Revolving Door

Originally published in the Feb. 29, 2024 edition of The Weekly Briefing

Nathalie Théberge has been appointed Vice-Chairperson of the CRTC, starting April 3. The longtime civil servant steps into the vacancy created by Alicia Barin’s resignation last month to focus on her personal life following the sudden passing of her husband last summer. Théberge has most recently served as Vice-Chair and CEO of the Copyright Board of Canada. Prior to that, she held a number of executive roles within the Department of Canadian Heritage. Read more here.

Glenn Stewart has retired after more than 20 years as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of YES TV. Stewart’s association with YES TV, previously Crossroads Television System, began in 1998. During his tenure at Canwest Global, he played a pivotal role in the launch of YES TV, officially joining the broadcaster full-time in 2000, overseeing National Sales. Following a brief retirement in 2013, Stewart returned to YES TV in 2015 as Director of Sales and Programming, eventually ascending to the role of COO in 2020. Melissa McEachern will succeed Stewart in the COO role, in addition to her current position as Chief Content Officer, while David Garby is promoted to General Manager/Director of Sales, overseeing day-to-day operations.

Pat DiVittorio will leave her role as Vice President, Programming, CTV and Specialty, and General Manager, Discovery Networks Canada, at the end of March. DiVittorio has been with the company for 34 years.

Derek Conlon, assignment editor at CTV Montreal, weather presenter Lise McAuley, and production assistant and movie reviewer Mosé Persico are among the names that continue to emerge from the latest round of layoffs at Bell Media. Director Yves Marion and producer Helen Michailidis are also impacted in Montreal. In radio, CJAD afternoon co-host Natasha Hall and copywriter and Sunday morning “Trivia Show” host Dan Laxer are casualties, in addition to Tim Day, the Regional Program Director for Pure Country 101 (CKXA-FM) Brandon, MB and Pure Country 92.7 (CHBD-FM) Regina.

Karis Mapp is joining CBC Kitchener-Waterloo as a reporter. Mapp arrives from CTV Kitchener where she had been a multimedia reporter since fall 2022.

Glen McGregor has joined the CityNews Toronto Parliament Hill bureau. McGregor had spent the last seven and a half years as a senior political correspondent at CTV News. He’d been freelancing on the Hill since last June.

Adrienne South is joining CityNews Vancouver. South arrives from Citytv Edmonton. Prior to that, she was a multimedia journalist with CTV in the Alberta capital.

Taylor Jukes has been named Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia in San Diego, encompassing eight stations. She’ll be responsible for programming, social, digital and marketing strategy, reporting to Noreen Ippolito, Market President for iHeartMedia San Diego. Jukes joins the station group from iHeartMedia Miami, where she served as Program Director at Y100 and will continue her role on the iHeart CHR Brand Team. Previously, she served as the Program Director for Virgin Radio (CKFM-FM) Toronto and National Content Director for iHeartRadio Canada.

Scot Turner has retired as Program Director of Evanov Communications’ Lite 92 (CKPC-FM) and Hot Country 93.9 (CKKL-FM) Brantford, ON. With the stations for the last three years, Turner’s 45-year career has included stops as Operations Manager at Bell Media’s stations in Kitchener-Waterloo, Program Director for Corus Radio in Kitchener, Cambridge and Guelph, and roles with Energy 108 and CFNY, among many other stations. Turner is an executive producer on the upcoming CFNY Spirit of Radio documentary, alongside Alan Cross and Ivar Hamilton, and is working with Hamilton on a companion podcast set to debut this fall. 

Sophie Moroz and Jeff Hopper have joined Ottawa’s Move 100 (CJMJ-FM) in mornings. Sophie & Jeff in the Morning is airing from 6 – 10 a.m. ET. Moroz and Hopper had been helming the Pure Country (CKKL-FM) Ottawa morning show and now step into the role vacated with the recent layoffs of Stuntman Stu, Angie Poirier and Janel Steeper.

Lexine Stephens and Adam Growe are joining the boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto weekend on-air line-up. Stephens, who has done on-air stints at Q107 Calgary and 100.3 The Q Victoria, returns to 97.3 after previously hosting swing on the station in 1993-94. She’ll primarily be heard on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., while Growe will be heard in the same Sunday time slot. Growe is best known as the host of Cash Cab. Last heard on 97.3 EZ Rock, he returns to radio after an almost two decade absence. 

Mark McKenzie is back on the airwaves after an almost three-year hiatus. McKenzie is the new morning show host at CKBG-FM Amherstburg, which launched last year. McKenzie spent 13 years at 89X (CIMX-FM) Windsor, and has spent time on-air in Chatham, Sudbury, Charlottetown, and Winnipeg, most recently at 92 CITI FM. He’s also currently serving as a City of Windsor councillor.

Jim MacDonald assumes the role of General Sales Manager for Novacast Media’s CFLB-FM, which is scheduled to launch this year in Lunenburg, NS. MacDonald brings a diverse background spanning the automotive, HVAC, and supermarket sectors across the Maritimes. 

Liza Yuzda has announced she’s leaving journalism to join BC Ferries in a communications role. Yuzda has been reporting from the B.C. Legislature for the last seven years, initially for 980 CKNW and more recently for CityNews Vancouver. She started her career as a reporter at CHNL Kamloops, before joining 630 CHED Edmonton as an anchor and reporter.

Peter McCully is no longer with Black Press Media, where he produced over 250 podcast episodes, including 100 of the Today in B.C. podcast series over the last two years. McCully had been with Black Press for 12 years, previously serving as group publisher of the Parksville Qualicum Beach News, Vi Free Daily, Westerly News and OASIS Magazine on Vancouver Island. 

Jodi Morelli is joining Rise, the advocacy group for gender diversity in broadcast and media technology, as Growth Manager for North America. The newly-created position aims to expand Rise’s presence and impact in the U.S. and Canada. Morelli has previously worked with Liberty Media, MTV, and FOX, with a focus on affiliate and event marketing tactics designed to increase subscribers. She most recently held marketing roles with Globecast and Nextologies.