Wayne Gretzky has reached a multi-year agreement with Turner Sports’ networks to offer studio analysis during key moments of the NHL regular season and throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs that will reportedly pay him in the neighbourhood of $3 million per season. Veteran play-by-play commentator Kenny Albert and analyst Eddie Olczyk will be Turner Sports’ main commentators calling live games on TNT and TBS. Gretzky, 60, has also announced he’s stepping down as Vice-Chairman of the Edmonton Oilers.
David Spence has announced his plans to retire as CTV Calgary’s Chief Meteorologist this fall. Spence started his broadcasting career as a DJ at a radio station in Campbell River, BC in 1979. Spence first joined CFCN Calgary in 1981, leaving to work in Winnipeg for several years, before returning to CTV News Calgary. He became the main weather anchor for the station in 1992. Spence celebrated the 40th anniversary of his first weathercast at the station this past April. He was honoured in 2017 with an RTDNA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Linda Aylesworth is retiring after four decades with Global BC. With the station since 1981, she was hired out of the BCIT Journalism program as a director, moving into reporting in 1989. Focused in health, science and environmental journalism, Aylesworth’s reports have earned her an Edward R. Murrow Award for Feature Reporting, several RTDNA Dave Rogers Awards, and a Jack Webster Award for Best Science Reporting.
Brian Dance has announced his retirement from CBC Vancouver after 51 years in broadcasting. Dance started his career as a DJ at CHUB Nanaimo in 1969, before he transitioned into news and sports at CFAC Calgary. His first gig with CBC was in sports with CBC Radio in Calgary in 1971, followed by a run as a national sports reporter with CBC Toronto from 1984-89. Dance joined CBC Vancouver as part of its radio sports team in 1989. He’s been the Weekend Editor for radio news since 1997.
Charis Hogg, an alum of the JACK 96.9 (CJAX-FM) and CFOX morning shows, and Jeremy Baker, who currently helms afternoon drive on CFOX, are joining Vancouver’s 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) in mornings. The introduction of The Early Show with Charis and Jeremy is the latest in a series of changes at the Pattison Media alternative rock station as programmer Dustin Collins, who moved over from Corus Entertainment’s CFOX and Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) in late 2019, continues to put his imprint on the station. Earlier this year, that included parting ways with former morning show duo Tyler & Lynch. Collins is recasting the station with a conscious effort to draw in more listeners, aged 30-44, with a focus on women. Read more here.
Brittney Matejka is joining CTV Morning Live Calgary. Matejka joins the station from Global News Regina where she served in various roles, starting in 2018, from Digital Broadcast Journalist to anchoring morning weather and traffic.
Jaden Lee-Lincoln is joining CTV London as a videojournalist. Lee-Lincoln has been working as a VJ and reporter with CTV Saskatchewan since 2019.
Tyler Janzen is the new morning show host at Pattison Media’s 93.3 The Rock (CJHD-FM) in North Battleford, SK. A graduate of the Western Academy Broadcasting College, Janzen was previously on-air at 100.3 Cariboo Country (CKCQ-FM) and AM 570 (CKWL-AM) Williams Lake, BC.
Russell MacKenzie has announced he’s joining Acadia Broadcasting’s newly-acquired Halifax station Hot Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM). MacKenzie, who previously worked for Acadia in Thunder Bay, was most recently on-air in mornings at FX101.9 (CHFX-FM) Halifax.
Jennifer Ditchburn has been appointed President & CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, effective June 1. Ditchburn steps into the role after serving as Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s digital magazine, Policy Options, from 2016-21. Prior to joining IRPP, she spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and CBC.
Joanna Smith is the new Ottawa bureau chief for The Canadian Press. Smith was formerly with the Toronto Star’s Ottawa Bureau before joining CP as a reporter and editor in 2016.
Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Zi-Ann Lum have joined Politico. Taylor-Vaisey arrives from Maclean’s where he’s been a Digital Editor since 2012. Lum, formerly with HuffPost Canada’s Ottawa bureau, will cover the energy and environmental policy beat while Maura Forrest is on parental leave.
Amir Ali, who has been a technical and content producer with 980 CKNW Vancouver since 2017, is leaving the station to join Daily Hive Vancouver. Ali was most recently assigned to the Lynda Steele Show.
Karine Courtemanche has been appointed as an independent director of WildBrain Ltd. Courtemanche is the CEO of PHD Canada and Touché!, and fills the seat on the board vacated by long-standing director, David Colville, who announced his intention to retire in December. Courtemanche also sits on the boards of the Canadian Out of Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau (COMMB), where she was Chair in 2017, and Canadian Ad Standards.
Trevor Hampden has been appointed Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, ACTRA National, following the departure of Olivia Nuamah. Hampden brings 25 years of media, broadcasting, financial and not-for-profit experience to ACTRA, including helping launch the Canadian Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) in 1994. In addition to corporate roles with Dynamic Funds and McCarthy Tétrault, Hampden has worked as a researcher, assignment editor and producer with Business News Network, National Post, CP24, Citytv and CBC.
