REVOLVING DOOR:
Ken Kilcullen is retiring after 44 years in broadcasting. Kilcullen, who has been serving as Vista Radio’s VP of Talent and Regional Manager in the Okanagan for the past year, will step down on Aug. 28. Prior to joining Vista, Kilcullen was with Bell Media for more than a decade as General Manager, BC Interior. He also spent 15 years with Pattison Media as Radio Operations Manager and later GM in Prince George.
Sean Amato has joined the Alberta NDP Caucus as Director of Communications. Amato recently announced his departure from CityNews Edmonton where he’d been an Alberta Politics Reporter since 2024. Prior to that, he spent 14 years with CTV Edmonton.
Joel Gotlib has joined Global Edmonton as a Digital Journalist. Gotlib was formerly a Senior Reporter and Anchor with CTV Edmonton from 2004-18 and prior to that did an eight-month reporting stint in the Global newsroom.
Jaclyn Kucey has announced she’s leaving media to move into a communications role. Kucey has been with Global News since 2022, initially as a Community Relations Coordinator and videographer in Lethbridge, before joining Global Edmonton as a Community Reporter, Digital Broadcast Journalist and most recently News Producer.
Moosa Imran has joined CTV Barrie as Digital News Lead. Imran arrives from Global News where he’d been a Digital Broadcast Journalist since 2023 in both Regina and Durham.
Kattie Laur has a new role with CBC Podcasts as an Associate Producer. Laur, who is also behind the Pod the North consultancy, newsletter and podcast, had most recently worked with Bumper as a Podcast Growth Specialist.
Carlos Benevides has wrapped up his time as a Broadcast Radio Professor at Conestoga College after seven years. He’ll be continuing his Saturday afternoon show on CHYM 96.7 Kitchener.
Jay Bennett has a new role with Shaftesbury as Senior Vice-President, Franchise Strategy & Innovation, reporting to President Christina Jennings. Bennett has been with the company since 2023 after previously holding a similar role at Vancouver’s Wind Sun Sky Entertainment. Prior to that, he served as SVP, Creative & Innovation at Shaftesbury.
Nicholas Yelland has been tapped by Boat Rocker as the company’s Director of Global Content Strategy & Acquisitions. Yelland previously held international research roles at Lionsgate, Entertainment One and Fremantle.
Ana Serrano has been re-appointed as a member of the National Film Board (NFB) for another three years. The former founder and director of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Media Lab, Serrano is also the President & Vice Chancellor of OCAD University.
Tom Keefe has been named PPDS’ new Director of Sales for dvLED North America. Based in Buffalo, Keefe has more than 23 years of pro AV experience, most recently with IT consulting firm, Almo Pro AV.
RADIO & PODCAST:
Canadaland Editor & Publisher Jesse Brown has issued an apology to the mother of WE Charity co-founders Marc and Craig Kielburger as part of a defamation suit settlement. In addition to the apology, made in open court, Brown and Canadaland will pay a total of $885,000 in damages and costs to Theresa Kielburger, 82. The retraction will also have a permanent presence on the Canadaland website and be inserted into the original podcast episode. The lawsuit centred around a claim in 2021 podcast series, The White Saviors, that Mrs. Kielburger, a retired Toronto school teacher, had taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations and deposited them into a family bank account. Read more here.
CINA Radio Group has relaunched Toronto’s FLOW 98.7FM (CKFG-FM) with a refreshed lineup and logo, harkening back to the brand’s original style and colourway used at launch in 2001. Headlining the changes are the return of legendary FLOW personality Peter Kash to the brand’s airwaves, while also assuming the role of Program Director. Kash, who most recently was hosting mornings on Virgin Radio (CFMG-FM) Edmonton, co-hosted the morning show on the former FLOW 93.5 (CFXJ-FM) for nearly 12 years, prior to Stingray relinquishing the brand in 2022. Kash is now being heard in afternoons and drive, which includes the return of the legendary “Traffic Flow Mixshow.” Patricia Jaggernauth and “Canada’s Reggae Ambassador” Spex are helming new morning show, “Mornings with Patricia J & Spex.” Read more here.
CHIN Radio/TV is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the CHIN Picnic, presented by Rogers, on Saturday, June 13 at 4 p.m. during the Taste of Little Italy Festival. The station, which launched in 1966, officially marked six decades of pioneering multicultural broadcasting on June 6. Today, CHIN Radio broadcasts on five frequencies across Toronto and Ottawa, delivering programming in more than 50 languages and producing over 12 hours of multilingual television programming weekly on OMNI Television and Citytv. Saturday’s celebration will include a cake-cutting ceremony and 60 multicoloured balloon release.
CJBQ 800 Belleville is celebrating its 80th anniversary this summer on Aug. 12, in addition to over the air and online leading up to that date with a series of remembrances and vignettes. If your journey in the broadcast and/or journalism industry has taken you to Quinte Broadcasting’s heritage radio station at any point, they’re welcoming short audio submissions they can post on their history website and share on-air closer to the anniversary date. Please send greetings, wishes and reflections to Ted Bradford at ted@cjbq.com.
Numeris has released the latest PPM release covering the period from March 2 to May 31. With this book, radio retains an average weekly reach of 80% for Canadians A12+. In-home and out of home tuning are equally split 50/50. Out of home represents 48% of tuning. For Canadians, 11% of radio consumption in the PPM markets comes from AM/FM live radio streaming. Find David Bray’s breakdown of the top performers in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton here.
Numeris has released Spring Radio Diary ratings, reflecting weekly measurement from April 28, 2025 to May 3, 2026. Radio reached 79% of Canadians 25-54 (and 78% of A12+) in diary markets. In the Quebec markets, A12+ reach was 82% and with Adults 25-54 at 86%. This spring, 39% of adult 25-54 listening occurred in-vehicle, 32% of listening was done in the home, while 28% took place at work. Check out David Bray’s breakdown for Winnipeg, Victoria, Quebec City, Ottawa-Gatineau and Halifax here.
The CRTC has opened a call for comments on renewing radio licences for indefinite terms. The commission is proposing to renew almost all existing radio licences for indefinite terms, regardless of their current licence expiry date or type of licence. Comments are being accepted until July 6.
LISTEN: Rob Greenlee returns to the Sound Off Podcast for a discussion about how podcasting is changing under the weight of new media, big platforms, and AI. Greenlee and Matt Cundill talk about how the real battle lines are drawn around who controls distribution and audience, as companies like YouTube and Spotify push proprietary ecosystems, while RSS still quietly powers most downloads. They also dig into how AI is reshaping production, coming back to what matters most in podcasting: trust, transparency, and being clear about how we use AI with our audiences.
SIGN OFFS:
Drew Suriano, 43, suddenly on June 6. Suriano spent his entire career at Evanov Communications’ Z103.5 (CIDC-FM) Toronto. He started out as an intern while still attending the Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology program at Humber College, progressively moving up to board op and then DJ, eventually holding the dual role of Music and Programming Assistant for more than two decades. Suriano assumed the title of Assistant Program Director in 2023. In addition to his work with Evanov, he ran mobile DJ service, 3 Sounds Entertainment for more than a decade. Read more here.
TV & FILM:
The Government of Prince Edward Island Film Production Fund is investing $5 million in the production of Netflix series This Summer Will be Different, based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Carley Fortune. The province says the financial support will help grow the Island’s film industry through job creation, workforce development opportunities, and global exposure of PEI products, talent, and natural landscapes. Current PEI film professionals and prospective new entrants to the sector will have the opportunity to take part in the project through new employment and on the job training activities. Production on the series is expected to begin in the coming weeks
UPFRONTS: Bell Media’s 2026/27 original content slate includes reboots of some classic Canadiana, with new adaptations of The Littlest Hobo and Meatballs, and the revival of Big Brother Canada. The network’s original English content slate features 62 titles, alongside 56 French-language projects. The Littlest Hobo reboot is the first project under Bell Media’s previously announced development and production agreement with Lionsgate and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures. Crave is also planning a comedy series adaptation based on Ivan Reitman’s 1979 cult classic film, Meatballs, starring Canadian actor and singer Robbie G.K. (Heated Rivalry), produced by Blink49 Studios and Incendo. Read more here.
Fiasco Global Media has optioned the rights to Bell Fibe TV1 original comedy Cows Come Home for adaptation as a half-hour TV comedy. Created by Lindsey Middleton and Katie Uhlmann, the digital series is coming off Canadian Screen Awards wins for Best Web Program or Series, Fiction and Best Direction, Web Program or Series for Uhlmann. The series, which follows a chaotic woman (Middleton) who returns to her hometown seeking a fresh start, consistently held the “Top Favourite” position on Bell Fibe TV1 since its launch in June 2025.
OUTtv has acquired six-time Leo Award-nominated series, The Dressing Room, from PM Productions. Created by Vancouver theatre artists Paul Almeida and Makayla Moore, the workplace comedy stars Irene Karas Loeper (The L Word) and Jason Sakaki (The Audacity, Lucky Hank). It will have its international broadcast debut on June 10 in the U.S, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Taiwan, Mexico, Argentina, and South Africa, as well as OUTflix in the UK and Ireland.
Samsung TV Plus has added two new channels to its Canadian offerings: MovieSphere – featuring everything from blockbuster hits to indie favourites and Scrambled Up – dedicated to the word scramble hosted by Michael Yo.
The Disability Screen Office (DSO) has released Reframing Access: A Best Practices Guide on Disability Inclusion in Canada’s Screen Industry, a resource offering a roadmap for industry professionals to design more equitable workflows and ensure screen industry workplaces (on set, in the production office, and beyond) are accessible to everyone.
The Quebec English-language Production Council (QEPC), with the support of the Canada Media Fund Sector Development Support Program and the Bell Fund’s Industry Development Program, has launched its inaugural QEPC Market Access Program, a new initiative designed to support emerging English-language producers in Quebec. Created to address the barriers many official language minority community (OLMC) producers face when entering national industry spaces, the inaugural cohort includes emerging producers Anna Burkholder, Emily Gan, Anne Koizumi, and Jess Lee.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
The FWD Awards were handed out last Thursday evening, recognizing “the best and brightest” in broadcasting in Western Canada. Awarded to member stations from both the Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) and BC Association of Broadcasters (BCAB), the awards wrapped up the inaugural FWD Conference in Kelowna. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honourees included long-serving Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver host Robin LaRose; Pattison Media’s retiring Director of Metro Sales Mike Jean; and Dale Taylor, morning announcer at Vista Radio’s 97.5 The Goat (CFFM-FM) in Williams Lake, BC. The awards also recognized emerging talent, with Harvard Media’s Olivia Shearer, evening and weekend announcer at GX94 (CJGX-FM) Yorkton, SK receiving the Emerging Leader Award. Read more here.
Ottawa’s about-face on the Online Streaming Act was front and centre at last week’s FWD Conference. Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) President Kevin Desjardins characterized the federal funding announcement as a pragmatic, necessary lifeline for an industry on the brink, even if it leaves the fundamental imbalance between domestic and foreign media unaddressed. Read more here.
Sarah Thompson, lead for the Canadian Media Means Business (CMMB) initiative, told FWD Conference that unchecked bleeding of Canadian ad dollars into Silicon Valley needs to be stemmed to preserve Canadian media jobs. Touting data from CMMB’s most recent study, released in April, she outlined a trajectory for the Canadian media landscape that indicates by 2030, for every $100 invested in media in Canada, just $21.32 will stay in the country. Read more here.
OP-ED: As reaction to last week’s federal announcement reversing course on the Online Streaming Act continues to roll in, Pattison Media President Rod Schween writes “the government’s decision to provide significant support to the sector, alongside a directive to review aspects of the current regulatory framework, is an important signal. It reflects recognition that something in the system is not working as intended. But recognition is not resolution. The challenge facing Canadian broadcasting today is not simply a question of funding. It is a question of whether the system that has historically supported Canadian content, local news, and cultural expression is still functioning in a sustainable way.” Read more here.
The Department of Finance has called for comments on extending the Canadian journalism labour tax credit to audio and audiovisual news productions. Currently, the tax credit applies exclusively to the production of original written news content, providing qualifying journalism organizations with a 35% refundable tax credit on the salary or wages paid to eligible newsroom employees. Comments are open until July 31.
CBC/Radio-Canada, The Globe and Mail, La Presse, Postmedia, Quebecor, Torstar and TVO are joining the Standards for Publisher Usage Rights (SPUR) Coalition, part of an international alliance of news publishers working to shape the technical and commercial environment in which intellectual property owners can control and monetize use of their content by generative AI applications. Launched in February by The Guardian, BBC, Financial Times, Sky News and Telegraph Media Group, the coalition is seeking a fair market for quality content that recognizes the essential role publishers’ intellectual property and trusted journalism play in powering AI systems.
Stingray has reported Q4 and full-year results for 2026. Q4 revenues increased $41.8 million, or 43.6% to $137.8 million, primarily due to higher advertising and subscription revenues from the TuneIn acquisition, along with greater equipment sales from The Singing Machine acquisition. Canadian revenues decreased $2.6 million, or 5.5%, to $44.2 million from $46.8 million in Q4 2025, attributed to reduced Radio revenues (down $2.3M or 7.5% in Q4) caused by lower airtime sales. Broadcasting and Commercial Music revenues in Q4 increased $44.2 million, or 68.4% to $108.8 million and were up 33.2% to $339.2 million for the year.
Tina Yazdani has launched a $650,000 wrongful dismissal suit against Rogers. The former CityNews Queen’s Park reporter alleges in a Statement of Claim filed in Ontario Superior Court that she was terminated in April because new management found her reporting style “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.” She is seeking over $150,000 to cover 18 months in wages, in addition to $500,000 in punitive and moral damages.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Numeris and NLogic have announced the introduction of Canadian TAM (Television Audience Measurement) data into the AudienceProject solution, enabling advertisers to measure campaign performance across both linear TV and digital channels in a single offering. Previously available for most digital platforms, the enhancement extends ad measurement to linear TV, allowing marketers to view deduplicated reach, frequency, and total ad impressions across their full video campaign. Numeris TV audience segments – previously available exclusively in The Trade Desk – are now also accessible through leading DSP platforms StackAdapt and Google DV360. Read more here.
Grass Valley and Lawo have announced a tech collaboration focused on validating orchestration, control, and media exchange integration between Grass Valley AMPP and Lawo HOME. The collaboration supports the industry direction established by the EBU Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) initiative and the co-supported Media eXchange Layer (MXL) project. Use cases to be explored include multi-platform routing, cross-environment resource visibility, and MXL-aligned exchange between software-based media functions.
