Hal Blackadar, 85, peacefully on Oct. 7, in Oakville. Blackadar had a more than five-decade career in radio that culminated in serving as Executive Vice President and Interim President at Corus Radio, prior to his retirement in 2010. He went on to continue to serve as an in-house consultant for Corus. Blackadar’s career was highlighted by numerous leadership positions, including serving as General Manager of CFNY Toronto from 1995 to 2001, under Maclean-Hunter’s Key Radio division. Prior to that, he served as VP and GM of CHNS and CHFX-FM Halifax, and by 1986 was appointed to the same post at CKOY and CKBY-FM Ottawa, joining the Key Radio executive team, eventually rising to the position of President, Ontario Region Radio Division. Blackadar also had extensive involvement in industry associations, including the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) where he was a founding member of the Digital Radio Roll Out committee, in addition to serving as a director on the boards of Women In Communications & Technology, FACTOR, and the Radio Marketing Bureau.
Dennis Trudeau, 77, on Oct. 6 after a long battle with cancer. Trudeau, who hailed from Ottawa, obtained a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario, before heading to Quebec to work as a political reporter for the Montreal Gazette and Montreal Star, later covering the National Assembly for the Chronicle Telegraph. In 1971, he moved to Montreal to work for The Canadian Press (CP), eventually making his way to CBC Radio in 1979 where he hosted programs like CBC Montreal’s Daybreak and national shows, As It Happens and Cross-Country Checkup. He’s best known for his 18 years serving as the anchor for CBC Montreal English supper hour newscast, CBC Newswatch, from 1987 to 2005. In 2007, he founded Dennis Trudeau Communications , offering his services as a master of ceremonies, moderator, and facilitator, concurrently taking a year-long spin as a morning radio talk show host at Corus Entertainment’s AM 940 (CFNV-AM), contributing commentary to Dutrizac le midi on 98.5 FM (CHMP-FM) Montreal and contributing an urban affairs column to Montreal Centre Ville. Read more here.
