Eric Ellenbogen has been appointed CEO of DHX Media and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. Ellenbogen has held senior management roles as president of Broadway Video Entertainment (founded by Lorne Michaels); president of Golden Books Family Entertainment; and president and CEO of Marvel Enterprises before its acquisition by Disney. With the backing of private equity, he co-founded Classic Media in 2000, which became one of the largest private owners of branded kids’ and family entertainment and was acquired by DreamWorks Animation (DWA) in 2012. Ellenbogen went to become co-head of DreamWorks Classics and DreamWorks International Television, and was largely responsible for the company’s entry into the television business. Following DWA’s sale to NBCUniversal, he became co-president of Classic Media, which was restarted as a business unit of NBCUniversal. Ellenbogen succeeds Michael Donovan, who has stepped down as CEO and Executive Chair, but will continue to serve on the board as Founding Chair. Donald Wright has been appointed non-executive Chair.
Patrick Jutras has been appointed Senior Vice-President and Chief Advertising Officer of Quebecor and TVA Group. Jutras will oversee the corporation’s Advertising Network and continue the transformation of its business model as it shifts to 360° multiplatform solutions. In addition to Sales, two new business units will report to him: the marketing solutions and content production specialist unit, headed by Robert Renaud, and the data and digital performance expertise centre, headed by Jean Péladeau. Jutrus has spent nearly 15 years in sales and marketing at La Presse, Bell Media Quebec and RDS. Until recently, he was VP of Digital Business Development at Videotron.
Brother Jake Edwards has officially retired, hosting his last show for TSN 1040 (CKST-AM) Vancouver on Aug. 31. Edwards, who was inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame in May, had been with the station since 2013. Edwards has spent 47 years on-air across Canada including stops at Q104 (CFRQ-FM) Halifax, 92 CITI FM Winnipeg, 97 Kiss FM (CKIS-FM) Winnipeg, and Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto, before becoming the morning show ratings leader at Vancouver’s Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) for 17 years. “Bro Jake” is also known as the voice behind syndicated radio character “The Champ.” Edwards signed off from TSN 1040 mornings in June 2018, but continued to co-host Saturday midday show The Bro Jake Show with Gene Valaitis. Listen to the final show here. Valaitis tells Broadcast Dialogue, he’s returning to Toronto for now and plans to concentrate on his podcasting, marketing and business branding company Brain Zoo Gurus.
Andrew Wadden is taking over as host of Sports Saturday on TSN 1040 (CKST-AM). The show will air from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., followed by Rink Wide from 1 – 3 p.m. during hockey season, hosted by Wadden and J.D. Burke. Wadden also serves as producer of weekday afternoon show Sekeres & Price.
John Shannon has confirmed that he won’t be returning to Sportsnet, alongside Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean. Shannon had been with the network for 10 years, most recently as a contributor to Prime Time Sports and Hockey Central. The former CBC Hockey Night In Canada producer has been working in sports media for four decades.
Elliot Price and DJ Brooks will anchor Niagara IceDogs broadcasts on 610 CKTB St. Catharines this season. Up until this past January, Price was co-hosting the morning show on Sportsnet The Fan 590 (CJCL-AM). Over the past five seasons, Brooks has been covering the IceDogs for Bullet News Niagara, Niagara this Week, and YourTv.
Dany Dubé is joining the RDS roster of hockey analysts. The former QMJHL coach will regularly contribute to 5 à 7 and provide intermission analysis during Montreal Canadiens games. Dubé is also a radio analyst for the Cogeco network.
Alyson Lozoff has parted ways with the Vegas Golden Knights’ broadcast team where she’d been a rinkside reporter since 2017. The former Miss Teen Canada and Citytv Montreal host is joining the Anaheim Ducks as a rinkside reporter for all games airing on Prime Ticket and Fox SportsSD.
Daren Millard is among this season’s new additions to the Vegas Golden Knights’ broadcast team. Millard, who left Sportsnet in Aug. 2018 after two decades with the network, was a guest host for two Golden Knights games last season. Most recently, he’s been hosting podcast “the chirp with Daren Millard.”
Hailey Salvian is The Athletic’s new beat reporter dedicated to the Ottawa Senators. Salvian started writing for the online sports startup last September, while also working as an in-arena host at Oshawa Generals games and producing for CBC in Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Laura Lynch has been named interim host of CBC Radio’s The Current. Now based in Vancouver, the veteran foreign and political affairs correspondent has previously filled in for the show’s longtime host Anna Maria Tremonti. After 17 years, Tremonti announced in June she was leaving the show – after 17 seasons – to host and produce for CBC Podcasts. CBC says a permanent host will be named later in the season.
Sabrina Marandola is the host of new CBC Montreal afternoon show Let’s Go. Airing from 3 – 6 p.m., the program replaces Homerun. Marandola has been with CBC Montreal for the last 11 years holding roles from traffic reporter to lineup editor and web journalist.
Gill Deacon is returning to CBC Toronto’s Here and Now after taking time off to undergo cancer treatment. Deacon’s first broadcast will happen live from TIFF this Friday.
Ceilidh Millar has joined CTV Morning Live Atlantic as co-host and weather specialist. She’ll be filling in for the next year for Jennifer Grudic, who is on maternity leave. Millar had been with Global Regina since March, and prior to that with CHEK News Victoria as a reporter, anchor and host.
Bill Wood is signing off as morning show host and program director at 105CJVR Melfort, SK, capping a 45-year career in broadcasting. Bill’s Breakfast will air for the last time on Sept. 13. Wood started his career at CKBI radio and television in Prince Albert in 1971. He joined CJVR-AM as an afternoon announcer in 1974 and became PD in 1987. Under Wood’s leadership, the station has been a four-time winner of the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Station of the Year (secondary market). Wood’s duties also encompassed overseeing CK750 and its recent rebrand to Saskatchewan’s New Beach Radio. Cristy Beggs will succeed Wood as morning host, starting Sept. 16. Beggs has worked for the Saskatoon Media Group for the last two decades as an announcer on both 600 CJWW and 92.9 The Bull (CKBL-FM), where she was most recently hosting middays.
Tyra Sweet has joined YTV as a host. A newcomer to television, Sweet is an improv performer, a graduate of Second City’s Conservatory Program, and an alum of the Young Artist’s Performance Academy at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She also has a background in social media and photography.
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