The Weekly Briefing

REVOLVING DOOR:

Kathleen Meek, Manager, Original Content, Drama & Factual, responsible for original scripted and factual series for Global, History Canada, Showcase and W Network, is among those caught up in the restructuring of Corus Entertainment’s Original Programming team. Meek had been with Corus since 2018 after holding similar roles with Bell Media and Astral Media. Corus said the changes are “part of managing the post-pandemic climate and unexpected current economic uncertainty” as the company continues an ongoing “enterprise-wide cost review, looking at all expenses and operations with a view to streamline our operating model.” Read more here.

Jamie Irving, who joined Postmedia as Executive Chair in April 2022 after it acquired Brunswick News from the Irving family, is leaving the company “to pursue other opportunities.” Irving has resigned from Postmedia’s Board of Directors with Peter Sharpe, Lead Director, assuming the role of Interim Chair, effective immediately.

Kimberley Perdue, Manager, BDU Revenue, is retiring from Super Channel after 13 years with the company. Her last day will be June 30. Perdue joined Super Channel in 2010 as Manager, Affiliate Relations and assumed her role of Manager, BDU Revenue in 2020 where her position was expanded to also focus on creating new partnerships with IPTV services across the country. She had previously served as Manager, Affiliate Relations at Channel Zero, and also held several positions at Global where she began her broadcast career. 

Gary Dorosz, formerly General Manager of Pattison Media Lethbridge, is now the General Manager/General Sales Manager of the Brandon station group, following recent CRTC approval to acquire Q Country 91.5 (CKLQ-FM) and 94.7 Star FM (CKLF-FM) from Westman Communications Group. Cam Clark, GM of Pattison Media Medicine Hat, adds Lethbridge to his oversight, with Jasmin Doobay leading the team on the ground in Lethbridge as Station Manager, adding to her Program Director duties. Regional Sales Manager Trent Fujita will spearhead local sales in both Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Read more here.

Sara Hyde has been named Interim Director of Talk and Talent at 980 CKNW Vancouver as Kathryn Stewart heads out on maternity leave at the end of July. Executive Producer for the past year and a half, Hyde previously hosted the morning show on Vista Radio’s 103.5 The Bridge (CHNV-FM) Nelson, BC and prior to that was a freelance contributor to CBC Vancouver. 

 

 

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Announcement from Dan Soul:

My friends, I have something to tell you. This week will mark my last as host of the Goat’s Morning Breath and… my last with the Goat.

I’d like I fill you in on what’s going on. That’s what this video is about. https://t.co/6DlxOAq3mj

— 106.1 The Goat (@1061TheGOAT) June 26, 2023

Dan Soul has announced his departure from the morning show on 106.1 The Goat (CKLM-FM) Lloydminster. Soul cites a desire to move closer to family and his partner in Edmonton and pursue the chance to explore other opportunities. Soul had been with the station for the last six years, both on-air and serving as music director.

Charlee Morgan has added 93.3 Beach Radio (CJHD-FM) North Battleford, SK to the stations that now carry her midday network show across Pattison Media stations in three provinces. Morgan is now heard on 12 stations, including the Beach Radio and Rewind Radio brands.

John Kennedy has parted ways with iHeartRadio Canada. Kennedy had been producing music news and other content for the brand’s 100+ radio station websites across the country and iHeartRadio.ca, on a contract basis since 2016.

Franca G. Mignacca is joining Global Montreal as a reporter covering Quebec politics and the National Assembly. Mignacca arrives from CBC where she’s held a similar role for the last six months. Prior to that, she was a multi-platform journalist and radio anchor with the public broadcaster in both Montreal and Quebec City. 

Adam Miller has announced his departure from CBC News. Miller has been a Senior Health Writer for the last four years, working on CBC’s weekly Second Opinion newsletter. Prior to that, he spent two years as a Senior Digital Producer with The National.

Stephanie Hughes is joining BNN Bloomberg as an Equities Reporter. Hughes, who previously freelanced for the outlet, arrives from the Financial Post where she’s been a Finance Reporter for the last two years.

Alessia Passafiume is joining The Canadian Press (CP) Parliament Hill bureau next month where she’ll focus on covering Indigenous and gender issues. Passafiume leaves the Toronto Star after a year and a half where she’s most recently been assigned to breaking news and culture.

Victoria Ahearn is leaving her role as Editor of Playback to pursue an opportunity outside the industry. Ahearn has been with parent company, Brunico Communications, since 2021 after leaving The Canadian Press, where she served as lead Film & TV reporter, among other roles, for more than 22 years.

Lauren Howes is the new Managing Director of the DOC Institute. Howes brings over 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit arts sector to the position, most recently as Executive Director of the Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. Prior to that, Howes was Executive Director of the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC) from 2007-21.

Carmel Smyth has been declared the winner of the national election to determine the next leader of CWA Canada. Smyth, a journalist with 25 years of experience in private and public broadcasting, was formerly president of the Canadian Media Guild (Local 30213) for nine years. She replaces outgoing President Martin O’Hanlon, who was recently elected as President of CMG’s TVO branch. Lois Kirkup, President of the Ottawa Newspaper Guild, who was acclaimed, continues in the post of Vice-President for another four-year term. Smyth and Kirkup will be sworn in at the CWA Convention, July 10-12, in St. Louis, Missouri.

RADIO & PODCAST:

FEATURE: Has PPM made radio worse? That question, posed by Edison Research President Larry Rosin, was followed by a long pause at Radiodays North America as a panel of programmers tackled the efficacy of the measurement system as it marks its 10th anniversary. One point the panel agreed upon was that programmers have become better at responding to the limitations of PPM, which initially saw stations overwhelmingly move to shorter talk breaks in response to the finding that when the music stopped, metrics would go down. Rosin agreed with the assertion that it had led to a lack of proper talent development, saying the methodology had led to the minimization of personalities – the one thing that differentiates radio from an app-based environment. Read more here.

LISTEN: Among the recurring themes out of the many discussions that took place – both on stage and off – at the inaugural Radiodays North America event, were the need to attract younger audiences, shifting consumer listening habits, including the ongoing battle for in-car, and of course the artificial intelligence vs. authenticity debate. On the latest episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast, we talk to conference veterans including PodNews editor James Cridland, Radioplayer Worldwide General Manager Lawrence Galkoff, The Creativity Business founder Steve Pratt, and Radiodays GM Peter Niegel on their personal takeaways and highlights from the conference’s North American debut.

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) and Futuri Media have partnered to use Futuri’s RadioGPT AI technology on GHQ, UFCJC’s audio research and development platform. GHQ will use the technology to create “Q,” an AI personality to develop and read scripts with hourly updates on weather, events and other news around Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida. As part of the R&D partnership, UFCJC and Futuri will analyze how effective the technology is in connecting with the radio station’s audience. The research and development effort is aimed at helping the radio industry develop best practices in the effective and ethical use of AI in their operations.

Coast to Coast AM is back on Canadian airwaves joining the lineup on Bell Media’s AM800 CKLW Windsor. The syndicated Premiere Networks program, hosted by George Noory, hasn’t been heard in Canada for three years. Featuring discussion on everything from time travel to aliens and the paranormal, the show has garnered criticism in the past for fueling “pseudo-scientific” conspiracy theories. It’s being distributed by Orbyt Media.

Kelly&Kelly, the boutique Vancouver creative studio, is behind newly-launched iHeartMedia podcast, Supreme: The Battle for Roe, featuring a star-studded cast led by Maya Hawke and William H. Macy. The nine-part scripted podcast delves into the historic Roe v. Wade case. The Webby award-winning Kelly&Kelly have been working behind-the-scenes, producing and directing the series, for the last two years.

This is That is returning to CBC Podcasts for 10 episodes this summer. Veteran comedians and co-hosts Peter Oldring and Pat Kelly return with their improvised send-up of public radio.

CBC Podcasts’ Nothing is Foreign is coming to an end. Launched in early 2022, the weekly world news podcast attempted to tackle global events from a perspective outside the western lens. Host Tamara Khandaker moves over to CBC’s daily news podcast, Frontburner, for the next three months, announcing earlier this month she has plans to relocate from Toronto to Berlin.

Brynn Griffiths and Dave Jamieson are now more than half a dozen episodes into Cancer In The Room, their sports podcast interviewing cancer survivors like Montreal Canadiens broadcaster Bryan Mudryk, Blue Jays announcer Buck Martinez, and Sportsnet host Jamie Campbell, among others. Griffiths, a veteran Edmonton sportscaster, lost his stomach to cancer, while Jamieson, a former TSN 1260 (CFRN-AM) host, previously battled throat cancer. 

SOCAN says it saw a significant year-over-year increase in digital royalties for members as the Canadian music industry gradually emerged from pandemic restrictions, but that not all creators are benefiting. SOCAN’s annual report, reflecting 2022 data, indicates digital collections continued their upward trajectory nearly surpassing traditional broadcast revenue. Total collections from use of music on the internet increased 24% year-over-over to $167M, with reproduction rights climbing 35% in the same period to $15M. Total collections of $484-million, were up 16% over 2021. SOCAN says not all creators are gaining from the increase in digital royalties, with Canadian music creators not receiving the same visibility in digital spaces, compared to traditional outlets like radio. Read more here.

LISTEN: Kattie Laur, the podcast producer behind the Pod The North newsletter is on the Sound Off Podcast. Designed around the idea of creating a community for Canadian podcasters, Laur is also a freelancer for Canadaland and AM 640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto. Among other things, Laur and Matt Cundill discuss Bill C-11 and whether or not it will actually lead to positive change in the Canadian media space. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

94.9 The Rock (CKGE-FM) Oshawa marked a first at Craig & Lucky’s Rockin’ The Ridge Invitational this year, as listener Chuck Collie of Brampton nailed a 167-yard hole-in-one at Lakeridge Links in Whitby. After hosting and playing in many tournaments over the years, morning show co-host Craig Venn said he was left “totally shocked that someone has actually done it.” Collie’s effort won him a brand new 2023 Chevrolet Malibu RS from Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac in Whitby.

SIGN OFFS:

Dan Carson, 60, on June 27. Heard on Calgary’s Country 105 (CKRY-FM) for three decades, Carson was part of the station’s “Odd Squad” morning team alongside fellow long-serving personalities Robyn Adair, Doug Veronelly, and later Roger Rhodes. Over those three decades, he briefly detoured to the CKO radio network to travel with the Calgary Cannons baseball team, parting ways with Corus Entertainment in 2019. He went on to work for CityNews 660 (CFFR-AM) Calgary, starting in 2020, as a weekend announcer. He had also served as the public address announcer for the Calgary Stampeders for 31 years.

Bob Lockhart, 92, on  June 18 at the Veterans Health Unit in Fredericton. A two-time Mayor of the City of Saint John (‘71-74, ‘80-83), Lockhart started his journalism career at CJCH Halifax, before moving to St. John’s, NL, in 1956, where he gained experience at CJON and VOCM, working in both radio and television. He joined CFBC Saint John as a founding partner in 1961, where he hosted popular call-in show, “Talk of the Town” until 1969. Often covering hot political topics of the day, it opened the door for Lockhart’s foray into politics. As a war correspondent, he covered events in Europe, the Middle East, Vietnam, Bosnia, and Kosovo and was an embedded photojournalist with 3 RCR Battle Group in Afghanistan. In 2001, he accepted an invitation to become a member of the Canadian War Correspondents Association with his photos appearing in Maclean’s, TIME and Egypt Today. Among his industry affiliations, he served as the Atlantic Regional Representative to the board of Broadcast News, served as President of the Atlantic Association of Broadcasters, was an Atlantic Region Director with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), and a Director of VoicePrint Broadcasting. Lockhart was named to the CAB Hall of Fame in 2007.

TV & FILM:

Canada Post has issued a new stamp honouring acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Denys Arcand, whose career has spanned more than 60 years. Known for his intellectual curiosity, the Quebec-born artist has written and directed over two dozen films, television series and documentaries. Among Arcand’s box office successes is 1986 comedy Le déclin de l’empire américain, which won eight Genie Awards and became the first Canadian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Arcand built on that success with Jésus de Montréal (1989) and Les invasions barbares (2003), which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film – a first for Quebec and Canada. The stamp features a black and white photograph by Bertand Carrière of Arcand behind the camera in 1985.

Netflix Canada is phasing out its $9.99 “basic” option, its cheapest subscription without ads. Current “basic” subscribers will be grandfathered in unless they switch to another plan or cancel their account. The next ad-free tier is $16.49/month with simultaneous viewing on two devices, followed by the premium $20.99 plan featuring 4K high-definition video and the option to add up to two members who live outside your household. The ad-supported tier is priced at $5.99 and allows viewing on up to two screens.

GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, has announced the expansion of GroupM Motion Entertainment into Canada. Under the leadership of Daniel Mekinda, GroupM says it will work alongside its agencies Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom to provide a pathway for Canadian-based clients to align with original programming and branded entertainment through creative and talent partnerships. Mekinda, who recently served as head of global partnerships and sales for Dentsu International and launched its content agency in Canada, The Story Lab, will run local operations and report to GroupM Canada CEO Kevin Johnson and Global CEO Richard Foster.  Among GroupM’s recent Canadian partnerships is Battle of the Generations, in collaboration with Bell Media Studios and Lilly Singh’s Unicorn Island Productions, which debuted on CTV in June.

CBC will air daytime news special, Canada Day 2023, on July 1, broadcast live on CBC, CBC News Network, CBC Gem and CBC News Explore from LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa, hosted by David Cochrane, featuring special guests, a citizenship ceremony and performances from across the country. Isabelle Racicot will host evening special Canada Day: A Playlist to Celebrate, featuring Jann Arden, Roxane Bruneau, Jojo Mason, Madison Violet, Aysanabee, Preston Pablo, Tegan and Sara, Dear Rouge, and a special salute to Gordon Lightfoot. The full schedule can be found at CBC.ca/CanadaDay. 

CTV Comedy Channel original series Roast Battle Canada returns for an eight-episode third season Mondays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, beginning July 10 on CTV Comedy, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Each half-hour episode sees two pairs of Canadian comics face-off, with Season 3 seeing the return of panel judges – Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, and K. Trevor Wilson – while actor and comedian Ennis Esmer returns to preside as host. A fourth season of the series has already been ordered. 

Sportsnet and SN NOW lay up exclusive coverage of GLOBL JAM FIVES, the 5×5 under-23 basketball tournament featuring men’s and women’s teams from around the world, starting July 12. Tipping off live from Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, the GLOBL JAM broadcast team includes: host Danielle Michaud and analyst Sherman Hamilton providing pre-, post- and halftime coverage. From the booth, Matt Devlin, the voice of the Toronto Raptors, has the play-by-play call for every game, alongside analyst Alvin Williams. Courtside reporter Savannah Hamilton delivers the latest from the sidelines.  

Sportsnet has unveiled its 2023-24 national NHL broadcast schedule, set to deliver 155+ national matchups throughout the regular season, bolstered by Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, Rogers Monday Night Hockey, and Hockey Night in Canada. Sportsnet will also air more than 190+ regional matchups next season as the official regional TV and streaming broadcast partner of the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs. Marking the start of the 2023-24 regular season, the mid-week broadcast debuts Oct. 11 with four games featuring all seven Canadian teams in action. Saturday night broadcasts start Oct. 14, with Sportsnet to air 100 HNIC broadcasts throughout the regular season. Monday night broadcasts premiere Oct. 16, while Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada returns Jan. 20 for its 24th season, with an all-Canadian hockey broadcast marathon, hosted from Victoria.

Crave Original series Nesting has started principal photography in Toronto. The short-form series, created by Rosa Labordé (The Spencer Sisters, Sensitive Skin) and Anna Hardwick (Mrs. America, Murdoch Mysteries). The eight eight-minute episodes, will be directed by Emmy award-winner Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee). Key cast include Hardwick and Labordé, as well as Salvatore Antonio (Schitt’s Creek, Mary Kills People), Samer Salem (Yellowjackets, The Expanse), Ryan Allen (Titans, Five Days at Memorial), Paul Popowich (Spencer Sisters), and Lisa Berry (Slasher, Supernatural). Loosely inspired by the series creators – unlikely best friends for whom the romantic comedy dream hasn’t panned out – who try to get knocked-up at the same time so they can parent together in a new version of family. 

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) has opened applications for the 2023 Indiescreen Awards, also announcing the return of the awards ceremony to TIFF. The prize amounts, doubled in 2022, are $20,000 for the Established Producer category, and $10,000 for the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer award. To qualify, applicants must have acted as lead producer (or production team) on a Canadian feature film that has or will premiere in the 2023 calendar year. Detailed eligibility criteria can be found on the Indiescreen Awards webpage. The deadline to apply is Aug. 4. The Indiescreen Awards will be held on Sept. 7 at Glenn Gould Studio.

Telefilm Canada is currently accepting entries for Canadian production and distribution companies wishing to join the Canada Pavilion at MIPCOM 2023. The Canada Pavilion at MIPCOM will return to Riviera 8 this year, with space to host up to 80 companies, making it one of the largest national pavilions at MIPCOM. 

Women in Film & Television (WIFT Toronto) has announced the recipients of the 2023 CBC Business of Broadcasting Mentorship. The mentorship, now in its 17th year, seeks emerging Canadian screen based media professionals passionate about production and development with a focus on scripted broadcast content. Zeynep Güler-Tuck is a Toronto-based creative producer, who worked with Microsoft News, NBC, CBS, Time Out, Lonely Planet, and Corus Entertainment, before transitioning into film and TV, currently the founder and creative producer of Özlü Creative + Community. Paula Sanderson is a television producer with extensive experience in factual entertainment and the social media manager for Frantic Films/CBC production Still Standing. With experience at WildBrain, marblemedia, Insight Productions, Breakthrough Entertainment, and Blue Ant Media, she is currently pursuing an MBA at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) have unveiled the talent roster for the second iteration of the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Directors Program. The initiative is designed to amplify underrepresented directors in Canada by providing opportunities for participants to hone their artistry and craft, gain deeper industry knowledge, and experience invaluable exposure to production executives, fellow creators, and industry leaders. This year’s participants are: Marilyn Cooke (QC), Duane Crichton (ON), Mary Galloway (MB), Rouzbeh Heydari (ON), Alpha Nicky (ON), Tarique Qayumi (BC), Amar Wala (ON), Samantha Wan (ON), Christopher Yip (ON), and Mayumi Yoshida (BC). Each participant is compensated with $60,000 for their participation in the program.

TIFF has announced that Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker, will make its World Premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 7–17). The TIFF Ebert Director Award recipient was last at the festival in 2019 with the World Premiere of Jojo Rabbit. Next Goal Wins stars Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss. The sports comedy is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name and follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. More festival details will be announced in the coming weeks.

ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:

Postmedia is in talks with the owners of the Toronto Star, discussing a potential merger. Nordstar Capital, owner of Metroland Media Group and the Toronto Star, and Postmedia have entered into non-binding discussions with the potential merged entity to be jointly owned and controlled by Nordstar (which would have a 50% voting interest and 44% economic interest) and existing Postmedia shareholders (who would have a combined voting interest of 50% and combined economic interest of 56%). Jordan Bitove, Publisher of the Toronto Star and owner of Nordstar, would be Chairman of the merged entity, while Postmedia CEO Andrew MacLeod would be CEO. The two companies say the Star would maintain its editorial independence from the merged entity through the incorporation of new company, Toronto Star Inc. MacLeod says the proposed merger would create a new entity with reduced debt and national digital scale to compete with the global technology giants, which would also provide “the best opportunity to ensure strong news media coverage for Canadians from coast to coast,” adding that with the media industry “under existential threat, new models are urgently required.”

Indiegraf has announced the first publishers supported by its News Startup Fund. The new $3.5 million fund supports the launch and growth of startup news organizations filling local news gaps in underserved communities. Selected from over 150 applications, Indiegraf says funded publishers represent the most promising early-stage independent news organizations across North America, based on a rigorous assessment that considered their revenue potential, journalistic impact, community need and whether the funding could make a significant impact on their growth. Canadian recipients include Peterborough Currents (Ontario), Pivot (Quebec), The Rover (Quebec), The Wren (British Columbia), and Windspeaker (Alberta). Indiegraf says since beginning the program, publishers have grown their email newsletter subscribers by 35%, on average, and the portfolio has grown their revenue a combined 114%. It will open applications again to a handful of publishers this fall with priority going to early stage and pre-launch publishers.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

Bell Media is appealing to the CRTC to delete numerous conditions of licence (COLs) around local news coverage for its English- and French-language television stations, saying that regulatory relief is “critical in light of the uncertainty that lays ahead for private Canadian broadcasters.” One of the largest broadcasters of local news with 35 local television stations – including 14 markets where they are the only local television news voice, according to the application – Bell is asking the commission to eliminate minimum local news programming requirements, saying even without those COLs, its stations “will continue to cover a wide range of quality news that our viewers in markets large or small have come to expect from us.” Bell’s application states that the COLs are no longer sustainable in the current economic and competitive environment, referencing last year’s CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal decision, which while referred back by Cabinet for re-evaluation, saw the CRTC remove certain exhibition requirements finding “that as audiences change their viewing habits, the risk of continuing to rely solely on exhibition requirements would be to the detriment of both the CBC and Canadian viewers.” Bell’s application argues there is no valid policy reason that same flexibility shouldn’t be applied to its stations. Read more here.

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is among the organizations applauding the passage of Bill C-18, the Online News Act, as Meta confirms it will end news availability on Facebook and Instagram, prior to the Act taking effect. The bill, which would compel online search engines and social media platforms to negotiate compensation agreements with media outlets for news content, received royal assent on Thursday with a Senate vote of 56–22. The CAB, representing Canada’s private broadcasters, and News Media Canada, which represents the interests of the country’s top publishers, tout the legislation as a sustainability lifeline for news organizations as financial challenges are amplified by the advertising dominance of foreign online platforms. While Meta continues testing a product solution that would end news availability in Canada – a vital source of referral traffic for many news outlets – Marla Boltman, Executive Director of public broadcaster watchdog FRIENDS, says she’s optimistic the tech giants will comply with the Act. Read more here.

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has written to the ministers of Canadian Heritage and Innovation, Science and Industry asking for protection for Canadian creators in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The national association, representing 2,500 professional screenwriters working in English-language film, television, radio, and digital media production, says it has growing concerns around the rapid development of AI and the threat it represents to Canadian artists and creators. Among the WGC recommendations is that AI not be recognized as an “author” under the Copyright Act. It also wants public funding for culture to remain for the benefit of human creators. Read more here.

The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) has selected Duncan McCue as the recipient of the 2023 NAJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award. The award honors NAJA’s mission and the exemplary people who have led the way with outstanding work and contributions to the field of journalism. McCue, who has been with CBC News for 25 years, is a leading advocate for fostering the connection between journalism and Indigenous communities. He recently released new textbook Decolonizing Journalism: A Guide to Reporting in Indigenous Communities and is joining Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication as an associate professor specializing in Indigenous journalism. McCue will be recognized during the NAJA Membership Meeting as part of the 2023 National Native Media Conference in Winnipeg, Aug. 10-12.

RTDNA Canada is inviting nominations for its new Emerging Journalist Award, recognizing the achievements and work of Canadian journalists in the early stages of their career. Awarded to an emerging journalist who displays excellence in the coverage of original (enterprise) journalism on a single topic, investigative reporting, or continuing coverage of a beat or a major breaking and developing story, nominations are being accepted until Aug. 15.

The City of Prince George has been selected as the municipal winner of the 2022 Code of Silence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy. Presented annually by the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), the award highlights the city’s repeated failures to transparently share how taxpayer dollars are spent on city projects and operations. Among what his year’s jury determined to be “egregious” actions were evidence showing how the city manager hid from city council the cost overrun of a local parkade for more than two years. The city also provided misleading information to the public about the suspension of city workers based on their vaccination status. After city officials said no city employees had lost their jobs, nearly two dozen workers spoke out about being suspended without pay and, subsequently, having their jobs posted and filled.

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

Beyond Capture Studios, the state-of-the-art performance capture and motion capture (mocap) facility in Vancouver, has expanded with the opening of a new stage in Montréal. Following the purchase of 145 cameras from motion capture technology provider, Qualisys – known for their large volume coverage for indoor, outdoor, and even underwater projects – Beyond Capture Montréal is now one of the largest mocap stages worldwide. The Montréal studio had its grand opening June 21, showcasing the latest technology and infrastructure to facilitate productions spanning film, television, video games, and other creative projects.

NAB Show New York is scheduled to take place Oct. 24-26, with exhibits running from Oct. 25-26, at the Javits Center. Produced by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the show is once again co-located with the AES (Audio Engineering Society) New York 2023 Convention, which is marking its 75th anniversary.