REVOLVING DOOR:
Tyson Parker, the former Head of Artist and Music Industry Relations at Bell Media, will be joining Vancouver-based real estate development firm, Westbank, in the newly-created position of VP, Experiential Development. A casualty of a Jan. 2021 management shuffle at Bell Media, Parker managed key relationships within the artist and talent community for Bell Media’s portfolio of TV, radio, and digital brands. He took on an expanded role overseeing Bell’s podcast division in 2020. Prior to Bell, he was VP, Corporate Communications and Media & Artist Relations for Universal Music Canada, working with artists like Drake and The Weeknd, and The Tragically Hip.
Andrew Brennan is leaving CTV Montreal to report for CTV Toronto. Brennan has been an assignment editor and video journalist with CTV since 2019.
Mandy Vocke is leaving Global Saskatoon to take on a communications role with the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. Vocke had been a Digital Broadcast Journalist with the station since the fall of 2019.
Michael Woloshen is retiring from CHEK TV Victoria where he’s had a 42-year career, ending his tenure as Director of Creative Services. Starting out writing and producing commercials, over the years Woloshen also co-wrote and produced comedy/variety show Highband and Everyday Things with children’s entertainer Pat Carfra. He co-hosted shows like cooking show, A La Carte, Home Check With Shell Busey, and Reel Guy, introducing the movie of the week. Woloshen is the son of retired Montreal and Vancouver broadcaster Andy Walsh.
Joël Le Bigot is retiring from Radio-Canada after 45 years on the air on June 18 and the weekly show he’s hosted on ICI Première. Le Bigot, 76, began his career in 1967 at the regional station in Chicoutimi, before taking the helm of CBF-Bonjour in 1977, the daily Montreal morning show he hosted for 19 years. Between 1998 and 2011, he also hosted Pourquoi pas le dimanche on Radio-Canada.
Orlena Cain is leaving the Mix 97 (CIGL-AM) Belleville morning show at the end of the summer. Cain has been with the station for 13 years. She plans to focus on television work going forward and will be relocating to Vancouver. Her last day at Mix 97 is Aug. 19.
Takara Small is AM 640 (CFMJ-AM) Toronto’s newest fill-in host. Small is a technology and business contributor to a number of programs and publications, including CBC’s Canada Tonight, Metro Morning, and BBC World Service Radio. She’s also the host of CBC Podcasts’ Death in Cryptoland.
Ted Emmett has returned to radio as part of the new Morning Rewind with Matt & Ted on 106.7 REWIND Radio (CFDV-FM) Red Deer. Emmett left radio full-time in 2015 to work in marketing and communications with Hockey Alberta. He was last on-air at The Eagle 100.9 (CKUV-FM) Okotoks where he held various roles from news and sports to acting as colour commentator for the AJHL Okotoks’ Oilers.
Alex Carrigan is leaving Corus all-traffic station AM730 (CKGO-AM) Vancouver to go into communications. Carrigan has been with the station since 2017. He also works as a technical producer on BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps radio broadcasts.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Corus Entertainment has suspended highly-rated Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto morning show Derringer in the Morning, following a gender discrimination complaint filed with the Canadian Human Rights Commission by former co-host Jennifer Valentyne. Over the weekend, Valentyne posted a 13-minute video to her social media channels detailing a toxic work culture during her time with the show from early 2017 to 2019, that included enduring vape smoking by her co-hosts in an unventilated space, and a general lack of respect. The veteran Toronto media personality alleges that after developing a persistent cough, losing her voice, and despite numerous complaints – including discussing the situation with company CEO Doug Murphy – Corus chose to shuffle her out of the radio show and into a television role with Global News that she had previously been told she “wasn’t a good fit for.” She was part of layoffs at the network a little more than a year later. Corus says based on new information that’s come to light about the conduct of the Derringer in the Morning team, the show will be on hiatus pending an external investigation. Following Valentyne coming forward, former Q107 staffers like Jacqui Delaney, Andrea Rooz, and Raina Douris took to social media to relate their own experiences, as outlined by media blogger and podcaster Toronto Mike. Read more here.
OPINION: What might a Derringer in the Morning exit mean for Q107? Broadcast Dialogue contributor David Bray writes that at Q107, the format is the star. He breaks down the show’s ratings, musing that it’s rare for listeners to abandon a station based solely on talent. Read more here.
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has found that the 95.7 CRUZ FM (CKEA-FM) Edmonton morning violated the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Code of Ethics by disclosing a private individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status. During the Feb. 10 broadcast of #THELOCKERROOM, hosts Lochlin Cross, Grant Johnson and James White discussed their reactions to the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Cross said he was reluctant to go to a Super Bowl party where he knew one of his unvaccinated friends would be in attendance. He first mentioned the person by last name and, later in the conversation, referred to him by his nickname which includes his full first name. The hosts also joked that the person was a good friend to have “because he would help you bury a body.” The complaint to the CBSC was initiated by the friend who objected to his vaccination status being revealed on air, and was deeply embarrassed by any inference to his involvement with criminal activity. Read more here.
Terry DiMonte and Ted Bird are reuniting on terrestrial radio, helming a new Saturday morning show on Evanov’s Lite 106.7 FM (CHSV-FM) Hudson/Saint-Lazare. A year to the day DiMonte signed off from CHOM 97.7 Montreal, Saturday Morning with Terry and Ted will debut on May 28 at 9 a.m. Evanov says the show will feature “three hours of lite favourites and the trademark camaraderie that defined Terry DiMonte and Ted Bird during a 20-year run at the pinnacle of Montreal morning radio.” The duo initially started working together, co-hosting mornings at CHOM 97.7, in May 1988 until DiMonte left for Calgary’s Q107 (CFGQ-FM) in 2008. Bird has been Lite 106.7 FM’s only morning man since the station signed on in 2015, while DiMonte is now living in B.C. in semi-retirement. After 14 years apart professionally, DiMonte and Bird first reunited last fall with the September launch of their podcast, Standing By: The Terry & Ted Podcast. Read more here.
Vista Radio introduced Country 93.1, Timmins’ Best Country at 8 a.m. Friday morning, marking a return of the Country format to the city for the first time in 16 years. A rebrand of 93.1 The Moose (CHMT-FM, the format debuted with “Play Something Country” by Brooks & Dunn, chosen as a nod to all the listener requests over the last 16 years to “play something country.” CHMT-FM was first launched in 2001 by Haliburton Broadcasting with an Adult Contemporary format as Mix 93. Around the same time, local country station CKGB transitioned to FM and also flipped from Country to AC. CHMT-FM initially played one country song an hour to appease listeners, and within the year was playing all-country. The station dropped the format in 2006 when The Moose FM format was born, playing “Timmins’ Biggest Variety.” Vista acquired 93.1 The Moose in 2012 and in 2020 tweaked the format again, evolving into a Classic Hits station. Read more here.
K-97 (CIRK-FM) Edmonton has temporarily rebranded as Konnor 97, in honour of Edmonton Oilers Captain Connor McDavid, who wears the same number. The Stingray station made the switch on May 20 and will carry the branding as long as the Oilers are playing the Calgary Flames in the current “Battle of Alberta” and into the playoffs if the hometown team advances. Morning show co-host Terry Evans says “it only seems fitting that we go the distance and let the entire team know that we’re 100% behind them.”
CFCN/CKMX Calgary quietly celebrated 100 years last week. CKMX was first licensed under the CFCN call sign to W. W. Grant Radio, Ltd. in May 1922. In 1947, CFCN moved to its current AM frequency at 1060 kHz. The call letters were changed to CKMX in 1994 when Maclean-Hunter sold the station to Standard Broadcasting. Over the years, it has carried formats from Hot AC to Alternative Rock and Country. When Astral Media was acquired by Bell Media in 2013, Bell flipped the station from classic country to current all-comedy format, Funny 1060.
Innovation, Science & Economic Development (ISED) has rescinded the broadcast licence for CJNY 106.3 Vancouver. Not-for-profit Northern Native Broadcasting has turned in the licence for the 9,000 watt station. It was one of five approved by the CRTC in 2017 to serve the Indigenous community.
The Montréal Alliance is partnering with TSN 690 (CKGM-AM) for the broadcast of 18 regular season games during the 2022 season of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) expansion team. The inaugural broadcast team will consist of TSN 690 commentator Moe Khan, former Canadian National team member Dwight Walton, and former McGill University women’s basketball player Gabriela Hebert. The games will also be available for live streaming via iHeartRadio.ca, TSN.ca, and the iHeartRadio and TSN apps.
Anthem Entertainment has announced first-of-its-kind audio/visual music-focused broadcast and podcast series Real Country Livin’, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada. Set to premiere May 28, the series will showcase country artists and songwriters as they each share their own Real Country Livin’ story – defining what that means to them. With Gord Bamford as host, the series will launch with six themed episodes including Entertainin’, Fishin’, Farmin’, Givin’, Boatin’, and Drinkin’ that help guide the narrative as Bamford introduces audiences to his family and friends and their way of life. Each episode will feature some of Bamford’s greatest hits along with new original songs off of Diamonds In A Whiskey Glass. The podcast will also include interviews with many of Bamford’s celebrity friends including country superstar Terri Clark, NHL defenceman Brent Burns, and others.
Détours is Canadaland’s new French-language spinoff of Short Cuts, hosted by Emilie Nicolas. New episodes will drop once a month on the Canadaland feed. The first episode features Cree lawyer and former Member of Parliament Romeo Saganash.
Connie Walker’s latest podcast for Gimlet, Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s, looks into Walker’s very personal connection to St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, SK, one of the longest-operating residential schools in the country which only closed in 1996. The podcast, which kicks off with inaugural episode, The Police Officer and the Priest, was prompted by a family story of her RCMP Special Constable father coming face to face with a former priest who abused him at St. Michael’s during a drunk driving stop.
Apple Music is integrating with Waze, so drivers can keep their eyes on the road. With a direct connection between the apps, drivers can now access Apple Music content directly from the Waze Audio Player.
LISTEN: On the latest Sound Off Podcast, Matt Cundill speaks with former Calgary, Winnipeg and Edmonton radio personality Jeff Walker, who has turned his voice and experience into a podcast all about Las Vegas. The Jeff Does Vegas podcast gives listeners a comprehensive guide to the city he fell in love with, from trip reports to restaurant reviews and attraction recommendations. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
Momentum Music Research takes online music research to the next level with an outlier bias eliminator for more robust samples; innovative pop scores to better evaluate song potential; and a hit detective to help you get the right songs into the right categories! Reach out for our Zoom demo.
SIGN OFFS:
Andrew Krystal, 63, on May 22 in Toronto. After graduating from the University of Toronto, Krystal started in broadcasting creating syndicated entertainment content for Sonic Workshop, and contributing travel content to programs like CNN’s Travel Guide. He went on to host various talk radio timeslots on AM 640 (CFIQ-AM) and Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto. Known for his volatility at times, he gained a reputation as a “radio bad boy.” Krystal was part of the launch team for Rogers’ Halifax all-news station, News 95.7 (CJNI-FM) (now CityNews Halifax), where he hosted “Maritime Morning” for the station’s first five years bringing the show to #2 in the market. He returned to Toronto in 2010 where he went on to work with Sportsnet 590 The Fan (CJCL-AM) and CityNews, where he served as the Toronto City Hall reporter during Mayor Rob Ford’s first few years in office. Krystal had most recently been hosting “Krystal Nation” on SiriusXM Canadian current affairs channel, Canada Talks, and running his own digital content and communications firm, working with clients like Tourism Ontario. Read more here.
Edward ‘Ted’ Eadinger, 81, on May 17. Born in Saskatoon in 1940, an early love of film spurred Eadinger’s decision to pursue broadcasting. By the age of 19, he had landed a job as a DJ in Prince Albert and soon moved into television, trying his hand as a children’s host (Captain Jolly), producer and director before joining management. He served as Vice President and Station Manager at CFQC-TV from 1974 to 1988, overseeing the transition to computer technology. In 1988, he became VP and General Manager of CFPL-TV in London, a position he held until 1997. In 1994, his contributions to the industry were recognized with the Broadcaster of the Year Award from the Central Canada Broadcasters’ Association. In addition to being involved in many charitable and civic endeavours over the years, Eadinger served as President of the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) in 1983.
Arthur Weinthal, 90, on May 14. Weinthal began working in advertising and radio news following his graduation from McGill University. His first job in broadcasting was in 1953, as the night news editor for CFCF Radio. A year later, he was promoted to Program and Production Manager. In 1960, he was hired by Ronalds-Reynolds, before moving his family to Toronto where he joined CTV in 1962 as Executive Producer of Daytime Programs. He went on to a 36-year career, rising through the ranks to Program Director in 1966, Vice President and Director of Entertainment Programming in 1973, and Vice President of Programming in 1994. In 1997, he was named Group Vice President and Creative Director. Among the shows that fell under his purview were Stars on Ice, Circus, Night Heat, Swiss Family Robinson, E.N.G., Neon Rider, and Due South He went on to serve as a consultant to the industry, notably for Alliance Atlantis. In 1997, the Arthur Weinthal Award was endowed in his name at Ryerson University. In 1999, he was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Hall of Fame as a pioneer. Other accolades included a special Gemini Award, to recognize his contributions to Canadian television.
William (Bill) Dawkins, 79, on May 11 at Hospice Wellington, after a fight with cancer. Dawkins had a 63-year broadcasting career, best known for his time in Guelph, ON where he served as General Sales Manager, Station Manager, and minority owner of MAGIC 106 (CIMJ-FM) and 1460 CJOY. He retired as Senior Account Manager in Sept. 2021. Dawkins was a consummate salesperson, but more importantly a mentor and coach to upcoming talent and colleagues. He never met a silent auction he didn’t like, or a client golf tournament he wouldn’t play in. His commitment to clients assisted in the growth and development of many local businesses across the region and led to lifelong bonds with clients who would become friends.
TV & FILM:
The Leo Awards nominees, celebrating excellence in British Columbia film and television, have been announced. Among those nominated for Best Dramatic Series are Family Law, Riverdale, Van Helsing, Midnight Mass, and Two Sentence Horror Stories. Van Helsing goes into the awards with a leading eight nominations. Leading the Feature Film category is Agam Darshi’s Donkeyhead with 11 nods. Night One and Night Two of the awards program will be live-streamed on YouTube on Tuesday, July 5 and Wednesday, July 6, beginning at 6:45pm PDT each evening. Night Three will be hosted live at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver on Saturday, July 9
The Guild of Music Supervisors, Canada (GMSC) and Canadian Music Week (CMW) have revealed the nominees for the 2022 Canadian Sync Awards, celebrating the craft of music supervision in filmed media. Hosted by Tara Slone, the awards will take place Thursday, June 9 at the El Mocambo where 14 awards will be handed out, as voted on by the public and members of the Guild. Find the full list of nominees here. Voting is open until midnight on June 2.
CTV has announced its slate of new and returning series this summer, headlined by the revival of iconic 1960s game show Password, airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Aug. 9. Hosted by Keke Palmer (Scream Queens, Nope) and featuring Jimmy Fallon, contestants partner with Fallon and other celebrities to compete for cash prizes. Additionally, Generation Gap joins the schedule Thursdays, starting July 7. Kelly Ripa hosts the new quiz show from producers Jimmy Kimmel and Mark Burnett. The series pairs teams of seniors and juniors, challenging them to answer questions about pop culture from each other’s generations. Other competition series joining the lineup include Dancing With Myself (Tuesdays, beginning May 31), in which contestants take part in a series of high-energy dance challenges designed and demonstrated by celebrity creators Shakira, Nick Jonas, and Liza Koshy; and Claim To Fame (Mondays, beginning July 11), hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas, which challenges 12 celebrity relatives to live together under one roof in the quest to win a $100,000 prize.
Nelvana has teamed up with Feld Entertainment to develop new animated action-adventure kids series, Monster Jam Gears & Galaxies (working title), based on the Monster Jam franchise (52x11mins). As part of the deal, Nelvana will not only distribute the new series but also represent global merchandise licensing of this series, and exclusively represent the existing Monster Jam brand in Canada and France.
Corus and the Banff World Media Festival have announced the recipients of this year’s Corus Apprentice Program: Young Adult Scripted. The focus of this year’s program was to seek out aspiring writers from under-represented communities interested in young adult live-action television scripting. The cohort will receive a premium pass to BANFF 2022 with access to panels, keynotes, masterclasses and networking opportunities as well as complimentary registration and travel to the festival. Each recipient will also benefit from a two-week paid internship placement in the writer’s room of a Corus-supported live action television production.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has announced that Season 2 of By Hook or By Cook, starring freestyle motocross rider Bruce Cook, returns June 16. Cook, a stunt motocross rider who is disabled, wants to help others with disabilities enjoy life’s possibilities with unique innovations he and friend, Christian Bagg, create. Season 2 finds Cook depressed since COVID-19 shut down most activities which, in turn, gives him a lot of time to think about the reality of the injuries he sustained eight years ago. He jumps at the chance to make a 100-year-old, remote lake lodge more accessible.
LISTEN: With all of the discussion about increasing representation of marginalized communities over the past few years, AMI (Accessible Media Inc.) wondered why the disability community wasn’t being included in that conversation. It recently announced the launch of the Disability Screen Office (DSO), in conjunction with the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Telefilm. Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast spoke to Andrew Morris, AMI-tv’s Manager of Independent Production, about both amplifying creative voices from within the disability community and eliminating accessibility barriers for those who want to work in Canada’s screen industries. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
Nancy Regan, former co-host of CTV Atlantic’s Live at 5, has written new memoir, From Showing Off to Showing Up. In the book, Regan discusses how she overcame imposter syndrome, stage fright, perfectionism, and learned to embrace her authentic self. The daughter of former Nova Scotia Premier Gerald Regan, she also discusses growing up in a political family, highlights and lowlights of her TV career, and staying grounded. In addition to her 15 years with Live at 5, Regan also served as the national host of CTV’s Good Morning Canada and That News Show on TVTropolis. She’s also appeared on Nova Scotia-shot series like Haven and Trailer Park Boys.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
Complex Canada, a division of Buzzfeed’s Complex Networks and part of the Corus Entertainment portfolio, is celebrating the brand’s 20th birthday with a series of editorial features celebrating artists, athletes, and trailblazers who have shaped Canadian culture. Complex Canada joined the Corus Entertainment portfolio in 2019 with a focus on Canadian contributions to convergence culture across streetwear and style, lifestyle, music, food, entertainment, sneakers, and sports. Kicking off the anniversary coverage is a feature and photo essay with Canadian photographer and creative director Norman Wong. Other 20th birthday features will include the 20 Best Canadian Rap Songs of All Time, 20 Canadians Who Will Shape the Culture in the Next 20 Years, and How the Last 20 Years of Toronto’s Streetwear Scene Helped Shape the City’s Identity. Complex Canada will also debut a special episode of its award-winning docuseries Northern Clutch, featuring rising Toronto musician, anders.
Gamelancer Gaming Corp. says it has generated $181,010 in monthly recurring revenue from its curated, in-house produced online video content. The Toronto-headquartered Gen Z-focused social gaming network now produces eight custom Gamelancer video series featuring Robolox, Minecraft, GTA and its branded “Egirl” content. Featured on various OTT platforms, recently acquired JoyBox Media is launching two OTT video content series in the month of May.
Justin Ling has launched new newsletter, Bug-eyed and Shameless, which will explore disinformation, conspiracy theories, and the impacts of the ongoing information war. Ling, an award-winning investigative reporter specializing in under-reported stories, promises to dig in to everything from QAnon’s improbable rise to Russian propaganda. The newsletter will be free for its first few weeks.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
RTDNA Canada has announced its 2022 Regional Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. They include retired CTV Windsor anchor Jim Crichton, CBC Radio Ideas producer Phillip Coulter, Bell Media Manitoba/Saskatchewan General Manager Jeff Bollenbach, retired Global BC journalist Linda Aylesworth, Global New Brunswick senior correspondent Shelley Steeves, former Canada AM production manager Marie O’Neill, CTV London reporter Nick Paparella, VOCM St. John’s news/talk veteran Linda Swain, retired Vancouver business reporter Richard Dettman, former CFRB/Electric Entertainment and current County FM (CJPE-FM) producer Lynn Pickering, retired Global Calgary producer Joanne Reid, and GX94 (CJGX-FM) Yorkton news anchor Craig Wallebeck. RTDNA also recognized late Vancouver broadcaster Kerry Marshall (Holley) with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, the association has announced the winners of this year’s Regional Awards in the West Region, Prairie Region, Central Region, and East Region. Read more here.
Taking Care: a report on mental health, well-being and trauma among Canadian media workers, based on a first-of-its kind survey, finds Canadian journalists are suffering disturbingly high levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. Based on 1,251 detailed survey responses from a range of media workers – from freelancers to those at the executive level – the study was conducted between Nov. 1 and Dec. 18, 2021. It indicates growing harassment, increasing workloads, job insecurity and a culture that neglects employee health are contributing to media workers experiencing mental health issues at a rate far exceeding the Canadian average, with 69% reporting anxiety, 46% depression, and 15% post-traumatic stress injury (PTSD). By comparison, major depression affects approximately 5.4% of the Canadian population, and anxiety disorders about 4.6% of Canadians. Read more here.
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) has announced Carleton University journalism student Tobin Ng as the inaugural recipient of its bursary for BIPOC journalism students. The $5,000 bursary aims to support racialized journalism students who have historically been underrepresented in the journalism industry. It is funded by Media Profile, an independent Canadian public relations firm. Ng is entering the final year of Carleton’s Bachelor of Journalism program with a focus on journalism and sociology and is currently a magazine intern at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The 2022 IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity in Advertising) competition from Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), in partnership with Bell Media, is calling on brands and agencies to enter for the chance to win $1 million worth of media inventory on Bell Media platforms. In its second year, national and international brands and their agencies are invited to submit work that celebrates diversity through advertising. This year’s entries must shine a spotlight on the lived realities of Canada’s LGBTQ+ communities. Submissions are now open until July 29. Last year’s competition focused on Indigenous communities with Sid Lee Agency winning the competition for its work on Indigenous-owned cosmetics brand Cheekbone Beauty. Its Right The Story campaign leveraged all of Bell Media’s platforms and assets.
Broadcast Dialogue celebrates 30 years this Saturday, May 28. We’ll be sending out a special anniversary e-blast taking you through the publication’s evolution from the first Weekly Briefing (sent out by fax in 1992) to our transition to digital. In the meantime, check out our 30th anniversary Facebook group where we’re inviting those in our media and broadcast community to share photos and memories of both the publication and their own career journeys.
