Tyson Parker has been named to an expanded role that will see the music industry veteran oversee Bell Media’s podcasting division. Parker, whose new title is Director, Podcasting and Artist & Music Industry Relations, will be responsible for developing and leading a centralized company podcast strategy across Bell Media Studios, CTV News, TSN, and iHeartRadio. Parker has been with Bell Media since 2015 as Head of Artist & Music Industry Relations. He was previously Vice-President, Communications and Artist Relations at Universal Music Canada. Gregg Stewart, Associate Director, Music Marketing Strategy, will continue to report to Parker, but will now be supported by Michelle Crespi. Leah Borkwood will support the music services team of Bobby Anderson and Mitchell Cook.

Dave Blezard has been promoted to program manager for 91.5 the Beat (CKBT-FM) and 107.5 Dave Rocks (CJDV-FM) Kitchener-Waterloo. Blezard has been with Corus Radio since 2014 as afternoon drive host on Fresh Radio 93.1 (CHAY-FM) Barrie.

Brian Stutz is retiring from the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN). Stutz has been national account manager with the company since its launch in 2005. He’s now relaunched his consultancy Stutz Entertainment Services, with CTN coming on as his first client. 

Laura Osman is leaving CBC to join the The Canadian Press Ottawa bureau. Osman has been with CBC since 2010, most recently as an Ottawa City Hall reporter. 

Media Central Corporation has appointed new senior editorial leads, following its acquisition of Toronto’s Now Magazine. Kevin Ritchie, previously Senior Culture Editor, has been promoted to Editor and will be overseeing the brand’s journalism across all platforms, including NOW Magazine, nowtoronto.com and CannCentral.com. As well as leading the print publication, he’ll be concentrating efforts to digitize and migrate NOW’s 1.38M monthly print readers to its nowtoronto.com digital platform. Enzo DiMatteo, who formerly held the title Editorial Director and has been with Now since 1989, has been appointed Political Editor.

Matt Guite is leaving CJAD 800 Montreal to join CFRA Ottawa as a producer. Guite has been with the station since 2013, much of that time producing the Tommy Schnurmacher Show.

Kelvin Gawley is joining News 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver in February as a digital reporter. Gawley arrives via Burnaby NOW, with previous reporting experience at Abbotsford News and the Langley Times.

Michael Hall is joining News 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver as a web editor/reporter. Hall has been an editor and reporter with the Black Press newspapers in Metro Vancouver for the last two decades, most recently with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News. 

WildBrain CPLG, Wildbrain’s entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency, is welcoming back Rebecca Morris to the newly-created role of Client Services Director. Morris will head up the rebranded Client Services unit, previously the Business Development team, at CPLG’s head office in London. Morris previously held the position of Director of Product Development & Brand Assurance at WildBrain CPLG for three years, before stepping away from the industry. WildBrain CPLG has also promoted Sophie Bloomfield to Head of Creative Services. Previously Design Manager, Bloomfield will now lead the Creative Services team responsible for branding, style guide direction and development, trend reports, trade marketing, creative strategy and look books in addition to creative pitches to licensees and retailers.

Peter Kvarnstrom, President of Community Media at Glacier Media Group, is the new Vividata Board Chair, transitioning from Robert Brown, Vice President of Cineplex Media. Vividata’s Board has also added three new members: Kevin Kivi, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Horizon Media; Tammy Gardner, Manager of Planning at The Home Depot Canada; and Andrew Rusk, Head of Marketing Communications at Canopy Growth Corporation.