REVOLVING DOOR:
Angus Frame is the new president of Torstar, as of March 3. Frame formerly held the title of Chief Digital Officer, joining the company in November 2023. He previously worked for Torstar from 2017-21 as SVP, Digital Product before leaving to pursue a similar position at Patch.com. He succeeds Neil Oliver, who had served as CEO since late 2022 and now moves into the position of Executive Vice-Chair.
Drex is being heard on Corus Radio’s Edge-branded Alternative Rock stations in Toronto and Calgary, as of March 3. The Drex Show is being heard in mornings on 107.3 the Edge (CFGQ-FM) Calgary and then in afternoon drive in Toronto on 102.1 the Edge (CFNY-FM). The former host of the Drex on JACK morning show on JACK FM (CJAX-FM) Vancouver and Corus talk network late night host has most recently been heard filling in for John Oakley on Corus’ AM 640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto and hosting evenings on Toronto’s Indie88 (CIND-FM). Read more here.
Carter Brown has joined Torres Media’s newest station, Mix 98.5 (CITM-FM) Ottawa as midday host. A market veteran, Brown has previously co-hosted the KiSS 105.3 (CISS-FM) and Hot 89.9 (CIHT-FM) morning shows and helmed afternoons on MAJIC 100 (CJMJ-FM, now MOVE).
Blue Ant Media has announced three key promotions to its senior leadership team that see Jamie Schouela named Chief Operating Officer, Carlyn Staudt move into the role of President, Global Channels and Streaming, and Mitch Dent assume the title of President, Canadian Media. All three roles will report directly to CEO Michael MacMillan. Schouela and Dent will continue to operate from Toronto, while Staudt will remain based in Washington, D.C. Read more here.
Stephanie Smyth, the former anchor of CP24’s 5 and 5:30 p.m. newscasts, won her riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s for the Liberals in the Ontario provincial election, defeating NDP incumbent Jill Andrews. Smyth left CP24 in early 2023 after 14 years to pursue other opportunities.
Armand Leo has been appointed Senior Manager, Production Management at Netflix Canada. Leo arrives from Toronto’s Blue Ice Pictures where he was the EVP of Production and Creative affairs for the past six years. Prior to that, he was Entertainment One’s SVP of Global Physical Production. His first project in his new role will be working on a Newfoundland-set limited series, created by The Umbrella Academy showrunner Jesse McKeown.
Benjamin Bao has been promoted to the newly-created role of General Manager, WildBrain China, to drive further growth in the territory as part of the company’s overall APAC business. Bao was previously VP, Greater China for WildBrain CPLG, the company’s global licensing agency.
Sarah Spring has announced her departure from the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), where she’s served as Executive Director since January 2021. The veteran documentary producer is leaving “to begin a mandate” at another organization that is yet-to-be revealed. Spring’s last day at DOC is March 14. An interim Executive Director will be appointed during the leadership transition, while DOC’s Board of Directors conducts a search for Spring’s successor.
Sabrina Haloulakos has been appointed Managing Director at the Reelworld Screen Institute. The newly-created role will see Haloulakos, whose background is in investment banking, oversee day-to-day operations.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Numeris’ latest PPM release completes the 13-week period covering Nov. 25, 2024 – Feb. 23, 2025. With this book, radio retains an average weekly reach of 80% for Canadians A12+. In-home listening represents 53% of tuning, while out of home accounts for 47%. In Toronto, CHFI swept every demographic, benefitting from its all-Christmas playlist prior to Dec. 25. A similar story emerged in Vancouver where MOVE 103.5 was #1 with F25-54, and both Women and Men, 18-34, coming in just behind frontrunner CBC Radio One for A12+. Find David Bray’s breakdown for Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal here.
Corus Radio FM stations went all-Canadian Saturday, March 1 ahead of anticipated U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports. Playing artists and bands like Bryan Adams, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Drake, Celine Dion, The Beaches, and The Tragically Hip, stations participating in “Canadian Day” included stations across the Fresh Radio, boom, and the Edge brands. Read more here.
Corus Radio is expanding Taz & Jim’s reach to 107.5 Dave Rocks (CJDV-FM) in Kitchener. Already heard in mornings on FM96 (CFPL-FM) London and Y108 (CJXY-FM) Hamilton, the show will now also be networked on Dave Rocks from 6 – 10 a.m. ET.
91.3 FM CJTR Regina has rebranded as AccessNow Community Radio. It follows CRTC approval in December of Access Communications Co-operative’s application to acquire the community radio station. Early last year, CJTR 91.3 sought a new operating model to remain sustainable and approached Access Communications, which also operates AccessNowTV. Following the acquisition, Access has retained two full-time staff members and hired a Sales Executive. The station is supported by 75 volunteer hosts who produce 64 shows, and 5,000 hours of content annually, with an array of shows in six languages, including Tagalog, Farsi, and Spanish.
Country Music Alberta has handed out its 14th annual awards. Stingray’s 840 CFCW Edmonton was named Radio Station of the Year (Large Market), while Vista Radio’s 96.5 The Ranch (CKFM-FM) Olds claimed the Small/Medium Market honour.
Vista Radio has further expanded the reach of its The Ranch format, rebranding the former Country 99 (CFNA-FM) Bonnyville, AB as 99.7 The Ranch Lakeland. The new format was introduced on Feb. 28. Lakeland joins other The Ranch branded stations in Lethbridge, Olds and Vegreville.
(l-r): Mike Occomore, Rick Mercer, Larry MacInnis, Ron James.
The Pro Bono Group has produced two new PSAs for radio stations and podcasts under its Pro Canada Project, enlisting a couple of Canadian comedy icons. Launched in early February, the two latest spots produced under the campaign see Pro Bono Group recruit Rick Mercer and Ron James, who appeal to Canadians to “Keep your money in Canada, for Canada.” Read more here.
Radio Trailblazers, which has been advocating for the advancement of women in radio since 2005, has rebranded as Trailblazers, expanding its reach to include women across radio, television and podcasting. As part of the rebrand, Trailblazers is introducing the Trailblazer Award (formerly dubbed the Rosalie Award, in honour of pioneering CKLW music director Rosalie Trombley) to be presented annually to a woman in broadcasting who has made a significant impact on the industry in Canada. The inaugural Trailblazer Award will be presented during Radiodays North America at the upcoming Departure Festival + Conference, where the Trailblazers will also present a panel. Read more here.
Radiodays North America has announced new sessions for its upcoming event in Toronto, May 6–8, including Tiny Desk Concerts – the NPR music discovery phenomenon that boasts 40 million monthly views. Host and producer Bobby Carter joins the conference lineup to share how he shaped the series into an essential platform for NPR’s youngest, most diverse audience. Also joining the lineup is a panel on AI for Radio and Podcasts: Top Tools, Tips, and Tricks to Streamline Your Workflow, featuring Chris “Dunner Duncombe, Director of Streaming and Podcasting at Corus Entertainment, and radio futurologist James Cridland. Read more here.
Queerial is a new comedic radio noir podcast from writer, interviewer, performer, and radio maker Trevor Campbell, the host of hit Sonar Network podcast You Made Me Queer! Queerial is a comedic radio noir with a twisted mystery: what on earth is making everybody queer? It sees Campbell transformed (read: wearing a fedora his brother bought him at a flea market) into Detective Campbell, the world’s only full-time queer, part-time detective. The single-season limited series sees him investigate a strange contagion that has descended on the city over 11 episodes.
The Globe and Mail’s newest podcast, Happy Enough, dives into what it truly means to be happy, hosted by radio veteran Garvia Bailey. Bailey speaks with both experts and real people to demystify our collective pursuit of happiness.
SiriusXM Canada has announced that, for the first time ever, Academy Award and 14-time Grammy Award winner Lady Gaga is launching exclusive pop-up channel, Gaga Radio in celebration of her seventh studio album, Mayhem. The channel is available to subscribers in their cars on channel 15 from now through March 17, and on the SiriusXM app through April 2. The channel features music handpicked by the artist – from new tracks to classics that influenced the pop icon from David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Madonna, Elton John, and Queen – as well as behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the new album.
LISTEN: Veteran Canadian journalist Graham Richardson, an alum of CBC Calgary, ITV Edmonton, Global Toronto, and CTV National News’ Parliament Hill and Los Angeles bureaus, is on the latest Sound Off Podcast. He discusses the challenges of maintaining media trust amidst the proliferation of content and the impact of government subsidies. He also dives into the need for media to adapt to changing viewer habits and talks about his transition to Edelman Global Advisory, where he now handles media and crisis management.
SIGN OFFS:
Paul Bronfman, 67, on Feb. 26, following a long battle with multiple sclerosis. The son of Canadian business giant Edward Bronfman, Paul got his start in the entertainment industry working with rock acts like Supertramp and April Wine in the 1970s. He transitioned into film and television by the end of the decade, joining Astral Media’s Astral Bellevue Pathe in Toronto. Bronfman went on to launch the Comweb Corporation in 1988, providing production services, studio facilities, and equipment to film and television productions worldwide. The company’s first major venture was building and managing Vancouver’s North Shore Studios, in partnership with Hollywood producer/writer Stephen J. Cannell. The company simultaneously formed production subsidiary Comweb Productions. In 1989, Comweb acquired production equipment supplier William F. White International Inc. The company further expanded with a 50% stake in Bulloch Entertainment Services (now EP Canada), offering production-related financial services, in addition to launching financier Protocol Entertainment. Comweb went on to become a founding partner and principal investor in Filmport Studios, which opened in 2007 and was later rebranded as Pinewood Toronto Studios. Bronfman stepped down as Senior Advisor and Co-Chairman of William F. White International in September 2023 after 34 years, but remained CEO of Comweb and senior advisor to Pinewood Toronto Studios. Over the years, he served on the boards of The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Banff Television Foundation, Canadian Film Centre (CFC), Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), FilmOntario and Ontario Creates. Read more here.
Carole Vivier, 73, on March 4, following a battle with lung cancer. Vivier served as the CEO and film commissioner of Manitoba Film & Music (MFM) for 26 years, lobbying for and pioneering the first film tax credit in Western Canada and growing the province’s film production from $12 million in the early 1990s to over $269 million when she retired in 2019. She began working at the provincially-funded agency in 1985, taking up the role of CEO & film commissioner, beginning in 1993. Vivier also served on the board of directors at the National Screen Institute, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Canadian Film Centre Feature Film Advisory Committee, Burton Cummings Theatre Performing Arts Group, and Film Training Manitoba, among other organizations. She was instrumental in bringing the JUNOS to Winnipeg in 2005 and co-chaired the 2014 Winnipeg JUNO Awards host committee. She was named to the Order of Canada in 2024, the Order of Manitoba in 2014, and the Manitoba Business Hall of Fame in 2019. Vivier received the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) Honorary Life Member Award in 2019, and the Western Canadian Music Awards’ Kevin Walters Industry Builder Award in 2022, among many other acknowledgements. Read more here.
Mel Johnston, 88, on Feb. 23. A lifelong Saint Johner, Johnston worked at the American Clothing Company and Bank of Canada, before starting his broadcasting career with CHSJ TV as a camera operator in 1962. His interest in television and media had begun early with a gift of a Brownie movie camera he received in high school. Among the local shows he contributed to over the years were Miss Anne, Time for Juniors, TV House Party, Captain Corky, numerous Children’s Miracle Network Telethons, and the Saint John Empty Stocking Fund. Johnston retired from CHSJ/MITV as Operations and Production manager in 1994 after a 32-year career.
TV & FILM:
Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune: Part Two won two out of the five Oscars it was nominated for on Sunday, including Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. Canadians on the VFX team include Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe, who were recognized alongside Paul Lambert and Gerd Nefzer.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (Canadian Academy) has unveiled its first round of 2025 Special Awards recipients, including producer and writer Marsha Greene, actor Manny Jacinto, Cineplex President & CEO Ellis Jacob, Oscar-winning feature film producer Denise Robert, and long-running CBC sketch comedy show This Hour Has 22 Minutes. They’ll be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Canadian and international screen-based industries at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards, taking place in Toronto, Friday, May 30 to Sunday, June 1. Read more here.
Canada’s Walk of Fame is set to welcome TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and Four Seasons founder Isadore Sharp to its ranks. They join previously announced 2025 inductees: actress, producer and advocate Tonya Williams (Arts and Entertainment); Canada’s “First Lady of Guitar” Liona Boyd (Arts and Entertainment); cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Tirone David (Science, Technology and Innovation); children’s wellness champion Dr. Samantha Nutt (Humanitarianism); Our Lady Peace (Arts and Entertainment); and golfer Mike Weir (Sports and Athletics). The 2025 Canada’s Walk of Fame Induction Gala returns Saturday, June 14 to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
The SXSW Conference and Festivals get underway this Friday, March 7, albeit with a smaller Canadian contingent. Telefilm Canada is among the organizations that will have a reduced presence in Austin, TX, revealing late last month that vital sponsorship dollars had evaporated under the threat of U.S. tariffs that are now a reality. The Crown agency has pressed pause on Canada House, a networking hub for producers, musicians, distributors and others looking to network, secure funding from foreign partners or solicit international sales. It will continue to maintain a presence supporting Canadian teams whose films/projects are screening at the festival and host the Canadian Innovation Lounge, which showcases up to 12 Canadian companies across XR, AI, gaming, the creator economy, music, and virtual production. Read more here.
Corus Entertainment is relaunching its pay-TV lifestyle channel DTOUR with a mix of scripted dramas and comedies, which replace paranormal and travel programming from Warner Bros. Discovery no longer running on DTOUR. Now available on national free preview until March 31, the revamped channel features dramas like Supernatural and Person of Interest weeknights and comedies on weekends, including Two and a Half Men, Mike and Molly, and The Middle. DTOUR is also the new home of The CW drama All American, which previously aired in Canada on Corus’ Showcase.
FuboTV has added CHCH TV to its subscriber offerings in Canada. The sports streamer says the agreement with parent company Channel Zero expands its coverage of regional Canadian content and underscores its commitment to serving local communities. CHCH produces over 24 hours of original local news programming each week from its broadcast studio in Hamilton.
The CRTC has approved indie streamer Stageview.TV for distribution. Hosting Canadian arts and culture programming like Stratford Symphony Orchestra concerts, documentaries and more, the streamer is now seeking Canadian cable and satellite distributors.
XITE has introduced two new music video channels, XITE Reggae Vibes and XITE Christian Hits, on Samsung TV Plus in Canada and the U.S. XITE Christian Hits will feature a collection of uplifting and inspirational contemporary Christian music, while XITE Reggae Vibes will host laid back vibes from artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, UB40, and Popcaan.
CTV Original drama Sullivan’s Crossing returns for a third season Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/PT, beginning April 27, streaming next day on Crave. Set and filmed in Nova Scotia, Season 3 consists of 10 one-hour episodes. Returning, alongside Morgan Kohan as Dr. Maggie Sullivan, Chad Michael Murray as Cal Jones, and Scott Patterson as Harry “Sully” Sullivan, are Tom Jackson, Andrea Menard, Amalia Williamson, Lindura, Dakota Taylor, and Reid Price.
Crave’s critically-acclaimed original comedy series Late Bloomer returns for an eight-episode, second season beginning Friday, April 11, with two episodes. Produced by Pier 21 Films in association with Bell Media, the new season continues to follow millennial content creator Jasmeet Dutta (Jasmeet Raina) as he tries to balance his ambitions for success with his commitment to his family, community, and culture. Late Bloomer follows a weekly release schedule with two new episodes dropping on subsequent Fridays.
Network Media Group and Network Entertainment have announced a strategic distribution partnership with Elevation Pictures for Canadian distribution of Network’s I AM feature documentaries. The deal will commence with three new highly-anticipated titles: I Am Joe Frazier, directed by Pete McCormack; I Am Luke Perry, directed by Adrian Buitenhuis and executive produced by Jason Priestley; and I Am Raquel Welch, directed by Olivia Cheng.
Capilano University (CapU) and the Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) have signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to grow capacity to develop domestic talent for B.C.’s film industry. CapU will unveil a new certificate in outdoor filmmaking starting Fall 2025, designed for students to experience small-scale filmmaking while navigating diverse natural surroundings. The new partnership will bring several of WFFS talent programs to CapU’s newest campus in Squamish. The partnership also further develops practical work-integrated learning experiences for film and media students through the annual Whistler Film Festival and Content Summit, preparing students for work behind the camera.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Elon Musk’s X is under investigation by Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, following a complaint. The investigation, as required by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), will examine whether X is meeting its obligations under the Act. Its focus will be on the platform’s compliance with federal privacy law with respect to its collection, use, and disclosure of Canadians’ personal information to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Unifor says it’s deeply concerned about Glacier Media’s decision to shutter three unionized digital community newspapers in Metro Vancouver. Glacier has announced that the community news sites of Burnaby Now and the New Westminster Record will close no later than April 21, with Tri-City News to cease publishing by May 21. Unifor Local 2000 members work as reporters, layout artists, ad builders and sales representatives at the media outlets. Glacier will continue to print the non-union North Shore News and Delta Optimist. Unifor says it’s concerned local journalism will be decimated in New Westminster, Burnaby and tri-city areas including the Villages of Anmore and Belcarra, with five city councils left without regular coverage.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Unifor has confirmed that nearly two dozen of its members have been offered buyout packages and another six media workers it represents laid off at Bell Media. “As part of Bell Media’s ongoing transformation to a digital media and content leader, we can confirm that 98 positions are impacted, predominantly in service and corporate departments,” a Bell Media spokesperson told Broadcast Dialogue. “Included in the total are 44 union roles, with the majority being offered voluntary separation packages by Bell Media.” The spokesperson said no CTV News journalists were affected by the changes or news programs cancelled. A Unifor spokesperson said it’s concerned that the network “continues to chip away at newsrooms at a time when we need independent Canadian news reporting more than ever.” Read more here.
Edward Rogers, Executive Chair of Rogers Communications, has been named Toronto’s Canadian Business Leader of the Year by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He’ll be honoured at the chamber’s Canadian Business Leader Awards in Toronto on June 19th, alongside Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Arlene Dickinson, Founder & General Partner, District Ventures Capital.
CBC/Radio-Canada has released its Q3 financial highlights. Revenue increased 1.1% in the quarter, mainly driven by higher digital advertising revenue with the shift of audiences and advertising spend to digital. That increase was slightly offset by lower TV ad revenue as a result of a softer TV advertising market. Expenses decreased by 5.1% in Q3, mainly due to lower programming and content costs and project delays.
Friends of Canadian Media has launched a nationwide campaign, calling on Canadians to choose the party that will fund CBC/Radio-Canada in the upcoming federal election. In a play on the word “fund,” the English FU** the CBC campaign is kicking off with projections onto buildings and wild postings in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and the greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA). Ad display trucks will also drive through Vancouver, the GTHA, and Ottawa, while digital ads, TV and radio commercials will appear in both languages starting next week across the country. Read more here.
