Pooja Handa and Gurdeep Ahluwalia will take over the 98.1 CHFI morning show, starting Jan. 4. One of the worst kept secrets in the industry since their departure from CP24 over the summer, Handa and Ahluwalia step into the timeslot vacated in October by Maureen Holloway and Mike Cooper (who’d been filling in for the now retired Darren B. Lamb since early this year). News anchor Christine Cardoso will continue with the show, while programming veteran Blair Bartrem steps in to Executive Produce. Bartrem was most recently Regional Program Director for Bell Media’s Southwestern Ontario stations and prior to that, PD at 95.9 Virgin Radio (CJFM-FM) Montreal. He’s best known for his 12-year programming run at Toronto’s Q107 (CILQ-FM) and serving as PD and Operations Manager for Standard Radio’s Montreal stations, including CHOM 97.7, through much of the ’90s. Handa and Ahluwalia departed CP24 Breakfast within weeks of each other in late August. Read more here.
Amanda Cupido is the new Director, Talk & Talent at Global News Radio AM 640 (CFMJ-AM) Toronto. She’ll oversee news and talk radio shows, including Toronto Today with Greg Brady, The Kelly Cutrara Show, The Alan Carter Radio Program, The Jeff McArthur Show, The John Oakley Show and On Point with Alex Pierson. Cupido started her career as a reporter and producer with Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto, going on to head communications for non-profit, World Vision. Since late 2020, she’s been helming her own podcast development company, Lead Podcasting.
Ryan Doyle has parted ways with Bell Media as Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) rebrands The Rush with Ryan & Jay as The Rush with Jay Michaels. Doyle had been with Bell Media for 25 years, joining the company straight out of Humber College. The Rush with Ryan & Jay was awarded the Canadian Radio Award last month for Best On-Air Team (News/Talk/Sports) – Large Market.
Rob Vavrek, Operations Manager for Bell Media Radio in Edmonton and Group Program Director for 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM), 104.9 Virgin Radio (CFMG-FM), and TSN 1260 (CFRN-AM), is no longer with the company. Vavrek had been with the station group for 29 years, starting out as Creative Services Director and Production Manager in 1992 under Standard Radio and then Astral.
Pamela Kirby, swing announcer at 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM) Edmonton, has also parted ways with Bell Media. Kirby had been with the station since 2016. Prior to joining The Bear, she’d worked with Harvard Broadcasting’s Mix 103.7 (CFVR-FM) Fort McMurray where she held various roles, including hosting the station’s morning show.
boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto welcomes Harry Corro to its on-air team, starting Dec. 6. Corro cut his teeth in radio in Manila and worked in Singapore as a host and radio production lecturer, before relocating to Canada at the start of the pandemic. For the last seven months, he’s been working swing at CHYM 96.7 Toronto.
Natalie Panesar has been appointed to the position of Director of Human Resources for Evanov Communications. She joins Evanov with over 15 years of HR experience and will be based out of the Toronto office. She was most recently Director of Human Resources at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre.
Mairead Kelly is moving into the position of Payroll Manager at Evanov Communications. Kelly first joined the company in 2018 as an HR/Payroll Assistant and in 2020 added the role of Executive Assistant to Gary Gamble, Director of Operations and Morning Show Host, Lite 88.5.
Howie Reimer, Program Director at Radio NL (CHNL-AM) Kamloops, is joining the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association or “Downtown Kamloops” as the organization’s Executive Director in the New Year. Reimer has been with Radio NL since 1993. Prior to that, he did a six-year stint with Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver.
Colton Davies has left Radio NL (CHNL-AM) Kamloops to take on a communications role with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Davies had been a reporter, anchor and assignment editor with the station since 2018.
Paul O’Neil has parted ways with Harvard Media’s Play 107 (CKPW-FM) Edmonton just three months after signing on as music director and midday personality. O’Neil joined the station in late August. Prior to that, he served as Corus Entertainment’s Hub Music Director for the network’s Hot AC stations across the country.
Ashley Pirhonen (aka AJ) has joined Move 97.1 (CJMJ-FM) Penticton in afternoon drive. She was previously in mornings at 99.5 Moose FM (CFBG-FM) Muskoka where she landed in January, straight out of the BCIT Radio Arts & Entertainment program.
Brandon Cassidy has joined CFTK-TV Terrace as a news anchor and reporter. A 2020 Ryerson University Sport Media grad, Cassidy previously was part of the Ryerson Rams Live play-by-play broadcast team.
Zack Power has joined CFTK-TV Terrace as the station’s newest reporter. Hailing from Mount Pearl, NL, the recent Seneca College Journalism grad spent the past six months working as a producer with Eastlink Community TV.
JT Wasney is joining CTV News Lethbridge. A 2020 SAIT Radio & Television Broadcast grad, Wasney has been working as a reporter with Castanet News in Kelowna, in addition to acting as a colour commentator for the Kelowna Chiefs of the Kootenay International Hockey League.
Cameron Bailey has been promoted to CEO of TIFF. Bailey has been with the organization for 25 years, starting as a programmer with Perspective Canada, founding the Planet Africa section, working as TIFF’s Artistic Director, and most recently as Co-Head of the organization. TIFF has also appointed Jeffrey Remedios, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Canada, as the festival’s new Board Chair. Several new board members also join the organization, including filmmaker Danis Goulet, Wattpad CEO & co-founder Allen Lau and Elevation Pictures co-founder Laurie May.
