The 2025 Canadian Radio Awards open for submissions on Monday, Sept. 29, with the introduction of some new categories, among other changes.
New categories for 2025 include the Leadership Excellence Award, awarded to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in Canadian radio broadcasting, recognizing vision, mentorship, and the ability to inspire teams toward creativity, innovation, and measurable success, while embodying the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
The Young Broadcaster of the Year Award, given out annually in memory of late broadcaster Steve Young, has also come under our auspices, which will be announced alongside the Canadian Radio Awards winners in late November, but continue to be chosen by a jury of past winners of the honour. Learn more here.
Submissions will be open from Sept. 29 – Oct. 27. To be eligible for the 2025 competition, entries must have been published by or aired on Canadian radio between Nov. 1, 2024 and Oct. 27, 2025. Find all of the rules and regulations here and a list of past winners and their winning audio at CanadianRadioAwards.com.
REVOLVING DOOR:
Jackie Rae Greening will hang up her headphones on Nov. 7, capping a more than 40-year career in radio. Most recently holding the dual role of PD and Manager of Operations for Stingray Radio Edmonton, the four-time Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Personality of the Year first joined the station in 1989. After getting her feet wet in radio with on-air and promotions gigs in Red Deer and Drumheller, she joined CFCW as the station’s Marketing Director, establishing herself as an on-air fixture, including co-hosting the CFCW morning show for 12 years, alongside the late Wes Montgomery. She is currently heard in middays. Read more here.
David Kines, President & Co-Founder of Hollywood Suite, takes on the role of President, Anthem Entertainment Canada as Anthem Sports & Entertainment officially takes ownership of Hollywood Suite’s movie channels. The internal shuffle also sees Carol McDaniel, Anthem’s SVP of Operations, step down. Quincy Raby, Vice-President of Operations, will expand her role to encompass Anthem’s Master Control (MCR) and Production Operations in Toronto. Anthem veteran Tyler Warman, Director of MCR Operations & Post-Production, will also expand his role to include day-to-day management of Anthem’s Master Control (MCR), as well as continuing to oversee editing teams for on-air programming and production at Fight Network and Game+. Read more here.
Pascal Tanguay has been appointed Vice-President, Regional Sales at Cogeco Media. Tanguay is now responsible for overseeing sales in the Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec City, Saguenay, Lac Saint-Jean and Gatineau regions. Tanguay was previously Director of Media Solutions at Quebecor, and prior to that served as the Sales Director for Bell Media French Television.
Moises Canales-Lavigne is departing Global News Morning in Saskatchewan and his role as a weather specialist. He joined the Global News team in Regina in 2021 as a digital broadcast journalist, after starting his career in radio news in Kindersley and 620 CKRM Regina. Katharine Ludwig steps away from the Provincial Affairs desk at Global Regina to temporarily fill Canales-Lavigne’s role as weather anchor.
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Tyler & Lynch have resurfaced at Calgary’s CJAY 92, less than three months after getting caught up in a round of cuts at Corus Entertainment where the duo hosted afternoon drive on CFOX Vancouver. They previously had a three-year run on Calgary’s X92.9 (CFEX-FM), before leaving the market in 2017 to host mornings on Pattison Media’s 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) Vancouver.
Russell MacKenzie has been released by Acadia Broadcasting where he was host of afternoon drive on both Hot Country 103.5 (CKHZ-FM) Halifax and Country 105 (CKTG-FM) Thunder Bay. MacKenzie had been with Hot Country since 2021 and doing double duty for Country 105 since early 2023. He previously was heard in drive on MBS’ FX 101.9 (CHFX-FM) and 89.9 The Wave (CHNS-FM) in the Halifax market.
Sean Ross has joined Advantage Music Research as a Radio Research Strategist as the company launches new music research solution, Scorecard Plus. Ross left his role as VP of Music and Programming at Edison Research in July after 22 years. He’s also continuing his work as a music scheduling consultant and publishing his Ross on Radio newsletter.
Jim Armstrong has been promoted at Telos Alliance to Senior Director of Sales for the U.S. and Canada. Armstrong, who has been with the Telos Alliance salesforce for nearly 20 years, most recently served as Director of Eastern U.S. Sales. In his new role, he expands his responsibilities to serve customers throughout North America, focused on the company’s Telos, Omnia, Axia, 25-Seven, and Telos Infinity product families. Armstrong started his career at Boston-area radio stations on-air and in operations before pivoting to broadcast manufacturing.
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) has elected five new members to its Board of Directors. They are Jeanette Ageson, publisher of The Tyee; Charlie Angelakos, VP, Global Government and External Affairs, McCain Foods; Boyd Erman, Partner and Chair of the Management Committee, FGS Longview; Richard Gray, VP, CTV News; and Florence Turpault-Desroches, VP, Communications and Philanthropy, La Presse. Jeff Elgie, CEO of Village Media, and Angela Pacienza, Executive Editor at The Globe and Mail, have been appointed Co-Chairs of the board, while Desmond Brown, a key contributor to the success of CJF’s Black Journalism Fellowships, is appointed Vice Chair.
Lenore MacAdam and Catherine MacKinnon are the newest members on the board of the Disability Screen Office (DSO), helping advance the organization’s mission to develop opportunities for disabled creatives and advocate for a more accessible Canadian screen industry. MacAdam was the National Inclusion Leader at Deloitte Canada and led the design, development and execution of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy at Corus Entertainment. MacKinnon is a filmmaker, actor and longtime advocate and consultant for the Deaf community.
RADIO & PODCAST:
A Day to Listen 2025 will air on radio stations across the country on Tuesday for the fifth year in a row, in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Produced by the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund in partnership with Orbyt Media, the 12-hour broadcast will air from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time). This year, poet and former CBC Radio host January Rogers and Haida motivational speaker and Big Brother Canada alum Kiefer Collison, who has also been heard on-air at CFNR-FM Terrace, take the lead as hosts, joined by JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter William Prince. The theme of this year’s broadcast is The Path Here | The Path Ahead, reflecting on the decade since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its Final Report and 94 Calls to Action. Read more here.
CJSN 1490 Shaunavon, SK is returning to its roots, changing its name to Country 1490 and re-adopting a Country format. The Golden West Broadcasting station switched from Country to Classic Hits 22 months ago, alongside CKSW 570 Swift Current. Country 1490 has now ceased sharing programming with its sister station, becoming a repeater of Country 94.1 (CIMG-FM) Swift Current.
Travis Dhanraj, the former host of CBC News Network’s Canada Tonight, has launched Can’t Be Censored, a new podcast alongside former CP24 anchor/reporter Karman Wong. Among the topics covered in the first episode are some of the “problematic issues” that Dhanraj alleges he experienced at the public broadcaster, including a work culture he describes as “toxic,” particularly at the Ottawa bureau where he suggests there is a power imbalance putting editorial decisions in the hands of a few. Dhanraj brings receipts, including audio of conversations with CBC management. The duo have also launched the Can’t Be Censored app, available now in the Apple App Store, which will feature exclusive articles and content. The podcast is being produced by Dhanraj’s newly-founded PR and communications firm Westbridge Strategies. Read more here.
Village Media has launched new daily current affairs podcast, Closer Look, which promises to “go beyond the headlines, delivering insightful, eye-opening conversations about the issues and events impacting people all over Ontario.” New episodes drop Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
SiriusXM Canada has undertaken a new study on how Canadian commuters are engaging with audio as many workers return to the office and settle back into routines. The survey finds the majority of commuters – nearly nine in 10 or 85% – are turning to some form of audio entertainment, with the same number of respondents stating that audio entertainment makes their commute more enjoyable, and 73% agreeing it makes their trips feel shorter. Among the study’s findings are that music rules, with nearly three in four commuters (74%) usually listening to music. Read more here.
Taylor Swift has her own limited-run exclusive SiriusXM channel – Taylor’s Channel 13 – ahead of the release of her new album The Life of a Showgirl. The 13th day of the channel, Friday, Oct. 3, coincides with the release of Swift’s new album, with the channel to play the full album beginning to end every other hour starting at midnight ET. The channel is available through Oct. 19.
The Pro Bono Group has rolled out new food bank PSAs – a national spot in support of all Canadian food banks, as well as fresh creative for Feed Ontario. “Tiny” is a new PSA for all provinces except Ontario – and can air immediately. “Precious” is for Ontario only and replaces “Hunger Action Month,” beginning Oct. 1.
LISTEN: University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, host of the Law Bytes podcast, is on the Sound Off Podcast discussing the evolving landscape of Canadian media regulation and challenges facing policymakers in the digital age. The conversation also touches on the CRTC’s lack of direct radio experience and its tendency to prioritize traditional stakeholders over public interest.
SIGN OFFS:
Jim McLaughlin, on Sept. 23, after a short battle with liver cancer. McLaughlin started in radio at CHED Edmonton in 1966 in news, going on to hold roles over the next decade that included rising to the position of News Director. His career with Moffatt Communications grew from there, serving as National Sales Assistant and National Program Director, ultimately assuming the role of Vice-President of Radio. When Moffat decided to exit the radio business in 1992, he started looking for a management position, joining South Fraser Broadcasting’s Z95 (CKZZ-FM) and CISL Vancouver in January 1993. McLaughlin was also involved in industry organizations, including serving two terms as a director with both the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) and Broadcast Bureau of Measurement (BBM). He additionally was among the radio industry boosters who worked closely (alongside Chuck McCoy) on the formation of FACTOR (Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Records).
Joseph (Joe) Ulmer, 70, on Sept. 20, at home in Kitchener. Ulmer was born and raised in Kitchener, graduating from St. Jerome’s High School and later Conestoga College. Known for his sunny disposition, Ulmer worked for CKCO-TV (CTV Kitchener) for almost four decades as an editor. He retired in 2017.
Nadir Mohamed, 69, on Sept. 18. Mohamed joined Rogers Communications in 2000, serving as President & CEO of Rogers Wireless from 2001 to 2005, when he was appointed President & Chief Operating Officer of Rogers. In 2009, he succeeded Ted Rogers as President & CEO of the company, holding the role until his retirement in January 2014. He was also Co-Founder and Chair of venture capital fund manager, ScaleUP Ventures; Chair of tech incubator DMZ Ventures; and Chairman of private investment firm, Alignvest Management Corporation. He additionally chaired the Digital Media Zone Advisory Council, served as CEO in residence at Ryerson University, and on the boards of TD Bank Financial Group, Trilogy International Partners, Tennis Canada, UHN Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, and was a founding board member of Next 36/NEXT Canada, supporting students and recent grads launching startups. Mohamed was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2019 and recognized by the UN Association in Canada at their 2013 Global Citizens Dinner. Read more here.
Su McKillop, 74, on Sept. 14. McKillop spent much of her career at CKCO-TV Kitchener as Television Traffic Supervisor. She later joined CTV Toronto, where she retired as the Director of Revenue Management.
Willa McLean, 92, on Sept. 4. Born in Stayner, ON, McLean started her professional career as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse at just 18 years-old. She went on to become a TV and radio producer for her husband Bob McLean, her partner of 58 years up until his death in 2014, when there were few women producers. McLean proposed to the second grade teacher while hosting the morning show at CKBB Barrie, moving the family around over the next few years, before returning to Canada and the CBC in 1975, where he hosted lunchtime staple “The Bob McLean Show.” He later joined “all-talk” news station CKO, where the couple worked alongside one another, prior to the network’s shutdown in 1989. He continued to host, with Willa producing, including daily CKCO-TV show, McLean and Company, which had a six-year run on the Kitchener station in the 1990s. The couple ended their careers at Kitchener’s CKWR radio in 2011.
TV & FILM:
The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has unveiled the 2025 DGC Awards nominees for Feature Film, Documentary and Short Film, as well as the short list for this year’s Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award, recognizing emerging directors to watch this festival season. Sci-fi thriller 40 Acres leads film category nominees with five nods, including Feature Film Crew of the Year, and Outstanding Directorial Achievement for R.T. Thorne & Team. The Discovery Award short list includes Trevor Solway’s Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man; Sasha Leigh Henry’s Dinner with Friends; Marie Brassard for Le Train; Ava Maria Safai for Foreigner; and Sophy Romvari for Blue Heron. Read more here.
CBC News’ national morning show CBC Morning Live is undertaking a cross-country tour celebrating 20 years of Heather Hiscox as host ahead of her retirement, and exploring how Canada has evolved over those two decades. The tour includes live broadcasts and audience events in Steinbach, MB (Sept. 25); Lloydminster, AB (Oct. 1-3); Hudson, Que. (Oct. 16); and Hiscox’s hometown of Owen Sound, ON (Oct. 28), culminating in a special event and live broadcast from the atrium of the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto on Nov. 6.
Dini Petty, 80, is set to step back in front of the camera for Trailblazing Talks with Dini Petty, a one-hour television event airing Monday, Oct. 13 on The News Forum network and thenewsforum.ca. Ahead of its premiere, Trailblazing Talks has been greenlit as a series. The one-hour premiere features Reelworld Film Festival and Screen Institute founder Tonya Williams and three-time Olympic gold medalist, 2SLGBTQ+ advocate and Senator Marnie McBean. Both revisit moments from their interviews on The Dini Petty Show in the 1990s.
TVO Today series, The Premier Files, debuts Sept. 26, inviting audiences into the world behind Queen’s Park. Host Steve Paikin and six former Ontario premiers explore Canada’s political history in the six-part series, including Liberal leaders David Peterson, Dalton McGuinty, and Kathleen Wynne, Progressive Conservative leaders Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, as well as NDP leader Bob Rae to get insight into their motivations and early political careers and the challenges of governing Ontario’s highest office. The Premier Files premieres on digital via the TVO Today YouTube channel, website and Smart TV app.
Rogers Sports & Media has expanded Citytv+ with the streaming service now available to Canadians directly through a Citytv+ subscription, across all major platforms including Apple and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung TV, Rogers Xfinity and online via Citytvplus.ca. Rogers has also launched a new bundle subscription with Citytv+ and the Sportsnet+ Standard package for $31.99/month.
Citytv and Citytv+ have unveiled their holiday programming lineup, headlined by new Citytv original Bryan Adams and Friends: A Great Big Holiday Jam, a one-hour special featuring festive hits and appearances from Alessia Cara, Alan Doyle, Barenaked Ladies, Lights, The Sheepdogs, and more – set in Adams’ in-the-round The Warehouse Studio. Holiday programming kicks off Nov. 23, with the live broadcast of the Original Santa Claus Parade from downtown Toronto, hosted by Breakfast Television’s Dina Pugliese, Tim Bolen, Rick Campanelli, and Devo Brown. This December, Canadians can also take part in The Price is Right Tonight, an all-new one-hour primetime edition of the global format, hosted by Howie Mandel. The Price is Right Tonight is slated to air in Spring 2026.
Pluto TV is expanding its horror genre offerings through the end of October with its “House of Horror” campaign. Launching in international markets, including Canada, Pluto TV is collectively adding more than 100 horror-themed channels and 1200+ hours of fresh content through Nov. 3. New channels include those dedicated to iconic horror sagas and sub-genres like zombies, creature features, haunted houses, and classic terror. A new content deal with Lionsgate will make franchises like SAW and The Grudge available, alongside cult classics like American Psycho. Viewers in Canada will additionally be able to watch Wes Craven slasher films Scream (I – IV) on the MovieSphere channel by Lionsgate. Read more here.
TVA Sports Direct is the latest add-on subscription available on Prime Video in Canada. Offering exclusive French-language broadcasts of over 250 regular season NHL games, every Saturday Montreal Canadiens game, and the entire NHL Playoffs including the Stanley Cup Finals. Prime Video users can add TVA Sports Direct as an add-on subscription for $17.99/month or $179.99/year.
Prime Video has unveiled the Season 2 trailer for FACEOFF: Inside The NHL, the docuseries produced by Box To Box and NHL Productions. The second season, launching Oct. 3, takes fans behind-the-scenes with Sidney Crosby, Anže Kopitar, Seth Jarvis, BradMarchand, William Nylander, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, and Zach Werenski.
ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) is launching a new year-long training and mentorship program aimed at helping emerging Canadian content creators build independent digital news organizations. Supported by the Google News Initiative, the CJF NextGen Creator-Journalists Training Program: Digital Catalyst will provide up to 20 participants with 12 months of training, mentorship and support from digital-first publishers and experts. Read more here.
9 Story Media Group, a creator, producer and distributor of children’s media, and part of the Scholastic portfolio, has partnered with Future Today to launch the first-ever Scholastic-branded streaming app. Now available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV – with additional platforms to follow – the app offers families a free, trusted destination to enjoy Scholastic programming on-demand. Designed for kids ages 2-12, the app features over 400 hours of content from Scholastic’s library, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, The Magic School Bus, Goosebumps, The Baby-Sitters Club and Animorphs.
REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:
Stingray Radio kicked off the CRTC’s The Path Forward hearings last week, calling for a significant reshaping of Canadian Content (CanCon) regulations. Stingray is advocating for a return to a “more realistic” 25% Canadian content threshold for radio, a level reminiscent of FM radio requirements in the 1990s. Another cornerstone of Stingray’s presentation was the urgent need to update the definition of a “Canadian musical selection.” The company says the current “MAPL” (Music, Artist, Performance, Lyrics) system is outdated, failing to recognize the collaborative and international nature of modern music production. Stingray is proposing a new points-based system that would offer two points for the artist and one point each for the composer and lyricist, paving the way for songs primarily performed or written by Canadians to automatically qualify as CanCon. Read more here.
The Jack Webster Foundation has unveiled the finalists for the 2025 Webster Awards, recognizing excellence in journalism in B.C. Read/listen/watch the finalists’ stories here. Winners will be announced Nov. 3 during the Webster Awards gala dinner and awards evening at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Learn more here.
IIC Canada has unveiled its 2025 program for its annual conference, set to take place Oct. 20-21 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Keynote speakers include CRTC Chair Vicky Eatrides, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, and CBC/Radio-Canada President & CEO Marie-Philippe Bouchard (in conversation with Catherine Clark).
Quebecor has opened an exhibition of artworks from Pierre Péladeau’s personal collection, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth. This is the first time the “Quebecor Collection” has been shown in public. Péladeau passed away in 1997, however the collection continues to grow under the stewardship of his son Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor. Open to the public from Sept. 23 – Nov. 28, admission to the Quebecor Gallery in Montréal is free.
BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:
The WABE (Western Association of Broadcast Engineers) Media & Entertainment Technology Conference, gets underway, Monday, Sept 29 in Calgary at the Telus Convention Centre. The 75th anniversary event will kick off with a SAIT Broadcast Systems Technology alumni reunion, with Tuesday and Wednesday’s program schedule featuring conversations on AI, ATSC 3.0, and SMPTE 2110. Broadcast Dialogue editor Connie Thiessen also moderates a panel on Navigating the Future Regulation, Innovation and the Canadian Media Landscape. Read more from WABE President Tessa Potter here.
