REVOLVING DOOR:
Joe Siddall will succeed the retiring Buck Martinez as Toronto Blue Jays TV analyst, alongside Caleb Joseph, with Dan Shulman delivering the call. Jamie Campbell will lead Blue Jays Central, joined by analysts Joseph and Madison Shipman for pre-, mid-, and post-game coverage. Reporters Hazel Mae and Arden Zwelling will bring the latest updates from the clubhouse and dugout, while insiders Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith will deliver breaking news and insights from across the league. Across Sportsnet 590 The FAN (CJCL-AM) and the Sportsnet Radio Network, Ben Shulman has the call, alongside analyst Chris Leroux. Read more here.
Annette Hamm will retire from CHCH-TV’s Morning Live after 21 years and 40 with the station in June. Hamm joined CHCH News in 1986 as a writer while still in the Broadcast Journalism program at Mohawk College. After covering crime for many years, she started hosting The Morning Market in the 1990s, eventually joining Morning Live in 2005.
Duncan Elias has stepped into the role of Supervising Producer at CityNews Calgary. Elias had been a producer with the station since 2022. Prior to that, he was a producer with Corus Radio and CBC Radio in Vancouver.
Morgan Modjeski has left CityNews Winnipeg to join the Winnipeg Free Press on the evening desk. Modjeski had been a reporter with the station since 2021 and prior to that was a journalist with The Star Phoenix in Saskatoon for a decade.
Michael King is leaving Global Calgary to join CBC Calgary as an Assignment Editor. King had been a digital journalist with Global for the last eight years.
Jeremy Slattery has joined Stingray Radio as National Music Director. Slattery was most recently PD at Acadia Broadcasting’s Surge 105 (CKHY-FM) and Hot Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM) Halifax. Prior to that, he spent a decade with Rogers Sports & Media as National Music Director, CHR and served as Assistant Content Director at Toronto’s KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM).
Spencer Pomeroy is taking over the morning show on 91.5 Summit FM (CKXR-FM) Salmon Arm. Pomeroy moves up from afternoon drive, starting March 30. With Vista Radio since last September, Pomeroy has been on-air and serving as promotions coordinator, working across 105.7 The Ranch (CICF-FM) Vernon and the Summit Radio-branded stations in Salmon Arm, Golden, and Revelstoke.
Pierre-Oliver Barbier is among two new promotions at Go Button Media. Barbier, who joined the boutique prodco in 2022, has been promoted to Senior Director of Business Affairs & Strategy. He’ll lead strategic initiatives across production and operations, oversee legal and tax credit policies for productions and take a leadership role in the further integration of emerging technologies, such as AI. Ella Gershon, who joined Go Button in 2023, has also been promoted to Vice President of Accounting.
Susan Larkin has been appointed RCS Worldwide’s President & CEO, overseeing the RCS brand of radio programming software, in addition to the Media Monitors, Mediabase and Florical Systems product lines. Larkin most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for Audacy, and prior to that was a Regional VP at Cox Media Group. She succeeds Philippe Generali, who announced his retirement in January.
RADIO & PODCAST:
CBC News is expanding local news services in Hamilton, introducing a live weekday morning show available on HD Radio, weekly podcast, and hiring for six new roles. The live weekday morning show promises to feature community interviews, news reports, and local traffic and weather updates, available on HD Radio receivers (99.1-2) and other digital platforms as well as the CBC News app, CBC Listen app and cbc.ca/hamilton. CBC Radio One listeners in the region will continue to be able to listen to CBC Toronto’s Metro Morning on terrestrial radio and other digital platforms. Read more here.
We are happy to announce that we have renewed our radio broadcast partnership with the @EdmontonOilers, celebrating 30 years together! #LetsGoOilers
For more info on the partnership: https://t.co/bxDcu66b70 pic.twitter.com/RXvmYBpeyy
— 880CHED (@CHED880) March 19, 2026
880 CHED has renewed its radio broadcast partnership with the Edmonton Oilers for another three years. The extension, which builds on the station’s history of broadcasting every Oilers game since 1995, includes all home and away games. Coverage will be helmed by play-by-play announcers Jack Michaels and Cam Moon, with Bob Stauffer – who also hosts marquee weekday show Oilers Now – providing colour commentary. Brenden Escott and Rob Brown will lead game day programming with the Oilers Face Off Show and Oilers Overtime. Read more here.
Acadia Broadcasting has refreshed the look and sound of Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM) Halifax, accompanied by the tag line “Where Real Country Lives.” Formerly branded as Hot Country, the station’s music mix will now incorporate more “sing-along throwbacks.” It’s also shuffled its lineup, with Ian Robinson returning to mornings from 6 – 10 a.m., alongside Jacob Moore and Caitlin Snow in the newsroom. Melody Rose will be heard in middays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Jody Tedford from 2 – 6 p.m.
Vista Radio has announced that its Lethbridge station, 98.1 The Ranch (CKBD-FM) has officially passed federal inspection and is now in the testing phase, broadcasting at 100,000 watts from its newly-upgraded transmitter. Previously operating at 20,000 watts, Vista says the upgrade has resulted in a “significantly enhanced” signal across Southern Alberta and beyond the U.S. border, matching the strength of its heritage sister station, CJOC-FM, which is marking 100 years on-air this year. Read more here.
Vista Radio has launched Made and Played in Canada, a national initiative dedicated to supporting, showcasing, and amplifying emerging Canadian artists. At the heart of the initiative is new digital hub, MadeAndPlayedInCanada.ca, where Canadian musicians of all genres are being encouraged to submit original music for airplay consideration on Vista’s 72 radio stations across B.C., Alberta, Ontario and the Northwest Territories. Vista says the website will also serve as a growing discovery platform where listeners can explore and hear new artists. Read more here.
The Alliance for Women in Media has unveiled the winners of this year’s Gracie Awards. Among the Canadian winners are CBC Radio’s Unreserved for “Global Indigenous Solidarity with Palestine” and CBC talk show, Ontario Today. On the TV side, the CBC Atlantic Investigative Unit was recognized for health feature “The Fight,” in addition to CBC menopause comedy Small Achievable Goals. Mariela Torroba Hennigen was also recognized in the student category for Toronto Metropolitan University School of Journalism podcast, We Met U When.
Bayshore Broadcasting’s 89.3 CFOS-FM gave one lucky kid the chance to call a period of the last regular season game of the Owen Sound Attack on March 21, via its “Mom, I’m on the Radio Kidcaster Contest.” Over a three-week period, kids were asked to submit a video doing their best hockey commentator impression. The contest was promoted across Bayshore’s three Owen Sound stations – 89.3 CFOS FM, Mix 106.5 (CIXK-FM) and Country 93.(CKYC-FM). The winner was nine-year old Silas from Owen Sound, who took to the mic like a pro alongside Matt Hermiz, live from the Bayshore Community Centre. Silas also voiced several commercials promoting his appearance, and received tickets to the game for friends and family, along with some team swag.
CBS News is shuttering its radio news service after nearly 100 years. Originally launched in September 1927, CBS News Radio still provides news – including top-of-the-hour news roundups – to roughly 700 affiliate stations. The network told employees Friday that the service will be discontinued on May 22. CBS parent company Paramount laid off approximately six per cent of the CBS News workforce Friday – believed to encompass 60 – 70 positions – including those within the radio division. Read more here.
Arlene is Alone, the podcast from legendary entrepreneur and investor Arlene Dickinson, kicks off its third season on March 25. Season 3 guests include Canadian-American actress Lauren Holly; scientist, activist, and environmental icon David Suzuki; professional hockey player and Vancouver Goldeneyes captain Sarah Nurse; comedian and Corner Gas star Brent Butt; and Jully Black, Canada’s queen of R&B. New episodes drop on YouTube on Wednesdays.
LISTEN: Erica Ehm has been doing a lot of reflection as she looks to add the title of author to her long list of credits. The MuchMusic icon, multi-platform host and entrepreneur joins Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the process of writing her forthcoming memoir, how the ongoing theme of reinvention continues to play out in her life, and the importance of supporting Canadian artists.
LISTEN: Todd Hancock returns to the Sound Off Podcast after nearly a decade since his appearance on Episode 2. The CFOX Vancouver alum talks about the 10-year legacy of his podcast endeavour, The Toddcast, going into detail about the slow build to monetization through longterm local sponsors and a few big clients, strategies for maintaining professional relationships, his constantly evolving social and video strategy, and the digital tools he uses to simplify the challenge of keeping content on schedule.
SIGN OFFS:
Rick Wile, 72, on March 24. Nicknamed “The Bear,” Wile spent 40 years as a sports broadcaster. A graduate of the Confederation College Radio & Television Arts program, Wile was on-air in Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, before arriving in Kamloops where he spent the bulk of his career as sports director at CHNL Radio, including serving as the voice of the Kamloops Blazers through the 1980s and ‘90s. In addition to his work on-air, he supported the local sports community as a coach, player and official for Interior Men’s Slo-Pitch League. Wile retired from CHNL in 2017. He was inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame that year, the first media member to enter the hall.
Thom Leonard, 65, on March 22. The longest-serving morning show host on Seaside FM (CFEP-FM) Eastern Passage, NS, Leonard hosted the community station’s morning show from 2001, up until recently. He was also the inaugural host of Saturday evening show “Candlelight & Memories,” modelled after former CFDR Dartmouth show “Candlelight & Wine.”
Rodger Brulotte, 79, on March 20. Born in Montreal, Brulotte initially worked in the sales and marketing departments for the Montreal Expos, starting in 1969. He’s credited with contributing to the creation of the Youppi mascot, among other initiatives, before he went on to join CKAC as colour commentator, alongside Jacques Doucet in 1984, and later RDS as the team’s play-by-play announcer in 1990, up until its demise in 2004. Brulotte later called Toronto Blue Jays games, alongside Doucet, on TVA Sports. With his infamous “Bonsoir, elle est partie” embedded in the collective memory of fans, his broadcasting career spanned more than 55 years.
Tod Elvidge on March 15. Elvidge was a producer with CBC Radio, based in Vancouver, for 34 years, starting in 1975. Among other programs, he was the inaugural executive producer on CBC’s “The Debaters.” He additionally served as producer on 16 seasons of “Randy’s Vinyl Tap,” hosted by Randy Bachman.
Hugh Winsor, 87, on March 14, following a stroke. A four-decade member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, Windsor was a long-serving columnist with the Globe and Mail and one of the original correspondents for flagship CBC-TV public affairs program, The Journal, as well as a Canadian contributor to British newspaper The Independent. Winsor also served as a journalism instructor in Tanzania and was a founding director of policy think tank, the North-South Institute. He received the Charles Lynch Award from his press gallery peers in 1998 and was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2005. Among the organizations he was active with were the Canadian Journalism Foundation, World Press Freedom Canada and OXFAM-Canada.
Ed Doyle, 90, on Jan. 22. Doyle worked in both radio and television news, starting in Montreal in 1958, before moving on to CKCO-TV in Kitchener from 1963-69 and CHCH-TV Hamilton and CHML Radio from 1983-93. At CKCO-TV, he contributed to broadcasts as a member of the “Scan Clan” alongside colleagues like Larry McIntyre. He went on to seek office, serving as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995-99, representing Wentworth East, and serving as the 35th speaker of the Ontario legislature. He opted not to seek re-election in 1999.
TV & FILM:
Netflix/CBC/APTN series North of North and post-apocalyptic thriller 40 Acres lead the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards nominations. North of North topped both television and overall nominations with 20, including Best Comedy Series; Best Ensemble Performance, Comedy; and a nod for Anna Lambe for Best Lead Performer, Comedy. Heated Rivalry scored 18 nominations, including Best Drama Series, followed by Small Achievable Goals with 12. In film, 40 Acres leads nominations with 10, including Best Motion Picture. Following with eight nominations are Follies | Folichonneries, Honey Bunch, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, while Blue Heron and Mile End Kicks both received seven. Read more here.
The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) has unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Rockie Awards International Program Competition, showcasing the best in television and digital media from around the globe. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor, director, writer and executive producer Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), the awards will take place June 16 in a combined ceremony with the Banff Gala Awards. Leading nominations by company are: BBC (26 nominations); National Geographic (10); Hulu (8); Disney Television Studios (6); HBO International (Europe) (4); Gaumont (4); Sphere Media (2); Trio Orange (2). Leading nominations by country are the U.S. (55); UK (39) and Canada (28) – including nods for Heated Rivalry and Plan B for Drama Series: English Language.
Alison Murray has won the 2026 edition of SERIESMAKERS, the highly-selective residency held during the Series Mania Forum in Lille, France. Known for directing and writing 2005 feature film Mouth to Mouth, starring Elliot Page, Murray’s six-part dramedy Chachachá! won the Seriesmakers Award, solidifying her project as a top-tier international prospect. The series follows a Gen X woman whose life-threatening health scare forces her to confront her own stagnation. In a desperate bid for survival, she turns to Latin dancing, igniting a chaotic but transformative journey for herself and her family.
Canada Media Fund (CMF) has unveiled a new three-year strategic plan that signals a significant shift in how the funder supports Canadian producers and the audiovisual sector. CMF says it’s moving toward a “market-driven model that reflects how content is made, financed, and watched today.” Among other changes, it’s committing to expanding eligibility for online streamers and international distributors. It also names diversified revenue, private investment, and international markets as priorities.
Numeris has launched OneLook, a new publicly-available dataset that provides a topline view of video viewing behaviour across Canada. Based on Numeris’ National VAM (Video Audience Measurement) data, which was introduced cross-country last fall, OneLook offers a snapshot of total video viewing across broadcast and streaming, shifts in viewing behaviours over time, and how video viewing is distributed across categories and devices. The initial dataset reveals that streaming accounted for 37.3% of video views in the month of February, followed by specialty TV (32.9%) and conventional TV (29.8%). Read more here.
Rogers’ TV services Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery and Magnolia Network have exceeded 210,000 subscribers, making them no longer exempt discretionary services. As such, the CRTC has approved Rogers’ application for broadcasting licences to operate those services. It acquired the Canadian programming and brand rights to the channels from Warner Bros. Discovery in 2024, previously held by Corus Entertainment and Bell Media.
Postmedia Studios and Elevation Pictures’ production division have announced a partnership that will see the two companies finance, develop, and launch Canadian feature film projects. The first project under the collaborative effort is Fire Weather, a feature doc commissioned by CBC and produced by Elevation and Mercury Films. Inspired by American-Canadian writer John Vaillant’s book, the project will be directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier, delving into the human, environmental, and societal impacts of wildfires. Read more here.
The Mediapro Studio has launched a new production partnership with Emmy Award-winning showrunner and producer Charles Wachter. Stopwatch Media will be headquartered in Toronto, expanding Mediapro’s production footprint in Canada. Wachter – who has helped bring reality series to air like Netflix’s Million Dollar Secret, Prime Video’s Beast Games, and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution for ABC, as well as upcoming Netflix competition series Win the Mall – will lead the new studio, which will specialize in unscripted formats. Read more here.
Netflix has greenlit a 10-episode series based on Carley Fortune’s This Summer Will Be Different. The series will be filmed in Toronto and on P.E.I., created by Dane Clark (Suze, One More Time) and Linsey Stewart (Workin’ Moms, North of North). It’s executive produced by Clark, Stewart, Fortune (Every Summer After, Our Perfect Storm), and Jennifer Kawaja (Sort Of, Wayward) as well as Elise Cousineau (Cardinal, Small Achievable Goals) for Sphere Media.
Canada Media Fund (CMF) has released the final episode of George Stroumboulopoulos’ road trip that takes him from Toronto to Iqaluit, asking what it truly means to tell a Canadian story. The episode features Jay Baruchel and Emily Hampshire, Ryan Reynolds, and the creators and cast of North of North.
CBC has announced the premiere of two-part POV documentary Speechless (2×90) from Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ric Esther Bienstock (Enslaved, Tales From the Organ Trade) and Academy Award-winning executive producer Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side). Filmed on campuses in the U.S. and UK, the doc poses the urgent question: What happens when a society loses the ability to tolerate disagreement and power decides who gets to speak? Speechless will broadcast commercial-free April 14-15, and will also be available to stream on CBC Gem. A CBC and documentary Channel Original produced in association with BBC, it will also premiere in the UK on BBC Storyville and iPlayer. The Sunday Magazine’s Piya Chattopadhyay will host an interview with filmmaker Bienstock on CBC-TV following the April 14 broadcast.
Fast Cat Films has announced that Cheetah Fast & Wild will debut as part of The Nature of Things on CBC and CBC Gem on April 2. The doc was shot on location in South Africa by Vancouver director, producer, writer and cinematographer, Joe Kennedy and is hosted by Anthony Morgan.
Crave Original dramedy series Late Bloomer debuts Season 3 with a two-episode premiere Friday, April 24. Created by and starring Jasmeet Raina, the eight-episode season will see new episodes stream on Fridays. Joining the cast this season are Usha Kiran Uppal; Amit Aujila; Megha Sandhu; and TikTok creator Prayag Mishra who plays fast-rising social media star – and Jasmeet’s worst nightmare – Prem.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Corus Entertainment has received court approval to move forward with a proposed recapitalization transaction that’s poised to save the company up to $40 million in annual cash interest payments and cut its third-party debt by over $500 million. Despite failing to gain the support of Class B shareholders in a vote in late January, Corus revealed late Tuesday it’s now received an order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to proceed, pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act. It also requires regulatory approval from the CRTC and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Read more here.
The Government of Canada has announced $17.2 million in support over two years for Indigenous broadcasting in the North. Provided through the Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting component of the Indigenous Languages Program, it includes $872,262 over two years for the Native Communications Society of the Northwest Territories, which preserves, vitalizes and promotes the languages, cultures and heritage of the Dene Peoples, including operation of CKLB 101.9 FM Yellowknife. Others funded include the Wawatay Communications Society in Sioux Lookout, ON; the Inuit TV Network and Inuit Broadcasting Corporation in Iqaluit; and the James Bay Cree Communications Society in Mistissini, Que. Read more here.
Trailblazers has launched the Next Gen Trailblazer Award, a new recognition aimed at celebrating and supporting the next generation of women leaders in Canadian broadcasting. The new award shifts focus to emerging talent, recognizing professionals with up to 10 years of industry experience who demonstrate outstanding leadership, creativity, integrity, and passion. Five winners will be selected by a jury of industry professionals, with each recipient to receive a $1,000 bursary to support their career development and an invitation to join the Trailblazers panel at Radiodays North America in May. Read more here.
The Sidney Hillman Foundation has announced the winners of the 16th annual Canadian Hillman Prizes. In the Broadcast category, CBC News’ The Fifth Estate was recognized (Harvey Cashore, Mark Kelley, Eva Uguen-Csenge, Daniel LeBlanc, Allya Davidson, Emmanuel Marchand) for “Tax Hack: Identity Theft” and “The Denial Machine.” For Small Market/Local News, the Investigative Journalism Bureau, TVO Today, Piz Gloria Productions, and the Toronto Star (Robert Cribb, Laurie Few, Susanne Reber, Wendy-Ann Clarke, Bruce Edwards) were recognized for their joint podcast effort, “Arachnid: Hunting the Web’s Darkest Secrets.” The Star was also recognized for Print/Digital (Brendan Kennedy) for “The Maplehurst Riot Squad.”
OMNI Television has opened applications for its scholarship program supporting students pursuing careers in ethnic and third-language journalism. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents enrolled in a journalism-related program. The deadline for applications is May 14.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
ADVERTORIAL: Over-the-air broadcast pioneer Dielectric has completed an infrastructure upgrade for two Canadian broadcasters with the help of regional integration partner Pippin Technical Service (PTS). Following reports of an antenna failure, Dielectric and PTS’ combined expertise enabled a rapid diagnosis and response, helping restore the radio antenna to full operation. In this instance, a multi-channel, circularly polarized DCR-M antenna in Winnipeg had developed a fault, resulting in disruptions for two FM radio services owned by separate entities but operating on the same system. Read more here.
Nautel has announced the slate of radio industry experts who’ll be addressing its annual Radio Technology Forum, Sunday, April 19 in the Westgate main ballroom during NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 18-22. The forum begins with an Industry Briefing Breakfast themed “Where Technology Meets Revenue; Helping your Station Prosper.” The forum continues with an Engineering Panel, moderated by Nautel’s Jeff Welton, titled “Finding, Mentoring and Teaching the Next Generation,” discussing recruiting and training younger engineers. Welton will also be joined by Kory Hartman, COO of Civic Media, to discuss “The Business of Broadcast,” talking about challenges and answers found in small market radio, including engineering support, staffing, parts availability, and other situations.
