Originally published in the Oct. 17, 2024 edition of The Weekly Briefing
Jeremy Baker has returned to CFOX, hosting evenings Wednesday to Friday, along with weekends. Baker has most recently been heard on Pattison Media’s 91.3 The Zone (CJZN-FM) Victoria in middays. He previously hosted afternoon drive on CFOX from 2016-21, before joining 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) Vancouver in mornings, alongside Charis Hogg.
Russ Byth has officially retired from his fill-in gig on Pattison Media’s 103.1 Beach Radio (CKQQ-FM) Kelowna, capping a 45-year broadcast career that began in 1979 as an operator and producer at CKNW and CFMI Vancouver. Byth did a total of three tours of duty at CKNW, in addition to on-air stints in Creston, Williams Lake, Duncan, Terrace, Kitimat, CISL Vancouver, Standard Broadcast News, and served as a Business Editor at 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM) from 1996-2010. He also spent two years as a writer and associate producer on Global National.
Matt Cullen has joined the Ottawa Senators play-by-play broadcast team on TSN 5 this season, joining host Claire Hanna and analyst Marc Methot. Cullen, who got his start calling women’s hockey at St. F-X in Nova Scotia, has most recently been handling play-by-play for the Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads, the NBA G-League’s Raptors 905, and been a contributor to CBC Sports.
Robert Hardy is the new Executive Director of SMPIA, the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association. A 25-year executive producer, director and writer, Hardy formerly served as President, Canada for Fireworks Media Group; Senior Vice President of Development at Force Four Entertainment; Development Manager, Western Production with Bell Media; and Director of Development at National Screen Institute (NSI), among other roles. Hardy succeeds Ken Alecxe, who leaves SMPIA after five years.
Diane Rankin has been elevated at Blue Ant Studios to EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy, responsible for development strategy across Blue Ant Studios with a focus on creating and financing multi-genre unscripted and scripted originals. She’ll also oversee marketing and initiatives to build brand awareness for the studio’s original production slate, with development and marketing teams now reporting to her. Rankin will continue to operate from the Blue Ant Studios’ London, UK office, reporting to Co-Presidents, Matthew Hornburg and Mark Bishop. Rankin joined Blue Ant Media in August 2023 after the company acquired marblemedia, where she served as EVP International & Executive Producer leading the company’s content commercialization strategy.
Nick Pemberton has been appointed Lawo’s new Global Partner Business Development Director, responsible for leading the strategic and commercial development of Lawo’s Global Partner ecosystem. He’ll report to Lawo’s Deputy CEO Jamie Dunn. Pemberton previously held international leadership roles at Sennheiser, Harman, and most recently Avid, where he led the EMEA Channel Partner Management team.
