Michel Lorrain is leaving his position as president of Cogeco Media “to pursue personal interests,” according to a company announcement. Lorrain had been with Cogeco since 2007 and in his current role since 2018. Cogeco says a recruitment process for his successor has been launched with special advisor and former Cogeco Media President Richard Lachance to assume the role on an interim basis.
Mark Miller has stepped down as President of Thunderbird Entertainment and CEO of Great Pacific Media (GPM), as well as his position on the board of directors. Miller is taking on a new role within GPM as Executive Producer, allowing him to focus on creative work. He remains a senior member of the creative team. Jennifer Twiner McCarron has been appointed as President of Thunderbird in addition to her role as company CEO. David Way will continue as President of GPM with the role of CEO for the Factual Division being eliminated.
Vinesh Pratap is the new co-anchor for Global Edmonton’s Global News Morning, alongside Jennifer Crosby, and Global News at Noon with the team of Erin Chalmers, Daintre Christensen and Mike Sobel. Pratap has been with Global Edmonton since 2004, most recently serving as the City Hall Reporter and covering law courts and general assignment. Prior to joining the team in Edmonton, he worked at Global Lethbridge.
Hollie Taylor is joining Whiteoaks Communications Group as Station Manager of CJMR 1320 and JOY Radio (CJYE-AM) Oakville, starting Jan. 11. Taylor has been working in Edmonton for the last 10 years as a co-host on the Shine-FM (CJRY-FM) morning show and is already familiar to CJYE listeners as host of Faith Strong Today talk show, Good Company. She’s also co-hosted the Why Me Project podcast on the Faith Strong Today podcast network since 2017.
Ruby Carr has joined 105.3 Virgin Radio (CFCA-FM) Kitchener where she’s now hosting afternoons from 2 – 7 p.m.. Carr was most recently co-hosting mornings on Toronto’s 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) with her brother Alex Carr, up until this past January.
Johnny Novak has joined Virgin Radio (CHBE-FM) Victoria in the afternoon drive time slot. Novak was last on-air with KiSS 103.1 (CHTT-FM) Victoria, but was caught up in layoffs at the station in Aug. 2019 just months after arriving from Hot 105.5 (CKQK-FM) Charlottetown.
Shemroy Parkinson has been promoted to Executive Producer of the now-syndicated Roz & Mocha Show, which originates from Rogers Sports & Media’s KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto. Parkinson has been with Rogers since 2011 and spent the last two years as an audio and content producer.
Rob Shaw, a Victoria-based legislative columnist and reporter for The Vancouver Sun since 2014, is joining CHEK-TV’s newsroom in a new political journalist position, starting in mid-January. Prior to the Sun, Shaw was a reporter with Victoria’s Times Colonist for nearly a decade.
Sarah Spring has been appointed executive director of the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), effective Jan. 4. She takes over from Michelle van Beausekom, who is departing after 10 months to take an advisory position at the Isuma Collective. Spring has been a producer, writer and film consultant for 15 years with recent credits including No Ordinary Man, produced by her boutique production house, Parabola Films. Spring has previously served on the board of DOC Quebec.
Maysoon Zayid has joined the advisory board of Toronto-based collaborative screenwriting platform, Open Screenplay. A comedian, writer, and disability advocate, Zayid is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival, has been a contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann and is a frequent guest on CNN’s New Day. She also plays a recurring character on General Hospital and appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.
