REVOLVING DOOR:

Pelmorex Corp. has named Maureen Rogers as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Feb. 1. She succeeds Dr. Nana Banerjee, who had held the role since April 2023. Rogers has worked with Pelmorex for the last 14 years, most recently serving as CEO of Pelmorex’s TV Networks and Managing Director of Weather Canada, which includes digital and TV brands, The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, as well as Alert Ready/En Alerte, Canada’s public emergency alerting system. Read more here.

ZoomerMedia has announced a number of promotions in its radio division, following the exit of longtime programmer Paul Thomas to Corus Entertainment. Thomas, who served as General Manager and Program Director for The New Classical FM (CFMZ-FM) and Zoomer Radio (CFZM-AM), has assumed the role of Toronto Program Director for FM Radio at Corus. Mark Wigmore has been promoted to Program Director for The New Classical FM stations in Toronto, Eastern Ontario and Southern Georgian Bay. Kathleen Kajioka is upped to Music Director of The New Classical FM. At Zoomer Radio, Andy Wilson moves into the role of Program Director. Dan Hamilton, ZoomerMedia Chief Revenue Officer, will resume his role as General Manager for both The New Classical FM and Zoomer Radio. Read more here.

Tim Bolen is leaving Hamilton’s CHCH-TV. Bolen started at CHCH in 2011 on Morning Live First Edition, before transitioning to Morning Live as the Sports and Adventure Reporter. He took up the anchor chair, alongside Annette Hamm, following the departure of Bob Cowan two and a half years ago.

Abigail Bimman is set to join CTV National News in March as an Ottawa-based correspondent. Bimman was previously an Ottawa correspondent for Global National, up until getting caught up in a round of layoffs last June. She started her career at CTV Ottawa right out of Carleton University in 2008, and later worked as a reporter and anchor at CTV Kitchener, prior to joining Global in 2017. 

Jermaine Wilson has joined CTV News Toronto and CP24 as a digital reporter. Wilson had been working with CTV National News as a multi-platform writer for the past four months. Prior to that, he was a contributing writer at Yahoo News and a multimedia producer at the Toronto Star.

Brent Pushkarenko has joined CTV News Edmonton as Senior Assignment Editor. Pushkarenko formerly worked with the station as an executive producer from 2012-21, prior to joining Corus Radio in Edmonton as Provincial News Director.

Jasmin Doobay has taken up a new role at Pattison Media where she now holds the title of Programming/Special Projects, based in Kelowna. Doobay, who was most recently Station Manager and Program Director for Pattison’s stations in Lethbridge, AB, will be coordinating on- and off-air talent to build the Everything Lifestyle 365 Instagram account, which supports Pattison’s EverythingLifestyle.com and the Everything Lifestyle Podcast; as well as promote DoSomeGood.ca, working with the team synergizing the company’s Radio, TV and News portals.

Francesca Ricagni has been named the new Head of U.S. Hispanic Content at The Mediapro Studio U.S. & Canada. Ricagni, who previously has been a Creative Executive at Apple TV+ and Amazon Studios, will report in her new role to JC Acosta, Head of TMS U.S. & Canada, and will be responsible for the strategy behind creating and producing content for Spanish-language television channels and streaming platforms in North America. Mediapro says there is significant opportunity to serve the Latino audience, comprised of 650M+ people globally and 60M+ in the U.S. 

Andrew Nissen has joined Blink49 Studios as VP of Scripted Television, reporting to Carolyn Newman, Executive VP of Global Scripted. Based in L.A., he arrives from Lionsgate, where he served as Director of Scripted TV Development for the last six months. Prior to that, he held similar roles at Entertainment One over the last eight years. Allison Brough moves up to Senior VP of Unscripted Television, based in Toronto, and will continue to oversee the company’s reality slate under Toby Dormer, Executive VP of Unscripted Television. Lucy Galstyan has been upped to SVP of Business and Legal Affairs, Unscripted, based in L.A. Grainne Moley steps into the SVP, Finance role in Toronto, while Daphne Park moves up to SVP of Production Finance.

Kate Anderson will depart the Pacific Screenwriting Program (PTP), where she’s been serving as Scripted Series Lab Manager, in late spring after the 2025 cohort complete their lab program. Anderson has worked at the PSP since 2018. A writer herself, she has decided to focus on her own creative projects for the foreseeable future.

Shirley Moore has joined the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) as Marketing Director. She joins the IJF from the tech industry, where she managed marketing at Canadian e-commerce company, Shopify. Early in her career, she was a reporter and editor for CBC News.

RADIO & PODCAST:

Departure Festival + Conference – a “reimagined Canadian Music Week” – has made its first lineup announcement. Set to take place May 6-11 at Hotel X on the Toronto waterfront and concert venues across the city, the Conference portion of Departure will see industry professionals come together across music, tech and media, with Radiodays North America to run concurrent to the event, May 6-8. Those confirmed for this year’s festival include Bryan Adams, Mustafa, Tia Wood, Death From Above 1979, restaurateur Matty Matheson, record producer T-Minus in conversation with Brian “B.Dot” Miller, Snap Inc. Canada General Manager Matt McGowan, and crisis communications expert Molly McPherson. Read more here.

The CRTC will hold a virtual hearing on March 27 to consider the following applications: Radio Communautaire Cornwall-Alexandria’s (RCCA) acquisition of English-language commercial FM radio stations CKHK-FM Hawkesbury and CHRC-FM Clarence-Rockland from Evanov Communications; an application by Torres Media Ottawa to acquire CJWL-FM Ottawa for $1.2M from Evanov; an application from Akash Broadcasting, to buy Bell Media’s CKMX 1060 Calgary (formerly Funny 1060) and CFRW 1290 Winnipeg (Funny 1290) for $700,000; an application by My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to acquire CKOT-FM and CJDL-FM Tillsonburg and CJET-FM Smiths Falls from Rogers for $675,000; and an application by Truth Broadcasting Network to acquire English-language specialty (religious music) FM radio station CJJC-FM Yorkton. The commission will also hear an application from Chetwynd Communications Society for a broadcasting licence to operate English-language low-power community television station, CHET-DT.

The CRTC has revoked Corus Entertainment’s broadcast licences for English-language commercial radio stations CHML Hamilton and CHQT Edmonton. While the Hamilton signal simply went dark, the Edmonton request came following a reorganization of Corus’ stations in the market that saw the broadcaster swap the call signs of CHED and CHQT in October, with CHED moving its programming to 880 KHz, while 630AM ceased broadcasting.

The Canadian Airplay Charts, which track Canadian radio airplay, have found a new home on Billboard Canada’s charts hub.  They’ll be updated every Thursday and live alongside the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard Canadian Albums chart. The charts cover seven different types of radio airplay, including Adult Contemporary, Country and Rock.

On The Line is the second podcast offering from Substack political and current events publication, The Line, set to make its debut Tuesday, Feb. 4. On The Line will feature co-founders Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson in long-form conversation with experts, newsmakers and stakeholders, more focused on reporting and journalism than the weekly, The Line Podcast. The Line Podcast will continue to release new episodes every Friday.

Lisa LaFlamme is hosting new podcast, Carry The Fire, for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Each episode features “inspiring personal stories that explore what can happen when world-leading doctors, researchers, nurses and their patients come together to ignite breakthroughs in cancer treatment.” The podcast accompanies a new brand campaign of the same name, which the foundation says is intended to convey “a message of hope for a world free from the fear of cancer.”

The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN) now has a podcast. The CCSN Digest will feature guests and speakers, from survivors to oncologists to those affected by cancer. The podcast is hosted by Communications Manager Trevor Smith-Millar, who brings nearly a decade of radio experience to CCSN. New episodes will be released every Tuesday.

SiriusXM Canada has announced new exclusive programming from Alex Cooper, the host and executive producer of top-ranked podcast “Call Her Daddy.” Starting Feb. 11, SiriusXM subscribers will gain access to two new channels and live shows from Cooper and her Unwell Network, including Unwell Music (ch. 3), an evolving mixtape of songs that have scored her life from artists like Miley Cyrus, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter, Beyoncé, and Gracie Abrams. Unwell On Air (SiriusXM app and ch. 109) delivers a live pulse on what’s trending now, from pop culture to real talk with listeners. Daily programming includes “Dialed In” where listeners can call in to join the conversation, hosted by Rachel Friedman and Montaine, in addition to “The Daily Dirty” – a pop-culture show, hosted by Sequoia Holmes, Fiona Shea and Hannah Kosh. Meanwhile, video episodes of Call Her Daddy are moving from Spotify and will only be available on YouTube.

Triton Digital has released its third annual U.S. Podcast Report, revealing podcast consumption is on an upward trajectory, with monthly listeners up 23% over the past three years and nearly 10% in just the past year. In 2024, 44% of the U.S. population reported tuning into a podcast within the past month. YouTube emerged as the preferred platform for podcast listeners, capturing 33% of the audience in 2024—its highest share and a significant rise from 27% in 2021. The leading genres last year were: News (23% of total downloads); True Crime (19%); and Comedy (13%).

LISTEN: Matt Hird, Senior Research Director at Signal Hill Insights, joins Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to share findings from the latest Canadian Podcast Listener survey. In his first-ever podcast appearance, Matt joins us to talk about the shifting listening landscape – from YouTube’s epic growth as a podcast destination to the gender listening gap, where he thinks podcasting is headed, and more.

LISTEN: Sarah Spain was a three-sport athlete at Cornell University before going on to her epic broadcasting career, highlighted by her work at ESPN, including her time on “Around the Horn” and her podcast, “That’s What She Said,” which wrapped in 2023. Spain is on the latest Sound Off Podcast talking about her involvement with the Chicago Stars Football Club and iHeartMedia and Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment’s Women’s Sports Audio Network, the home of her podcast “Good Game.”

SIGN OFFS:

Joanne Cochrane, 53, on Jan. 17, following a heart attack. A graduate of Winnipeg’s National Institute of Broadcasting, Cochrane started her broadcasting career in radio at 680 CJOB Winnipeg as a part-time weekend host and board op. She joined CJCD Mix 100 Yellowknife in 2003, holding roles from announcer to program director, in addition to music scheduling and copywriting. From there, Cochrane moved to Kingston’s K-Rock 105.7 as a morning show co-host and midday announcer in 2006, before returning to Winnipeg where she worked part-time for more than a decade at CJOB and Power 97 as a producer and fill-in host. For the last nine years, she had been a chase producer at CTV Winnipeg, booking guests on the local edition of CTV Morning Live, among other duties.

TV & FILM:

Julian Brave NoiseCat is among the Canadians up for Oscars heading into the 97th Academy Awards. NoiseCat, a writer, filmmaker, and activist from B.C.’s Canim Lake Band Tsq’secen of the Secwepemc Nation, and New York-based producer and journalist Emily Kassie, received a Best Documentary Feature nod for their film Sugarcane. Co-directed by NoiseCat and Kassie, it follows the search for unmarked graves at St. Joseph’s Mission, a former Indian residential school in Williams Lake, B.C. Among other Canadian nominees are the team attached to Dune: Part Two, directed by Quebec-born filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. The sequel to 2021’s Dune is a contender in the Best Picture category, while the film’s production design team – Patrice Vermette and Shane Vieau – received a nomination for Best Production Design. Toronto costume designer Linda Muir also received a nod for Best Costume Design for her work on Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. Read more here.

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has announced the nominees for the 2025 WGC Screenwriting Awards. Productions generating multiple nominations include Allegiance, Popularity Papers, Open Season: Call of Nature, and Late Bloomer. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on April 28 at Koerner Hall in Toronto. 

Export Development Canada (EDC) has announced it’s providing more than $250 million in support to Cineflix Media, Sphere Media and Lionsgate Canada. The Crown agency, which helps Canadian businesses make an impact abroad and pursue new markets, has propped up the media and entertainment companies in the way of both direct financing and loan guarantees to help “create liquidity to fuel their international growth plans,” according to an EDC release. Read more here.

Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released Changing Lanes – Altering Service Subscriptions, diving into whether Canadians are modifying their entertainment services to cut costs. It finds 29% of Canadians have cut back or cancelled a TV streaming subscription or paid TV service in the past six months to save money. The online survey found household income isn’t necessarily a driver in terms of changing or cancelling services, however age seems to play a significant role, with those aged 18-34 most likely to have made changes to their services to cut costs.

Bell Media and PAGEBOY Productions, founded by actor, producer, and advocate Elliot Page, have announced a new partnership to develop “bold, original scripted series” for Crave and CTV. Under the agreement, their collaboration will explore content opportunities, “with a joint dedication to spotlighting untold stories,” according to a Bell Media announcement.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau’s memoir Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other is getting the docuseries treatment, led by Sphere Media. Sphere is co-producing alongside the former media personality, who separated from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023 after 18 years of marriage. The six-episode series will feature personalities from culture, sport, politics and business, in conversation with Grégoire Trudeau, speaking candidly about personal struggles and challenges with a focus on mental health.

Blue Ant Media has announced five new greenlights and four renewals, set to roll out on the company’s Canadian specialty TV channels, T+E and Cottage Life, in 2025, followed by its global free streaming channels—HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, and Declassified—at a later date. The slate includes Ghost Lands (w/t), an hour-long doc on Indigenous ghost stories. Additional greenlights include You Can’t Deny It, a docuseries exploring the power of corroboration; Vet Detective, which spotlights Vancouver-based veterinarian Dr. Lauren Adelman; Engineering from Above, a spin-off of the Mysteries from Above franchise; and Birthplace of Hallowe’en (w/t), a one-hour documentary filmed in Ireland with B.C. paranormal investigators Kelly Ireland, Corine Carey and Leanne Sallenback, known for History’s Most Haunted and Haunted Gold Rush. Blue Ant has ordered a fourth season of Mysteries from Above, and second seasons of My Haunted Hometown, Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy and Wild Rose Vets.

Prime Video has announced the premiere date and trailer for 50,000 First Dates: A True Story, a two-part docuseries that challenges the traditional romantic comedy narrative through the true story of Nesh Pillay, a Toronto-based entrepreneur who suddenly loses her memory and forgets her fiancé. Premiering Feb. 11 in 240 countries and territories worldwide, the docuseries showcases the journey of the viral Canadian couple who made headlines around the world as “The Real Life 50 First Dates Couple.”

CHEK Media’s newest addition to its local programming lineup, Now You Know BC, hosted by digital storyteller and B.C. history enthusiast Bob Kronbauer premieres Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. on CHEK and CHEK+. Known to his social media followers as “BC Bob,” the 13-episode series brings Kronbauer’s signature storytelling style from social media to television, with each episode uncovering hidden gems, historical tales, and extraordinary people across B.C.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) has announced award-winning journalist, author and filmmaker Tanya Talaga as the recipient of this year’s CJF Tribute. The CJF Tribute recognizes media luminaries who have made an exceptional journalistic impact on the international stage. Talaga, who has been bringing Indigenous stories to the forefront for two decades, joins past recipients Anna Maria Tremonti, Malcolm Gladwell, David Suzuki, and Lisa LaFlamme. The Tribute will be presented at the CJF Awards on June 12 in Toronto. 

The Jack Webster Foundation has called for nominations for its Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring an exemplary B.C. journalism career; Bill Good Award, honouring a B.C. individual or organization that makes a significant contribution to journalism in the province or addresses a community need via journalism; and the Shelley Fralic Award, recognizing a B.C. woman journalist who exemplifies Fralic’s legacy of concern for excellence in journalism and making her community a better place. Nominations are open until May 16.

Bell Let’s Talk Day 2025 put a spotlight on six youth mental health organizations: Integrated Youth Services, Jack.org, Kids Help Phone, National Association of Friendship Centres, Strongest Families Institute, and Youth In Mind Foundation. Canadians contributed $1,605,770 to youth mental health through the initiative’s text-to-donate campaign. Leading up to Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell committed $10 million towards mental health in 2025, bringing the company’s total Bell Let’s Talk investment to $184 million since 2010.

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that 14 scientific and technical achievements will be honoured at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony on April 29. An Academy Award of Merit will be presented at the ceremony to collectively recognize “all the individuals who have developed and supported captioning technology, whether open or closed, for film.” Processes and products receiving Technical Achievement Awards include Ziva VFX, a system for constructing and simulating muscles, fat, fascia, and skin for digital characters; Wētā FX’s ML Denoiser, which prioritizes temporal filtering using optical flow techniques; Fireskin360 Naked Burn Gel; and Intel Open Image Denoise. Scientific and Engineering Awards will recognize Action Factory Hydrogels; Disney’s ML Denoiser; Sound Radix’s Auto Align Post 2; ARRI Trinity 2; Tiffen Steadicam Volt; and the hand-held Stabileye three-axis motorized camera.

NLogic has announced that several more agencies and broadcasters have joined Corus Entertainment and IPG in signing on to its Video Planner, joining Rogers, GroupM, OMG, Plus Company, P&G, Kingstar, Media Dimensions, and Ocean Media. Released last summer, Video Planner leverages Numeris’ cross-platform video audience dataset (VAM) to help the industry analyze and plan unduplicated reach and frequency across the video landscape, inclusive of TV, streaming and social platforms. NLogic says it’s committed to enhancing the Video Planner over the coming year, with additional features under consideration including campaign weight allocation, multi-demo planning, access via API, and the ability to integrate first and third party data to create more realistic and actionable buying plans.

Samsung is now a NASCAR Technology Partner, introducing its displays and monitors at NASCAR Productions’ newly-launched remote race control room. Housed in NASCAR’s 58,000 sq.-ft. production facility in Concord, NC, the state-of-the-art control room features Samsung’s The Wall as its centrepiece. Spanning 32 ft. wide and nine ft. high, the new control room sets the stage for NASCAR to remotely execute officiating in a precise and data-driven approach for large-scale races nationwide. During races, up to 24 officials in the room will use The Wall as their primary screen to access replays from the SBG Sports Software system, capable of aggregating up to 200 camera angles, all driver audio and voice-to-text transcription of team radio transmissions.