Originally published in the June 15, 2023 edition of The Weekly Briefing
CTV National News Executive Producer Rosa Hwang has departed the network as Bell moves to lay off 1,300 staff, amounting to six per cent of the media division. David Hughes, Ramneek Gill, Sophia Skopelitis and Jonathan Kay will expand their oversight within the news division, while Joanne Woo is now News Director, CTV News Channel/Manager, Ottawa News Operations. Corey Bellamy assumes the role of Director, Digital Growth, rejoining CTV News from Bell’s corporate digital product group. The network also announced the closure of its bureaus in L.A. and London with those caught up in the layoffs including L.A. Bureau Chief Tom Walters, Chief International Correspondent Paul Workman, Ottawa Bureau Chief Joyce Napier, CTV National News Senior Political Correspondent Glen McGregor, and UK-based correspondent Daniele Hamamdjian. Other casualties include Parliamentary Bureau field producer Ian Wood, W5 correspondent Molly Thomas, CTV Morning Live Calgary host Joelle Tomlinson, CTV Vancouver Island reporter/anchor Jordan Cunningham, and TSN field producer Matt Dunn, along with the staff of six AM radio properties being shuttered, including TSN Radio 1260 (CFRN-AM) Edmonton’s Shawn Simpson, Marc Stevenson, Ryan Rishaug, Jason Strudwick, Connor Halley, and Jason Gregor, among others.
Karen Mitchell has retired from CTV Winnipeg after 15 years as News Director. Mitchell started her career in 1993 as part of the CJOJ Belleville, ON launch team. Her career then took her to CJOK-FM Fort McMurray, Craig Broadcasting Global News and CBC. Mitchell had been with CTV Winnipeg since 2000, working her way up from reporter/weekend producer. She was recognized with RTDNA Canada’s Distinguished Service Award last year.
Emma Ens is leaving CTV Kitchener after more than 15 years for a new opportunity. Ens, who started with the station as a technical operator in 2007, had been working as an assignment editor and reporter for the last six years.
Katarina Szulc has left CBC Edmonton to work as a freelance reporter, based in Mexico, where she’ll cover Latin America. With CBC for the past year, Szulc previously worked as a reporter and web editor with CityNews Vancouver.
Dione Wearmouth is joining CityNews Calgary as a part-time anchor and reporter. Wearmouth arrives from Brunswick News where she’s been a reporter for the last year and a half for the Daily Gleaner and Kings County Record. Prior to that, she was a videojournalist with CKPG-TV and worked with Vista Radio’s stations in Prince George.
Karli Zschogner has joined APTN News as a video journalist, based in Inuvik, NWT. Zschogner has been serving as the editorial director of the Arctic Youth Network mentoring and publishing program for the last eight months and working as a freelance journalist.
Amanda Young has accepted the role of Branded Content & Integrations Manager, Eastern Canada, at Rogers Sports & Media. In her new role, she’ll be responsible for leading the Eastern regional branded content & integration team. With Rogers Sports & Media for over 15 years, Young has successfully led promotions in several different markets, including JACK FM (CJAQ-FM) Calgary and CHFI Toronto. Most recently, she led BC&I campaign strategy and execution in priority Eastern Markets. She’ll continue to work out of Ottawa.
Geri Mayer-Judson has joined 980 CKNW Vancouver as an on-air contributor. Mayer-Judson has been a traffic reporter in the market for the past two years, most recently with the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN).
Sean Fitz-Gerald is among the Canadian staff laid off by The Athletic as the digital subscriber publication, acquired by the New York Times last year, moves to cut 20 reporters or about four per cent of its journalists as part of a company reorg. Other reporters will move from their current beats to new ones as some local NHL and MLB beats are eliminated, and the publication moves to appeal to a wider audience, including more regional and general assignment coverage. Based in Toronto, Fitz-Gerald had been with The Athletic since 2016 as one of its first dozen hires.
Vanessa Steinmetz and Nicole Butler are now co-CEOs at Pier 21 Films. With the appointments, Pier 21 becomes a fully female-led production company, with Pier 21 founder Laszlo Barna transitioning to the role of Chair. Steinmetz, a former SVP Production Finance at Entertainment One, is overseeing financing and business operations; while Butler, former COO with Pier 21, leads development and production activities. Current projects include Season 3 of Run the Burbs for CBC; Late Bloomer, starring Jasmeet Raina for Crave; and recently-announced Indigenous comedy Don’t Even, created by showrunner Amber-Sekowan Daniels, also for Crave.
Rose Mueller has joined AMPIA (Alberta Media Production Industries Association) as the organization’s new Operations and Communications Coordinator. Mueller has held communications roles with organizations from the federal government to the Edmonton Aboriginal Business & Professional Association. She was most recently Communications Manager at the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre.
David Craig is the new President of Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB). Craig is Director of Programming & Development at MCA Media, which operates The Miracle Channel and Corco TV. Brett Adnum, Chief Operating Officer at Golden West Broadcasting, moves into the position of Past President.
