife is set to receive the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s (CJF) Lifetime Achievement Award this year in recognition “of his decades-long career exemplifying the highest standards of political reporting, public‑interest journalism and newsroom leadership in both print and broadcast.” Fife will be honoured at the CJF Awards ceremony on June 10 in Toronto. Currently Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail, Fife previously held the same role at CTV.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Flightpath and New York-based digital audio monetization company Frequency Media have announced a strategic partnership that the two companies say lays the foundation for an industry-wide solution to unsold podcast inventory. The integration will allow networks to connect Frequency’s workflow tools and Premium Publisher Network (PPN) marketplace with Hamilton-headquartered Flightpath’s predictive analytics, forecasting, and inventory management solutions, “giving publishers a complete, actionable view of sales opportunities across their podcast portfolios – not just static availability, but real-time opportunity.” Read more here.
