REVOLVING DOOR:
Zenga McCurdy has joined Rogers Sports & Media’s 104.3 The Fox (CJQM-FM) Sault Ste. Marie in afternoon drive. McCurdy was most recently heard on the 96.3 CRUZ FM (CFWD-FM) Saskatoon morning show, up until layoffs at Harvard Media in late 2024. He previously worked for Rogers’ KiSS 100.5 (CHAS-FM) Sault Ste. Marie from 2018-21, hosting mornings and later the regional midday show.
Erin Davis has been promoted into the role of Account Manager, Digital Sales for Bell Media in Atlantic Canada. In her new role, she’ll lead local digital sales across the region. Based in Halifax, Davis has been with Bell since 2004.
Stephanie Coombs is leaving her role as Director of Journalism and Programming at CBC Edmonton to serve as Director of Local Expansion Initiatives for CBC News’ local services in Ontario. She’d been with CBC Edmonton since 2018.
Nicole Bell has been named the new Head of YouTube Canada, starting Feb. 2. Bell initially joined the streamer in 2016 as Head of Communications, Canada. She succeeds Andrew Peterson, who moved into a global role with the platform last fall as Head of Creator Economy Ecosystem.
Dominique Giguère has been appointed by the Government of Ontario to assume the position of Chair of TFO’s Board of Directors for a three-year term, succeeding Jean Lépine. Until recently, she served as the board’s Vice-Chair. Co-CEO of Currents Group, Giguère is an expert in governance and strategic planning, with past experience at TVO, Seneca College, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). She also serves as Mayor of Malahide Township and Warden of Elgin County. Frédéric Duguay, also a member of the Board of Directors, has been appointed Vice-Chair.
Nicole Butler, former co-CEO of Pier 21 Films and Executive Producer of Late Bloomer, Run the Burbs, and Don’t Even, is joining Toronto’s Fathom Film Group, where she’ll lead development of new scripted projects, while Ann Shin expands her role as CEO, maintaining oversight of the company’s overall vision and its full slate of content. The announcement follows the hire of former Reel One Entertainment exec Philip Svoboda as Head of Business Affairs, and a newly-formed board of advisors that includes Ira Levy (Breakthrough Entertainment) and Steve Denure (DECODE/DHX Media/WildBrain).
Angela Heck is stepping down from her role as Executive Director of the Whistler Film Festival (WFF). Heck joined WFF as Director of Industry Programming in 2019 and was appointed as Executive Director in 2021. Heck will continue to support business continuity and partnership development and will move into an advisory role as the organization prepares for its 26th edition in December. The Board of Directors will be launching a national search for a new Executive Director in the coming weeks.
RADIO & PODCAST:
The CRTC has approved an application by Arsenal Media to amend the authorized contour of French-language station CFVM-FM Amqui, Que. In order to remain in compliance with the Common Ownership Policy (COP) for radio following Arsenal’s acquisition of CFEI-FM Saint-Hyacinthe, CFVM-FM Amqui, CFZZ-FM Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, CHRD-FM and CJDM-FM Drummondville, CIKI-FM Rimouski and its transmitter CIKI-FM-2 Sainte-Marguerite-Marie, and CJOI-FM Rimouski, the broadcaster proposed modifying CFVM-FM’s technical parameters to reduce overlapping areas with the markets for its existing stations CHOE-FM and CHRM-FM Matane in Quebec’s Lower St. Lawrence region. Each of the three markets represented more than 15% of the population of the Amqui market, meaning Arsenal would own four French-language FM radio stations in violation of the COP. Arsenal proposed bringing them to between 5% and 15% of the populations of the stations’ markets.
CBC’s Canada Reads returns for its 25th edition, April 13-16. Ali Hassan will host a panel of celebrity advocates championing Canadian books that speak to this year’s theme, “One Book to Build Bridges.” Each day, one book will be eliminated by the panelists until a winner is declared Canada’s must-read book of 2026. Broadcast at 10 a.m. (11 AT, 1:30 NT) on CBC Radio, with a live audio stream and podcast recap on CBC Listen, the five books to be debated and their champions are: A Minor Chorus (Penguin Canada) by Billy-Ray Belcourt, championed by actor and filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers; Searching for Terry Punchout (Invisible Books) by Tyler Hellard, championed by hockey analyst and podcaster Steve “Dangle” Glynn; The Cure for Drowning (Random House Canada) by Loghan Paylor, championed by JUNO Award-winning singer/songwriter Tegan Quin; Foe (Simon & Schuster) by Iain Reid, championed by actor, Broadway performer, and children’s TV host Josh Dela Cruz; and It’s Different This Time (Viking) by Joss Richard, championed by #BookTok influencer and digital book club host Morgann Book.
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Evanov Communications’ Lite 99.3 (CJGB-FM) has announced that its annual On-Air for Healthcare Radiothon, in support of the Meaford Hospital Foundation, raised $70,000 to support critical local healthcare needs. The Radiothon was broadcast live on Saturday, Dec. 20, from the Lite 99.3 studios. Throughout the day, the station dedicated its on-air programming, digital platforms, and community outreach efforts to sharing local stories, highlighting the importance of accessible healthcare. While the live broadcast concluded in December, donations continued to come in the weeks that followed. Over the past two years, the Radiothon has raised a combined $170,000.
UNESCO has declared a theme for this year’s World Radio Day on Feb. 13 – Radio and Artificial Intelligence. An opportunity to celebrate radio as a medium and a chance to promote international cooperation between broadcasters, this year’s theme focuses on how AI is reshaping radio production, distribution, and editorial practices, with the central slogan “AI is a tool, not a voice.”
Spotify has begun testing its new Prompted Playlist feature with more Premium listeners in beta in Canada and the U.S. Prompted Playlist lets listeners describe exactly what they want to listen to in their own words, with the app then generating a playlist informed by listening history, trends, charts and culture. Spotify has been testing the feature since December in New Zealand.
LISTEN: Brion O’Brion of Power 96.5 (KSPW-FM) Lansing, MI is on the Sound Off Podcast. A true veteran of urban and hip hop radio, he shares his radio story—from growing up in Virginia and spending time overseas, to discovering his love for the medium with WRAP’s legendary “Rap Attack.” O’Brion and Matt Cundill talk about the mentors who shaped his path, the competitive radio scenes in Orlando and St. Louis, and how setbacks taught him resilience and the importance of adaptability. He also opens up about the changing landscape of radio, the impact of social media, and why connecting with audiences—both on air and online—is the key to radio’s future as an influencer medium.
SIGN OFFS:
Al MacKay, on Jan. 21. After graduating from McMaster University in 1969, where he was heavily involved with closed circuit student radio station Mac Radio, MacKay got a part-time job at CHML Hamilton that set him on a journalism path. From there, he joined CJOH-TV (CTV Ottawa) where he ascended to the role of Vice President and Station Manager over the next 25 years. After leaving CJOH, MacKay went on to serve as Interim General Manager at CPAC from 1998-2000. From there, he moved on to advisory firm, Canadian Policy Research Networks as VP of Operations, and additionally did a short stint as Interim Executive Director of the Vanier Institute. He also served as Chair of Canada’s Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) and chaired the Travers Debates, raising funds for the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship. He also held seats on the boards of RTDNA Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), and the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB), who named him Broadcaster of the Year in 1995. His consulting work included acting as the primary architect of the CAB Code for Violence in Television Programming, also serving as a senior consultant to the Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT). He was a member of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) from 1992 to 2000, charing the Ontario Regional Council for most of that time.
Fred C. May, 72, on Jan. 12, in Medicine Hat. May first studied audio engineering at the AlTech Lansing Institute, later graduating from the SAIT Broadcast Engineering program in 1978. He went on to a nearly two-decade career producing and working on various shows under the banner of his own production company, Mayford Productions, including “Stampede Wrestling,” “Pro Wrestling Plus,” “TSN Wrestling,” “Calgary Stampede Rodeo,” “It Figures,” “Screen Sports- England,” and “Stars in Your Eyes.” His work aired in Canada on CFCN, CFRN, CFAC, CTV, CBC, Global, CHBC, CKSA, CITI, CITL, TSN, and globally on the BBC and Shamrock TV in the UK. In 2002, May founded internet stations, RDTV Red Deer and later Central Alberta Television (CATV), syndicating programming including the Canadian National Wrestling Alliance (CNWA). He launched community station, CATV1 on O-Net fibre-optic Channel 55, in Olds, AB in 2013, continuing to produce local programming. May retired in 2022 and subsequently divested his equipment to Space Central TV.
TV & FILM:
KPop Demon Hunters writer and co-director Maggie Kang and Elio co-director/writer Domee Shi are among the Canadians nominated for the 98th Academy Awards. KPop Demon Hunters is up for Best Animated Feature, alongside sci-fi adventure film, Elio, positioning Shi to take home a second Oscar. National Film Board (NFB) short The Girl Who Cried Pearls is nominated for Best Animated Short. It’s the first nomination in 18 years for Montreal-based animation duo Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, while perfectly a strangeness from Montreal’s Alison McAlpine, is up for Best Documentary Short. Read more here.
Blue Ant Media’s proposed acquisition of Thunderbird Entertainment Group has been completed with 78.84% of voting Thunderbird shareholders in favour of the transaction at a special meeting on Jan. 22. The Supreme Court of British Columbia has issued a final order in connection with the previously-announced plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act pursuant to which Blue Ant will acquire all outstanding shares of Thunderbird. Additionally, the Competition Bureau has issued a no-action letter in connection with the transaction, satisfying the “Competition Act Approval” condition in the Arrangement Agreement.
The CRTC has approved an extension until February 2027 for U Multicultural to commence operation of a new multilingual community television station in Winnipeg. The not-for-profit broadcaster was awarded a dual TV/radio licence in February 2024. It just launched its new multi-language community radio station this month. It’s been testing CFUM-DT since Oct. 1.
CBC’s live coverage of Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will kick off on Friday, Feb. 6 with the Opening Ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC News Network, Sportsnet and TSN. Starting with the countdown to the Opening Ceremony, hosted by Andi Petrillo, she’ll be joined in-studio by JUNO and Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Alessia Cara, whose Italian roots trace back to Calabria. At 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), CBC News Chief Correspondent Adrienne Arsenault and Olympics reporter Devin Heroux guide audiences through the Opening Ceremony from San Siro Stadium. Performers include Italian actress Matilda De Angelis, pop icon Mariah Carey, Italian artist Laura Pausini, and world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli. Following the main event, a live reaction show hosted by CBC Olympics digital host Mackenzie Barwell will be available on the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Read more here.
CBC’s Dragons’ Den will mark its milestone 20th season with a two-episode Full Circle finale event on Feb. 26 and March 5 on CBC and CBC Gem. Guest Dragons featured in the two-episode special include: Tara Bosch (SmartSweets), Joanna Griffiths (Knix), Jay Klein (The PUR Company), Marc Lafleur (truLOCAL/DB8 Labs), and Barb Stegemann (The 7 Virtues). Dragons’ Den Full Circle marks the first time that alumni will return to the Den, where their journeys began, to pay it forward. The final episode of Dragons’ Den’s regular season airs Thursday, Jan. 29.
Crave romantic reality series Temptations Under the Sun: Cyprus debuts with two episodes on Friday, Feb. 13. An English spinoff of Crave French-language reality series OD: Tentations Au Soleil, the one hour, 10-episode series follows 17 of Canada’s most daring singles as they face temptation, strategy, and unexpected twists under the Mediterranean sun. Guided by sexologist and host of the Lovers By Shan podcast, Shan Boodram, contestants are paired up, with the boldest and most magnetic duo crowned “Canada’s Most Seductive Couple” which includes a $50,000 cash prize.
Crave has confirmed that original comedy series Shoresy is set to hit the ice for a sixth season. Season 6 goes into production this fall in Sudbury. Since premiering on Christmas Day 2025, Season 5 has become the most-watched season of the series on Crave, delivering a 36% increase in audience over Season 4, with each season ranking among the Top 5 Crave Originals in its year of release. The series’ cast is currently wrapping up a successful eight-city North American hockey tour, the Shoresy Classic, in which the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs face-off against NHL alumni teams.
Cantina Media, a Serial Maven Studios production company, and Big Wave Entertainment have announced that wildlife series Baby Elephant School has been greenlit by Channel 4 and CBC as a UK/Canada treaty co-production, and secured by ARTE as a pre-sale. Filming is now underway in Sri Lanka at the world’s largest baby elephant sanctuary, Udawalawe Elephant Orphanage. The 4×60 UK version for Channel 4 is hosted by Welsh biologist and elephant researcher Lizzie Daly, while the one-hour Canadian version for CBC’s The Nature of Things, is hosted by Anthony Morgan.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) and Pilot Light Productions, in association with Ha!ifax ComedyFest, have announced the third All Access Comedy special—hosted by D.J. Demers—will debut Friday, Feb. 13 on AMI-tv and AMI+. Featuring comedians from the disability community, the special includes performances by Toronto’s Todd Blenkhorn, host of the Wheel Stutter Blindly podcast; Vancouver-based comedian Megan Milton; St. John’s Josh Menchions, founder of StandupComedyNL; and San Diego’s Ryan Niemiller, the self-proclaimed “Cripple Threat of Comedy,” who placed third in Season 14 of America’s Got Talent.
Blue Ant Media has unveiled its latest slate of original unscripted Canadian titles set to roll out across its portfolio of specialty networks, including Cottage Life, T+E, BBC Earth and Smithsonian Channel in 2026-27, followed by its global streaming channels. The 2026-27 slate includes history titles for Smithsonian Channel in Canada, such as History Unsolved: The Investigation Files (10 x 60’), Angkor: Hidden Jungle Empire (1 x 60’) and Hitler’s Last Stand, Season 6 (8 x 60’), with Blue Ant coming on board to commission the latest instalment of the long-running series. New series Paranormal Nation: Guardians (6 x 60′), a Blue Ant Media and APTN co-production, will debut on T+E and a reboot of Cosmic Vistas (8 x 60’) will air on BBC Earth. For Cottage Life, the slate includes new title Pet Search and Rescue (1 x 60’) and the return of the Mysteries from Above franchise.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
TikTok Canada is in a position to reinstate some of its creator programs as a judge set aside an order this week forcing the short-form video platform to wind-up its Canadian operations over national security concerns. The November 2024 order from Innovation, Science & Industry Min. François-Philippe Champagne over “specific national security risks” related to Beijing-headquartered ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada, forced the platform to press pause on a number of its Canadian programs, including its TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators, presented in partnership with the National Screen Institute (NSI) – a free, online, six-week program for First Nations, Inuit and Metis creators; in addition to activations like the TikTok JUNO Fan Choice Award. Read more here.
Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released its annual report examining media adoption and usage among First Nations, Métis and Inuit respondents, noting that while online video is nearly universal at 95%, traditional viewing habits remain strong, with three in four Indigenous respondents continuing to watch linear television. Notably, the use of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels surged by 41% over the past year, rising from 36% to 51%. Four in 10 Indigenous respondents (41%) are now using AI tools, with 47% of all Indigenous AI users engaging with those tools daily. MTM found lighter internet users are more likely to use AI tools than heavy users, suggesting adoption extends beyond highly connected audiences. Social media plays a major role in regular media usage, with 85% of Indigenous respondents accessing it monthly. While Facebook remains the dominant platform at 70%, short-form video continues to gain traction, with three in five watching YouTube Shorts.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Algonquin College is poised to suspend its Journalism; Music, Media and Film Foundations; and Music Industry Arts programs, among more than two dozen others, as a recommendation comes before the College’s Board of Governors on Feb. 23, suggesting “strategic changes” to its program offerings “to ensure alignment with student and labour market demands, financial sustainability and resource optimization.” If approved, no new students would be admitted to those programs starting next fall. The college previously suspended its Radio Broadcasting program, effective last fall.
Unifor members in the Bell Clerical bargaining units have ratified a new four-year collective agreement. The contract, effective through November 2029, delivers wage increases, enhanced job protection, telework provisions, and a new oversight model to manage the impact of AI in the workplace. The new agreement, covering 3,000 members across Locals 6000, 6001, 6003, 8284, 6004, 6005, 6006, 6007, 6008, and 37 features a 2.7% wage increase in each year of the contract, retroactive to Dec. 1, 2025 and the continuation of the Bell Workways Program for the duration, ensuring remote work remains protected. The agreement also established a Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence to review the introduction of AI in the workplace, alongside strengthened consultation requirements for any technological change.
