Originally published in the Aug. 29, 2024 edition of Broadcast Dialogue’s Weekly Briefing
Martin Spalding, who was to assume the helm of Cogeco Media as its president, won’t be taking up the role after all. Spalding’s appointment was announced to employees last week, however in a subsequent follow-up memo Friday, Cogeco President Frédéric Perron relayed to staff that the former Bell Media and Astral Radio veteran would not be joining the company. Spalding was set to take over from Caroline Paquet, who parted ways with Cogeco earlier in the week. Read more here.
George Lee is retiring from Fairchild Media Group after 29 years with the ethnic media group. Prior to immigrating to Canada, Lee was a renowned DJ, author, music critic and lyricist in Taiwan, voted one of the “Top Ten DJs in Taiwan” in 1988. He started his career with Fairchild Radio Vancouver in 1995 as a program host, and worked his way up to President of Fairchild Radio Group, overseeing four radio stations and five channels across the country. In 2019, he was promoted to President of Fairchild Media Group, taking on management of Fairchild Television and Talentvision.
👋 Welcome to Calgary, Jon!@Sportsnet Announces Jon Abbott (@AbbsPxP) as New Play-by-Play Voice of the @NHLFlames 🎙️🏒
Details 👉 https://t.co/TiOEEgE42h pic.twitter.com/DGh1EUpLpt
— Sportsnet PR (@SportsnetPR) August 26, 2024
Jon Abbott is joining Sportsnet as the new play-by-play voice of the Calgary Flames. Abbot, 39, was most recently doing play-by-play for TSN, calling Ottawa Senators games. He succeeds Rick Ball, who left Calgary in June to join the Chicago Blackhawks’ broadcast booth.
Damhnait Doyle is the new host of weekday mornings on CBC Music, from 6 – 9 a.m. (6:30 in NL). Doyle had been the full-time weekend host for CBC Mornings since late 2021 and helming Monday mornings as well since earlier this year. The Newfoundland & Labrador born and raised singer/songwriter succeeds Saroja Coelho, who has been doing double-duty hosting CBC Radio call-in show, Just Asking.
Molly Thomas has announced her departure from CBC Radio, where she’s been heard on Metro Morning in Toronto, among other shows. Thomas, a 2023 Michener-Deacon Fellow, was an investigative correspondent with CTV’s W5, up until June of last year.
Nancy Allen has retired after 54 years as an editor at CTV London/CFPL-TV. Allen began working at the station when she was just 17, spending her entire career behind the scenes as a film and tape editor.
Glen McInnis has announced he’s parted ways with CPAC after 24 years. McInnis, who had most recently been hosting man-on-the-street political opinion show, Outburst, is now freelance producing.
Shelley Steeves has announced her tenure with Global News in New Brunswick has come to a close. Steeves had been an award-winning senior correspondent with Global since 2013. Prior to that she spent 14 years as the Maritime Bureau Chief for The Weather Network. She was recognized with an RTDNA Canada East Region Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Taya Fast is among those impacted by changes in how news is delivered at Global Okanagan. Fast had been a video journalist with the South Okanagan bureau, based in Penticton, for the last three years. Prior to joining Global in 2021, she was a video journalist and anchor with CKPG-TV Prince George.
Lee Haberkorn is joining the morning show on The Beat 92.5 (CKBE-FM) Montreal, effective Sept. 3, six months after leaving 95.9 Virgin Radio (CJFM-FM) after a decade to spend more time with his kids. Haberkorn officially joins Claudia Marques, Mark Bergman and Kim Kieran on The Beat 92.5’s, The Beat Breakfast Club.
Very excited to announce The Morning Zoom with Andy and Jane on Zoomer Radio in Toronto. I’ve been lucky enough to work with the most amazing talent over the years. Add Jane Brown to that list! Every morning from 6-10am on @zoomerradio @JaneBrownNews pic.twitter.com/TNCLvTJeTp
— Andyy (@Andy6624) August 26, 2024
Sam Houston has departed Zoomer Radio AM 740 (CFZM-AM) and 96.7 (CFZM-FM) Toronto, as the ZoomerMedia stations introduce new morning show The Morning Zoom with Andy and Jane, featuring Houston’s former co-host/morning news anchor Jane Brown and the show’s producer and station APD Andy Wilson. Houston departs what was billed as the city’s first “two-woman morning show” after six and a half years.
Joey Arsenault is moving on from the Nat & Drew Show on MOVE 103.5 (CHQM-FM) Vancouver. Arsenault, who’ll be joining his husband Skyler Richard in running SPARC Media Hub, has been the show’s producer since 2017. Prior to joining Bell Media, Arsenault was the morning show producer at Z95.3 (CKZZ-FM) Vancouver.
Angelina Rai is joining Virgin Radio (CHBE-FM) Victoria in afternoon drive, starting in September. Rai has most recently been presenting traffic and weather on CTV Morning Live Vancouver and was a personality on Virgin Radio (CFBT-FM) Vancouver.
Peter Wugalter, Manager, Broadcast Operations at Global Edmonton, is retiring after over four decades with the station. Wugalter first joined what was then ITV in 1981, working his way up from mopping floors in the studio to working on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts and SCTV. Wugalter was presented with an RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award for the Prairies Region in 2021.
Taylor Smith has been promoted to Supervising Technician at CBC Prince Edward Island. He was previously in the role of Senior Broadcast Technologist at CBC in Charlottetown and Fredericton, NB for the past seven years. Prior to joining the public broadcaster, Smith was a Broadcast Technician with Rogers Sports & Media in Halifax, Edmonton and Victoria.
James Caven has parted ways with MBS Radio after more than 15 years as an account manager for FX 101.9 (CHFX-FM) and 89.9 The Wave (CHNS-FM) Halifax. The veteran sales rep has been selling media in the Halifax market since the mid-’90s, including the Halifax Daily News and Metro Halifax.
Mary Anne Ivison is the new imaging voice for Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto. Ivison, who has been focused on voiceover work since 2021, is a former Pure Country (CKKL-FM) and Country 101.1 (CKBY-FM) Ottawa personality.
Louie Rosella has joined Humber College as a professor in the Media Studies program full-time. Rosella leaves Metroland Media Group after 23 years, where he was most recently a Digital Editor, managing multiple GTA websites.
Aly Myers has joined influencer marketing agency, Creatorade Media. Myers arrives from Golden West Broadcasting’s Moose Jaw stations where she’s been a Customer Success Manager for the past two years.
Natassia Morris is the new Business Manager at the Black Screen Office (BSO), leading its Research & Action Centre (RAC), which provides resources, including research reports on equity and anti-Black racism, in addition to workshops and other training. Morris formerly held roles with Lakeshore Arts and the Ballet Creole Dance Company in Toronto.
Georgia Shearman has joined Lionsgate Canada as Director, Scripted Development, based in Toronto. Shearman arrives from Bell Media where she was the Development Executive overseeing Scripted, Original Programming.
Kelly Payne has been upped at Blue Ant Media to VP, Business Strategy & Operations, Original Programming, Global Media. Payne, who has been with the company since 2020, formerly held the title of Senior Director, Business Affairs, Content & Production Financing.
Alex Keighley has been named Grass Valley’s new Senior Vice President of Sales for North America. Keighley’s professional journey has included leading sales teams for Reuters and the Associated Press’ EMEA commercial organization, in addition to Bitcentral, where he supported numerous local station groups in the U.S. In recent years, he held leadership roles at Avid and Telestream, most recently serving as Chief Revenue Officer of Backlight. He also led Grass Valley’s U.S. West Sales team for five years prior to those roles.
Peter Lee, Orban’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales & European Operations, will retire from his position effective Dec. 31, marking the end of a 24-year career with the company. Lee’s journey with Orban began in 2000 when he joined Dialog4, which was acquired by Orban/Circuit Research Labs. Under his leadership, Orban successfully relocated its U.S. manufacturing operations to Germany, where Orban continues to produce its OPTIMOD Digital Audio Processors.
Robert Luther and Brandon Wilkinson have been appointed to the North American leadership team of PPDS, the provider of Philips Professional Displays. Luther has been named Director of dvLED Sales and Support. Based in Detroit, he most recently held the position of Product Manager for LED at Ross Video, and prior to that Business Development Manager dvLED at PPDS’ distribution partner, Exertis. Oklahoma-based Wilkinson has been named the company’s new Field Application Engineer. He was most recently a Pre and Post Sales Engineer with Howard Technology Solutions.
