Arif Noorani, Executive Producer of CBC Podcasts, has been promoted to the newly-created position of Director of the podcast division. In the role, he’ll drive the success of CBC Podcasts, leading content strategy and development, and identifying new opportunities in the space. Noorani has been with CBC for more than 21 years, starting as a producer on CBC Radio shows like This Morning with Shelagh Rogers and The Current. He rose to Executive Producer of Radio Network Talk in 2007, before moving over to the podcast division prior to its launch in late 2014. Since then, he’s acted as the editorial lead on a slate of over 40 original shows, including Someone Knows Something; Uncover; The Village; Love Me; Other People’s Problems; and Personal Best. Read more here.
Leaticia Kaggwa has been appointed CBC’s Environmental Sustainability Lead. In the newly-created position, she’ll collaborate with in-house and independent producers to adopt greener production practices and roll out use of the “Albert” Carbon Calculator, an online tool developed by BAFTA that works out how much a TV production affects the environment. Kaggwa is currently an Environmental Committee Member advising the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and a Climate and Sustainable Production Instructor at Ontario Creates.
Linda Gillespie steps into the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cogeco, effective April 4. She’ll be based at the company’s head office in Montréal. Until recently, Gillespie was SVP, Human Resources and Communications at Weston Foods for over seven years. Prior to that, she worked as Human Resources Lead at Dupont and at Nortel in various marketing and corporate functions.
Alexandra Pinto is the new anchor of CTV News at Six in Kitchener. She’ll lead the flagship newscast beginning Monday, Jan. 31. Pinto previously helmed CTV News at 11:30, and more recently anchored the local edition of CTV News at Five. Pinto began her career in news a decade ago at Global Toronto, before joining CTV Kitchener as a videographer in 2014.
Danica Ferris is now the full-time producer/anchor for the Global Lethbridge edition of Global News at 11 p.m. Ferris joined the bureau as a videographer in April 2019 after graduating from the Broadcast News program at SAIT. Tom Roulston will remain at the anchor desk for Global News at 5 & 6 p.m., while also taking on more involvement in the daily producing of newscasts and editorial direction. Now in his second tour with Global Lethbridge, Roulston rejoined the team in June 2017 after a three-year stint in radio.
Mike Le Couteur is joining CTV News Channel as Senior Political Correspondent after 21 years with Global News. His first day with CTV will be Feb. 8. Le Couteur has been a Parliamentary Correspondent for Global National for the last decade. Prior to that, he spent more than 10 years as an anchor and reporter at Global Montreal.
Siobhan Morris is leaving CTV Barrie for CTV Toronto. Morris has been a videojournalist and producer in Barrie since May 2020 when she departed Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto where she’d been an anchor and reporter for nearly eight years.
Sheila North is the new host of CBC Winnipeg News Late Night. North rejoined the public broadcaster last year after a seven-year absence from journalism, during which she served as the first woman to ever be elected Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, representing 30 First Nations in northern Manitoba. A member of Bunibonibee Cree Nation (Oxford House), North was previously a reporter with CBC from 2005-12 and worked briefly with CTV Winnipeg.
Pam Berman is retiring from CBC Nova Scotia after 38 years as a reporter with the public broadcaster. For much of that time, Berman has been focused on coverage of municipal politics. Her last official day is April 30.
Valerie Gamache is Radio-Canada’s new parliamentary correspondent in Ottawa. For the last year and a half, Gamache has been covering the Quebec National Assembly and prior to that was a reporter for RDI in Vancouver. Before joining CBC in 2017, she was with Groupe TVA for 16 years.
Phil Aubrey has announced his departure from Power 97 (CJKR-FM) Winnipeg. The station began recruiting for a new morning show at the end of December. It’s anticipated Aubrey may join former Power Mornings host Shalinda Kirby at 92 CITI FM. Kirby crossed the street to 92 CITI in November and while currently being heard in afternoons, has indicated she’ll be joining a revamped morning show on the station.
Vicki Shae joins Joe Aiello on Power Mornings, starting Jan. 31. Shae was formerly one-half of the morning show at 94.3 The Drive (CHIQ-FM), alongside Tom McGouran, up until October’s station rebrand to NOW! Radio. She’s previously co-hosted Power Mornings with TJ Connors. Power 97 Program Manager David Drake tells Broadcast Dialogue the station is continuing to look for a “permanent” morning show.
Taylor Jukes has been promoted to the CHR Brand Coordination team at iHeartMedia. Currently Program Director at Y100 (WHYI-FM) Miami, prior to heading stateside in April 2019, Jukes did a stint as Senior Manager of National Content for iHeartRadio Canada. She’s also held programming roles with 99.9 Virgin Radio (CKFM-FM) Toronto, and the former LG 104.3 (CHLG-FM) and Shore 104 (CHHR-FM) in Vancouver.
Brent Loucks is stepping away from mornings at 650 CKOM Saskatoon after four decades. Loucks final morning show broadcast will air on Feb. 4. He’ll continue to do weekend shows and guest host. After attending broadcasting school in Minneapolis, Loucks radio career started at CFRY Portage La Prairie, MB in 1973. He went on to join CJME Regina in the early ‘80s and later CKOM. Mark Loshack (aka Shack) of ‘Shack, Sheri & Woody’ – the morning show on Rawlco sister station Rock 102 (CJDJ-FM), will step into the morning host chair on CKOM.
Vish Khanna has been named the CKUA Radio Network’s new Content Director. With the Edmonton community station’s 100th anniversary approaching in 2027, part of Khanna’s focus will be on improving the listener experience, recruiting, and developing new hosts, and introducing new programming that will engage current and future audiences and donors. Khanna been CKUA’s Marketing & Communications Manager for the last two years. He’s previously held positions at CFRU 93.3 FM Guelph, CBC Radio 3, and CBC Music, and remains an on-air columnist for CBC Radio One program, The Next Chapter with Shelagh Rogers. He also hosts interview podcast Kreative Kontrol and is an Assistant Editor at Exclaim! Magazine.
Steven Loung has left Sportsnet after eight years to join The Canadian Press as a sports reporter/editor. Starting as an intern in 2013, Loung worked his way up to staff writer and NBA Editor.
Linda Bicho Vachon has joined BNN Bloomberg as a freelance chase producer. Vachon previously held a similar role with CTV News Channel up until December.
Raechel Huizinga has joined CBC Moncton as a reporter. The 2020 Queen’s University grad was previously a New Brunswick-based reporter for allNovaScotia.com for the last 10 months and prior to that Editor-in-Chief of The Queen’s Journal.
Futuri has created two new leadership roles designed to support growth and expansion initiatives. Tracy Gilliam has been named Chief Strategy Officer and will focus on M&A and strategic growth. Gilliam is one of the founding members of Futuri, which acquired the sales intelligence system she launched, TopLine Matters, in 2015. Prior to Futuri, she spent more than a decade in media leadership roles, including GSM for CBS Radio in Los Angeles and VP/Market Manager for the company now known as iHeartMedia. Todd Storch has been named Chief Revenue Officer. Storch previously held CEO roles at Kindrid and Five Star Global, and served as SVP, Strategic Initiatives at Ministry Brands.
Katrina Hitz-Tough has been appointed to the newly-created position of SVP, Franchise Strategy & Marketing at 9 Story Media Group. Hitz-Tough will lead 9 Story’s recently established Franchise Management division to drive growth for select IP in 9 Story’s expanding portfolio of kids’ properties, including Karma’s World (Netflix), the up-and-coming Ladybird Lu (HBO Max) and toy-based property Colorforms. Prior to joining 9 Story, Hitz-Tough spent three years at Sony Pictures Entertainment establishing the Sony Pictures franchise group and building film-based brands like Ghostbusters, Spiderman, and Men in Black. Prior to that, she spent nine years working for The Walt Disney Company, where she established the LEGO-Disney partnership, among other consumer product brand strategies.
