Red Robinson is hanging up his headphones, after 64 years. The legendary Vancouver disc jockey has his last shift at CISL-AM on Aug. 27, as the station prepares for the Rogers’ ownership change that will see it rebranded to Sportsnet 650. Red, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Mar. 30, started spinning 45s at age 16 on CJOR-AM Vancouver in 1954. He was one of the first Canadian DJs to play Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and other Rock n’ Roll artists on a regular basis. He went on to DJ and host at CKWX-AM Vancouver, KGW/KGW-TV Portland, CFUN-AM Vancouver, CBC-TV Vancouver, and hosted multiple programs on KVOS-TV Bellingham, including Red’s Classic Theater. Robinson was the longtime morning show host at CISL 650 from 1993-2000, returning to host a Sunday oldies show. Among Robinson’s many awards and inductions, he was named BCAB Broadcast Performer of the Year in 1969; a Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Pioneer DJ (1994); CAB Hall of Fame (1977); Rockabilly Hall of Fame (2000); and has a star on the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame Starwalk. He was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 2016.
Steve Darling, James Cybulski and Mira Laurence will co-host the new Sportsnet 650 (CISL-AM) Vancouver morning show, starting Sept. 4. Sportsnet’s Starting Lineup with Cybulski, Darling and Laurence will air Monday to Friday from 6 to 10 a.m. PT. Cybulski is a former bureau chief for The Score, and most recently worked with News 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver. Steve Darling is the former longtime anchor of the Global BC Morning News, while veteran sportscaster Mira Laurence’s resume includes 10 years as head of the sports department for CTV Vancouver Island.
Carol Darling has been named director of the Tbaytel Municipal Service Board in Thunder Bay, ON. Darling is the former VP of engineering and broadcast systems at Shaw Media and SVP engineering & technical services at Canwest Broadcasting. She also served as executive director of the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA).
Robert Wagenaar aka Tootall will sign off on Sept. 29 after 40 years with CHOM 97.7 FM Montreal. Tootall was the host of Made In Canada for many years, one of the only commercial radio shows dedicated to profiling and exposing homegrown artists. He currently hosts middays, including his signature noon-hour show Made To Order. He is the last active announcer to start in CHOM’s original brownstone home at 1355 Greene Avenue.
Teresa Laynes is out as PD of Star FM (CKSR-FM) Chilliwack. Laynes had been with Rogers since 2001 and program director since 2012. Rogers also tells Broadcast Dialogue that Star FM will be relocating into a temporary studio in Abbotsford, starting Monday, while new studios are built in Chilliwack. Rob Michaels, PD at sister station Ocean 98.5 (CIOC-FM) Victoria is assuming PD responsibilities for Star FM in the interim.
Denyse Sibley is leaving radio, after more than 35 years on the Nova Scotia airwaves, for an opportunity with the federal government. Sibley started her career at CHNS-FM Halifax in 1981, moving on to host at CKCL-AM and CKTO-FM Truro. For most of the last three decades, she’s been with MBS Radio, hosting mornings on FX 101.9 (CHFX-FM), and most recently The Wave 88.9 (CHNS-FM). Sibley will be continuing her work as an emcee and tour escort.
Golden West Broadcasting has made several internal appointments. Laverne Siemens is now vice-president, Engineering. Wendy Friesen is appointed VP of Finance, while Carter Friesen is now vice-president, Corporate Development. In addition to his role overseeing Northwestern Ontario, Friesen will be responsible for developing new growth opportunities for Golden West.
Pat Kerr, PD at 103.7 BOB-FM (CJPT-FM) and 104.9 JRfm (CFJR-FM) Brockville, ON, is leaving radio for a communications position with the Canadian Forces. Kerr had been with Bell Media Brockville since 2009 and in the role of program director since 2014.
Isabelle Racicot and Martine St-Victor are co-hosting new weekly, CBC Radio One show Seat at the Table, promising “honest conversations with guests shaping pop culture.” St-Victor is the communication strategist behind Montreal-based Milagro PR agency Public Relations Atelier, while Racicot is a popular French-language TV and radio host in Quebec.
Stewart Bell has joined Global News as a national online journalist. Bell is best known for his award-winning investigative work at the National Post, where he was a senior reporter since its inception in 1998. Stewart is no stranger to Global News, having been a regular contributor to Global National while Global News was under CanWest.
Andy Stewart has signed off for the last time from CFAR-AM/FM Flin Flon, where the final episode of his weekly show Meet the Legion aired on June 17. Stewart, 86, began his radio career introducing guests on CKUA Edmonton, then made the move to Grande Prairie in 1955. Stewart took a short break from broadcasting to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, later making stops at stations in Wingham, ON, Weyburn, SK, and Lloydminster, AB before landing at CFAR in 1970. He spent 27 years there, both on-air and in sales, before retiring in 1997. Stewart is relocating to Toronto to be closer to his daughter.
SaskTel president and CEO Ron Styles retired July 1, a position he had held since 2010. Styles will continue as a consultant for the Saskatchewan government, after nearly four decades in provincial government roles, including president of Crown Investments Corporation and deputy minister of Finance.
