Originally published in the June 20, 2024 edition of Broadcast Dialogue’s Weekly Briefing
Corus Entertainment has announced the retirement of President and CEO Doug Murphy, with executives Troy Reeb and John Gossling succeeding him as Co-Chief Executive Officers. Murphy first joined Corus in 2003 as Executive Vice President, Business Development, holding successively senior positions until 2015 when he was appointed President and CEO. Gossling will also continue in his role as Chief Financial Officer, while Reeb most recently held the title of Executive Vice President Networks and Content. Additionally, Jennifer Lee has been appointed as Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Legal Officer with oversight of legal, regulatory, human resources, communications, and other corporate functions. She previously held the role of Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Read more here.
Excited to share some news. After nearly a decade, I’ve decided to step away from my role at Global News. A move on my mind for some time as our industry evolves. Beyond thankful for my time as one of 6 national evening news anchors in Canada. Signing off with gratitude.🙏🏽♥️ pic.twitter.com/teYl5tXrjN
— Farah Nasser (@FarahNasser) June 14, 2024
Farah Nasser has signed off from Global National after a decade with the network. Nasser told viewers Friday she had “made the decision to step away” from her role, with her announcement coinciding with a round of layoffs at Global News. Others set to depart the company include Alan Carter, anchor of Global News Toronto 530 & 6; Ottawa-based Digital Broadcast Journalist David Baxter; Abigail Bimman, Ottawa correspondent for Global National; and National Correspondent Mike Drolet, who was based in Toronto. Announced last week, Broadcast Dialogue has learned layoffs will impact about 35 unionized staff. Calgary has been hit the hardest with 13 jobs in the bureau eliminated, followed by eight in Edmonton, seven in Toronto, three in Ottawa, three in Lethbridge and one in B.C. Read more here.
Johnny Michel is leaving CBC after 17 years as Managing Director, CBC English Services for B.C. and Alberta. Prior to joining the public broadcaster, Michel served as VP of Programming for Channel M (now OMNI) and VP, Production and Communications for BCTV and CHEK TV, among other roles.
Graham Richardson, CTV Ottawa’s Chief News Anchor, announced during the Thursday evening newscast that he is stepping away from the anchor desk to pursue opportunities outside media. Richardson joined CTV Ottawa in 2010 after covering Parliament Hill for CTV National News for four years. Prior to that, he was the CTV News’ Los Angeles Bureau Chief. He started his career in the early ’90s with CBC Calgary, moving on to reporting stints with ITV (now Global Edmonton), and then Global Toronto where he served as Queen’s Park bureau chief and then national correspondent, before joining CTV in 2004. Read more here.
Alexandra Pinto is leaving CTV Kitchener, where she’s most recently been anchoring CTV News at Six. Pinto, who is pursuing an opportunity outside the broadcast industry, began her career in news at Global Toronto, before joining CTV Kitchener as a videographer in 2014.
Ryan Hobson has been promoted at Stingray Radio to Director of Digital Media and Podcasts, curating content for the network’s digital radio properties and guiding local radio programming teams, in addition to leading the Stingray Podcast Network. He has been with Stingray since 2017, with his most recent title National Director of Digital Content. Hobson’s new role formerly fell under the purview of Tom Irwin, former Director of Digital Media, Radio, who passed away in January after a more than two-year battle with cancer.
Aaron Harle has joined Harvard Broadcasting’s Play 92 (CHMX-FM) Regina as the host of a network weekday evening show that’s also being heard on Play affiliates in Edmonton, Red Deer and Fort McMurray. A graduate of Western Academy Broadcasting College, he started his career on the morning show with Golden West Broadcasting’s Country 104.9 (CKVX-FM) Kindersley, SK.
Teagan Witko has left 104.9 The Wolf (CFWF-FM) to join Global Regina as an Assignment Editor. Witko had been a host and assistant music director at The Wolf since 2022.
Julia Wright is leaving CBC New Brunswick after eight years, the last five as host of Information Morning Saint John. Wright is moving on to focus on her own projects, in addition to teaching. Her last day is Friday, June 21.
Kathleen Harris is returning to journalism as the Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Canadian Press. The former Senior Producer of Digital News in CBC News’ Parliamentary Bureau, Harris left the public broadcaster in Feb. 2023 to join public affairs firm, Compass Rose.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff is the new New York Times Canada Bureau Chief. Formerly Brussels bureau chief, Stevis-Gridneff has been with the organization since 2019. She previously served as Africa and Eurozone correspondent for the Wall Street Journal
Jordan Kawchuk is The Discoure’s new Cowichan Valley reporter. The former CBC, Citytv and MuchMusic producer has most recently been a contributing writer to Daily Hive on the West Coast.
Robin Mirsky, Executive Director of the Rogers Group of Funds, and documentary producer/director Lalita Krishna have stepped down as co-chairs of the Hot Docs’ Board of Directors as part of an ongoing governance review. The board has been scaled down to a “focused working board” consisting of Nicholas de Pencier (Mercury Films), Kevin Wong (Nulogy), and Lydia Luckevich (Pemberley Investments) “to effectively and efficiently navigate the critical financial obstacles facing the organization over the upcoming months.” While Mirsky and Krishna have stepped down, Hot Docs says they will continue to support the organization in other capacities.
