Sangita Patel has been promoted to host at ET Canada after 10 seasons as a reporter on the entertainment news program. Patel will co-host the nightly broadcast alongside longtime host Cheryl Hickey, when ET Canada’s 18th season premieres Sept. 12 on Global. In addition to her work with ET Canada, Patel hosted HGTV Canada’s Home to Win in 2016, for which she was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award. Read more here.
Tim Parent has parted ways with CityNews 660 (CFFR-AM) Calgary where he’d been News Director since 2019. Prior to joining Rogers Sports & Media, Parent produced The Morning Show out of Global Toronto. He’s now freelancing as a content specialist for Calgary-based ag media company, Rural Roots Canada.
Randene Neill has left CityNews 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver where she’d been co-anchoring the morning news for the last 10 months. Neill was previously with Global BC for 18 years, before moving into public relations in 2016 for Anthem Properties Group and Providence Health Care.
Denise Wong is leaving CityNews Vancouver after 12 years to move on to another opportunity outside of journalism. Wong started with the station as a web editor and anchor in 2010. She had been Managing Editor of Digital since 2012.
Krissy Vann has announced her departure from CTV Morning Live Vancouver. Vann has been a Community Host & Producer with the show since 2018. Prior to joining CTV, she was with The Weather Network for six years, first as a host in Oakville before relocating to the West Coast in 2015 to serve as the Vancouver bureau video journalist.
Shawn Churchill, CTV Saskatoon’s Assignment Editor, has joined the Saskatoon Tribal Council as a Corporate Communications Specialist. Churchill was formerly the sports director at CTV Winnipeg for 19 years, prior to relocating to Saskatchewan in 2019. Also a contributor to TSN over the years, Churchill was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour in 2016.
Ed Lawrence, the resident gardening expert on CBC Radio’s Ontario Today, is retiring. Lawrence, who oversaw the greenhouses at Rideau Hall and the residences of the Prime Minister and Opposition Minister from 1977 to 2006, has been contributing to the call-in show for the past 40 years. Ontario Today will celebrate Lawrence’s legacy with a special show Monday, Aug. 29 from noon to 1 p.m. ET. You can send your tribute to ontariotoday@cbc.ca.
David Fraser is leaving CBC Ottawa to join the Parliament Hill bureau at The Canadian Press (CP). Fraser, who previously reported in Alberta and Saskatchewan, will serve as CP’s justice reporter and helm the wire service’s coverage of the Emergencies Act inquiry, set to start in September. Fraser has carved out a reputation for his dogged reporting on the “Freedom Convoy.”
Dylan Robertson is joining The Canadian Press, covering international affairs, trade and development out of the Ottawa bureau. He arrives from the Winnipeg Free Press where he’d been Ottawa Bureau Chief since 2017.
Alana Cameron and Aaron Tompkins have stepped in to host the MIX 97 (CIGL-AM) Belleville morning show as Orlena Cain ends her 13-year run as co-host and Sean Kelly takes time off to seek a second term on Belleville City Council. Cain has relocated to Vancouver to work with XL The Band as their social media editor, in addition to pursuing other TV, movie and voice work. Cameron was formerly part of the MIX Morning Crew from 2016-20.
Derek “Watty” Watson is joining Harvard Broadcasting’s 96.3 CRUZ FM (CFWD-FM) Saskatoon after a two-year absence from radio. Watson, who’ll host the station’s evening show, was previously in-market as a member of the Rock 102 (CJDJ-FM) morning show for 13 years. Prior to joining Rawlco, he helmed afternoon drive at Harvard’s 104.9 The Wolf (CFWF-FM). Watson has most recently been working as videographer and editor.
Alison Mullock, who has been part of the FM Promotions team at Corus Radio Vancouver since 2020, has parted ways with the station group to move on to another opportunity. Mullock worked in promotions with both Pattison Media and Bell Media, prior to joining Corus.
Sadie Chung has left Vancouver all-traffic station AM 730 (CKGO-AM). The traffic reporter and anchor had been with Corus since July 2021. Chung has joined Freeman Casting in Burnaby as a Casting Assistant.
Marie-Christine Jean is joining MELS’ management committee as Vice President, Postproduction & Business Development. With over 17 years of experience in the cultural and media industries, including four as a director at MELS, Jean will be responsible for three MELS divisions: sound and picture postproduction; distribution services; and business development and sales. Her appointment comes on the heels of Geneviève Brodeur’s appointment as VP, Studios & Business Development in April. They will work together closely to promote MELS full range of integrated services.
Stephanie Azam has been hired by Disney+ Canada as Director of Content. Azam was most recently Vice President, Development and Acquisitions at Montreal independent distributor, MK2|MILE END. Prior to that, she spent 13 years at Telefilm as National Director of Feature Film.
Eric Ellenbogen’s contract as Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair of WildBrain has been extended for another three years. Ellenbogen joined WildBrain in August 2019. As part of the company’s overall succession planning, the contract includes an option to transition Ellenbogen to Executive Chair in the second half of the term. He was previously President of Broadway Video Entertainment, Golden Books Family Entertainment, and Marvel Enterprises before its acquisition by Disney. He also co-founded Classic Media in 2000, which became one of the largest private owners of branded kids’ and family entertainment and was acquired by DreamWorks Animation (DWA) in 2012. At DWA, he became Co-Head of DreamWorks Classics and DreamWorks International Television.
