SIGN-OFFS:
Gary Lawrence Miles, 77, after a brief bout with cancer. In a career spanning over five decades, Miles began in radio as an announcer and then moved into sales. He worked his way up the ranks to become GM at several stations. Later, he served as VP at Selkirk Radio and then VP for Rogers Radio stations in Western Canada. Miles was promoted to CEO of the Rogers Radio Division and served in that capacity from 2002 to 2007, overseeing 46 stations, and was also a director of Vista Radio over recent years. He served on many boards and associations including as president of the Radio Bureau of Canada where he introduced the first standardized radio sales training program. He was also a past chair and board member of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Western Association of Broadcasters, Manitoba Association of Broadcasters and Numeris (formerly, the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement). Gary Miles retired in 2008 to consult internationally for the Canadian Traffic Network, Global Traffic Network, Golden West Broadcasting, JACK fm brand, SparkNet Communications, and media outlets in France, Singapore, India, Germany, Peru, the U.S. and the UK. He was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006.
Patrice Lemée, the senior manager of transmission projects with CBC/Radio-Canada from 1999 to 2008 before starting Quebec-based CommSpec Canada Inc.. specializing in small and large-scale radio and television project management.
Denis Grondin, 66, of an apparent heart attack hours after recording his weekly show for Radio VM. Grondin, a 47-year radio veteran, began his career in 1970 at CKVL-FM Montreal, moving on to stints at CHOM-AM, CKOI-FM and CHMP-FMl. Grondin worked on-air and in programming over the years, a rare position for a Francophone to hold on an English-speaking station.
REVOLVING DOOR:
TJ Connors has joined the line-up at 97.7 HTZ-FM (CHTZ-FM) St. Catharines as the new afternoon host. Most recently, he was doing mornings at Country 103 (CJKC-FM) Kamloops. TJ follows in the footsteps of his father, the late Scruff Connors, who worked at CHTZ-FM from 1989 to 1992. Prior to joining Country 103, Connors did stints at Winnipeg’s Power 97 (CJKR-FM), Vista Radio Kelowna, 91.9 BOB FM (CKLY-FM) Lindsay, and The Wolf (CKWF-FM) Peterborough.
Craig Letawsky has taken over as GM/GSM of Newcap Radio’s Red Deer and Alberta Radio Group South markets, including stations in Drumheller, Stettler, Blairmore and Brooks. Letawsky had been in sales and management at Rogers Radio since 2001 in Vancouver, Calgary, Lethbridge and Winnipeg.
Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto’s new morning show line-up beginning Monday — The Josie Dye Show — will feature current Indie88 hosts Matt Hart and Carlin Burton. Dye left 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto in December after 14 years there. As well as her nationally syndicated radio show, Josie’s Top 20, Dye hosted eight seasons of Oh So Cosmo on Cosmo TV and was a host on the W Network from 2013 to 2017.
Charlee Morgan is semi-retiring to Vancouver Island. Morgan, who has been on-air at up! 99.3 (CIUP-FM) Edmonton since 2013 is relocating to Parksville, BC. Morgan will be voice tracking for Soft Rock 97.7 (CHUP-FM) Calgary, among other stations. Morgan’s last day at up! is May 10. Over the years, Charlee has been heard on CKCL-FM Chilliwack/Vancouver, CHFM-FM Calgary, CKKS-FM Vancouver, CKLG Vancouver, CKCK Regina and CHAB Moose Jaw.
Dawn Chubai is leaving CITY TV Vancouver’s Breakfast Television at the end of May. Chubai has been a host with the show since 2004. She and her husband are relocating to Toronto to focus on her media consulting and on-camera training business.
Tim Maassarany, co-host of the All New Breakfast Club with Tim & Todd on LIFE 100.3 (CJLF-FM) Barrie, is leaving March 24 to pursue a career in firefighting. He’s been at the contemporary Christian station since 2005.
Bobby May, morning host at KRAZE 101-3 (CKIK-FM) Red Deer, is moving to Wild 95.3 (CKWD-FM) Calgary to take over afternoon drive later this month. He takes over from Samantha Stevens, who had been with the station since last year. She’s returning to Winnipeg.
MY96 (CFMY-FM) Medicine Hat morning co-host Shalinda Kirby of the KJ & Kirby Show is headed to Winnipeg to join the morning team at Evanov’s newly-launched HOT 100.5 (CFJL-FM). Kirby had been with MY96 since 2010.
Robbin Reay is the new mid-day personality on 97.5 Virgin Radio (CIQM-FM) London. Reay had been a host/reporter with Shaw TV Edmonton and afternoon drive host on up! 99.3 (CIUP-FM) Edmonton.
Katelyn Wilson is returning to Global TV Lethbridge as videographer. The Lethbridge College grad had been an intern at the station before joining Sunny 94 (CJUV-FM) Lacombe and Lacombe Online as a reporter/anchor.
John Cruickshank, former publisher of the Toronto Star, has been named Canada’s consul general to Chicago, responsible for the U.S. Midwest. Cruickshank was previously with the Chicago Sun-Times from 2000 to 2007.
RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST:
Susan Marjetti is the winner of the 2017 Rosalie award which annually recognizes a woman who has blazed new trails in radio. Marjetti was appointed executive director of CBC Radio and Audio in June 2015 and has been with the public broadcaster in various roles over the past three decades, including serving as senior managing director of CBC Toronto and the Ontario Region. The Rosalie award, to be presented during Canadian Music Week, was inspired by the legendary Rosalie Trombley who, between 1967 and 1984, was one of the most powerful women in North American radio as music director of the legendary Big 8 (CKLW-AM) Windsor.
The fourth annual Care from the Heart Day radiothon, hosted by Mix 107.9 (CKFT-FM) Fort Saskatchewan raised $25,600 for the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital Foundation on Mar. 9, double last year’s amount. The focus of this year’s fundraising effort was on supporting women’s health initiatives at the hospital.
TV/FILM/VIDEO:
Space series Orphan Black and Montreal director Xavier Dolan’s French-language drama It’s Only the End of the World were the big winners at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards. Orphan Black took home nine trophies, including Best Dramatic Series and the Best Lead Actress in a Dramatic Role honour for star Tatiana Maslany. Maslany also won best actress for her role in The Other Half. Crave TV original series Letterkenny won Best Comedy Series while The Tragically Hip took home the award for Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program for The Tragically Hip – A National Celebration. You can read a complete list of winners here.
Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams and comedian Russell Peters will co-host CTV’s broadcast of the 2017 JUNO Awards April 2. Previously announced host Michael Buble stepped down to focus on his family. The show airs live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on CTV and CTV GO.
Canadian actress Karine Vanasse has been named an ambassador of The Talent Fund, a private donation fund that supports Canada’s emerging film talent. Vanasse, who stars in the CTV crime series Cardinal, will help with the Talent Fund’s fundraising initiatives by raising the profile of Canada’s next generation of directors, writers, producers and actors. The Talent Fund draws on the financial support of private companies such as Bell Media and Corus Entertainment, as well as individual donors.
A new feature documentary exploring how Star Trek has affected science and space exploration debuts on The Movie Network March 19. Commissioned by Bell Media and hosted by William Shatner, the doc includes interviews with Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, David Suzuki, Whoopi Goldberg and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, among others. The film will be available on demand and on TMN GO, following its television premiere.
ONLINE CHANNELS:
CBC Ombudsman Esther Enkin has found a complaint from J.D. Irving Limited’s legal counsel about the Twitter activity of CBC New Brunswick provincial affairs reporter Jacques Poitras to be unfounded but cites the need for vigilance. The complaint was about a perceived conflict of interest in the reporter using both a CBC Twitter account and one used to promote his books – one of which is about the Irvings. While Irving asked that Poitras stop tweeting and be banned from covering any Irving-related stories, the ombudsman found the reporter’s work fell well within the bounds of balance and analysis. Enkin did say, however, that the question of a perceived conflict of interest is more complicated. She suggests CBC News management revisit protocols to minimize the risk of any perception of conflict.
Bell Media has partnered with campaign management platform Influicity. As the exclusive Canadian broadcaster with access to the platform, the partnership aims to match clients with social influencers from a centralized marketplace to develop impactful marketing campaigns.
GENERAL:
Journalists from CBC Radio’s The Current and the Ottawa Citizen are among the big winners of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario annual media awards. Both news outlets garnered two awards in the competition, which celebrates outstanding journalism that shines a spotlight on nursing, health and health-care issues. Winners also include journalists from Global News, CTV, CBC Marketplace and Metroland Media. You can view the full list here.
The 12th annual Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ Career Day was held March 6 at Corus Entertainment in Toronto. Fifty broadcast professionals volunteered to talk with 366 students from 12 post-secondary broadcast schools at the event. This year’s panel discussion Future You: Planning for Your Career in Media included 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) personality Alan Cross, Francis D’Souza, senior manager of editorial, CityNews; Jeff Vidler, president, Audience Insights; and Bianca Williamson, director of people, Corus Entertainment. Andrew Mauro from Loyalist College was awarded the 2017 Michael Monty Scholarship.
Humber College journalism instructor and former Global TV reporter/producer Gregory Dennis is facing child pornography charges. Toronto Police arrested Dennis, 59, on Monday after executing a search warrant at an east end home. Dennis worked at Global TV from 1990 to 2004, before moving into a communications role with the Ontario government. The Toronto Star reports the accused was bailed out by his wife Robin Smythe, a former Global reporter herself, who is now an executive producer of CBC Radio’s As It Happens.