REVOLVING DOOR:
Michael Serapio is among the CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel) employees caught up in layoffs as the parliamentary affairs channel cites intensifying financial pressures. Serapio, who joined CPAC in 2022 after more than a decade at CBC, was the host of PrimeTime Politics, one of the flagship programs cancelled by CPAC, alongside its French counterpart L’Essentiel. Read more here.
Tim Morgan is the new afternoon drive host on Vancouver’s Move 103.5 (CHQM-FM). Morgan previously had a 17-year run with Corus Radio, including nine in mornings on boom 99.7 (CJOT-FM) Ottawa, up until sweeping layoffs last June. Morgan succeeds Ray Grover, who retired after 46 years in radio last year.
Alexa Everett has a new role with Bell Media as producer of The Nat & Drew Show on MOVE 103.5 (CHQM-FM) Vancouver. Everett’s background includes producing stints at CBC Montreal and MAtv.
Matt Barron has been upped to Programming and Promotions Coordinator at Hot 99.1 (CKIX-FM) St. John’s, NL. Barron has been working with Stingray since 2024 after moving back to his home province from Winnipeg where he hosted middays on KiSS 102.3 (CKY-FM).
Celebrity Dru has taken on an expanded role at Flow 98.7 FM (CKFG-FM) Toronto as Assistant Music Director. Dru has been an on-air personality with the station since 2021, hosting and producing his own weekend show.
Victoria Femia has joined Global Toronto as morning reporter. She arrives from Global’s Okanagan bureau in Kelowna where she’d been a reporter and anchor since 2022.
Stephanie Gagnon has left Corus Entertainment after a decade to join the Town of Halton Hills as a Communications Specialist. Gagnon started with Corus as an On-Air Promotions Coordinator in 2016, and most recently held the title of Brand Manager – Marketing, Lifestyle Brands.
Jenna Benchetrit has announced her departure from CBC News where she’s been a Senior Business Writer for the past five years. Benchetrit, who joined the public broadcaster as an intern right out of the Ryerson University Master of Journalism program, hasn’t revealed her next move.
Shane Clausing has joined CBC Edmonton as an Associate Producer. Clausing was formerly a reporter with Rawlco Radio’s Saskatchewan news/talk/sports stations CJME Regina and CKOM Saskatoon.
Emily Haws has joined strategic PR firm, Enterprise Canada, as a Senior Consultant, Public Affairs in Ottawa. Haws, who formerly was a producer on CPAC’s PrimeTime Politics and CBC’s Power & Politics, arrives from The Globe and Mail’s parliamentary bureau.
Kyle Benning is taking on the role of Assistant News Director at 1130 News Radio (CKWX-AM) Vancouver. Benning was previously a Digital Broadcast Journalist with Global News for nearly eight years. Prior to that, he was an anchor and reporter with CKNW Vancouver.
Jessica Minnie has joined My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in Brockville as morning news anchor and reporter. Minnie was formerly Creative Director at Algonquin College campus and community station, CKDJ 107.9 FM Ottawa.
David Boles has joined the St. Albert Gazette as its Rural Alberta Affairs Reporter. Boles arrives from The Canadian Press (CP) where he’d been an Edmonton-based reporter and editor since 2024. Prior to that, he was an anchor, reporter and producer with CHED and Global News Radio 880 (CHQT-FM) Edmonton.
Chris Allen has joined 880 CHED Edmonton as a producer. The 2025 MacEwan University Journalism grad was formerly a summer intern with the station.
Lee Rodgers, Production Coordinator and Senior Content Producer at Evanov Communications’ stations in Halifax, has announced his role is being impacted by restructuring. Rodgers has been with the stations for the last nine years. His last day with the company is June 19.
Amanda Wawryk has parted ways with Daily Hive and ZoomerMedia. Wawryk had been with Daily Hive since 2021, taking on an expanded role at ZoomerMedia last spring as Director of Editorial for Daily Hive, BlogTO, Curiocity, and MobileSyrup.
Jeff Lagerquist has been laid off by Yahoo, where he’s been a Senior Business Writer since 2018, alongside the platform’s entire Canadian finance team. Prior to joining Yahoo, Lagerquist was a writer for CTVNews.ca and web producer for BNN.
Craig Jackman’s tenure as a professor at Loyalist College will come to an end on April 30 as he takes early retirement after 14 years with the college, teaching across the Radio Broadcasting, Journalism and Sales & Marketing programs. Prior to joining Loyalist in 2012, Jackman served as Production Supervisor for Rogers Sports & Media’s Ottawa area stations, including CHEZ 106 (CHEZ-FM), KiSS FM (CISS-FM), Y101 (CKBY-FM), JACK FM (CJET-FM) and Oldies 1310 (CIWW-AM) for 14 years.
Robin Neinstein has a new title at Netflix as Head of Production, Canada. Neinstein has been with the streamer since 2018, leading production for its Scripted & Co-License TV division. In his new role, he’ll focus on the production of Canadian originals. Prior to Netflix, he served as Manager of Original Content, Scripted, Factual & Kids at Corus Entertainment and before that was the Executive in Charge of Production, Drama at CBC.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Evanov Radio Group is divesting another station, announcing Monday that Torres Media intends to acquire CHSV-FM Hudson/Saint-Lazare, Que., pending CRTC approval. Currently branded as Lite 106.7, Evanov launched the station in 2015 with a Soft Adult Contemporary format. CHSV-FM would become Torres Media’s sixth radio station and second in Quebec, joining 103.1 Max FM (CKOD-FM) Valleyfield. The divestiture reduces Evanov’s station count to 10, with multicultural station CFMB AM 1280 remaining its only property in the province. Read more here.
Native Communications Inc. (NCI) has rebranded Winnipeg’s Now Country 104.7 (CIUR-FM) as ziibi 104.7, a new format aimed at Indigenous young adults. NCI announced to listeners last week that Now Country would sign off on April 19 after a decade on-air. The station relaunched Monday under the ziibi brand, which translates to “river” in Anishinaabemowin and Cree. The fourth brand transition since the station’s original launch in 2009 when it debuted as Streetz 104.7 with an Indigenous Urban Contemporary format. ziibi is airing songs ranging from Cree singer-songwriter Sebastian Gaskin to hits from the late ’90s and early ’00s from Snoop Dogg and Pitbull. Read more here.
Bell Media has unveiled new in-car advertising capabilities across its FM radio brands that will also allow connected vehicle users to automatically stream stations when they drive outside the range of an over-the-air signal. Launched nationwide last week, Bell says its AdSyncs offering allows advertisers to amplify their audio message with sync display text and brand logos on dashboard displays. A Bell Media spokesperson said the tech – which is already being used by American station groups like Audacy and Beasley Media Group – is based on a blend of RDS, HD Radio and DTS AutoStage technology. Read more here.
Rawlco Radio’s Rock 102 (CJDJ-FM) Saskatoon held its Stuff the Bus campaign on April 16, filling two buses and collecting a total of 15,022 pounds of food and $65,626 for Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre. Since its inception in 2005, Saskatoon and area listeners have come together and collected more than 568,000 pounds of food and raised over $750,000.
JAZZ.FM91 (CJRT-FM) Toronto is celebrating International Jazz Day on April 30 with a special live-to-air event. This year’s theme is the influence of Canada’s own Joni Mitchell on jazz. Host Raina Hersh will lead a series of in-studio performances featuring Canadian jazz artists Ewen Farncombe, Jonathan Meyer, Norbert Botos, Alex Bird, Sammy Jackson, Joanna Majoko, Laila Biali, and Ben Wittman. The celebration continues as Jeff Chalmers takes over Afternoon Drive, featuring a special live performance and interview with Laila Biali, who’ll perform two songs by Mitchell on piano, accompanied by Ben Wittman on drums.
SiriusXM has introduced SiriusXM Morning Skate, a new daily podcast delivering a comprehensive recap of the previous night’s hockey action, as the satellite radio provider ramps up its coverage for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hosted by an all-Canadian team of broadcasters that includes Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick, alongside Tyler Madarasz, the podcast is an extension of the SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (ch. 91) show of the same name, available each morning on the SiriusXM app and major podcast platforms. Sportsnet’s multi-platform playoffs coverage also includes an increased podcast presence with 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, featuring NHL insiders Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, extendlng to three episodes per week. Read more here.
TELUS STORYHIVE has announced the 49 projects from emerging creators across B.C. and Alberta selected for the 2026 Video Podcast program. Each project will receive $10,000 in production funding as well as training and distribution on TELUS Optik TV, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.
LISTEN: Producer and audience growth specialist Kattie Laur is on the latest Sound Off Podcast unpacking what’s really holding back Canadian podcasting. She and Matt Cundill talk about why Canada lacks meaningful grant support, why brands are hesitant to invest in podcasts, and how a realistic budget needs to split resources between production and promotion. Laur also shares her experience pitching the CBC, her work in branded podcasts, as well as discoverability, and platform politics at Apple and Spotify.
SIGN OFFS:
Phillip “Pip” Wedge, 98, on April 15. Born in London, Wedge started his career in the music business, serving as Publicity Manager for Philips Records and as Assistant Editor of the New Musical Express (NME), among other roles. He joined Associated-Rediffusion, the first commercial television station in the UK, in 1955, before arriving in Canada in 1964 to produce a Canadian adaptation of British game show “Double Your Money,“ which aired on seven CTV affiliates. That led to Wedge taking the job of Executive Producer at CTV Montreal the following year, where he was responsible for series like “B.A. Musical Showcase,” ”It’s Your Move,“ and “Words and Music.” He went on to become Executive Producer in Toronto, then Promotion Manager, and by 1970 was Director of Development, launching the network’s first foray into international program sales. In 1973, he was appointed VP of Programming, a position he held until 1993. Wedge retired from CTV in 1994, but continued to consult. Outside that work, he was heavily involved with the Canadian Communications Foundation (CCF) for more than two decades – a Centennial Broadcast Museum project funded by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) – that among other projects, published a comprehensive database of radio and television station histories. He was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2006. Read more here.
“Charlie” Howard Brown, 66, on April 11. A graduate of both Lambton College and the Fanshawe College Radio program, Brown worked in broadcasting across both on-air and sales for over 40 years with stops in Sarnia and North Bay, before moving to Alberta in 1981 and stations in Red Deer, Canmore, Lethbridge, and Taber. He settled in High River in 1994, while continuing to work in radio sales at 66 CFR (Calgary Flames Radio), Country 105 from 2001-09, and Shine FM (CJSI-FM). He joined AM 1140 (CHRB-AM) in High River in 2011, where he became known for hosting shows, including the popular “Tradio.” He moved to the morning show in 2021 on 99.7 Sun Country (CFXO-FM), before retiring in August 2025.
TV & FILM:
Heated Rivalry will be honoured by the Television Academy, despite its ineligibility for the Emmy Awards. The celebrated Crave series is among six programs and their producers announced as honourees. The Television Academy Honors annually celebrate programs across platforms and genres that raise awareness about complex issues facing society. Produced in association with Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brad’s Accent Aigu Entertainment, Heated Rivalry is being recognized for addressing LGBTQ+ representation, inclusivity in sports and toxic masculinity. Read more here.
ACTRA Toronto has announced the nominees for Outstanding Performance and Ensemble, set to be handed out at the 24th ACTRA Awards in Toronto on May 11. This year’s Series Ensemble Award nominees include Children Ruin Everything, Heated Rivalry, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Murdoch Mysteries, and SkyMed.
Canadian Heritage has unveiled the members of an advisory panel appointed to guide modernizing federal support to the audiovisual sector. Announced by Canadian Identity and Culture Min. Marc Miller at the annual conference of the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), the panel will be guided by Catherine Mathys, former Director of Foresight and Innovation at the Canada Media Fund (CMF), and Catalina Briceño, former Director of Industry Markets and Trends. Read more here.
Telefilm Canada has published its Strategic Orientation Framework, which will serve as a roadmap for the review of its funding programs, to be carried out through 2028. The framework aims to foster greater cohesion across programs and a more audience-centred approach, including the introduction of clear, measurable performance indicators, the results of which will be made public on a periodic basis to strengthen transparency and support data-based decision-making.
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) has released its annual economic report, Profile 2025, revealing that the film and television production industry in Canada generated $10.2 billion in production volume during the 2024/25 fiscal year, a 4.4% increase year-over-year. The sector also contributed nearly $12 billion to the country’s GDP, with its workforce reaching 181,360 jobs. Foreign production activity rose by 9.5%, reflecting a partial rebound from the significant reduction in production caused by two prolonged Hollywood strikes in 2023. Production of Canadian film and television content decreased by 2.2%, marking a second consecutive year of decline.
The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has launched the Low-Carbon GenAI Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help the screen industry reduce the environmental impact of generative AI. Unveiled on Earth Day, the toolkit includes a carbon calculator that estimates energy use and emissions associated with common generative AI tasks, as well as a best practices guide. Read more here.
The National Film Board (NFB) is launching a new YouTube-first documentary initiative intended to engage audiences on platforms they’re using every day. ON FILME will debut May 7, featuring works from Quebec directors Mounir Kaddouri, Anne-Lovely Etienne and Simon Coutu, exploring perspectives on contemporary issues. The works will be available on nfb.ca and NFB apps at a later date.
AMI (Accessible Media Inc.) is trying to spread the word and fill seats for an upcoming stand-up comedy special being taped for broadcast next year on AMI-tv and AMI+. All Access Comedy features comedians from the disability community, who’ll be taping sets during Halifax ComedyFest on May 10. Hosted by stand-up comedian D.J. Demers, general admission is free.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Sitka Media — a new era of journalism in BC
The media landscape has changed. Overwhelmed by the endless cycle of sensationalist headlines and hot takes, we know many British Columbians have become stuck in algorithmically-driven echo chambers — or simply tuned out entirely.… pic.twitter.com/P7N03AFFiY
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) April 20, 2026
Sitka Media is a new digital-first media startup focused “on the real issues shaping lives and futures” across B.C. Helmed by Managing Editor Jarryd Jäger and reporter Daniel Perianu, the outlet will cover B.C. industry and resources, housing and affordability issues, transportation, education, Indigenous relations and community development, and public safety and the mental health crisis, among other issues. Sitka is promising a “forward-looking and optimistic” approach, exploring the province’s “untapped opportunities for growth and prosperity,” without partisan spin.
The Margin has launched, a new media voice at the intersection of money and culture. The publication aims to help Canadians “understand the world you’re living in today and the capital that makes it move.” While backed by Toronto’s Questrade Financial Group, the publication is editorially independent.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Rogers Communications CEO Tony Staffieri outlined a disciplined roadmap for the telecom giant’s future Wednesday, telling the company’s AGM that it will reduce capital expenditures by 30% in the coming year, while doubling down on its multi-billion-dollar sports empire. Staffieri told shareholders that the spending cuts are a necessary reaction to “hostile” regulatory environments and a cooling Canadian economy. Despite those headwinds, the company reported solid Q1 2026 results, with total service revenue increasing 10% to $4.9 billion, while adjusted EBITDA rose 5% to $2.4 billion. Media delivered strong revenue growth of $988 million, up 82%, primarily as a result of revenue from MLSE. Read more here.
The CRTC has approved a wholesale rate increase for TV5/UNIS TV. The French-language channel applied for an increase to its mandatory per subscriber monthly wholesale rate in 2024 from $0.24 to $0.26 in English-language markets and from $0.28 to $0.30 in French-language markets, stating that without a rate increase it would be difficult for it to continue supporting the production of French-language programs and promoting French-language OLMCs (Official Language Minority Communities). Last November, the commission deferred the application, alongside those from CPAC and Canal M, while it undertook a broader policy review. Like its recent approval of CPAC’s application, the CRTC says TV5’s financial situation “has continued to deteriorate and is now critical, which could make it difficult for TV5 to fulfill its obligations. Therefore, the Commission has considered the application in order to address the pressing financial issues raised by the applicant.”
The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) has unveiled the finalists for the 2025 CAJ Awards. Recipients in each category will be announced at the awards gala on Saturday, June 13 at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communications.
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) has announced its shortlists for the CJF Dr. Eric Jackman Awards for Excellence in Journalism, honouring news organizations that embody exemplary journalism and have a profound positive impact on the communities they serve; the Landsberg Award, which celebrates journalists enhancing awareness of women’s equality issues; and the CJF Award for Climate Solutions Reporting that celebrates work shining a spotlight on climate change and innovative solutions.
Trailblazers has announced the five winners of the inaugural Next Gen Trailblazer Awards. Presented in partnership with title sponsor Evanov Communications, the awards celebrate and support emerging talent with up to 10-15 years of experience in the Canadian broadcast industry. This year’s winners are: Sarah Christie (Bell Media), Ashleigh Harvey (Quinte Broadcasting), Amanda Boland (Stingray), Shannon Ella (Bell Media), and Katie Summers (Stingray). Each winner will receive a $1,000 bursary from Orbyt Media and a $1,000 prize from the Scotiabank Women Initiative, as well as the opportunity to attend the Trailblazers panel at Radiodays North America.
Portia Clark, host of Information Morning for CBC Radio in Mainland Nova Scotia, is being recognized with an honorary degree by Acadia University in Wolfville, NS. Clark has been with CBC since 1998, starting her career in Halifax before joining CBC Edmonton in 2000 where she anchored the supper-hour newscast for nearly a decade, in addition to hosting radio. Currently on leave, she’s been with CBC Nova Scotia since 2018.
John McKeachie has been announced as a 2026 B.C. Sports Hall of Fame inductee in the Media category. Over a 40-year career working in TV, radio, and print media, McKeachie was a sports anchor on BCTV for 27 years (1973-99), while also serving as an on-air host and colour commentator for Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Whitecaps broadcasts. He went on to host CBC Vancouver’s Hockey Night in Canada post-game show, McKeachie’s Hockey Talk from 1998-2000, which later became the long-running After Hours. Other stops included CDKA Victoria (1970-72); CKNW Vancouver, where he hosted Canucks and BC Lions broadcasts (1972-75, 1997-98); TEAM 1040, where he hosted McKeachie in the Morning (2001-03); and MOJO Sports Radio (2003-05), among other work.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Nautel has announced the availability of the first ever subscription option HD Radio Software Based Air Chain using its GV2 FM transmitter. Nautel says the offering transforms HD Radio from a capital intensive hardware project into a complete, software defined service—lowering barriers to adoption while enabling measurable visual advertising revenue opportunities. Designed for FM broadcasters seeking to launch, expand, or modernize their HD Radio services, the Software Based Air Chain brings complementary technologies together into the customer’s GV2 transmitter to address challenges related to cost, space, and operational complexity. 
WABE (Western Association of Broadcast Engineers) is hosting its annual Media Meetup in Winnipeg on Monday, May 4 at RRC Polytech’s Exchange District campus from 6 – 9:30 p.m. Industry professionals will take part in a panel discussion on How Media Industry Jobs Are Being Rewritten. Register here.
FEATURE: “Based on the 2025 Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) compensation survey, the numbers confirm what many employers across broadcasting and media operations are already seeing firsthand: the technical workforce is aging, retirements are approaching, and the pool of qualified applicants is getting smaller,” writes WABE Chancellor Tessa Potter in her latest column for Broadcast Dialogue. “The survey noted that most engineers were between 50 and 70 years old…a very real succession issue for broadcasters, production companies, and media organizations trying to maintain technical continuity in the years ahead.” Potter suggests the best long-term plan is for organizations to start building their own pipeline now to solve staffing shortages tomorrow. Read more here.
The International Association of MediaTech (IAMT), formerly IABM, introduced a new identity at NAB Show 2026, expanding its broadcast legacy into a broader MediaTech ecosystem. IAMT now supports streaming, enterprise media, AI-driven workflows, immersive experiences and emerging content platforms. Central to this evolution is the launch of MAI (MediaTech Agentic AI), an advanced agentic AI-powered discovery platform developed in collaboration with IAMT member Alpha Cogs. An integral part of IAMT’s new website, TheIAMT.org, MAI is trained on IAMT’s full knowledge ecosystem, transforming the organization’s digital platform into an engine for insight and discovery.
