Originally published in the March 19, 2026 edition of The Weekly Briefing
Dean Rutherford takes on the expanded role of Senior Vice President, Sales as part of a raft of internal promotions at Stingray Radio across sales and operations. Steve Parsons assumes the role of Senior Vice President, Programming, upped from VP of Programming, Radio and GM for Toronto. Ryan Shortt has been elevated to the role of VP, Digital and Mark Russett to VP of Sales – Central Markets. Devon Tschritter is also promoted to VP of Sales – Western Major Markets as his scope increases to lead revenue generation in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, while continuing to oversee Stingray’s retail audio business nationally. Craig Letawsky has been appointed to the newly-created role of VP, Strategic Operations, in which he’ll lead large-scale operational initiatives spanning multiple departments, designed to modernize the company’s systems and processes. Read more here.
Joe Siddall is set to replace newly-retired Toronto Blue Jays analyst and colour commentator Buck Martinez on Sportsnet broadcasts, according to a report in the Toronto Sun. Siddall has filled in over the last two seasons, while Martinez has been on medical leave off-and-on, alongside play-by-play host Dan Shulman.
Steve Paikin has been appointed Chancellor of Victoria University at the University of Toronto. His three-year term is effective July 1. He’ll serve as the university’s ceremonial head, presiding at Convocation, conferring degrees and acting as chief ambassador for the university. He’ll also serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Regents and chair the Senate of Victoria University. The veteran broadcaster is currently host of The Paikin Podcast and co-hosts #onpoli on TVO, in addition to hosting a weekday morning political segment on Citytv.
Angie Beers has been appointed Contract Creative Consultant at Harvard Media as part of an expansion of its Customer Creative Services team. Beers, who is based in Calgary, formerly spent 23 years at Bell Media as the Creative and Production Director for Radio and Television in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. She’ll lead the new team, joined by Darren Ollinger, who previously oversaw Harvard’s Alberta creative team, up until getting caught up in a round of layoffs in 2024. Liz Campbell also joins the team from Bell Media Calgary, where she’s been a Senior Commercial Producer since 2013. She’ll serve as Senior Producer & Creative Writer, working closely with revenue teams and clients. Read more here.
Jim Bennie is rejoining 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM) Vancouver as an anchor, where he’ll be heard on weekends, among other dayparts. Bennie was with the station for more than two decades, most recently co-anchoring afternoon drive, before getting caught up in layoffs at Rogers Sports & Media in November 2020.
Dylan Black is returning to radio, joining BIG FM Prescott-Russell, where he’ll also be heard on 92.5 BIG FM (CHRC-FM) Rockland and 107.7 BIG FM (CKHK-FM) Hawkesbury, ON – the former Evanov Communications stations now owned by Radio communautaire Cornwall-Alexandria. Black hosted afternoons on Ottawa’s boom 99.7 (CJOT-FM) for more than a decade, before getting caught up in layoffs at Corus Radio last June.
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Dayna Brez is returning to the Ottawa airwaves, joining Bell Media’s MOVE Radio (CJMJ-FM) from 1 – 5 p.m. Saturdays. Brez, who formerly hosted afternoon drive on boom 99.7 (CJOT-FM) in the market, was also part of a sweeping round of layoffs at Corus Radio’s Ottawa stations last June.
Lochlin Cross has joined Rawlco Radio’s JACK 94.5 (CKCK-FM) Regina in evenings, while continuing to co-host sports show, The Green Zone, on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM. Cross has been with Rawlco since October 2024 following his release from The Locker Room morning show on Harvard Media’s 95.7 CRUZ FM (CKEA-FM) Edmonton earlier that year.
Curtis Papetti has been promoted at Bell Media to Senior Manager, Programming & Operations. In addition to his current responsibilities, he’ll now also oversee Toronto’s radio engineering team and contribute to national operations strategy for Bell Media Radio. Papetti has been with Bell Media since 2015.
Goran Poprzen has departed SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology). A former student, Poprzen had been an instructor and broadcast technologist with the college since 2012.
Hugues Sweeney has been appointed President and CEO of Télé-Québec for a five-year term. Sweeney arrives from Montreal’s TAIT / Thinkwell Group. He also spent a decade as a production executive at the National Film Board (NFB) and another 10 years with Radio-Canada’s Espace Musique. He succeeds Marie Collin, who had led Télé-Québec since 2014.
Vanessa Esteves is one of two new additions to Boat Rocker Studios’ Creative Affairs team. She joins as Senior Director, Creative Affairs, Kids & Family. Based in Toronto, Esteves was Head of Production and Creative Supervising Producer, Development at Nelvana up until last September, capping a 20-year career with Corus Entertainment. Joey Case also joins the Toronto office as Senior Director, Creative Affairs, Unscripted. A newly-created role, Case will support the creative development, pre-sales, current series and production of Boat Rocker’s original unscripted slate. He arrives from Alibi Entertainment where he served as Executive Producer and Development Executive. Read more here.
