Leo Baggio will succeed Bruce Uptigrove as general sales manager of The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group’s Kamloops division, effective Jan. 1 when Uptigrove retires. Baggio will oversee sales for CIFM-FM, CKBZ-FM and CFJC-TV. He previously spent 25 years in the Kamloops market in programming, operations and on-air as an afternoon drive host. For the past five years, he’s been with JPGB in Cranbrook as GM/PD and then GM/GSM of East Kootenay operations.
Hannah Witherbee is moving within the Virgin Radio family, relocating from Halifax to Edmonton where she’ll be on-air at 104.9 Virgin Radio (CMFG-FM) .
Ralph Bird is the new general sales manager for 96.3 Cruz FM (CFWD-FM) Saskatoon. Promoted from account executive, he succeeds Rob Lozinski, who has accepted a position outside of broadcasting with NSC Minerals.
Bell Media Terrace, which includes CFTK-TV, EZ Rock (CFTK-AM) and CJFW-FM, has hired Marek Tkach as Terrace/Kitimat reporter and host of the Week In Review program. The Edmonton native is a recent graduate of the Television Broadcasting program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
CKUA Edmonton announcer Peter North has quit after 17 years with the community station, nine of those as music director. North has candidly told media outlets that he felt “elbowed out” as the station moves to broaden its audience under new CEO Marc Carnes. The CKUA Radio Network recently hired Hayley Muir from University of Calgary campus station CJSW-FM to host middays from its new studio in Calgary.
Alyson Lozoff, former Sportsnet Montreal reporter, has a new job with the AT&T Sports Network covering the Vegas Golden Knights.
Paul Thompson has been named the new associate deputy minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. He fills the post left open by Kelly Gillis’ move to Infrastructure Canada. Thompson is currently senior assistant deputy minister of skills and employment at Employment and Social Development Canada.
Halfire Entertainment has hired Carol Commisso as VP of development. Commisso was a former Rogers Media original programming production exec, until she and the company parted ways in April 2016. She’ll be in charge of building the Alias Grace and Aftermath prodco’s scripted drama slate.
Jeff Boulton has joined Don Carmody Television as head of production. The Canadian production company behind Netflix historical drama series The Tokyo Trial has also promoted Jane Beaubien to senior director, business affairs and finance.
Telelatino Network has added Angela Breese to its TLN Sales team as National Account Manager. Breese was most recently a national account exec at Suite 66 and was previously with House & Home Media for 17 years.
