“Cousin” Vinny Barrucco is leaving Cogeco’s The Beat 92.5 (CKBE-FM) Montreal after seven years to pursue another opportunity. His last day is Friday. Andy Wilson, will join the morning show as co-host starting Monday, with Nikki Balch and Sam Lupovich. Wilson, a morning radio veteran from Toronto, started out as an intern for Humble and Fred, then junior producer for Mad Dog and Billie, and most recently was producer of Tucker in the Morning on 99.9 Virgin Radio (CKFM-FM) Toronto. He’s been freelancing since November when the show fell to cuts that hit a number of Bell Media stations. Read the full story here.
Jax Irwin has joined Adam Wylde & TJ on Virgin Radio 99.9 (CKFM-FM) Toronto mornings. Irwin had been midday host at Rogers’ KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto since 2015. She previously worked for Bell Media in Halifax, hosting afternoon drive on both 101.3 The Bounce (CJCH-FM), now a Virgin-branded station, and its sister station C100 (CIOO-FM). Read the full story here.
Bell’s modern rock station 98.9 The Drive (CKLC-FM) Kingston has been flying without announcers. On Jan. 21, the station’s on-air line-up was essentially moved over to Hot AC sister station 98.3 FLY FM (CFLY-FM) with the new programming featuring Reid & Ben in the Morning, At Work with Rebecca Fryer, Afternoons with Riley, and Brittany on Fly. Thirty-year FLY FM on-air personality Dave Deodato was a casualty of the changes. The station’s former music director, Deodato had been part-time since 2002. Back in late November, FLY FM was one of the station’s caught up in major bloodletting across the network that saw six on-air staff released at Virgin Radio Toronto, including the Tucker In The Morning crew, as well as the Virgin Radio Edmonton morning show.
Paul Allen and Heather Palak, the morning team at Bell Media’s 107.3 KOOL FM (CHBE-FM) Victoria, have been let go. The station has been flying without announcers in the morning time slot since Jan. 21.
Darryl Dahmer is stepping away from radio and 680 News (CFTR-AM) Toronto after more than 45 years of airborne traffic reporting. Starting with the station in 1973, for much of that time Dahmer did split shifts, handling both morning and afternoon drive. Listen to a tribute from Scott Metcalfe, Rogers Radio National Format Director, News, here.
Bobby Alexander (MacLellan), who has been with Moose FM (CKNR-FM) Elliot Lake, ON for 39 years, has retired. Alexander started in radio at CKSO 790 AM Sudbury in the early 1970s. He later moved to CHNO-FM where he was sports director, eventually leaving to take higher-paying work with INCO and later Rio Algom, which brought him to Elliot Lake. He returned to radio part-time doing weekends on CKNR AM 1340 and went full-time in 1980. For much of his time with the station, Alexander did mornings, and also handled play-by-play for the area’s Junior ‘A’ hockey teams, including the Elliot Lake Vikings, Blind River Beavers, and Espanola Eagles, with briefer stints broadcasting weekend games for the OHL Sudbury Wolves. He was inducted into the Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Morgan Hoffman is ET Canada’s newest digital reporter, joining Graeme O’Neil, as the new faces of ET Canada’s digital platforms. O’Neil will continue to co-host ET Canada Live on Facebook and YouTube, while Hoffman will reoccur on ET Canada Live. The newly minted digital team will also report from events and red carpets, interviewing celebrities and capturing content for ETCanada.com and ET Canada’s social platforms.
Kate Schlomann has been hired as Boat Rocker Studios’ EVP of brand management and content marketing. Schlomann will lead brand, licensing and content marketing initiatives across scripted, factual and kids and family genres. She’ll report to Jon Rutherford, managing director of Boat Rocker Studios. Schlomann joins the company from Mattel, where she most recently VP and general manager for Thomas & Friends while overseeing the brand globally. She’s also held senior leadership positions at Fremantle, Nickelodeon/Viacom and Universal Studios. She’ll be based in New York.
Vibika Bianchi has been hired by Our House Media as SVP of current programs and development. Bianchi previously launched and led the Toronto office of Vancouver-based Force Four Entertainment, which merged with Entertainment One in 2016. For the decade prior to that, she held various roles with Corus Entertainment including VP, Original Programming.
Linda Nguyen is leaving The Canadian Press, where she’s been doing business reporting for the last seven years. She joined CP in 2012, initially as a reporter on the Ontario desk. In a Twitter post, Nguyen says she’ll “miss doing journalism” but is excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.
Angela Tu is moving on after 12 and a half years at Canadian Broadcast Sales. Tu will assume the role of Director of Client Success at Toronto-based, global research company, Brainsights.
Christine Diakos is rejoining Big Coat Media as SVP of Development and Production for Scripted and Factual. Diakos will be responsible for expanding Big Coat’s slate to include Scripted and grow its existing, award-winning factual arm. Most recently, she was SVP of Content for Peacock Alley Entertainment where she helped oversee the second season of A Users Guide to Cheating Death. She was previously head of production and development for Big Coat in 2016/17.
Richard Kroeker is leaving Golden West Broadcasting after 24 years with the company. Kroeker joined Golden West in 1995 and has held various sales and leadership roles, including Manitoba FM Sales manager and Manitoba Operations Manager. He’s been company vice-president for the last eight years.
Raymond Saint-Pierre is retiring after 40 years with Radio-Canada. Saint-Pierre started his career in 1964 at independent CKBS-AM Saint Hyacinthe. In 1973, he joined CKAC Montreal as a reporter. Two years later, he was made news director of the entire Télémédia network. He joined Radio-Canada in 1978 and did his first post abroad in 1980, making his way through London, Paris, Beijing. He’s been the network’s Moscow correspondent since 2015.
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