Revolving Door

David Cochrane has been named the new host of CBC News Network’s flagship daily political program, Power & Politics. Airing Monday to Friday at 5 p.m. ET, Cochrane fills the seat vacated by Vassy Kapelos in November when she joined CTV News as Chief Political Correspondent and host of CTV News Channel’s daily political program, Power Play, and the weekly, Question Period. Originally from St. John’s, NL, Cochrane spent two decades covering politics in Newfoundland and Labrador before joining the CBC Parliamentary Bureau in 2016. Read more here.

Kathleen Harris is leaving CBC’s Parliamentary Bureau to join Ottawa public relations firm, Compass Rose. Most recently a Senior Producer and writer for cbc.ca, Harris had been with the public broadcaster since 2012.

Harry Forestell, host of CBC New Brunswick News at 6 and former network foreign correspondent, has detailed undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment for his Parkinson’s. Forestell returned to the anchor desk in early February after four months away on medical leave. Diagnosed in 2015, he was one of approximately 400 Canadians who had the treatment last year, which relieves motor symptoms of the disease.

Miriam Valdes-Carletti, weekend anchor and multimedia reporter at CTV Saskatoon, will join CTV Edmonton in March. Valdes-Carletti has been with CTV Saskatoon for the past two years and with Bell Media since 2018, starting as a news writer and production coordinator on CTV Your Morning in Toronto.

Kirk MacKinnon has retired from Stingray’s Ocean 100 (CHTN-FM) Charlottetown to run for provincial office. Capping a 37-year broadcasting career, MacKinnon has announced his intention to seek the Progressive Conservative nomination for District 5, Mermaid-Stratford.

Mandy Shew has returned to 103.1 Virgin Radio (CKMM-FM) Winnipeg, joining Tyler Magz on new afternoon show, Magz & Mandy, from 2 – 7 p.m. Shew previously hosted the Virgin midday show from 2015-20. She most recently had been co-hosting Bounce Mornings with Beau and Mandy on Bell Media sister station Bounce 99.9 (CFWM-FM) for the past two and a half years. 

Adrian Cheung is joining The Globe and Mail as senior producer of The Decibel daily news podcast. Cheung was previously the producer and showrunner behind CBC Podcasts’ Nothing is Foreign and helped the Toronto Star launch its daily podcast in 2020. Earlier in his career, Cheung was a reporter for CBC in Toronto and Regina, and Global News in Winnipeg.

Michelle Brykman, Communications Specialist for Global News and Corus Radio, is leaving to return to Touchwood PR as a Publicity Manager. Brykman previously worked for the Toronto public relations for almost five years, prior to joining Corus in the fall of 2021. 

Rob Basile, Mike Bendixen and Rob Farina are embarking on new venture, RMR Media Strategies, described as a full-service agency for creators and brands. Offering podcast and content solutions and coaching and development, Basile was formerly National Content & Affiliate Relations, Orbyt Media, before parting ways with Bell last year. Farina, former Head of Content, Strategy & iHeartRadio, was ousted as part of an executive shuffle in early 2021, while Bendixen, longtime Program Director at Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto, was among those caught up in layoffs at Bell Media in late 2021.

Victoria Shen has been named the new Executive Director of the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), starting Feb. 27. The first person of colour to hold the role, Shen also practices law and was formerly a special advisor to ACTRA. Prior to that, she served as Director, National Industrial Relations and Counsel, for the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) from 2015-17.

Athena Georgaklis has been elevated to Vice-President at Nelvana Studios. Georgaklis previously held the role of Head of Development for the last six years. Prior to that, she served as Director of Content at TELETOON.

Kennisha Archer has been named to the new role of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Lead at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). Archer arrives from Humber College, where she held the position of Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion Analyst. 

Mike Fidler is the new Executive Director of the 8K Association, furthering the adoption and implementation of the 8K ecosystem. Fidler is the former President of the UHD Association and has done two separate stints with Sony as SVP of Digital Cinema Services and Solutions and SVP, Marketing, Engineering & New Technology, among other roles. Outgoing 8K Association head Chris Chinnock is stepping back from the organization after four years to move into semi-retirement.