Bell Media has appointed former Disney+ exec Jerrell Jimerson to the newly-created role of Senior Vice President and Head of Product & Experience, leading the company’s product vision, strategy and design efforts across digital, direct-to-consumer entertainment, sports and news products, including Crave, CTV News, TSN, TSN+, Noovo, RDS, and iHeartRadio. Jimerson has been working in product marketing in the digital space since the late 1980s. He joined iHeartRadio as SVP, Digital in 2012, and later served as Chief Product Officer (CPO) and EVP, Product & Design for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Star and Star+ from 2018-23. Since leaving Disney, he’s been running his own advisory firm, MediaTech Insights. Read more here.

Ann MacKeigan has announced the launch of new media consulting venture, CompassMedia, as she departs CBC after more than 30 years. MacKeigan had most recently held the title of Executive Producer, Talent Development, transitioning late last year from her previous role as Executive Producer of q with Tom Power, and Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud. With CBC since 1988, she previously served as Director, Content Development and Production, Radio and Audio.

Blair Bartrem has launched BlairChecks, a new talent coaching venture focused on elevating on-air performance and content strategy. His initial partnership is with Toronto’s Indie88 (CIND-FM). Bartrem was most recently Executive Producer of the Pooja & Gurdeep Show at 98.1 CHFI, where he helped guide the duo’s transition from television to radio. 

Damian Rickards (aka Mr. D) has moved on from Jump! Radio (CKQB-FM) Ottawa after 11 years of hosting evenings. Rickards says it’s not a complete farewell as he will continue to help out behind-the-scenes and may occasionally fill-in on-air. He has yet to reveal his next move.

Shirley McQueen has announced she’ll be filling in as a national host on Bell Media’s Bounce Radio network. McQueen, who is also heard on Vista Radio’s ICON Radio on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, is arguably best known for her 13-year run on Toronto’s Q107 (CILQ-FM). She’s also been on-air at Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver and CRUZ FM (CKEA-FM) Edmonton.

Ryan Williams has joined Whiteoaks Communications’ Legend 102.9 (CKLH-FM) Hamilton as the new morning show producer for Sunni & Hayes. Williams was previously a board operator and producer with 610 CKTB and 97.7 HTZ FM (CHTZ-FM) St. Catharines.

Rodrigo Mazon has been named Head of Canada and Latin America for Paramount. Based in L.A., Mazon will oversee strategy, initiatives and programming for Paramount’s streaming offerings, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, in those territories. He previously held roles with Netflix as VP of Content, and more recently was Chief Content Officer, Streaming for TelevisaUnivision.

The post Revolving Door appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

Blair Bartrem has announced his departure from the Pooja & Gurdeep Show and Rogers Sports & Media’s 98.1 CHFI at the end of the year. As Executive Producer, Bartrem has been helping guide the show since just prior to its launch in January 2022. Prior to Rogers, Bartrem was Program Director at Virgin Radio (CJFM-FM) Montreal, following a more than 12-year run as PD of Toronto’s Q107 (CILQ-FM).

Emily Jurisevic is joining Stingray Radio Toronto as General Sales Manager. Jurisevic brings 16 years of experience in the media industry to Stingray, the last 12 at Corus Entertainment in the GTA, most recently as an Integrated Account Manager, working on client and agency partnerships across TV, radio, social, digital, Connected TV and podcasts. She’ll manage Stingray Toronto’s local sales operations across its portfolio of broadcast, digital and retail platforms, starting Nov. 18.

Vic Dubois is retiring after 55 years in radio, the last 23 years as General Manager of Saskatoon Media Group, encompassing CJWW-AM, CKBL-FM, and CJMK-FM. Dubois began his radio career at CFBV Smithers in 1969, where he ascended to Program Director and morning show host by the time he left for CHWK Chilliwack in 1972. In 1975, he moved to Red Deer as PD and morning show host at CKGY, followed by subsequent stops at Calgary’s CHQR and then CJWW Saskatoon. In 1990, Dubois was named GM and a few years later VP of parent company, Forvest Broadcasting, adding its Regina AM and FM stations to his responsibilities, followed by FM stations in Edmonton and Winnipeg, and the acquisition of Saskatoon’s CFQC-AM, flipping it to FM. Dubois became President of the company in 1997. The Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) and the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Famer will continue as part-time host of the “Sunday Sockhop” on CJMK-FM, “Vic’s Country Classics” on CJWW, and “Coffeetalk.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bob Willette (@therealbobwillette)

Bob Willette has joined Indie88 (CIND-FM) Toronto as weekend midday/afternoon host, heard from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET. Willette was most recently the Program Director at Corus Kingston, up until February when Corus realigned its FM radio leadership team. Willette, who had been in the position since 2019, was named Program Director of the Year (Medium Market) in the 2022 Canadian Radio Awards and was a runner-up in 2023.

Mark Carcasole has joined CBC News Network as a Breaking News Host. Carcasole left Global News in October after 12 years as a reporter and anchor, and the network weekend anchor since 2018, seen in markets including Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Peterborough, Kingston, and Winnipeg.

Amber Kanwar is stepping away from the BNN Bloomberg anchor desk with her last broadcast set for Nov. 8. Kanwar has been with the network for nearly 15 years, starting as an intern and working her way up to segment producer and later anchor and reporter in 2012. Kanwar says she’ll continue to write her daily Substack trading newsletter, Beyond the Bell.

Eddie Huband has left CKPG-TV Prince George to join Citytv Winnipeg. Huband had anchored CKPG’s noon and 5 p.m. newscasts for the past two years. Prior to joining the station, he was a reporter at CFTK-TV Prince Rupert.

Geri Mayer-Judson has left 980 CKNW Vancouver after serving as an on-air contributor there since June of last year. The former Canadian Traffic Network reporter hasn’t revealed her next move.

Tanuka Roy is now General Manager of theatrical and digital distributor, CosmoBlue Canada. Roy arrives from Super Channel where she served as Chief Operating Officer for the past year. She also held various roles with Bell Media/Astral Television over a 14-year period, leaving in 2021 as Associate Director Digital, OTT Services. As GM of CosmoBlue Canada, she’ll lead operations and oversee the Canadian expansion strategy.

Hubert Maston joins visual effects and production house Crafty Apes – which has studios in Montreal, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Baton Rouge, Albuquerque, and London – as Chief Innovation Officer, one of several global expansion hires. Maston will be responsible for pipeline, talent development and advancement in CG, including high-end 3D and effects innovation, and research and development of new technologies. Maston, who is based in Montreal, arrives from MPC where he held the title of VFX Supervisor. Julie Tardieu also joins Crafty in a new role as Global Head of Assets, focused on increasing the company’s offerings in the creation and rendering of photoreal creature and FX assets. Also based in Montreal, she previously worked as a generalist and animator at Framestore and Double Negative. She’ll report to Maston. Crafty Apes has also hired Vancouver-based Mariana Silveira as Global HR Manager.

Sean Perkins has been named Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Connections and Events (GCE) at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), where he will oversee marketing efforts for NAB Show and NAB Show New York. Perkins will drive strategies aimed at increasing engagement and visibility for NAB’s premier events, reporting to Karen Chupka, Managing Director and Executive Vice President, GCE. Perkins brings more than 30 years of marketing expertise, having led successful marketing efforts for brands like AOL, Amtrak, AARP, Intel, Sage, Neustar and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), most recently serving as VP of Marketing for the CTA.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Angie Seth (@angieseth)

Angie Seth is the new president of RTDNA Canada, the first woman of colour to hold the position. Seth, who succeeds former CTV News Channel and CTVNews.ca General Manager Lis Travers in the role, has most recently been contributing at CBC Toronto as a a freelance anchor/reporter. She previously anchored at CTV News Channel, up until February when she was caught up in a round of layoffs at Bell Media.

The post Revolving Door appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

Pooja Handa and Gurdeep Ahluwalia will take over the 98.1 CHFI morning show, starting Jan. 4. One of the worst kept secrets in the industry since their departure from CP24 over the summer, Handa and Ahluwalia step into the timeslot vacated in October by Maureen Holloway and Mike Cooper (who’d been filling in for the now retired Darren B. Lamb since early this year). News anchor Christine Cardoso will continue with the show, while programming veteran Blair Bartrem steps in to Executive Produce. Bartrem was most recently Regional Program Director for Bell Media’s Southwestern Ontario stations and prior to that, PD at 95.9 Virgin Radio (CJFM-FM) Montreal. He’s best known for his 12-year programming run at Toronto’s Q107 (CILQ-FM) and serving as PD and Operations Manager for Standard Radio’s Montreal stations, including CHOM 97.7, through much of the ’90s. Handa and Ahluwalia departed CP24 Breakfast within weeks of each other in late August. Read more here.

Amanda Cupido is the new Director, Talk & Talent at Global News Radio AM 640 (CFMJ-AM) Toronto. She’ll oversee news and talk radio shows, including Toronto Today with Greg Brady, The Kelly Cutrara Show, The Alan Carter Radio Program, The Jeff McArthur Show, The John Oakley Show and On Point with Alex Pierson. Cupido started her career as a reporter and producer with Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) Toronto, going on to head communications for non-profit, World Vision. Since late 2020, she’s been helming her own podcast development company, Lead Podcasting.

Ryan Doyle has parted ways with Bell Media as Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM) rebrands The Rush with Ryan & Jay as The Rush with Jay Michaels. Doyle had been with Bell Media for 25 years, joining the company straight out of Humber College. The Rush with Ryan & Jay was awarded the Canadian Radio Award last month for Best On-Air Team (News/Talk/Sports) – Large Market.

Rob Vavrek, Operations Manager for Bell Media Radio in Edmonton and Group Program Director for 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM), 104.9 Virgin Radio (CFMG-FM), and TSN 1260 (CFRN-AM), is no longer with the company. Vavrek had been with the station group for 29 years, starting out as Creative Services Director and Production Manager in 1992 under Standard Radio and then Astral.

Pamela Kirby, swing announcer at 100.3 The Bear (CFBR-FM) Edmonton, has also parted ways with Bell Media. Kirby had been with the station since 2016. Prior to joining The Bear, she’d worked with Harvard Broadcasting’s Mix 103.7 (CFVR-FM) Fort McMurray where she held various roles, including hosting the station’s morning show.

boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto welcomes Harry Corro to its on-air team, starting Dec. 6. Corro cut his teeth in radio in Manila and worked in Singapore as a host and radio production lecturer, before relocating to Canada at the start of the pandemic. For the last seven months, he’s been working swing at CHYM 96.7 Toronto.

Natalie Panesar has been appointed to the position of Director of Human Resources for Evanov Communications.  She joins Evanov with over 15 years of HR experience and will be based out of the Toronto office. She was most recently Director of Human Resources at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre.

Mairead Kelly is moving into the position of Payroll Manager at Evanov Communications. Kelly first joined the company in 2018 as an HR/Payroll Assistant and in 2020 added the role of Executive Assistant to Gary Gamble, Director of Operations and Morning Show Host, Lite 88.5.

Howie Reimer, Program Director at Radio NL (CHNL-AM) Kamloops, is joining the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association or “Downtown Kamloops” as the organization’s Executive Director in the New Year. Reimer has been with Radio NL since 1993. Prior to that, he did a six-year stint with Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver.

Colton Davies has left Radio NL (CHNL-AM) Kamloops to take on a communications role with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Davies had been a reporter, anchor and assignment editor with the station since 2018.

Paul O’Neil has parted ways with Harvard Media’s Play 107 (CKPW-FM) Edmonton just three months after signing on as music director and midday personality. O’Neil joined the station in late August. Prior to that, he served as Corus Entertainment’s Hub Music Director for the network’s Hot AC stations across the country.

Ashley Pirhonen (aka AJ) has joined Move 97.1 (CJMJ-FM) Penticton in afternoon drive. She was previously in mornings at 99.5 Moose FM (CFBG-FM) Muskoka where she landed in January, straight out of the BCIT Radio Arts & Entertainment program.

Brandon Cassidy has joined CFTK-TV Terrace as a news anchor and reporter. A 2020 Ryerson University Sport Media grad, Cassidy previously was part of the Ryerson Rams Live play-by-play broadcast team.

Zack Power has joined CFTK-TV Terrace as the station’s newest reporter. Hailing from Mount Pearl, NL, the recent Seneca College Journalism grad spent the past six months working as a producer with Eastlink Community TV.

JT Wasney is joining CTV News Lethbridge. A 2020 SAIT Radio & Television Broadcast grad, Wasney has been working as a reporter with Castanet News in Kelowna, in addition to acting as a colour commentator for the Kelowna Chiefs of the Kootenay International Hockey League.

Cameron Bailey has been promoted to CEO of TIFF. Bailey has been with the organization for 25 years, starting as a programmer with Perspective Canada, founding the Planet Africa section, working as TIFF’s Artistic Director, and most recently as Co-Head of the organization. TIFF has also appointed Jeffrey Remedios, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Canada, as the festival’s new Board Chair. Several new board members also join the organization, including filmmaker Danis Goulet, Wattpad CEO & co-founder Allen Lau and Elevation Pictures co-founder Laurie May.

The post Revolving Door appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.