REVOLVING DOOR:
Jason Pires has departed CTV Vancouver to cross the street to Global BC’s Global News Morning. Pires had been with CTV since 2001, first on Vancouver Island, before joining the Vancouver bureau as sports director and an anchor and reporter in 2008. He’d been the co-host of the local edition of CTV Morning Live since 2017, alongside Keri Adams, up until changes at Bell Media in June that saw him moved to the noon anchor desk. Read more here.
David Corey is returning to Bell Media as a Radio Programming Management Consultant. Most recently Director of FM Programming for Cumulus Media, Corey previously served as VP of Radio Programming and PD of CHUM-FM Toronto from 2006-17.
Drew Suriano has been named Assistant Program Director of Evanov Communications’ flagship station Z103.5 (CIDC-FM) as it “integrates” with Proud 103.9 (CIRR-FM) Toronto. A homegrown talent, who joined the company 20 years ago as an intern, Suriano most recently held the title of Music and Programming Assistant. Danny Raponi (DJ DannyD) will now assume some of these responsibilities. In his new role, Suriano will work directly with PD Matt Wreggitt “to keep the station a listener favourite and to expand elements and features that inspire listener loyalty,” the company said in an announcement.
Meredith Shaw has departed CHUM 104.5 Toronto after almost nine years. Shaw initially joined the station in evenings, before moving into afternoons and acting as a fill-in host for Marilyn Denis on the morning show. Shaw is also the host of Double Your Dish with her partner, Chef Rodney Bowers, on CTV’s platforms, and has contributed to The Social and The Marilyn Denis Show. She is leaving Bell Media for a yet-to-be revealed opportunity.
Brad Gibb, Program Director at FM96 (CFPL-FM) London, 103.1 Fresh Radio (CFHK-FM) St. Thomas and Country 104 (CKDK-FM) Woodstock, is among those caught up in the recent restructuring in Corus Entertainment’s audio division. Gibb had been with the station group since 2011 after serving as PD at CKWS-FM Kingston. He had previously served as music director and APD at FM96 between 2001-08.
Jon “Gonzo” Mark, afternoon drive announcer at Corus Radio’s boom 99.7 (CJOT-FM) Ottawa, has parted ways with the company. Gonzo had been with the station the last eight and a half years. He previously did two separate on-air stints with 97.7 HTZ FM (CHTZ-FM) Niagara and spent seven years in swing at Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto.
Cam Sullivan, Assistant Program Director at Country 105 (CKRY-FM), is no longer with Corus Entertainment. Sullivan had been in the role the last nine months, following the company’s move in December to drop its Classic Rock format and abandon the Q107 brand where Sullivan was formerly midday host and APD.
Emily Czerwinski is joining The Zone @ 91.3 (CJZN-FM) Victoria in middays, starting Sept. 5. Czerwinski, who was formerly with Pattison Media’s The Peak (CKPK-FM) Vancouver, will be covering Kirsten James’ maternity leave.
Ken Connors, host of the weekend morning show on Montreal’s CJAD 800, has announced he’ll retire at the end of the year. Connors secured his first radio job in Kirkland Lake, ON in 1984, followed by stops in Guelph and Ottawa, before landing at CHOM 97.7 in 1989. After hosting turns on Mix 96 (CJFM-FM), 940 News (CINW-AM) and Q92 (CFQR-FM), he joined CJAD seven years ago when he took over weekends from Dave Fisher.
Don Vail is moving on from Bell Media’s Bounce 92.3 (CJOS-FM) Owen Sound to take on a new role with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Vail has served as the station’s program director, music director and afternoon host for the last five and a half years. Prior to that, he did 13-year stints with both Larche Communications and Bayshore Broadcasting.
Fred Wallace has entered semi-retirement, signing off from Bayshore Broadcasting’s CFOS Owen Sound after 40 years in broadcasting. Wallace got his start in radio in his hometown of Midland, ON at 1230 CKMP after graduating from Ryerson. He initially joined CFOS as a DJ in 1984 before taking over the sports director role four years later. Wallace also served as the voice of the Ontario Hockey League Owen Sound Platers, starting in 1989, which have since rebranded as Owen Sound Attack.
Brian Perkin has retired as General Manager of Lake 88.1 (CHLK-FM) Perth, ON, the station he and partner Norm Wright founded in 2007. Perkin and his wife Jennifer had been sole owners since 2014 until selling to My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in 2021. Perkin’s 42-year broadcasting career includes stops at CHOO Ajax, CJOY/CKLA Guelph, CFRA/CFMO, CFGO and CHEZ Ottawa, as well as a 14-year stint as Operations Manager/PD at CJET/CHEQ Smiths Falls. Perkin continues to host weekends and the Sunday Café at Lake 88.1.
Spencer Hall has signed off from 100.1 Moose FM (CKFU-FM) Fort St. John, BC and its web portal Energeticcity.ca after almost two years as a reporter with the station. Hall first joined Moose FM in 2021 right out of the BCIT Radio Arts and Entertainment program as a summer cruiser host. He’s accepted a civic reporter position at The Rocky Mountain Goat in Valemount.
Todd Lubin has been appointed President, Boat Rocker Studios, Unscripted. In his new role, Lubin will lead the company’s creative unscripted efforts, including series and documentaries, overseeing Boat Rocker’s Matador Content, Maven, and Proper Television production shingles. Lubin, formerly President and Co-Founder of Matador Content, takes over from Jay Peterson, who has decided to step down from the role. Peterson will remain with Boat Rocker as an executive producer for several months, to support Lubin’s transition and delivery of current projects.
Beth Janson has stepped down as Chief Operating Officer of TIFF less than a year and a half after joining the festival. Janson was previously the CEO of The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television for six years and has also held roles as the Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Institute and Director of Programming for the Newport International Film Festival.
Jess Murwin is joining Nunavut-based Isuma Distribution International as Distribution Coordinator. Based n Montreal, Murwin is a filmmaker, curator and educator, who has programming experience with the Atlantic International Film Festival and TIFF, among other festivals. Murwin will support distribution for new releases and catalogue titles, and undertake festival and touring outreach and development initiatives.
Richard Kraemer has left his Canadian Sales Manager position with Riedel Communications’ to join Calgary-based IT consulting firm, Evolution AV. Kraemer joined Riedel in March of 2022 after holding roles with Genesis Integration, Canon Canada and Hitachi.
RADIO & PODCAST:
The CRTC says it will defer new applications or complaints relating to radio for the next two years as it focuses on implementing its regulatory plan to modernize the broadcasting system. Each year, the commission considers hundreds of radio-related complaints and applications, filed by both the public and industry stakeholders. With the Online Streaming Act to bring major changes to the Canadian broadcasting ecosystem – impacting everything from current and future licensees to conditions of service – the CRTC says that process will require considerable resources, resulting in anticipated delays. The commission says it does not anticipate receiving any applications or complaints during the two-year deferral period, “unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated that would justify, with supporting evidence when filing the request, the need to process them.” It will continue to process applications for changes in ownership or effective control of radio undertakings. Read more here.
Watch Visionary Philanthropist & Broadcast Industry Leader #GarySlaight react to his 2023 @cwofame Induction! 🎥 #CanadaThrives #CWOF25th pic.twitter.com/qaOVyAAx25
— Canada’s Walk of Fame (@CWOFame) August 16, 2023
Gary Slaight is among the 2023 Canada’s Walk of Fame inductees. Slaight, 72, is the President and CEO of Slaight Communications, Slaight Music, and The Slaight Family Foundation. He started his professional career in promotions at Quality Records and Warner Music, eventually landing at Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto as program director. Working alongside his late father Allan Slaight, he became president of Standard Radio in 1987, growing the radio group from seven stations to 63. He was named CEO in 2000. Slaight is among five newly-announced Walk of Fame inductees, including Roots Canada founders Don Green and Michael Budman (Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy), award-winning actress Tantoo Cardinal (Arts & Entertainment), and pop superstar Avril Lavigne (Arts & Entertainment). Read more here.
LISTEN: Josie Fenech, National Talent Director at Stingray and PD at Ottawa’s Hot 89.9, is on the Sound Off Podcast. Fenech joined Hot 89.9 in 2003, initially heard in evenings before joining the morning show until 2019. She and Matt Cundill discuss the new challenges facing CHR radio, what she looks for in a radio demo, and the desire for feedback.
SIGN OFFS:
Phil Lind, 80, on Aug. 20. For nearly 40 years, Lind was the right-hand man to Rogers Communications founder Ted Rogers, credited with playing an integral role in every major transaction in company history, including the recent Rogers-Shaw merger. A long time director of the company and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Rogers Control Trust, Lind first joined Rogers in 1969 as Programming Chief. With the company for 54 years, he was also instrumental in the creation of the Rogers Group of Funds and was the architect and founder of CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel). He additionally led Rogers’ foray into live sports, including its acquisition of both Sportsnet and the Toronto Blue Jays. Among other accolades he received over the years, Lind was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2002. In 2012, he was inducted into the U.S. Cable Hall of Fame, just the third Canadian to receive the honour after Ted Rogers and J.R. Shaw. Read more here and find shared memories from friends, colleagues and competitors here.
Roger Cole, 62, on Aug. 18, of cancer. The recipient of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Central Canadian Broadcast Engineers (CCBE) for his outstanding contributions to the broadcast community, Cole was a graduate of the Electronics Technology program at St. Lawrence College. He started his career at CKWS Kingston before moving on to Brockville, Chatham and finally, back to Kingston where he had been for the last 30 years, rising to the position of Chief Engineer of Television and Radio for Kingston and Peterborough at Corus Entertainment. He is remembered by colleagues for his organizational skills and ability to tackle any challenge, no matter how daunting, in an industry of ever-changing technology and resources.
Kim Blue, 70, on Aug. 1 after a brief illness. Blue discovered his talent for broadcasting while attending the University of Calgary in the 1970s at campus station, CJSW Radio. Among his professional stops were hosting talk at CFCN Calgary. He also served as a manager and host at the CKO news network. He later pursued voiceover work, going on to a successful career in real estate.
TV & FILM:
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) has unveiled the nominees for its annual Indiescreen Awards, recognizing excellence among Canadian independent feature film producers. This year’s nominees for the Established Producer Award, which recognizes a producer or production team’s filmmaking accomplishments over the course of their career, accompanied by a $20,000 prize, are: Tanya Brunel – Coming Home (Wanna Icipus Kupi); Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash, Kevin Krikst) – Blackberry; Nancy Grant – Simple Comme Sylvain (The Nature of Love); Jason Levangie, Marc Tetreault – The Queen of My Dreams; and William Woods, Allison White – The King Tide. Up for the $10,000 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award, celebrating a producer or production team’s early filmmaking achievements and career prospects, are: Anam Abbas – In Flames; Michael Tanko Grand – Satan Wants You; Alona Metzer – Backspot; Sean O’Neill – Swan Song; and Andria Wilson Mirza – The Queen of My Dreams. Read more here.
ACTRA National and UBCP ACTRA will host solidarity rallies Friday in support of striking Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) members. SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Los Angeles, Michelle Hurd will join ACTRA National President Eleanor Noble, and other ACTRA Members and sibling unions, for the 10 a.m. ET rally in downtown Toronto outside Amazon and Apple headquarters. The rally will be streamed live on ACTRA National’s Facebook page. UBCP-ACTRA will also hold a solidarity rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 11 a.m. PT to be streamed live on UBCP/ACTRA’s Instagram page.
CTV’s newest daytime addition The Good Stuff with Mary Berg is set to air weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, beginning Sept. 5. Taped in front of a live studio audience, the one-hour, daily talk and lifestyle series promises fun, food, and conversation. Berg’s culinary series Mary Makes It Easy, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m., also returns to the CTV Life Channel schedule, starting Sept. 5.
Crave Original docu-comedy series, I Have Nothing drops Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET with all six episodes, immediately following a special screening event at the Just for Laughs Festival in Toronto featuring star Carolyn Taylor. Created by Taylor, and produced by Catalyst and Blue Ant Studios, in association with Bell Media, the series follows Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch) on a comical quest to choreograph the perfect, full-length pairs figure skating routine to Whitney Houston’s 1992 iconic hit song, “I Have Nothing.” The series will be available to Crave audiences in English and French. Motivated by a teenaged obsession for the 1988 Calgary Olympics that also sparked Taylor’s queer awakening, I Have Nothing is a nostalgic comedy that morphs into a high-stakes, real-life mission. Among the figure skating legends appearing are Sandra Bezic, David Pelletier, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Paul Martini, Barbara Underhill, Katarina Witt, Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Adam Rippon, Elladj Baldé, and Elizabeth Manley, as well as award-winning comedian Mae Martin.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
TVO journalists and producers, represented by the Canadian Media Guild (CMG), walked off the job at 10:30 a.m. ET Monday. Without a contract since October of last year, the union had warned that its members at the Ontario public broadcaster would be in a legal strike position as of last Friday, with the bargaining team unable to come to agreement with the Ontario government on issues including the phasing out of permanent positions and salaries that CMG says aren’t keeping pace with the rising cost of living in Toronto. “While it is unfortunate that we have not yet been able to come to a collective bargaining agreement with our CMG employees, TVO Media Education Group remains committed to continuing discussions with CMG and finding a resolution,” said Jeffrey L. Orridge, CEO of TVO, in a statement. “We are ready to meet with CMG at any time and we remain confident that we can bring this to a resolution that works for both parties. We look forward to continuing our work together to bring important current affair journalism and educational content to Ontarians.” Read more here.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
Triton Digital has announced a data integration that will see YouTube views of podcast episodes integrated into Triton Podcast Metrics, one of the first IAB-certified podcast measurement services to do so. Publishers using Podcast Metrics will be able to compare podcast downloads and views of their programming on YouTube within the interface and consolidate video metrics from a variety of programs. A Podcast Metrics Demos+ survey, conducted by Triton Digital and Signal Hill Insights, found 28% of monthly podcast listeners name YouTube as the platform they use most often to consume podcasts.
