The Weekly Briefing

REVOLVING DOOR:

Daryn Jones and Deepa Prashad have been named the new morning co-hosts at 99.9 Virgin Radio (CKFM-FM) Toronto. The pair formally succeed the former morning show team of Adam Wylde and Jax Irwin who announced in May they were stepping away from the station. Jones arrives from Rogers Sports & Media’s KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto where he’s been hosting afternoon drive since 2018, while Prashad hails from within the Bell Media family as a Formula 1 content creator for TSN, who has been filling in on the morning show alongside Chris Kelly and producer Leah Abrahams. Read more here.

Ben Wagner, the radio play-by-play voice of the Toronto Blue Jays since 2018,  has been released by Rogers Sports & Media. Wagner, who succeeded Jerry Howarth in the role, had been calling road games from a Toronto studio since 2019. Prior to Sportsnet, Wagner worked for 11 seasons as the voice of the Buffalo Bisons, the Jays’ triple-A affiliate. 

Jordan Schwartz, Executive Producer of Global News’ The Morning Show, is now Head of Global News Morning Programming. Corus Entertainment says he’ll continue to oversee The Morning Show and work with all local Global News Morning leads and specialty channels “to create editorial excellence, better cross promotion, sales integrations, multi-platform content and audience growth throughout the network’s entire morning news programming line-up.” Schwartz has been with Global since 2019. He previously held the title of Vice-President of In-house Production at Rogers Sports & Media and SVP and GM, Entertainment Group at Bell Media, in addition to working as a producer on NBC’s Today Show.

Espe Currie is headed to Global Calgary to take on the role of Executive Producer. Currie has most recently held the title of Supervising Producer at CityNews Vancouver where she’s worked off and on since interning as a Humber College Broadcast Journalism student in 2014.

Rita Celli is retiring after a 32-year career with CBC. Celli began her career at CBC Radio in her hometown of Sudbury. The longtime host of CBC Radio’s Ontario Today, she has helmed the province-wide noon hour call-in show for 15 years. Prior to Ontario Today, she held a number of positions on both radio and television, including anchoring CBC Ottawa’s supper hour news.

Kim Sullivan has returned to Global News following parental leave, contributing weather for the late night newscasts in Toronto, Montreal, Peterborough, Kingston and Halifax. She was formerly the weather specialist for Global News Morning. 

Martin MacMahon is CTV Vancouver’s newest reporter. MacMahon has been at CityNews Vancouver since 2014, currently as a Senior Reporter. Prior to that, he was a reporter and anchor at 980 CKNW. His first day with CTV is Dec. 18.

Tahmina Aziz has departed CTV News Vancouver where she’s been a multi-skilled journalist for the last two years. Aziz, who previously worked with CHEK News Victoria and CBC in Windsor and Toronto, is returning home to Ontario.

Hannah Lepine has announced her departure from CHEK News Victoria. Lepine had been with CHEK since 2021 as a multimedia journalist and had served as weekend anchor for the last two years.

Emily Haws has joined CPAC as a producer. Haws arrives from CBC where she’s most recently been working as a reporter and editor in Nunavut. Prior to that, she was an associate chase producer with the Ottawa bureau and reported for The Hill Times.

Tori Marlan has joined the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) as a reporter. Marlan arrives from Victoria’s Capital Daily where she’s been an investigative reporter for the last four years. Prior to that, she was a staff writer for the alternative, not-for-profit Chicago Reader for 13 years.

 

Jeremy White has announced that Dec. 22 will mark his final show on Energy 95.3 (CING-FM) Hamilton. White has been hosting the 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. time slot since 2021. He’ll continue to stay on with Corus Radio as a casual announcer. White will also continue to be heard on 105.5 JYY New Hampshire and his weekly podcast, The Jeremy White Show.

Krys Stewart has announced her departure from broadcasting saying she’s no longer a good fit “for what radio has become.” Most recently “mutually parting ways” with Pattison Media’s 98.3 CIFM Kamloops’ Best Rock, Stewart previously worked with CJAY 92 Calgary for seven years and prior to that Rawlco Radio’s stations in Saskatoon and North Battleford. In a Facebook video, Stewart expressed her longstanding frustration with program directors telling her to “tone it down.” She’s now working full-time in animal welfare. 

J.C. Coutts is the new Program Manager at Blackburn Media’s AM 920 (CKNX-AM) and 101.7 The One (CKNX-FM) in Wingham. Most recently the morning show host on Shoreline Classic FM (CIYN-FM) Kincardine, Coutts previously did a stint as PD for 101.7 The One in 2010-11.

 

 

 

RADIO & PODCAST:

Numeris has released the fall PPM ratings covering the 13-week period from Aug. 28-Nov. 26. For Toronto, CBC Radio One delivered a 13.2% share, A12+, (up from 11.5%), followed by CHFI with 12.8%. boom 97.3 was on top with women 25-54, with a 12.1% share. With men 25-54, CityNews 680 leads with 9.0%. Vancouver: CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 15.1% share of hours tuned (up from 14.5%). Taking the top spot for F25-54 is 94.5 Virgin Radio with 19.4%. CKNW holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 14.4% share. Edmonton: 102.3 NOW! Radio takes #1 A12+, posting a 9.4% share. NOW! holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 15.8% share (down from 16.9%). The Bear topped M25-54 with an 11.6% share. Calgary: CBC Radio One leads the way A12+ with an 11.0 %. Star 95.9 is #1 for F25-54, delivering a 12.4 % share. For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 13.4% (down from 14.2%). Montreal: CHMP 98.5 FM is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with a 22.4% share. For A12+ (Anglo), CJAD 800 is #1 with 27.5%. CHMP-FM is also #1 with F25-54 (Franco), delivering an 18.5 % share. For F25-54 (Anglo), The Beat 92.5 is out in front with a 29.8% share (down from 36.5%). For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5 FM is on top at 23.7%. For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM-FM is #1 at 19.9% (up from 18.9). Read David Bray’s breakdown here.

Corus Radio has announced that Peggy@99.1 (CFPG-FM) will be rebranded as Country 99: Winnipeg’s New Country later this month. Carrying an Adult Contemporary format spanning ’70s and ’80s pop hits to ’90s hip-hop since Dec. 26, 2016, Corus released Peggy@99-1’s on-air staff in late September ahead of the impending format flip. Prior to dumping its on-air talent, Peggy@99-1 had earned a 4.7% share of hours tuned, A12+, and had the same share with women 25-54. It captured 3.4% of listeners, A25-54. Currently playing Christmas music, Corus says the flip will happen Dec. 27 at 12:01 a.m., introducing a third Country radio station to the market of roughly 840,000. Read more here.

The CRTC has approved an application by United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada (UCB Canada) to acquire Vista Radio’s CJLT-FM Medicine Hat, AB. Seeking to operate the Religious music station under the same terms and conditions as those in effect, it’s purchasing its assets for $20,000. UCB proposed a transaction value of $185,437, which includes the purchase price and value of two leases payable over the next 60 months. The CRTC granted UCB’s request for a tangible benefits exemption, saying that given the financial difficulties CJLT-FM is currently facing, imposing tangible benefits could have an adverse effect on efforts to stabilize the station’s financial situation. 

The CRTC has formally revoked Dufferin Communications licence for CKPC Brantford. Arise Christian Radio AM 1380 had been broadcasting a Christian Contemporary music format since September 2020 when parent company Evanov Communications moved its former Country format to sister station CFWC-FM, with an eye toward making the station more competitive and maximizing profitability on the FM band. The station had been off the air since Aug. 4.

Rogers Sports & Media blasts the CRTC in its application to revoke its licence for CIWW Ottawa, saying the commission’s lack of flexibility, outdated policy, and moratorium on applications related to radio undertakings are exacerbating radio’s challenges. The CRTC has published its formal revocation of the licence  which Rogers announced it was turning in on Oct. 26, the same day it shuttered its CityNews radio operations in the Capital Region, citing low audiences, revenue declines and a restrictive regulatory environment for AM radio. Since December 2020, the company had been simulcasting programming from CityNews  1310 (CIWW-AM) on the FM frequency formerly used by Country 101.1 (CKBY-FM). While simulcasting AM on FM is in contravention of current CRTC policy, Rogers had asked the commission to grant an exception until a full review of the regulation could be conducted. Read more here.

Corus Radio is expanding its Toronto evening show to more stations and introducing two podcasts to its network talk lineup following the cancellation of late night talk show, The Shift with Shane Hewitt. As of this week, Let’s Talk with Dani Stover, which airs from 7 – 10 p.m. ET on 640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto, 980 CFPL London and 900 CHML Hamilton, will join the lineup on 980 CKNW Vancouver, 630 CHED Edmonton, QR Calgary, and 680 CJOB Winnipeg, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. PT/ 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. MT/ 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. CT. Two podcasts also join the network programming lineup, including long-running music documentary show, The Ongoing History of New Music, hosted by Alan Cross, and Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, also hosted by Cross, diving into true stories of crime, murder, scandal and strange behaviour from inside the music industry. Read more here.

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As you may have heard, Stolen is ending its run at Spotify. Thank you all for listening & supporting the show. We’re so proud of our work & grateful we’ve had the space to tell Indigenous stories. We’d love to find a new home for Stolen- there are more important stories to tell.

— Connie Walker (@connie_walker) December 5, 2023

Stolen is among the podcast casualties at Spotify as the streaming service announces its third round of layoffs this year. Produced by Brooklyn-headquartered Gimlet Media and hosted by former CBC journalist Connie Walker, Stolen has been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award and Pulitzer Prize. Spotify plans to lay off 1,500 employees, amounting to 17% of its workforce. It let 600 staff go in January, and another 200 in June.

CBC British Columbia’s 37th annual Food Bank Day on Dec. 1 raised $1,628,996 for local food banks, with donations open until the end of December. CBC British Columbia livestreamed special programming on all platforms throughout the day, highlighting stories about the impact of food banks across B.C. and the increasing demand for their services. This year, the CBC Vancouver Broadcast Centre once again held space for an intimate studio audience experience to watch free, live broadcasts of local CBC Radio One programs.The event has raised $20 million since its inception in 1986.

The 104.3 Fresh Radio (CKWS-FM) Kingston team wanted to make sure that children in the Kingston community keep warm this winter season through Clothes for Kids. The goal was to raise $50,000 to provide snowsuits to children in need, which the Fresh team was able to meet thanks to the support of the community and clients. Funds were raised through events like Pizza Day with Domino’s Pizza. Every Wednesday for five weeks, when listeners and viewers made a $5 donation, they received a medium pizza as a thank you from Domino’s, raising $22,655 for Clothes for Kids.

Magic 106 (CIMJ-FM) and CJOY Gueph participated in their annual Adopt a Family broadcast on Nov. 21. The event, broadcast live on location from The Children’s Foundation, saw 91 families adopted, resulting in over $32,000 in donations for the community.

640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto and The Children’s Breakfast Clubs are partnering to collect gently used winter coats for the inaugural 640 Toronto Winter Coat Drive. On Friday, Dec. 15, they will be stationed in the lobby at Corus Quay from 6 – 10 a.m. where listeners and staff will be invited to drop off winter coats for adults or children in need. Toronto Today with Greg Brady will be broadcasting live. 

 

Corus Radio London is hosting a Drive-Thru Toy Drive in support of the Salvation Army. Fresh 103.1 (CFHK-FM), Country 104 (CKDK-FM), FM 96 (CFPL-FM), and 980 CFPL are aiming to ensure that every child wakes up with a gift on Christmas morning. Each station will be collecting donations on-site at the Delta London Armouries and online, with FM 96 on-site Dec. 8, and Country 104, 980 CFPL and Fresh 103.1 on Dec. 14.

SiriusXM Canada has struck a new partnership with MusiCounts, Canada’s leading music education charity to launch SiriusXM Soundwaves: A MusiCounts Community Fund. The program marks the evolution of the MusiCounts Community Music Program and will help support youth music programs across Canada with grants of up to $20,000 for instruments, equipment and resources provided to community groups or not-for-profit organizations. The fund strives to make music education at the community level accessible to youth in need, who wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to learn to make music. 

The Roy Hennessy Achievement Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, which has been established at BCIT, in memory of the late broadcaster, is now expanding to more colleges. The annual $1,000 scholarship, based on academic and overall achievement, has been expanded to NAIT in Edmonton, SAIT in Calgary, RRC Polytech in Winnipeg and Seneca Polytech in Toronto. Hennessy is best known for his 12-year run in mornings at CKLG Vancouver, serving as General Manager at CKY/CITI FM Winnipeg, CKXL and CHFM Calgary, and his work with Standard Broadcasting in the early ’90s, helping transition CFRB 1010 Toronto to an all-news format.

LISTEN: Phil Becker, Executive Vice President of Content at Alpha Media, is on the latest Sound Off Podcast. Becker has a hand in the programming and content efforts of over 200 radio stations across the U.S. He and Matt Cundill discuss his unorthodox career path, the unique decisions that led him to it, and of course, the future and AI’s prospective role in it. 

The 2023 Broadcast Dialogue Canadian Radio Awards winners will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 14 at CanadianRadioAwards.com and via our social channels. Stay tuned to our socials for more details next week. A huge thanks to this year’s jury who had the monumental task of judging a record number of entries. Read more about our jury here.

SIGN OFFS:

Paul Wentzell, 60, on Dec. 4 after a brief illness. Wentzell began his broadcasting career in 1983, anchoring news on Fredericton stations CIHI and CKHJ, before transitioning to roles behind-the-scenes. He spent many years as Sales Director with Bell Media Radio in Fredericton before moving over to Stingray’s Fredericton station group as General Sales Manager in October 2019.

Charles Officer, 48, on Dec. 1. Born in Toronto, Officer studied communication design at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), before leaving to play professional hockey in the UK, which he later abandoned due to an injury.  He worked as a creative director before being accepted into the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he studied performance. The founder of Canesugar Filmworks, his directorial debut, the short When Morning Comes, premiered at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. Its follow up, Short Hymn Silent War, screened at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. He wrote and directed his first feature Nurse.Fighter.Boy in 2008, starring Clark Johnson (Homicide, The Wire). Premiering at TIFF, the film earned 10 Genie Nominations in 2009 and won the Audience Choice Awards at the Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival and Sarasota Film Festival. His first feature doc, Mighty Jerome, for NFB, followed the rise and fall of Canadian track and field star Harry Jerome, and won multiple awards including a 2012 Emmy Award for Best Historical Documentary. For CBC Television, Officer directed The Skin We’re In, exploring anti-black racism in Canada. He also directed multiple series episodes, including Rookie Blue (ABC), Saving Hope (NBC), Private Eyes (Ion), Ransom (CBS), 21 Thunder (Netflix), and Coroner (CBC), in addition to music videos for K’naan and DJ Green Velvet. 

Dan MacDonald, 89, on Nov. 23. Originally hailing from Pictou, NS, MacDonald’s acting chops developed at the Old Vic Company in London, which he toured with throughout the UK and Middle East. He returned to Canada for roles with the Stratford Festival, CBC Radio shows, and other live theatre work. His film and television repertoire included Wind at My Back, Road to Avonlea, The Little Kidnappers, Due South, Street Legal, The Trailer Park Boys – Don’t Legalize It, and The Book of Negroes. He founded his own theatre company, Tiroam Arts, producing plays for audiences in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Alberta. MacDonald also did a brief stint in Saint John, NB as a news anchor for Irving-owned CHSJ. He was a past president of ACTRA and the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and an active director of The Performing Arts Lodges (PAL). 

Joe Stevens, 62, on Dec. 1. Stevens spent almost four decades on air at CKNL-AM Fort St John and later CJDC-AM Dawson Creek. Hired in 1983 at CKNL, he handled afternoon drive for more than 30 years and was also the rink announcer for the Fort St. John Huskies. He survived many ownership changes at CKNL as the station changed hands from Nornet to Okanagan Skeena Group, Telemedia, Standard Broadcasting, Astral and finally Bell Media. In the late 2000s, Bell transferred Stevens to CJDC-AM Dawson Creek before the company ended his employment in 2021, bringing a 38-year run in the Peace Country to an end. Stevens returned to his native New Brunswick in retirement.

TV & FILM:

Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has announced the winners of its film competition awards. The top prize, the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature, was awarded to Atikamekw Suns, directed by Chloé Leriche. Named for legendary Canadian filmmaker Philip Borsos, the $35,000 cash and in-kind prize is the second-largest festival honour in Canada. 

Crave and New Metric Media have announced a new multi-year creative partnership that expands the world of Letterkenny. The deal encompasses 49 new episodes for Crave, including spin-offs and the development of all-new series with creator and star Jared Keeso. In addition to the content commitment, the companies will continue to collaborate on existing and ancillary brand extensions, including merchandise and live productions. As Crave’s first-ever original series, Letterkenny premiered in 2016 as a breakout hit. It’s since delivered 81 episodes and eight specials, amassed 12 Canadian Screen Awards, and an exclusive first window U.S. streaming partnership with Hulu for both Letterkenny and its spinoff Shoresy, which was recently renewed for a third season. 

WildBrain says production is underway on a three-hour documentary series about renowned Canadian television series, Degrassi. The untitled series is being produced in partnership with Peacock Alley. Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, it will dive into Degrassi lore and the teenage experience with its creators, cast, crew and fans, as well as generations of filmmakers influenced by the franchise’s 40-year legacy. Commissioned by WildBrain Television, the docuseries is directed by Lisa Rideout (Sex with Sue; This is Pop) and is executive produced by Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts and Angela Boudreault for WildBrain, and by Carrie Mudd (Leonard Cohen: Tower of Song; Travelers) for Peacock Alley. 

Just For Laughs has announced that season two of immersive VR stand-up comedy series, Surrounded will return for six new episodes starting Dec. 29, with a Holiday Special, exclusively on Meta Horizon Worlds. Filmed at the 2023 Just For Laughs Montreal comedy festival, using their Meta Quest VR headset, viewers are transported into Meta’s Comedy Night Market, where they can watch comedians performing improvised sets in the round, using the audience as inspiration. Hosted by Lil Rel Howery, this season features Marlon Wayans, Jack Whitehall, Mae Martin, Fortune Feimster, Mark Normand, Chris Redd, Dan Soder, Jay Pharoah, Meg Stalter, Felipe Esparza, Rosebud Baker, Sam Morril, Joel Kim Booster, Hannah Berner, Nate Jackson, Brad Williams, Preacher Lawson, Sasheer Zamata, Brian Simpson, Steph Tolev, Annie Lederman, and Che Durena.

CBC has announced streaming and broadcast premiere dates for its winter 2024 slate of new and returning programming on CBC Gem and CBC TV, including more than 20 original series from Canadian producers and storytellers. New series premieres include workplace comedy One More Time (Jan. 9) starring stand-up comedian D.J. Demers; crime-solving drama Wild Cards (Jan. 10) following the unlikely duo of Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti, Grey’s Anatomy), a gruff, sardonic cop, and con woman Max (Vanessa Morgan, Riverdale), with Jason Priestley in a recurring guest spot. Factual entertainment series Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan (Jan. 26) follows two actors known for their work in the horror genre on their quest to decipher if Canada’s most ghostly places are truly haunted, while doc series For The Culture with Amanda Parris (Jan. 30) sees the host and executive producer engage in provocative conversations centred on Blackness. Previously announced drama Allegiance premieres Feb. 7, followed by The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down on Feb. 8.

Hollywood Suite is presenting a trio of Canadian broadcast premieres, including coming-of-age story Adult Adoption, Indigenous sci-fi The Beehive, and road-trip drama A Girl, a Boy, a Penny and a Very, Very, Very Long Road. Adult Adoption marks the feature film directorial debut for Toronto’s Karen Knox, starring Canadian stage actor Ellie Moon, premiering Jan. 9. Directed by Julia Beney, A Girl, A Boy, A Penny and a Very, Very, Very Long Road will make its broadcast premiere Jan. 16, while The Beehive is written and directed by Métis creative Alexander Lasheras, set to premiere Jan. 23.

Bell Media says its roster of entertainment specialty channels, including Discovery, CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel, increased its share of the Canadian English entertainment specialty market this year among A25-54 to its highest share on record, increasing 6% over 2022. According to Numeris data provided by the network, CTV Comedy, CTV Drama, CTV Life, and CTV Sci-Fi all ranked in the Top 10 for the first time with total viewers, and in the A25-54 demo. CTV Comedy and CTV Drama are the two most-watched Canadian English entertainment specialty channels, with Bell Media also claiming three channels in the Top 5, and five of the Top 10, among A25-54 (Discovery at #3, CTV Sci-Fi at #7, and CTV Life at #10). Maintaining its #1 status for the second year in a row, Discovery is the most-watched Canadian English entertainment specialty channel among total viewers, according to the data provided. 

Blue Ant Media announced at Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) a raft of multi-title, multi-genre sales to Asia-Pacific broadcasters, totalling more than 550 hours of programming. The deals include sales in Asia to Warner Bros. Discovery, Korean Broadcasting System, Mediacorp, PCCW Media and TrueVisions. Additionally, sales in Australia and New Zealand were brokered to SBS Australia, Foxtel Group, Nine Network Australia, Television New Zealand and Maori Television. The announcement coincides with the establishment of Blue Ant’s new Asia Pacific office in Sydney, Australia.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

CBC/Radio-Canada is officially cutting 600 positions and will leave another 200 vacancies unfilled as the public broadcaster looks to undertake $125 million in cost-cutting measures for fiscal 2024-25. Amounting to roughly 10% of CBC/Radio-Canada’s full-time equivalent staff of about 7,900, the public broadcaster says CBC and Radio-Canada will each be cutting in the range of 250 jobs, with the balance coming from Technology & Infrastructure and other corporate divisions. The corporation will also be reducing its English and French programming budgets, including $40 million in independent production commissions and program acquisitions, which will translate to fewer renewals, new television series, and episodes of existing shows, as well as a smaller number of original digital series. Read more here.

The Competition Bureau has obtained a court order to advance its investigation into certain alleged marketing practices by Rogers Communications. The Federal Court order requires Rogers and its subsidiary to produce records and information relevant to the investigation. The Bureau’s investigation involves claims made by Rogers when promoting its Infinite wireless phone plans. In particular, looking at claims that the plans have unlimited data, when there are allegedly significant reductions in data speed, known as throttling, after a subscriber reaches a certain data cap. The Bureau is looking to determine if Rogers’ marketing practices raise concerns under the civil deceptive marketing provisions of the Competition Act. 

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is accepting entries for its CAJ Awards program. This year’s program features 19 categories, including new category, Community Written Feature, recognizing narrative longform journalism by local or regional outlets. The 2023 program will also celebrate the work of student journalists, and recognize an emerging Indigenous journalist.  

Global News Calgary traffic reporter Leslie Horton’s response to a viewer’s criticism about her appearance has gone viral with more than 3.3 million views since it was posted earlier this week and coverage in the Daily Mail, People, and the New York Post, among other outlets. Horton addressed her critic saying “No, I’m not pregnant. I actually lost my uterus to cancer last year and this is what women of my age look like. So, if it is offensive to you, that is unfortunate. Think about the emails that you send.”

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Global News Calgary traffic reporter @global_leslie responds to an email criticising her choice of clothes. #yyc pic.twitter.com/r9Od0hKbn0

— Global Calgary (@GlobalCalgary) December 5, 2023

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

This week, as we all return to work, I am grateful to have a phone filled with photos from this year’s WABE conference in Vancouver. Many will assert that the location and venue provided a refreshing change, and my hope is that the momentum, conversation, and warm atmosphere will support those working behind the scenes in media as we navigate the unique challenges we face. The Shipyards District, situated on the banks of North Vancouver, provided the food and backdrop that has me regretting I did not stay longer and use up some vacation days. We could not have done this year without our amazing list of vendors and our sponsors. WABE would like to sincerely thank the following for supporting the organization and its members.

Gold Sponsors 

Silver Sponsors

Bronze sponsors

The free exhibit hall at WABE provided an opportunity to connect with new friends, and we welcomed numerous new faces into our community. While I couldn’t manage to attend every presentation, I did gain some valuable insights that have now become solidified. One takeaway for me was the recognition that beyond a protective filter on the lens, I really hadn’t thought about how much they can affect video—something I will genuinely consider, thanks to a presentation by Ron Engvaldsen from Brins & Sawyer.

Gary Shumyla conveyed the importance of recognizing that only you know what’s on your notes when speaking in front of a group. His advice to relax and speak slowly during a presentation resonated with me. Furthermore, thanks to Paul Andrews from DPA Microphones and Gerr Audio, I now have a better understanding of the proximity effect, and I will pay more attention to mic placement in the future.

Erin Ruttan and Mark Corl shared compelling use cases for ATSC 3.0 that could rekindle interest among broadcasters in the value of their TV spectrum. Although I couldn’t attend every session, I encourage any tech professionals who attended and found a topic intriguing to consider writing an article for this publication. The conference offered a wealth of knowledge, from engaging full-room discussions with the CAB to exploring topics such as AI in Media and navigating technical changes in the media landscape, just to name a few.

A moment I was particularly proud of was that we were able to announce the launch of the SAIT Online Course – Media and Entertainment Technology (MET) Certificate of Achievement. This course requires no prerequisites, is delivered online asynchronously, and is available to anyone anywhere in the world. The MET Certificate provides learners seeking expertise in the dynamic field of Media and Entertainment Technology. This program comprises five specialized courses, each focusing on critical aspects of Broadcast Technologies, providing participants with a well-rounded understanding of the industry. This certification is suitable for aspiring professionals and those already working in media and entertainment who wish to enhance their technical knowledge and skills.

Minimum Required for Certificate:

MMDA 001 Video Systems and Standards and Instrumentation

MMDA 002 Video Imaging Recording and Playout

MMDA 003 Entertainment Automation

MMDA 004 Acoustics and Audio Systems

Optional:

MMDA 005 High Power RF Systems

While this program is not a replacement for the Broadcast Engineering program at SAIT. which shut down in 2020, it is an opportunity for anyone who needs technical knowledge and language to have a successful career working with media, entertainment, or broadcast technology. If you sell, install, repair, support, design, or are new to the industry, this course offers you a touchpoint and the language for many technical topics. Because I was not a graduate of the SAIT Broadcast Technology program, it has taken over 20 years working to collect this knowledge with just an Electronics diploma in my back pocket. 

As part of the WABE conference, we take time to acknowledge the hard work of those who rarely see public acknowledgment. The WABE Awards this year were highlighted by a moving speech from Ian Gunn, who helped us celebrate ChiChi Liu from Burli with a Sheila East Women in Broadcasting Award. The Sheila R. East award recognizes a woman whose outstanding level of professionalism, perseverance, and dedication has greatly benefited the Broadcast Industry. This individual’s commitment to broadcasting, equality, and the development of young colleagues in our industry has been exceptional. Their contributions to Canadian Broadcasting are invaluable, and WABE is proud to honor ChiChi Liu.

Our 2023 Spirit Award is given to those individuals who have made a significant contribution to WABE, the convention, the executive, or in providing exemplary service in some way, to the WABE organization. It is intended for those individuals who embody the WABE spirit through action such as dedicating countless volunteer hours to the organization, continually and relentlessly advancing the mission of WABE, or to our external community, assisting with the annual convention, serving on the WABE Executive committee, and reining in volunteers to ensure that WABE remains viable and imperative. This year, the award went to Oliver Eichel of the Knowledge Network.

Our Ambassador Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly. These are the people that give before we’ve asked, are always there when we need them, and who are unabashed supporters of our organization and our cause. This year it was awarded to John McKay of Grundy Telecom. We also recognized our WABE members whose contribution to the industry has spanned decades and are retiring from the industry: Darrell Norton, Legislative Assembly of BC, and Vic Araujo and Gerry Persoon of Global BC.

The AGM this year was an opportunity to share WABE’s Strategic Plan and our new Vision and Mission Statements which our executive committee has been working on in the background to strengthen and direct our regional industry association to a future that has everyone who works with the technology our vendors supply know about the conference and what a special opportunity being a part of this committee of professionals is all about.

I woke up Monday morning to an industry friend sharing Broadcast Dialogue’s article about the announced CBC job cuts anticipated in the coming months. I reached out to those I know in the industry to find out how they are doing, and while the news is tough, I had an unexpected response: “People in our industry are very resilient, and we all seem to come out of it in the end, perhaps leaner but always stronger.” Nothing about working in television, radio, media, production, film, or live entertainment has ever been a straightforward path. What I do know is that people still love to watch content from blockbuster movies to listening to songs while they do dishes, from hearing stories about the world to hearing stories from their community. We also love to relate to each other what we have heard, read, or watched and these shared experiences often enrich our lives. I also know that more places are making content than ever before. People with the skills I have that I learned while working in radio and television are now helping a wide range of organizations take on the technical challenges of making great content.

In thinking about what WABE can do for those who may be looking for new opportunities this year, we hope to use our voice to ask anyone who has a position open or is looking for skilled technical professionals who work media technology to make sure in the coming months to repost openings and opportunities you see so that this skill does not leave our industry for good. 

For everyone I hugged, shook hands with or allowed me to introduce myself for the first time at this conference, I thank you for your membership and your time to attend and I hope you took away some knowledge and ideas you can use in your career. 

WABE would also like to thank our Media Sponsor, Broadcast Dialogue, for allowing us to have our voice heard.

All my best Regards,

Tessa Potter

President WABE

www.wabe.ca