REVOLVING DOOR:
Todd Crocker has been named the Toronto Maple Leafs new radio play-by-play host for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Crocker steps into the role following the retirement of Joe Bowen, who called Leafs games for 44 seasons before stepping down at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign. Crocker will join veteran colour commentator Jim Ralph, who returns for his 29th season. The promotion of the longtime Toronto Marlies broadcaster sees David Bowen (Joe’s son) take over primary play-by-play duties for the AHL affiliate for the majority of games this season, with Ben Shulman and Matt Cullen splitting responsibilities for the remainder. Read more here.
The Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) has unveiled its broadcast team for the coming season. The 2026 GSOC broadcast team includes both new and returning voices, with a combined 56 Grand Slam titles between them: Brad Gushue makes his debut as a full-time analyst this season following his retirement from competitive curling, as does Brent Laing after providing streaming commentary the last two seasons on Rock Channel. Darren Dupont will also make his GSOC debut as a host and play-by-play commentator. The panel is rounded out by Joanne Courtney, Jennifer Jones, and John Cullen. Read more here.
Coleen Christie is joining Global National as the network’s new National Weekend Anchor. The new face of the broadcast Friday through Sunday, Christie has been with Global News’ B.C. bureau since 2017, including anchoring Global News at Noon, Global Okanagan News at 5:30, and the BC1 news channel. Prior to that, she had been an anchor and reporter at CTV Vancouver since 1997. Read more here.
Mercedes Stephenson has announced that she’s now Ottawa Bureau Chief at The Globe and Mail, exiting Global News after a more than an eight-year run in the same position. Stephenson, who also served as the host of flagship political show, The West Block, will be succeeded by David Akin, who had been filling in for the veteran political reporter on an interim basis while she’s been off on maternity leave for the past year. Read more here.
Acadia Broadcasting has hired Jeff Irwin as Regional Manager & Digital Media Strategist for New Brunswick, appointed Jessica DeMello as Director of News & Community Content, and promoted longtime team member John Ongaro to Director of Programming. Irwin joins Acadia following nearly two decades with Blackburn Media, where he most recently served as Operations & Sales Manager. DeMello brings a background that includes previous roles at CPAC, CBC, CTV and The Globe and Mail, where she was most recently Deputy Head of Programming & Audience. Ongaro steps into the Director of Programming role after more than 15 years with the company, most recently leading operations in Thunder Bay. Read more here.
View this post on Instagram
Rhianne Campbell has stepped onto the 11 p.m. anchor desk at CityNews Tonight in Toronto as Melissa Nakhavoly pursues a new project. Campbell has been a reporter with the station for the past five years.
Mike Gazzola has joined Global Calgary as a Digital Journalist. Gazzola was previously an anchor, producer and reporter with 660 NewsRadio (CFFR-AM) Calgary for the last five years, up until the station’s closure in July.
James Lewis has joined CBC as an Executive Producer, Live & Daily News. Lewis arrives from CTV Toronto, where he’s most recently held the title of Executive Producer, CTV News Toronto & CP24. He’d been with CTV since 2017.
Mitch Cormier has made the move to afternoons as the host of Mainstreet P.E.I., after years hosting Island Morning. Cormier first joined the Island Morning team in 2006 as a news editor, before taking over as host in 2009. He’s worked with CBC since 1997.
Sharon Taylor is now in the role of General Manager at JAZZ.FM91 (CJRT-FM) Toronto on a permanent basis as Dana Wigle’s medical leave becomes indefinite. Taylor, a former Rawlco Radio, Standard Broadcasting and Astral Media exec, assumed the role on an interim basis earlier this summer.
Sportsnet. Toronto.
A new chapter awaits. And a childhood dream comes true.
I’m unbelievably excited & grateful to be joining this incredible team as an Anchor on Sportsnet Central.
The last eight years shaped me in ways I could’ve never imagined. Now, I look forward to… pic.twitter.com/c4osPo3Xq5
— Tony Brar (@TonyBrarSN) September 16, 2026
Tony Brar, who recently announced his departure from the Edmonton Oilers, where he’d been a reporter, host and producer since 2018, has signed on with Sportsnet in Toronto. Brar will join Sportsnet Central as an anchor.
Chris VanTassel, formerly Program Director for Bell Media Truro, NS, can now be heard on 107.9 GO Rock (CFLB-FM) Lunenburg handling middays. In addition to his on-air contribution, he’ll be advising Novacast Media on its planned Truro operation, pending approval of its current licence application by the CRTC.
Megan Edwards is now being heard on GO Rock (CFLB-FM) Lunenburg every Saturday. Based in Nova Scotia, Edwards has radio and TV experience on both coasts, including stints at 94.5 Virgin Radio (CFBT-FM) Vancouver and the former Z103.5 (CKHZ-FM) Halifax.
Mike Letourneau has added Quinte Broadcasting to his broadcast technology consulting practice, serving as Broadcast Technology Consultant to the Belleville broadcaster. Letourneau is also continuing his consulting work with Torres Media. His broadcast technology career has included senior roles with Corus Entertainment, BroadView Software, and Astral Media/Bell Media.
Kate Evans has left CBC to join the Samara Centre for Democracy as Director of Content and Media Relations. Evans had been with the public broadcaster for 11 years, the last seven as Senior Producer, Podcasts.
Elizabeth Amos has moved into the role of Chief Content Officer at Lower Street, the branded podcast venture’s first CCO. Amos has been with Lower Street since 2021, starting as a podcast producer. She’d served as Production Manager the last four years.
Michael Kronish has been appointed President, Productions, at Cineflix. Working closely with Chief Commercial Officer, Content, Piers Vellacott, he’ll oversee production operations, with a focus on developing and delivering premium content for Canadian and U.S. broadcasters, streamers, and platforms. He arrives from his current position as President of C3 Media.
John Melville will be leaving AMI (Accessible Media Inc.) at the end of the year. The Vice President of Content Development and Operations, Melville is credited with helping evolve the organization into an award-winning content creator, with projects greenlit during his tenure including Underdog Inc., Crip Trip, Para Sport Nation, Pretty Blind and Adapting. Prior to joining AMI in 2011, he worked for the Blue Jays Radio network, Headline Media Group and XM Satellite Radio Canada.
Jenn Taylor has stepped into an expanded role at WildBrain as Director, Global Franchise Marketing. Taylor has held numerous marketing roles with the company since 2011, most recently as Director, Digital Marketing.
Juggy Sihota has been named Chair of the Board of Directors of the TELUS Fund. Sihota succeeds Jack Shute who will remain on the board as a Director. A founding executive of TELUS Health, Sihota also chairs the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, stewarding its $120 million endowment, supporting more than 500 charities annually. She is also Vice Chair of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). Canadian producers with health and well-being focused projects are encouraged to submit applications at telusfund.ca before Sept. 25.
Prem Gill, former CEO of Creative BC, has joined the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD University as a Policy Fellow, Creative Industries. Her visiting fellowship term runs through May 31, 2027.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Numeris’ Summer R3 PPM release covers the period of June 1 to Aug. 30, 2026. With this book, radio retains an average weekly reach of 79% for Canadians A12+. In-home represents 48% of tuning while out-of-home represents 52%. For Canadians, 12% of radio consumption comes from AM/FM live radio streaming. Check out David Bray’s breakdown of the top performers and market share for Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary & Edmonton here.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, pushing the bill one step closer to becoming legislation that would require all new cars to include AM radio as a standard feature. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for debate and vote. Read more here.
JACK FM (CHST-FM) London helped pack 300 backpacks for kids that don’t have them this month, with the station’s “random act of summer” donation doubled by NHL star Nazem Kadri’s foundation.
The Pro Bono Group has rolled out the latest Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) PSA, once again voiced by Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play announcer Dan Shulman. The inspiration for “Game Day” comes from Hamilton’s Homeless Baseball League, which provided a chance to engage in meaningful, positive activity. As Shulman aptly puts it, “In the euphoria of crossing the plate at home, they’ll forget that they don’t have a home.” The spot can rotate with or replace the current PSA.
The Nation Network (TNN) is welcoming former NHL’er and actor Sean Avery with the launch of The Sean Avery Show, a new weekly hockey podcast. Each week, Avery promises to “break down what’s happening across the hockey world, from the stories driving the conversation on the ice to everything surrounding the game off it.” The show debuts Wednesday, Sept. 23, on the HockeyFights YouTube channel, with new episodes every Wednesday throughout the season.
🚨ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
Calgary, your new daily sports home is here!
The Rose Report hosted by @MattRoseYYC will be live every day talking Calgary sports + live post-games following every Flames game 🔥
Follow: @rosereportsick
Subscribe: https://t.co/w9uIiCBkARStay tuned 👀#sick pic.twitter.com/pHr8iYwarm
— The Rose Report (@rosereportsick) September 14, 2026
Sick Media has announced the launch of The Rose Report, a new daily Calgary sports show hosted by former Sportsnet 960 The Fan (CFAC-AM) host Matt Rose, who’ll be joined by Patrick Dumas. It promises daily conversation, reaction and analysis of Calgary sports, along with live post-game coverage following every Calgary Flames game.
Friends of Canadian Media has launched CanConversations, a new podcast hosted by Friends’ Executive Director Raj Shoan, exploring the questions shaping the future of Canadian media. The first episode sees Jennifer Hollett of The Walrus and media policy expert Peter Miller join Shoan.
The New York Festivals 2027 Radio Awards, celebrating 70 years of creative excellence in audio storytelling, is open for entries. This year, NYF’s Radio Awards have introduced two new categories: Crime Drama Podcast and Kids & Family Podcast, along with two updated categories Kids & Family Audio Book and Kids & Family Program. View the categories here.
LISTEN: Susan Reade got her start in Edmonton radio wearing an orange Tina Turner wig and leopard-print pants as CHED’s “Janet from Another Planet.” As she prepares to retire from Stingray as the Director of Sales for Edmonton, Calgary and Kamloops, the Sound Off Podcast catches up with her to talk about a career that’s taken her from the morning show to sales and leadership—and why she still believes in radio.
TV & FILM:
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) celebrated the best in Canadian independent production on Thursday evening, kicking off the Toronto International Film Festival with the presentation of the 2026 Indiescreen Awards. This year’s top honours were awarded to Quebec production company KOTV, producer Tyler Hagan of Experimental Forest Films, and Vancouver-based producer Anthony Cauchy of Locomotive Media. Read more here.
View this post on Instagram
Hope & Hard Work is a new prodco unveiled at TIFF, helmed by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime Chief of Staff Katie Telford. The pair describe their new venture as a “multidisciplinary media and entertainment enterprise dedicated to developing and producing engaging stories across film, television, audio and live experiences.” Read more here.
The Government of Canada has signed modernized audiovisual co-production treaties for the UK, Northern Ireland and Spain. Once ratified, the updated agreements will make it easier for Canadian producers to collaborate with British and Spanish producers. The signing ceremonies took place at TIFF: The Market, which the federal government supported with a $23-million investment, aiming to help Canadian filmmakers connect with international partners.
Bell Media-owned Sphere Abacus has acquired 100% of digital distributor Rocket Rights/Rights Booster. Under Sphere Abacus, it will be branded as Rocket Booster and spearhead the expansion of multi-platform digital and social media digital distribution across the combined Sphere Abacus and Rocket Booster catalogues. Traditional TV and licensing from both companies will be handled by the Sphere Abacus sales team. Read more here.
MTM Jr. data reveals that 73% of Anglophone children watched linear TV in the past month – the highest past-month reach the platform has recorded among youth in five years. Despite the availability of digital alternatives, the report finds that broadcast television is maintaining a consistent footprint across all youth demographics. Read more here.
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has released its 2026-29 Indigenous Action Plan, Answering the Call. It’s built upon seven priorities, including prioritizing Indigenous ownership and narrative sovereignty; strengthening Indigenous production and creation capacity; enhancing Indigenous participation in CMF programs; amplifying visibility of Indigenous content; demonstrating institutional allyship across the screen sector; advancing Indigenous data sovereignty; and increasing engagement and representation across the organization.
APTN, CBC/Radio-Canada and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) are once again partnering to produce Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The 90-minute live program will be broadcast from Parliament Hill in Ottawa bringing together residential school survivors, Indigenous leaders and First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), including performances from Tia Wood, Soleil Launière, Silla and Adrian Sutherland.
Kim’s Convenience has been acquired by NBCUniversal streaming service, Peacock, in the U.S. Blue Ant Rights & Streaming has licensed all five seasons of the hit comedy to stream on the service.
Blue Ant Media has greenlit seven new and returning factual originals. The new titles will be programmed across Blue Ant’s broader PayTV and streaming portfolio and be available for international licensing. Four of the history and science titles are produced in-house by Blue Ant Studios, including Engineering From Above Season 2, How to Survive History, Secret Ops: Revealed, and Disasters from Above. Natural history greenlights include two series from WildBear Entertainment, Big Cats, Nine Lives and Legion of the Shark, as well as special, Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers, produced by Fin & Fur Films.
Snooki: The Paranormal Rookie is a new Crave Original series following Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi as she explores haunted Ontario locations, including Tuckett Mansion in Hamilton, Fulford Place in Brockville, and Loretto Academy – a historic 19th-century convent and school in Niagara Falls. The eight-episode, hour-long unscripted series launches Oct. 2.
The HISTORY Channel heads off-grid with its newest Canadian Original series, Mountain Men: Wild North (10×60) premiering Thursday, Oct. 8 and streaming on STACKTV. For the first time, the network’s long-running Mountain Men franchise comes to Canada, following a rugged group of individuals who have chosen to live entirely off the land. The series is a co-production with A+E Global Media and produced by Blue Ant Studios.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Village Media and OpenAI have announced a partnership to make trusted local information and community resources easier to access, starting with the launch of an AI-powered navigator called Open Door. Aimed at helping residents connect with local businesses, non-profits, and essential services, the partnership is piloting its first initiative in Sault Ste. Marie. Read more here.
Bell Canada is reorienting its core business around AI, sovereign compute infrastructure, and digital content streaming as it positions itself for long-term growth, BCE President & CEO Mirko Bibic told the opening session of the ALL IN 2026 conference in Montréal. Appearing alongside Cohere co-founder and CEO Aidan Gomez, Bibic described how Bell’s new operating strategy focuses capital and innovation on three core growth areas: fiber, wireless, and enterprise AI solutions, alongside a comprehensive transformation of Bell Media and its flagship streaming platform, Crave. Read more here.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB), Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB), and B.C. Association of Broadcasters (BCAB), alongside dozens of independent TV and radio groups – representing over 600 stations – have signed an open letter calling on Ottawa to maintain CRTC contribution requirements for foreign streaming services. They’re also asking the government to immediately release a portion of the promised $600 million in federal funding for priority funds. Read more here.
OP-ED: The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has outlined its fall policy priorities, urging Ottawa to support local news and tax policy fairness. Read CAB President Kevin Desjardins’ OP-ED for Broadcast Dialogue here.
The Jack Webster Foundation has announced the 2026 Webster Awards finalists, recognizing journalistic excellence in B.C. The Globe and Mail leads overall nominations with six, while its B.C. politics reporter Justine Hunter has the most individual nominations, with four, including recognition for her work covering February’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. Winners will be announced during the Nov. 2nd Webster Awards gala at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver, featuring Elizabeth Palmer, who recently retired as Senior Foreign Correspondent, CBS News.
CTV News and Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina have announced University of Toronto student journalist Anahadhbir Singh as the recipient of the annual Sachedina ∙ CTV News ∙ Fellowship, in partnership with RTDNF Canada and Massey College. The program supports an emerging journalist who will produce an original piece to be considered for publication on a CTV News platform.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
The public broadcaster was recognized for its deployment of the open-source Media eXchange Layer (MXL).
CBC/Radio-Canada is among the winners of the 2026 IBC Innovation Awards in Amsterdam, celebrating collaborative projects tackling longstanding challenges across the global media, entertainment and tech industry. The public broadcaster was recognized as part of the contingent behind open-source Media eXchange Layer (MXL), which was recognized in the Content Creation category. Announced in April of last year, it aims to transform how video, audio, and metadata are exchanged in real-time media production environments. Read more here.
IBC2026 welcomed 41,225 attendees from 170 countries and more than 1,300 exhibitors. First-time exhibitors were up by more than a third in 2026, while many established global brands expanded their presence. Across the exhibition, 256 companies made their IBC debut, an increase of 36% from 2025.
Triton Digital has launched Demos+ Demographic Targeting, a new content targeting capability built on the company’s survey-based podcast audience measurement product. Available now in the Triton Ad Platform (TAP), Demos+ Targeting classifies podcast content by the audience most likely to consume it, then makes those classifications available as targeting criteria inside TAP.
