Originally published in the Aug. 22, 2024 edition of The Weekly Briefing
Edward Rogers has been promoted to Executive Chair at Rogers Communications. Rogers, 55, will continue to lead the board as he’s done since 2018, with the exception of a one-month gap in 2021 during a family power struggle for control of the company. The company says working with the board and CEO Tony Staffieri, Rogers will lead the development and review of its long-term strategy for growth. Staffieri’s responsibilities remain the same and reporting to the board, he’ll continue to run the company. Read more here.
Charles Adler has been appointed to the Senate. The RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement recipient, who’ll be representing Manitoba, is best known for his time as a national host with the Corus Radio talk network, which he parted ways with in 2021. More recently, he’d been hosting The Charles Adler Show podcast, in partnership with Crier Media.
Paul Riismandel is being promoted to president at Signal Hill Insights, effective Sept. 30. Riismandel, who joined the company in January 2023 as Chief Insights Officer, will succeed Jeff Vidler, who will continue with Signal Hill as founder and strategic advisor. One of the first dedicated researchers of podcast advertising, Riismandel has been in the space since 2014 when he joined Midroll Media (which SiriusXM/Pandora acquired in 2020). Read more here.
Crystal Goomansingh has announced she’s joining CBC this fall as the public broadcaster’s Senior Reporter based in London. Goomansingh leaves her position as Global News’ Europe Bureau Chief after almost five years and 17 with the network. She formerly worked with CBC as a videojournalist and host in Calgary and Winnipeg early in her career.
Mike McCardell is retiring after 62 years in news. McCardell, 80, has most recently been a contributor to CTV Vancouver. Prior to joining CTV in 2013, he was a longtime reporter with BCTV/Global BC. His last day on the job will be Friday, Aug. 30. His last story – a farewell to British Columbia TV viewers – will run at the end of CTV News at Six.
Michel Jean has announced his retirement from TVA Midi after nearly 40 years in journalism. Jean’s best-selling novel Kukum, which has sold over 300,000 copies, is being adapted by Montreal’s Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in November, telling the story of the settlement of the Innu through the life of his great-grandmother. Jean is planning a literary tour of Europe and will contribute as a columnist to ICI Première’s Il rester toujours la culture.
Sarah Jones has left Global Lethbridge for Global Regina, which she’ll join in September. Jones has been with the network for the past year, arriving from Pattison Media’s Lethbridge News Now.
Maham Abedi has revealed she’s among those caught up in layoffs at Global News. Abedi had been with Global off and on since 2017, most recently as Network Managing Editor, leading content coordination across the network’s digital and broadcast platforms.
François Messier, General Manager of Productions and Sports at Radio-Canada, has left the public broadcaster following the Paris Olympics. As first reported by La Presse, two other sports executives are also leaving: Editor-in-Chief Christian Doucet on Oct. 31, and Catherine Dupont, first director, Sports and Olympic Production, at the end of September. They follow the retirements of veteran sports journalists Guy D’Aoust, Robert Frosi, Diane Sauvé, Philippe Crépeau, Jean St-Onge, Jean-François Chabot and Michel Chabot. The sports journalism team will reportedly be integrated into the general information service.
Ann MacKeigan has announced she’s moving on from the Executive Producer role she’s held with CBC for the last seven years on q with Tom Power, and Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud. With CBC since 1988, MacKeigan will be starting a new, yet-to-be revealed role in September. Prior to moving into her current position, she served as Director, Content Development and Production, Radio and Audio.
Tarnjit Parmar will be filling in as morning news presenter on CBC Radio One’s Early Edition in Vancouver for the next year. Parmar joined CBC as a producer in 2022 from Rogers Sports & Media’s 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM).
James Mackin has left 680 NewsRadio (CFTR-AM) Toronto where he’s been an editor, anchor reporter and film critic since 2019. Mackin, who joined the station as a Seneca Polytechnic intern, has been battling a debilitating spinal tumour, which he’s undergone two surgeries for since the beginning of the year.
Geoff Rohoman has announced he’s taking a leave from 680 NewsRadio (CFTR-AM) Toronto to focus on his health, following a colon cancer diagnosis. Rohoman, who has most recently been focused on “infotainment” reporting, has been with Rogers Sports & Media since 2006, with stops at 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM) Vancouver, Sportsnet 590 The Fan (CJCL-AM).
Skylar Peters has moved on from 680 CJOB Winnipeg. Peters had been an anchor and reporter with the station since 2019. Prior to that, he worked with TSN 1290 (CFRW-AM) Winnipeg.
Sarah Deshaies is leaving CJAD 800 Montreal where she produces the Andrew Carter Morning Show. Deshaies, who also provides morning weather updates, has been with the station for almost 16 years, starting as a reporter and host.
Sideshow (aka Ryan Lemmon) has joined My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in Kingston in afternoon drive on 102.7 WOW FM (WLYK-FM), licenced to Cape Vincent, NY. Lemmon, who was part of recent cuts at Corus Radio Kingston where he hosted Sideshow in the Morning on 96.3 BIG FM (CFMK-FM), will also be working with the Kingston Frontenacs as game day coordinator.
Cassey Hunter has parted ways with Pattison Media after more than a decade. Hunter started with the company as a street team member and in promotions roles in Edmonton and Calgary. She’d been on-air with 94.3 NOW! Radio (CHNW-FM) Winnipeg since 2022, most recently in middays.
Dom Simard is doing some part-time coverage on Edmonton’s 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM). Simard has formerly been heard on Pattison Media’s REWIND Radio in multiple markets and Cranbrook’s Wild 104.7 (CHBZ-FM).
Marina Hanna has joined JAR Audio as Audience Growth Specialist. Hanna was formerly a Marketing Lead with Pacific Content.
Ebyan Abdigir has joined JAR Audio as a producer. Abdigir formerly worked with Rogers Sports & Media’s Frequency Podcast Network as a producer on daily news pod, The Big Story and worked on various shows for CBC Radio, including World Report and its daily podcast, Front Burner.
Kaleigh Bruijns has joined the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) as Communications Manager. Bruijns arrives from reforestation startup, Flash Forest.
Rachel Pulfer has moved into a new role at Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) as the organization’s first-ever president, following her completion of the Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University. Bill Killorn, who served as JHR’s Interim Executive Director during Pulfer’s sabbatical, has been named the new ED. Under their new remits, Pulfer will focus on JHR’s growth, while Killorn oversees day-to-day operations. Pulfer had served as JHR’s ED since Oct. 2011. Killorn has served as Deputy Director since March 2020, and as Interim ED since July 2023.
Kellie Hinkle has joined Orban as Software Project Manager. Hinkle will lead the establishment and management of Orban’s new global audio processing software business unit, with the company’s OPTIMOD-PCn 1600 software serving as its flagship product. Before joining Orban, Hinkle served as the president of Code Nation where she managed business operations.
