Originally published in the Feb. 6, 2025 edition of Broadcast Dialogue’s Weekly Briefing
Prasanna Rajagopalan has been appointed CBC News’ new Senior Managing Director for the Ontario Region. Most recently the Director of Journalism and Programming for CBC Toronto, he’ll take up his new role March 10, working closely with managing editors and the next CBC Toronto leader to oversee all strategy, programs, teams and stations across the province in Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Kitchener, Waterloo and Windsor, as well as future bureaus in St. Catharines, Oshawa and Sault Ste. Marie. Rajagopalan succeeds Ruth Zowdu, who had held the role since the fall of 2020 and announced late last year she’d be retiring in March. Read more here.
Sophie Thibault has announced her retirement as TVA News Chief after 37 years with the network. Thibault, who started with TVA as a reporter in 1988, will step away in June, saying she wants to devote more time to her passions, including photography.
Shelley Steeves has joined the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick as Marketing and Communications Director. Steeves, who parted ways with Global New Brunswick after 12 years last September, has most recently been filling in as host of CBC Radio One “good news” segment “The Bright Side” on Information Morning Moncton.
Luke Smith has joined the CRTC as an analyst. Smith formerly served as Director of Learning and Development at the National Campus & Community Radio Association (NCRA) for seven years, prior to joining University of Toronto campus and community station CIUT-FM as Station Manager in 2022.
Marie-France Godbout, Telefilm’s National Director of Feature Films for the French-speaking market, has announced her intention to retire at the end of July. Godbout has been with the Crown agency since 2002. Telefilm has also announced Myriam Rafla as Regional Feature Film Executive, English Market – Quebec Region and Natasha Howes as Regional Feature Film Executive, English Market – Western Region. Howes is the founder of Vancouver-based prodco Matriarch Creative Corp.
Susan Alexander has joined Shaftesbury as Senior Director, Creative. Alexander was previously a production executive at Corus Entertainment for 16 years, up until last September. Among her credits are Global TV series Family Law and Nurses, in addition to Hardy Boys, Geek Girl, Private Eyes, Ransom and Mary Kills People.
Melanie Nepinak Hadley has joined the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) as Vice-President, Industry, Partnerships and Growth. Nepinak arrives from Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, where she oversaw the Canadian team and screen-based initiatives. She was previously a production executive at CBC Toronto and a programming manager at APTN.
