REVOLVING DOOR:
Colette Watson is set to retire as president of Rogers Sports & Media. Watson had been in the role since 2022. She previously stepped away from the company and her role as SVP, Television & Broadcast Operations in 2020. She was initially hired as VP, Rogers Television and head of the Ottawa Rogers bureau in 1990, moving into the SVP role in 2014. She also served as President & General Manager of CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel) from 2019-22. Watson will depart the company in mid-May, but will continue to serve in an advisory capacity through this fall. Read more here.
As announced on After Hours, legendary Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake is retiring following the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Next Saturday night will be Scott’s final episode of After Hours. Congratulations, Scott, on a remarkable career! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Y0lxmZI9VY
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 5, 2026
Scott Oake has announced he’ll be retiring following the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Announced on Sportsnet’s After Hours on Saturday, Oake has been part of the HNIC broadcast team since 1989 and has hosted the second game of the Saturday night headers since the 2003-04 season. He got his start in broadcasting as a pre-med student at the campus radio station at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL. He went on to join CBC St. John’s, dropping out of school to join the public broadcaster full-time in 1974, before relocating to Winnipeg in 1979 to anchor sports for CBC Winnipeg supper hour newscast 24Hours – a position he remained in until 1989. He’ll make his final appearance on Hockey Night in Canada and After Hours on April 11. Read more here.
After 40 years as the “Voice of Curling”, Vic Rauter signs off for the final time.
Thank you for all the memories Vic, and enjoy retirement! https://t.co/8Ar7bBR2ud
— TSN Curling (@TSNCurling) April 4, 2026
Vic Rauter has announced his retirement from TSN after more than five decades in sports broadcasting and anchoring the network’s curling coverage for more than 40 years. Raised in Toronto, Rauter began his broadcasting career at CFTR-AM in 1973 as a news and sports reporter. He went on to join Global Toronto and later CBC, before signing on with TSN in September 1985. He’s contributed to live coverage across numerous sporting events, including MLS, NHL, MLB, Formula 1, figure skating, bowling, cricket, equestrian, and TSN’s soccer coverage. Read more here.
Andrew Bell will retire from BNN Bloomberg at the end of the month, following a 44-year journalism career, including 25 with the network. A native of Dublin, Ireland, Bell worked as an investment reporter and editor with The Globe and Mail prior to joining BNN Bloomberg in 2001, where he’s hosted Commodities. His final broadcast will air Thursday, April 30. Read more here.
Sarah O’Donnell has moved into the role of Managing Editor at CBC Edmonton. O’Donnell has been with the Edmonton bureau since 2019, initially serving as Senior Producer on Edmonton AM. She’s held the title of Executive Producer since 2023.
Samuel-Olivier Barrette has been appointed Senior Director, Multiplatform Media Sales and Media Creativity for Radio-Canada in Quebec. Barrette has held the role of Director of Media Creativity and Branded Content for the last year and leading content strategy since 2020. He succeeds Patricia Châteauneuf, who had been with the public broadcaster since 2014.
Will Wong has parted ways with Corus Entertainment after 19 years with the company. Most recently, Manager, National Sales, Wong started with Canwest as an Account Coordinator in 2007, going on to hold account executive roles with Shaw Media. He moved into account management with Corus in 2016.
BJ Young has been appointed Regional Sales Manager, Atlantic Canada, at Bell Media. The sales veteran was most recently Director of Sales at Oberland Agriscience in Halifax, with previous experience at SNDL Inc. and Labatt Breweries, among other companies.
Amanda Logan is joining boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto as a part-time personality, covering weekends and weekday shows as needed. Logan has been a broadcaster for the last two decades, including on-air runs with Z103.5 (CIDC-FM), CHUM-FM, and 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) in Toronto. She’ll also continue her work as a voice actor.
Ana Almeida is leaving the morning show on Evanov’s Lite 92.1 (CKPC-FM) Brantford, which she’s hosted alongside Scott Fox for the last year, to move to her own weekday network midday show. Dave Creelman is moving to afternoon drive after 15 years in the midday time slot. Kathy Wall, who was formerly heard in drive, is also remaining with the company, but moving into a new role.
Cristina Tenaglia is joining Selvam Public Affairs and its executive media training program “On The Record.” Tenaglia was formerly a reporter and anchor for almost two decades, including a 12-year stint with CP24 and CTV News.
Ethan Vandop has joined Moose Media’s Energeticcity in Fort St. John, BC as a general assignment reporter. Vandop is a recent BCIT Broadcast Journalism grad.
Kieran Sells has departed SiriusXM to join Universal Music Canada as Senior Manager, Communications. Sells had been with SiriusXM since 2024 as Senior Manager, Talent & Industry Relations. Prior to that, he had a long career as a segment producer, including Global’s The Morning Show and NBC’s Today Show.
Nicole Eddy has been promoted at Touch Canada Broadcasting to the role of Network Sales Manager. She formerly served as Sales Manager for Calgary stations 88.9 ShineFM (CJSI-FM) and AM700 The Light (CJLI-AM) for the last three and a half years.
Cynthia Miller has been named Director General, People and Culture at the National Film Board (NFB), a division previously known as Human Resources and Institutional Services. She succeeds François Tremblay, who will remain with the organization until May to help ensure a smooth transition. Miller has been an HR Advisor with NFB since 2011, holding successive roles as Senior Advisor, Manager, and Director of Human Resources, Culture and Talent.
Rob Halpin has been appointed Executive Director of ACTRA Toronto. Halpin arrives at ACTRA Toronto from the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), where he has spent the last 10+ years in various positions, including Director of Government Relations, Executive Director and most recently, General Secretary. He’s also been a Sessional Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at Ontario Tech University since 2009, where he teaches courses on Political Science, Public Policy and Leadership, and Administration.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Fanshawe College and WeRise, a London-based non-profit community initiative, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the future of the college’s campus radio station 106.9 The X (CIXX-FM). The station’s feasibility has been in question since last year when the college announced it was suspending numerous programs amid a sharp decline in enrolment, including Broadcasting – Radio & Media Production. WeRise will seek funding to lead a feasibility study, “with findings informing any future governance or operational decisions.” Fanshawe said it will make “every effort” to keep 106.9 the X on-air during the study period. Read more here.
102.1 the Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto has officially joined the Corus Iconic Alternative Network, with the station now known as 102.1 the Edge – Iconic Alternative. The station joins 107.3 the Edge (CFGQ-FM) Calgary and Winnipeg’s Power 97 (CJKR-AM) under the Iconic Alternative brand, playing the best of classic alternative, including the Foo Fighters, Tears For Fears, Green Day, Florence and the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Talking Heads, The Beaches, David Bowie, The Killers, and Arkells, among other artists.
Darlene Check is taking Giant FM listeners to school with new Saturday afternoon network show, Darlene’s School of Rock. Familiar to listeners as the morning show co-host on Niagara’s Classic Rock, 91.7 Giant FM (CIXL-FM), Check describes the classroom-based show as part fact and part fantasy, “delivered with a heavy, unapologetic wink.” Check has been given the freedom to play whatever she wants – from J.J. Cale to Jackyl. Darlene’s School of Rock is airing Saturdays from 4 – 6 p.m. ET across My Broadcasting Corporation’s Giant FM Radio Network in Niagara Falls, Brockville, and Cobourg, with the show set to expand to Tillsonburg on April 25. Read more here.
SiriusXM Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA), has opened voting for the next phase of the 2026 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition. The eight semi-finalists have recorded original songs and videos in studio to help voters decide on their favourites. Canadians can vote daily until April 14. From there, the final three will go on to perform on major stages throughout the summer as they compete for a $25,000 grand prize and the chance to be crowned 2026 Top of the Country champion. The semi-finalists, representing seven provinces, are: Ben Chase – St. Louis, PEI; Blue Ridge Band – Lévis, QC; Catie St.Germain – Winnipeg, MB; Josh Stumpf – Prince Albert, SK; Morgan Griffiths – Abbotsford, BC; Morgan Klaiber – Medicine Hat, AB; Nicolette & The Nobodies – Hamilton, ON; and Shawnee Kish – Edmonton, AB.
Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play announcer Dan Shulman has lent his voice to a new PSA in support of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), rolled out by The Pro Bono Group to radio stations and podcast networks this week. “As a baseball announcer, I’m often away from home, living out of a suitcase,” Shulman shares in the PSA. “A small inconvenience compared to thousands of Canadians who don’t have a home, and may be living out of grocery bags and old shopping carts. A life on the road is not always a choice.” Read more here.
Canada Media Fund (CMF) is opening its Digital Creators Pilot Program to podcasters, starting in 2026-27. Designed to support the growth trajectory of mid-career Canadian digital content creators making short-form video content for platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, the program will now allow applications from mid-career Canadian podcasters wishing to grow or expand their business in original video podcast production for YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Applications are encouraged from creators who have demonstrated some level of success online and wish to scale their business, grow their audience and build monetization opportunities. Submissions open Sept. 15.
Curiouscast’s award-winning true crime podcast series, Crime Beat returns for its eighth season on Tuesday, April 21. Host and Global News Senior Crime Reporter Nancy Hixt is back with a special three-part episode featuring the 1994 story of a rural Alberta murder that, despite exhaustive efforts, resulted in the killer eluding arrest, the murder of a Calgary senior more than a year later, and an unexpected twist that led to an international manhunt.
GOProud Radio, digital sister station to 107.9 GoRock (CFLB-FM) Lunenburg, NS, has partnered with Nova Scotia Health’s prideHealth team to launch a new podcast focused on 2SLGBTQIA+ health and wellness, particularly for those in rural communities to improve access to care. The podcast series will share reliable health information, raise awareness of prideHealth services, and help connect listeners to supports in their communities. The podcast launched April 3 and is available online or by downloading the Go Radio Canada app. New episodes will be released the first Friday of each month.
Radiodays North America, May 5–6 in Toronto, has released its full schedule of keynotes, panels, and workshops. New panels include: The Art and Science of Growing Your Podcast, featuring Signal Hill Insights VP of Research Matt Hird and Amanda Cupido, Executive Podcast Advisor at The Walrus; Pivotal Moments: How Women in Broadcast Turn Challenges into Opportunity, with Donna Gardener, Deb Hutto, Joanne Wilder, and Stephanie Apolito; and Can You Hear Me Now?, featuring Saroja Coelho, exploring the enduring appeal of call-in radio.
Stingray has announced a partnership with Anuvu to bring Stingray’s curated audio and video offering to cruise passengers worldwide. Under the agreement, Anuvu will serve as the official distribution partner for Stingray content across the global cruise industry, marking one of the first fully licensed deployments of streaming audio and video content at scale in the cruise sector. This first-of-its-kind partnership will enhance Anuvu’s maritime entertainment offering, MTN-TV, with two curated collections designed specifically for cruise lines: Music & Concerts and Moodscapes, bringing more than 15 new channels onboard. Anuvu’s MTN-TV is the leading entertainment service for the cruise market, onboard more than 300 ships globally.
LISTEN: Matt Cundill reconnects with multi-hyphenate broadcaster, singer, actor, and live selling expert Dawn Chubai on the latest Sound Off Podcast. Chubai shares stories from her days at A-Channel/Citytv Edmonton, her move to Vancouver and Breakfast Television, and later Toronto and a successful run on The Shopping Channel (TSC). She explains how that experience led to her current venture, Live Selling School, where she now teaches founders and brands how to sell confidently and authentically on live video.
SIGN OFFS:
Clarke Housley, 80, on March 29. Housley’s broadcast news career began at CFCP Courtenay in 1964. From there, he joined CKNW, when the station was still based in New Westminster, along with BCTV Vancouver in the late 1960s. His last stop in news was at CJOR Vancouver from 1968-74. Housley went on to pursue a career in government communications, first as Media Coordinator for the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 1976, followed by marketing positions at BC Tel, and later the Vancouver-based ACT/Cinemage Group from 1999-2005. He concluded his working career as constituency assistant to Burnaby-Willingdon MLA John Nuraney.
TV & FILM:
Snapchat and YouTube have officially signed on to Numeris’ National Video Audience Measurement (VAM) solution, as the agency continues to expand cross-platform measurement. The digital platforms join Prime Video, which was the first streamer to sign onto VAM late last year. Numeris says VAM is establishing itself as the essential industry dataset to understand how Canadian audiences are engaging with video across every platform, device, and viewing environment. Read more here.
Tubi has announced its latest Canadian content expansion, adding over 600 movies and TV episodes to its free, ad supported video-on-demand streaming library. Tubi, which announced a longterm content and ad sales partnership with Bell Media last fall, says it’s delivered 30% year over year growth in monthly active users since 2020. Read more here.
Bell Media has announced a new longterm rights extension that will ensure regional Ottawa Senators games continue to be available on TSN and RDS. The 12-year renewal includes TSN 1200 (CFGO-AM) continuing as the team’s exclusive English-radio partner. Ottawa Senators regional matchups will continue to be available to viewers located in the team’s designated broadcast region – including Eastern Ontario, Québec, and Atlantic Canada on TSN5 – and stream live through the network’s digital platforms. Read more here.
CBC has renewed unscripted series The Assembly for a second season, featuring an expanded cast of more than 30 neurodivergent and autistic adults interviewing celebrities. Produced by Small Army Entertainment and based on the international hit format, filming begins this month in Vancouver with the new season to premiere this fall. Radio-Canada’s French-language version, Facteur A, has also been renewed for a second season.
Paramount+ has renewed Canada Shore for a second season with filming to take place this summer. The streamer says in its debut season, Canada Shore drove more Canadian Paramount+ subscriptions than any other title. The 10-episode season had its finale March 19 and is now streaming on Paramount+ in all markets globally. Casting for Season 2 is now open to those aged 19-26 until April 30.
Go Button Media has secured a new commission from ZDF Studios for eight-hour factual series, Shadows & Dust: Lost History, marking the next chapter in a rapidly growing partnership between the Canadian production company and the German producer-distributor. In addition to reuniting the partners behind Into the Universe: The Secrets of the Cosmos Uncovered (8 × 52’), the series repeats on the success of bringing Canadian broadcaster Super Channel on board as the domestic partner. ZDF Studios will handle global distribution for the series outside Canada.
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival has announced Métis director, actor, writer, and producer Gail Maurice as the recipient of this year’s August Schellenberg Award of Excellence, known as the “Augie.” The annual prize recognizes gifted Indigenous actors from across Turtle Island based on the longevity and impact of their careers, as well as their professionalism and involvement in mentorship and community work. Originally from Beauval, SK, Maurice is the founder of Toronto-based Assini Productions, established in 2004 to bring Indigenous stories to the screen. Her debut feature film, Rosie, was one of TIFF’s Top 10 films of 2022 and won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award at imagineNATIVE, among other accolades. Her sophomore feature, Blood Lines, premiered at TIFF last year and is currently on the festival circuit. As an actor, she is a two-time Canadian Screen Award nominee for her roles in Trickster and Night Raiders.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Be Giant is the new Weston family-backed not-for-profit digital media outlet, “leaning into solutions-based reportage” with a focus on innovation, science and entrepreneurship. Helmed by Allison Uncles, former Maclean’s editor-in-chief, the publication went live last week with stories ranging from a Yukon startup working to reduce 9-1-1 wait times, to making hockey more affordable, the rise of the citizen developer, and an interview with celebrated Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on the Artemis II mission. The outlet won’t accept advertising, nor will it install a paywall, and will look to form partnerships with other media organizations to make its journalism free to local media outlets to republish. Read more here.
Indiegraf has acquired virtual editing assistant, Stylebot. Stylebot’s technology will become Indie Editor, an editing assistant built into the backend of Indiegraf’s Operating System. Founded at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism by Laura E. Davis, Stylebot is used by newsrooms across North America, including CBS News. It will now be accessible to the hundreds of community-focused newsrooms in the Indiegraf network as a standard feature in Indiegraf’s website product, starting in May.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Lilly Singh will receive this year’s Trailblazer Honours award, recognizing women blazing new trails across radio, television, digital media and music. The host, comedian, actress and advocate joined the Toronto Tempo ownership group last year, in addition to assuming the role of Chief Hype Officer for Canada’s first WNBA team. The Scarborough native rose to fame on YouTube before going on to host NBC late-night show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, becoming the first person of Indian descent to host an American late-night talk show. Singh will be presented with her award during the Departure Honours event on May 7. She’ll also host a Sports Summit during Departure Festival + Conference. Read more here.
LISTEN: Trailblazers chair Nancy Brown Dacko joined Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the Trailblazers transformation, including the introduction of the Next Gen Trailblazer Awards, which close to nominations this Friday.
CBC News has announced that broadcaster Colleen Jones will be posthumously inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame. Jones, who had a more than three-decade career with the public broadcaster, passed away last November at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer. Read more here.
The Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) has issued a call for submissions for its 47th Annual Awards for Journalistic Excellence. The deadline to apply is May 15 across categories including Print/Online, Radio, Television, Film & Documentary, Podcast – News & Features, Video Series/Screen-based Projects, and Innovation. Submissions must have been published or broadcast between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.
Tom Fennario, a senior investigative video journalist at APTN News, has been awarded the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, administered by Carleton University. The fellowship provides $25,000 in funding to explore how First Nations in Canada could play a greater role in mitigating severe wildfires, drawing lessons from Indigenous fire management practices in Australia, Oregon, and Bolivia. His fieldwork will begin this summer and culminate in a late November documentary release, followed by additional digital storytelling.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Grass Valley is launching the Future Playmakers Program, a new initiative aimed at supporting and developing the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology. Launching ahead of NAB Show, Montreal-headquartered Grass Valley will select up to 10 students annually for the program from participating partner institutions. They’ll receive financial support alongside access to experiential learning opportunities designed to “bridge the gap between academic study and real-world production environments.” The “Grass Valley Montreal Technology Experience” will serve as a centrepiece of the program where students will engage directly with company tech and teams. Read more here.
