Russ Holden has announced his retirement after a 50-year career at Rogers Media, 680 News (CFTR-AM) and Breakfast Television Toronto. Holden joined the company in 1967 in the operations department at 98.1 CHFI-FM Toronto, followed by years in commercial and program production. Soon after, he took to the sky as an airborne traffic reporter. He later moved to 680 News when it first hit the airwaves in 1993 as a traffic reporter, helping solidify the success of the all-news radio station. Most recently, Holden has been with Breakfast Television Toronto. He’s also spent time teaching broadcasting at Ryerson University, Centennial College and Seneca College.
Telelatino has appointed industry veteran Errol Da-Ré to the newly-created position of chief revenue officer. Da-Ré has previously headed brand partnerships for Toronto’s TMT LAB and spearheaded ad sales during the last Olympic games for CBC, in addition to stints at Shaw, Alliance Atlantis and Bell.
96.3 Big FM (CFMK-FM) Kingston has made some programming changes. Midday host Ange Stever joins current host Brian Bailey on The Breakfast Club with Ange & Brian. CKWS-TV Kingston anchor Bill Welychka is also joining Big FM with a news and entertainment segment called Bill’s Excellent Adventures, airing weekdays at 11 a.m.
“Stuntman Stu” Schwartz returned to the Majic 100 (CJMJ-FM) Ottawa morning show on Sept. 5, joining co-host Angie Poirier. Stu has been battling leukemia for the last 18 months, including receiving a bone marrow transplant, and is now in remission.
Denyse Sibley has joined Hot Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM) Halifax, just weeks after parting ways with MBS Radio, where she hosted the FX101.9 (CHFX-FM) morning show off and on since 1983. Sibley will be a contributor to both the morning and afternoon shows with the ‘Hot Country Skinny’ segment, featuring news from the country music world.
Alexander Stevens is joining the creative department at MBS Radio Halifax. Stevens was part of restructuring at Newcap Halifax earlier this summer that saw his copywriting position at Q104 (CFRQ-FM) and Mix 96.5 (CKUL-FM) eliminated.
Waubgeshig Rice is leaving CBC Ottawa, where he’s been a video journalist the last seven years, to take up a new position based in Sudbury. Rice will be reporting and producing multi-platform content for CBC’s regional markets in Ontario.
John Einarson is returning as a host on community station CJNU-FM Winnipeg. The well-known music historian was with the station in 2011-12, before taking his show to UMFM 101.5 (CJUM-FM) at the University of Manitoba. Einarson will host a weekly one-hour Off The Record music history special Wednesdays at noon, in addition to his My Generation show, spinning and talking about hits from the 1960s and 70s.
Ivan Fecan has been named the interim CEO of Vancouver production company Thunderbird Entertainment, following founder Tim Gamble’s move to the position of vice-chair of the company’s board. Fecan will continue to serve as executive chair, as well as produce CBC comedy Kim’s Convenience.
Piers Handling is leaving his position as director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) at the end of 2018. Handling has been with the festival since 1982 and CEO for the past 23 years.
Global News Calgary has refreshed its lineup, following the departure of longtime anchor Gord Gillies to Corus sister station News Talk 770 (CHQR-AM). Amber Schinkel and Kris Laudien will deliver news, weather and traffic, weekdays on Global News Morning. Joel Senick also joins the Global News Calgary team from Global News Saskatoon. Senick will co-host the weekend edition of Global News Morning with Bindu Suri.
