REVOLVING DOOR:
Bell Media layoffs have largely come at the expense of those working at its television properties, as BCE proceeds with a workforce reduction of 4,800 employees, fewer than 10% of those from within the media division as most noon and weekend CTV newscasts are cancelled, among other programming. Those impacted in Bell’s Toronto newsroom include Ramneek Gill, General Manager, CP24 & CTV News Toronto, CTV News Channel anchors Lois Lee and Angie Seth, CTV National News assignment editor Candy Chan, senior producer Allan Black and producers Johanna James and Tim Reed, as well as national editor Joseph Amato. Jill Macyshon, Winnipeg Bureau Chief for CTV National News is also a casualty, as are Montreal-based CTV National News reporter Vanessa Lee and Edmonton-based CTV National News journalist Bill Fortier, Alberta ENG technician Jay Rosove, and Edmonton production assistant Gary Mochoruk. In the Parliament Hill bureau, reporter Kevin Gallagher and producer Pam MacKenzie. At BNN Bloomberg, Western Bureau Chief Tara Weber, News Director Alicia Harvey, Managing Digital Producer Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Close host Jacqueline Hanson, and financial markets reporter Kumutha Ramanathan. At TSN, Sportscentre host Cory Woron. Read more here.
CHUM Toronto morning show producer Caitlin Green and on-air personality Richie Favalaro, are among the radio casualties departing Bell Media, in addition to The Toby & Warren Show with Toby Johnston and Warren Barris on Edmonton’s 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM), and Move 100 (CJMJ-FM) Ottawa’s Move Mornings with Stuntman Stu, Angie & Janel. Read more here.
Ben Shulman and Chris Leroux will make up the Toronto Blue Jays radio crew this season on the Sportsnet Radio Network. Shulman follows in the footsteps of his father Dan Shulman (who delivers the play-by-play call on Sportsnet TV and Sportsnet+, with Buck Martinez and Joe Siddall splitting analyst duties), becoming the full-time radio voice after calling 31 Jays games last season and previously serving as the play-by-play voice of the San Diego Padres High-A affiliate team. He’s joined in the booth by analyst and former MLB pitcher Leroux. Shulman will also call select Spring Training games on TV.
Jori Negin-Shecter has re-joined Sportsnet as an associate producer. Negin-Schecter, who also co-hosts baseball podcast Bird’s Eye View, was most recently an editor at Yahoo Canada.
Nicole Di Donato, is joining Global Edmonton as the weeknight anchor for Global News at 11, beginning Feb.19. Di Donato was most recently a multimedia journalist and anchor at CTV Calgary. Starting Feb. 20, Global News Anchor Quinn Ohler makes the move to co-anchor Global News at Noon and act as the Health Matters reporter. Quinn has been with Global News since 2008, including anchoring Global News at 11 for the past five years. February also sees the return of sports as a regular feature on Global News Hour at 6 with Slav Kornik introduced as the new sports anchor on Feb. 5.
Jessica Durling has been laid off by Global News Regina. The digital broadcast journalist is among a handful of layoffs made by Corus Entertainment. Durling had been with the station since last June.
Bethany Lindsay has left CBC Vancouver to join the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) as a reporter focused on covering white collar crime in B.C. Lindsay had been with CBC since 2017 and was previously a reporter with the Vancouver Sun and CTV Vancouver.
Zak Vescera has joined the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) as a Vancouver-based investigative reporter. Vescera arrives from The Tyee where he’s been covering labour for the past year and a half. Prior to that, he was a health reporter with Saskatoon daily The StarPhoenix.
Maria Vinca is the new afternoon drive co-anchor on CityNews 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver, alongside John Ackermann. Vinca has been with the station for the last year and a half.
Steve MacArthur has been upped at Acadia Broadcasting from Nova Scotia News Director to Regional News Director for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, overseeing a team of 12 reporters. MacArthur has been with the company since 2021, based in Halifax.
Regan Tate, who has led the CHAT-TV Medicine Hat news department since 2011, has left Pattison Media. Prior to joining Pattison in 2011, Tate was an assignment editor, reporter and anchor at Global Regina.
Jeremy Hall has joined My Broadcasting Corporation as afternoon reporter/anchor in Norfolk, ON. The 2023 Conestoga College grad has been working with the Evanov Communications’ street team in Brantford for the last year.
Matty Latour has joined My Broadcasting Corporations’s Classic Rock 91.7 Giant FM (CIXL-FM) and Country 89 (CKYY-FM) Welland as morning news anchor. Latour previously anchored for MBC’s stations in Peterborough, before an 18-month detour working with BroadView Software.
Dan Davidson joins Stella Stevens as the new co-host on the 840 CFCW Camrose/Edmonton morning show, starting Feb. 26. The Edmonton-based country artist is known for his work with the band Tupelo Honey, in addition to producing other artists. His 2016 single “Found,” co-written with Clayton Bellamy, hit number 16 on the Billboard Canada Country chart.
Marie-Michele Lapointe has joined the Cogeco Media sales team as Director of Media Creative. Lapointe arrives from Cossette where she was Director of Business Development. Prior to that, she was a marketing strategist with Quebecor for a decade.
Laetitia Dogbe has joined Lead Podcasting to take over the production, client outreach, and marketing for the Toronto-based branded content studio’s francophone clients. Originally from France with Togolese roots, Dogbe studied International Politics in the UK before pursuing a radio and media production certificate from Humber College.
Stephen Smysnuik has parted ways with Overstory Media Group as he steps down as publisher of Vancouver alt weekly The Georgia Straight and regional publisher for B.C.’s Lower Mainland. Smysnuik had held the role since Sept. 2022. Prior to joining Overstory, he had worked as a digital editor with Glacier Media and served as arts and entertainment editor at Whistler’s Pique Magazine.
Ryan Hook is now writing for Daily Hive as the online publication expands to Vancouver Island with a new Victoria website. Hook has most recently been working as a producer and host with TELUS Storyhive and before that was Managing Editor of Overstory Media Group’s Tasting Victoria and a reporter for Capital Daily.
Simon Bodymore is the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Thunderbird Entertainment Group, effective March 4. He succeeds longtime CFO Barb Harwood, who after 19 years with Thunderbird, is transitioning out of the role. Bodymore most recently served as CFO of Vancouver-based software company Tasktop Technologies.
René Légère and Jennifer Moore Rattray have been reappointed to CBC’s Board of Directors, on the recommendation of Canadian Heritage Min. Pascale St-Onge. In addition, Marie-Anne Tawil has been appointed a director. All three will serve five-year terms. Based in Moncton, Légère, a former Radio-Canada Acadie host and reporter, has served on CBC’s board since 2017. Based in Winnipeg, Moore Rattray, also a former anchor and reporter and currently Chief Operating Officer of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, has been on the board since 2018. Tawil is based in Quebec and currently president and CEO of Iron Hill Investments.
RADIO & PODCAST:
LISTEN: Vista Radio President Bryan Edwards joins us on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about why Bell’s divestiture of 45 of its radio stations is a good news story for radio, why Vista plans to retain and grow the staff count at those stations, his thoughts on the current regulatory landscape, and more. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
OP-ED: “Recent discussions surrounding the sale of a significant number of local radio stations have sparked misconceptions about the viability of radio as a medium. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth,” writes Radio Connects President Caroline Gianias, in an editorial for Broadcast Dialogue. “Canadian Broadcast Radio remains a vibrant and essential platform for communication, entertainment, and advertising, with enduring importance, particularly outside of PPM markets in our local communities…Amidst these discussions, it’s crucial to emphasize the significant role of radio advertising in supporting local businesses. In 2022 alone, local Canadian radio represented a staggering 67% of the $1.5 billion spent in radio advertising in Canada. This statistic underscores the tangible impact that live radio advertising has on local economies.” Read more here.
United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada (UCB Media), parent company of UCB Radio, has announced its expansion to Medicine Hat, AB as the radio group takes over Vista Radio’s 93.7 Praise FM (CJLT-FM). The first of three stations set to launch in 2024, UCB began broadcasting on the frequency on Feb. 3. 93.7 was purchased from Vista after they were unsuccessful in securing a format change from the CRTC. Medicine Hat will become UCB’s second signal in Alberta joining Fort McMurray. UCB Radio now has 14 stations across the country.
The CRTC has approved an application by Maritime Broadcasting System (MBS) for an AM to FM conversion of CJCW Sussex, NB. The proposed FM station would operate at 92.9 MHz (channel 225A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 723 watts. MBS submitted that converting the station from the AM to FM band would provide a superior signal to its listeners and advertisers currently served by the AM station. MBS plans to continue with its current Adult Contemporary format.
The CRTC has approved an application by Stingray Radio for an AM to FM conversion of CKDQ Drumheller. The proposed station would operate at 92.5 MHz (channel 223B) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 24,745 watts. Stingray submitted that its proposal to convert CKDQ to the FM band would address issues relating to failing legacy equipment and infrastructure at the AM station. The AM station’s Hot Country music format would be carried over to the new FM station, aimed at the same target audience (A25-54).
The CRTC has approved an application by not-for-profit Gospel Music Radio for a licence to operate an English-language commercial speciality (Religious music) FM radio station in Oromocto, NB. The station would operate at 94.7 MHz (channel 234A1) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 250 watts. Gospel Radio plans to broadcast at least 50.5 hours of local programming each week, including local information, news, events, interviews, talk shows, weather and road reports, information from CFB Gagetown, and other spoken word programming. The applicant plans to devote four hours per broadcast week to newscasts with 100% of its music from subcategory 35 (Non-classic religious), proposing a minimum of 35% Canadian content
The CRTC has approved an application by U Multicultural Inc. for a broadcast licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Winnipeg, subject to certain conditions. The applicant currently operates an online radio service known as U Radio. The proposed station would operate at 88.7 MHz (channel 204A) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 800 watts. UMI proposes to broadcast 126 hours of local programming each broadcast week, proposing to devote 40 hours (31%) of programming to third languages (Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic, Urdu and Bangla), 20 minutes of station programming to French-language programming, and 60 minutes to Indigenous languages (specifically, Inuktitut, Ojibwe and Cree). UMI says the station will focus on ethnic programming, serving newcomers, immigrants and refugees. The commission also approved U Multicultural’s application for a licence to operate a multilingual community television station in Winnipeg, which would target more than 30 ethnocultural and Indigenous communities. Up to 40% of its total programming would be third-language programs.
The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) has launched Frequency, a new platform showcasing local news from campus, community, and Indigenous radio stations across the country, along with Fréquence, a companion site focused on francophone news. Introduced on World Radio Day, the site’s origins lie in funding from the Local Journalism Initiative (LFI), aimed at funding journalism in under-served communities. With 48 anglophone contributors and 30 reporters contributing francophone content, the sites feature short and feature length audio reportage spanning local politics, health, housing, sports, and culture, among other topics. Read more here.
Canadaland has launched CanadaLabs, billed as a “hub for the next generation of audio journalists.” The initiative is launching with the “Local Correspondent” Audio Contest offering a $500 license fee in exchange for non-exclusive broadcast rights. The Audio Journalism Fellowship Program, in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), will also offer a four-month immersion in the Canadaland newsroom. The podcast network is also planning to hold monthly workshops, panels, and bootcamps at its Toronto studios.
Farm Radio International has launched a new podcast telling the stories of how sub-Saharan communities are adapting to climate change using lessons learned from nature. The podcast, titled Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet, shares stories from rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa who are successfully turning to nature for solutions to a changing climate. Nature Answers is produced in partnership with Carleton University’s School of Journalism. Students spent two to three months in Ghana and Uganda last summer, conducting interviews in partnership with Ghanaian and Ugandan broadcasters and Farm Radio International.
Radio Trailblazers are issuing their last call for nominations for this year’s Rosalie Award, recognizing women who’ve blazed new trails in radio. Learn more here and listen to our podcast with Amanda Cupido on the organization’s evolution here.
LISTEN: To mark World Radio Day this year, the National Campus & Community Radio Association (NCRA) and Farm Radio International hosted a live broadcast from downtown Ottawa on Carleton University’s CKCU, celebrating the essential role the medium is still playing, particularly in areas underserved by other media. That’s especially true for a lot of NCRA member stations as community radio experiences a renaissance. Executive Director Barry Rooke returns to Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about that and more.
LISTEN: Steve Goldstein returns to the Sound Off Podcast after a nearly three-year absence from the show to talk about video and podcasting. He and Matt Cundill discuss consuming podcasts in different ways, making content available in multiple formats to reach wider audiences, and more.
SIGN OFFS:
David Pate, 64, on Feb 9. Pate’s journalism career started in 1978 at the Tullamore Tribune in County Offally, Ireland when a summer job turned into a three-year stint as a reporter. From there, he joined RTE in Dublin as a reporter, program editor and host of “Newsnight.” He landed at CBC Nova Scotia in 1989 and would go on to spend the next 31 years there as a producer and host. He retired from the public broadcaster in late 2020, ending his tenure as senior producer of regional radio call-in show “Maritime Noon.” Over his four decades in journalism, Pate reported from more than two dozen countries. Since 2022, he’d been hosting the National Anthems: The Worst Songs in the World podcast, exploring the history of national anthems.
Wally Kirk, 86, on Feb. 6. After attending Ryerson University in Toronto, Kirk started his broadcasting career at CFRN Edmonton in the late 1950s. Kirk detoured to Vancouver and Toronto to focus on advertising, before returning to Edmonton in 1974, joining new entrant to the television market, ITV (now Global). Kirk served as VP of Programming from the time the station signed on until his retirement in 1999.
Jack Gillespie, 80, on Feb. 6. Gillespie spent the bulk of his broadcast career with CKNX Wingham, ON, rising through the ranks from an account rep to sales manager and eventually General Manager. Among other station initiatives he helped spearhead was the first-ever CKNX “Health Care Heroes’ Radiothon” in 2003, which has gone on to raise more than $14 million for area hospital foundations.
Terry Middleditch, 66, on Dec. 5. After studying Radio Broadcasting at Fanshawe College, Middleditch started his long sales career at CKTB St. Catharines. From there, he joined CHYM and CKGL Kitchener, before heading west to Alberta in 1984 – first as an account manager at CISN Edmonton, followed by a 12-year run at Country 105 (CKRY-FM) Calgary. A five-year stint at Astral’s Classic Country AM 1060 (CKMX-AM) followed, before Middleditch moved into event marketing and sales under the banner of his own company, Rational Media, working with National Finals Rodeo, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Calgary Stampede, among other events.
Norman Fetterley, 74, on Nov. 23. A natural public speaker, Fetterley began his broadcast journalism career at CJRN Radio in Niagara Falls in 1967, before moving on to CKTB St. Catharines. He forayed into television in 1972 at CHFD Thunder Bay. From there, he pursued opportunities at CFTO Toronto and then moved with the station to Ottawa to cover Parliament Hill. He joined CJOH-TV Ottawa in the same role in 1983, where he stayed until 1997. Among the regular segments Fetterley was known for was the long-running “Gallery Talk,” featuring a panel of correspondents on the week in politics. He retired from CTV Ottawa in 2013 after more than 45 years on-air.
TV & FILM:
Super Bowl LVIII drew an audience of 19 million Canadian viewers, spurring it to set a record as the most-watched Super Bowl ever, and one of the Top 5 most-watched English-language broadcasts ever in Canada. The Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers attracted an average audience of 10 million viewers across TSN, CTV, and RDS, according to preliminary data from Numeris, supplied by Bell Media. Nearly 50% of the Canadian population watched some or all of the NFL championship, ranking it the most-watched broadcast of the 2023/24 broadcast season to date. The average audience of 10 million, was up 16% compared to last year, with viewership up 19% among Adults 18-34, 18% among those 18-49, and 10% among the key 25-54 demo. Audiences peaked at 12.6 million viewers at 8:33 p.m. ET during the halftime show, headlined by Usher. Read more here.
Fremantle has taken a majority stake investment in Singapore-based Beach House Pictures (BHP). Founded in 2005 by producers Donovan Chan and Jocelyn Little, BHP specializes in creating and co-financing original IP. Recent productions include Netflix Indonesia’s number one documentary Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee, and Jessica Wongso; Emmy-nominated Netflix lifestyle series Mind Your Manners; and Netflix Global Top 5 true crime doc Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case. Beach House was previously backed by Blue Ant Media.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) has announced that Canadian Screen Week will now take place from Sunday, May 26 to Saturday, June 1, a change from the originally set dates in April. The 2024 Canadian Screen Awards are now scheduled from Tuesday, May 28 through to Friday, May 31 at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto. The Academy cites venue availability for the change.
Maria del Mar will be presented with the ACTRA Toronto 2024 Award of Excellence at the 22nd ACTRA Awards this spring. With close to 100 film and television credits, del Mar’s credits include Murdoch Mysteries, 24, Frasier, Street Legal, E.N.G., and Star Trek: Discovery. An ACTRA Member for almost 30 years, del Mar was elected to ACTRA Toronto Council four times, chaired the ACTRA Toronto Awards Committee for five years, and served on ACTRA National Council. The Award of Excellence recognizes an ACTRA Toronto performer whose outstanding career achievements are matched by a significant volunteer contribution to the industry.
Emmanuel Kabongo’s producing debut SWAY has won Best Picture at the 1st Annual Canadian Black Screen Awards to be presented in Toronto on Feb 17. Kabongo has also won Best Actor for his performance in the title role and will receive a Jury Award for Achievement in Acting, along with co-star Mishael Morgan. The thriller tells the story of a community leader whose life spirals out of control after his brother goes missing. SWAY had its World Premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles earlier this month.
the news is true…. WYNONNA EARP IS BACK!! 🤩https://t.co/uCDG8ACIZu pic.twitter.com/gJUDpI3N09
— Tubi (@Tubi) February 8, 2024
Wynonna Earp is returning with a 90-minute special for Tubi after ending its four-season run on Syfy in 2021. Tentatively titled Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, the special was written by series creator and executive producer, Emily Andras, according to a report in Vanity Fair. Series stars Melanie Scrofano, Tim Rozon, Dom Provost-Chalkley, and Katherine Barrell are set to return, alongside frequent series director Paolo Barzman. It will start shooting in and around Calgary shortly, with its premiere set for late this year.
Crave’s new original comedy series, The Trades, debuts Friday, March 22. From Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Productions, the eight-part comedy series is a love letter to skilled-trade workers, set in a blue-collar community where the high stress of working in a refinery is balanced by the comedic antics of its plant workers. It stars Robb Wells as a pipefitter and Anastasia Phillips (Moonshine) as his sister, following in her big brother’s footsteps pursuing a career in the trades as a carpenter, just like their father, played by Patrick McKenna (The Red Green Show).
Planet Earth III, featuring 97-year-old broadcaster and three-time Emmy winner Sir David Attenborough, travels to B.C. and Nunavut in the third installment of the critically-acclaimed series. Filmed in 43 countries across six continents over nearly five years, the eight-part series, plus a ‘Making Of’ special, follows some of the world’s most amazing animal characters, including never-before-seen humpback whale behaviour in British Columbia, an extraordinary population of garter snakes and the elusive spirit bear. In Nunavut, the film crew follows Arctic wolves and musk oxen as they compete for scarce prey. Planet Earth III premieres Sunday, March 10 on BBC Earth in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview event from Feb. 26 to April 28.
Rogers Communications has added the BritBox app to its Ignite TV and Ignite Streaming offering. Britbox is the first streaming service app to simultaneously launch from coast-to-coast on Ignite TV and Ignite Streaming since Rogers came together with Shaw. An active Britbox subscription is required to access the app.
CBC New Indigenous Voices, presented by the National Screen Institute, is accepting applications for the 2024 edition, marking the program’s 20th anniversary. NSI is seeking 10 emerging Indigenous creators from across Canada to participate in the 14-week, full-time, immersive for Indigenous creators, aged 18 and over, to learn from industry experts and gain hands-on experience in the essential elements of film and television. Applications close March 18.
Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released new data looking at media and technology usage in various Canadian markets, emphasizing commonalities and distinctions among regions and major cities. Key findings include that a majority of Atlantic residents (82%) are subscribed to a paid TV service like cable, satellite or fibre optic, making them more likely to subscribe to a traditional TV service compared to the broader anglophone population; Torontonians are more likely to own a computer/laptop than the rest of the anglophone population (96% compared to 92%) and Albertans are more likely than the rest of the anglophone population to own a smartphone (95% vs 90%). On the other hand, Northerners are the least likely to have home internet (91% vs 96%) and to own devices like computers/laptops, tablets, smartphones and internet connected TVs (57% vs 73%); Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) services, such as Netflix, are most popular in Toronto (87%) and Alberta (86%).
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Village Media plans to launch TorontoToday.ca this fall, a hyperlocal digital publication focused on Toronto’s downtown core, specifically the geographic boundary from Dufferin on the west to Bloor on the north, the Don Valley Parkway on the east and extending to the water on the south, exploring housing, business, arts and culture, health, the environment and more. Village Media already operates 23 daily news websites across Ontario, a regional business publication, Queen’s Park news bureau The Trillium, and lifestyle publication Village Life.
TikTok and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) have teamed up to create the Creator Zone by TikTok, a dedicated, in-arena content space at Scotiabank Arena. Crunch Time, a partnership between TikTok, MLSE and Frito Lay Canada, will be the first program launched in the Creator Zone. Streaming live on TikTok, the 12-part content series will stream live from Scotiabank Arena ahead of select Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors home pre-game broadcasts, exploring the culture that surrounds sport. The first episode debuted Feb. 14 as the Raptors faced the Indiana Pacers, with the Leafs’ first Crunch Time programming to stream Feb. 17.
Jacobs Media is introducing “The AI Edge” – a newsletter that will focus on Artificial Intelligence and how it can revolutionize broadcasting. It promises to explore AI applications that “foster creativity, revenue generation, strengthen relationships, and enhance productivity.”
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
The Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) has unveiled former newspaper publisher, businessman, and author Conrad Black as its keynote speaker, ahead of its June 5-6 conference at the Fairmont Banff Springs. Broadcast/podcast coach and author Valerie Geller of Geller Media International, and talent coach and programming consultant Tracy Johnson, founder of the Tracy Johnson Media Group, are also set to present at the conference. Registration is now open, in addition to submissions for WAB’s awards program. Read more here.
The B.C. Association of Broadcasters (BCAB) Conference is returning to the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond in May. The opening reception will take place the evening of Monday, May 6, with the full conference day of presentations, panels, keynotes, networking & awards to follow on Tuesday, May 7. Registration will open in the coming months.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Versatile Media has opened its new purpose-built facility in South Burnaby. The 44,000-sq. ft. building features two sound stages, one of which houses North America’s first enclosed volume with a seamless ceiling, and a secondary, smaller soundstage of 13,000 sq. ft. for use as traditional filming space as well as 10,000 sq. ft. of production offices. Running on Nvidia’s GPU technology and utilizing RTX 6000 Ada Generation GPUs, the technology supports filming in 8K. Local film rigger Dave McIntosh, known for his Academy Award-winning work, played a crucial role in the engineering of the one-of-a-kind ceiling design, allowing efficient removal of LED panels ensuring easy access to sets, the capability to suspend sets within the volume, and integration of lighting equipment. It also creates a path for special effects teams to achieve complex shots and stunts.
