Click here to register for your free Exhibit Hall Pass, Day Pass, or Full Conference Pass

The WABE Media & Entertainment Technology Conference is your chance to connect, learn, and see technology that is shaping content creation and distribution in Canada today. This is your once-in-three-years opportunity to attend in Calgary at no cost with a free Exhibit Hall Pass, or by choosing a Day Pass or Full Pass to take in all sessions and networking events.

Kicking Off Bridging the Past and Building the Future with a Celebration

On September 29, we kick off at 6pm with WABE’s 75th celebration that includes a gathering of SAIT Broadcast Systems Technology graduates and staff. Some are flying in from around the country, some are from just down the street, but it’s sure to be a great reunion for all who attend.

The SAIT BXST program, which closed in 2020, has a far-reaching and important legacy in the broadcast and media entertainment industry. Graduates are working behind the scenes at companies like CBC, Rogers, Bell, Dome, TSN, NBC, and at Cisco, Diversified, Ross Video—just to name a few of the companies still feeling the impact of the quality graduates this program produced.

WABE has always kept students and their connection to the industry in mind. This is why students can attend the conference and audit all programming for free—to grow their networks, expand their understanding of the industry, and discover where they can work. Maybe their job is in front of the camera, maybe it’s behind the scenes, working for a company that makes or installs the technology.

This year, we already have students signed up for tours during the Exhibit Hall hours, and whole first- and second-year classes coming to explore, meet people working in media and entertainment technology, and fill their delegate bags with swag that reminds them of the gear they’ll soon be using.

We also have something special planned on Monday, September 29 before the evening kickoff. If you’re in town, meet us at the reception desk at 4:15 PM, where Erin Ruttan will lead a walk to the Calgary WAVE Tech Centre. There, you’ll get a personal tour and introduction to how the City is experimenting with ATSC 3.0 as part of its Smart Cities program. The WAVE Tech Centre is a hub that allows City teams to explore new and emerging technologies, encourage pilots and experiments, and guide investment decisions—all in support of Calgary’s digital transformation.

Panel discussion with industry leaders

Navigating the Future: Regulation, Innovation, and the Canadian Media Landscape

Moderator: Connie Thiessen – Broadcast Dialogue

Goal: To examine the current regulatory landscape of Canada’s media sectors—including radio, television, and film—and discuss proactive ways industry professionals can engage, influence, and adapt.

Panellists: Kirk Nesbitt – CAB Technical Steering Committee, Steve Jones – President, Stingray Radio, Damian Petti – 2nd International VP, IATSE, Adnaan Wasey – City of Calgary Film Commissioner

Connecting the Dots: Opportunities and Challenges in Canada’s Media & Entertainment Technology Landscape

Moderator: Tim Truax – Podcast Summit

This engaging panel will bring together experts from AV, broadcast, film, and live event production to explore opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation within Canada’s media & entertainment technology landscape and beyond.

Panellists:

Kevin Desjardins – President, CAB; Jeff Moore – EVP & CMO, Ross Video; Johnathan Garcia – Technical Marketing Director, Crestron; Mike Johnson – Director of Engineering, Dome Productions

Featured Presentations you don’t want to miss!

Check out our schedule now.

Beyond the panels, WABE 2025 is packed with cutting-edge sessions from leaders across broadcast, post-production, radio, and film. On the morning of September 30 if your on holidays wear your orange shirt and join us for these great topics. WABE will open the conference with Robert Seeliger of Fraunhofer FOKUS, who will share insights on Green Streaming – Technologies for an Energy Efficient Delivery Chain. Later that day, Guillaume Aubuchon of Avid, presented by Annex Pro, will take attendees through From Rough Cut to Final Frame: AI’s Role in the New Editorial Workflow, while Jeff Welton of Nautel offers a practical session on Radio Transmitters and Sites: Tips, Tricks and War Stories. In audio, Greg “Stryke” Chin from Dolby will demystify immersive sound with Not Just for Blockbusters: Practical Dolby Atmos for Smaller Studios, and Erin Ruttan from the City of Calgary will showcase NextGen Broadcast Innovations with The City of Calgary. Vendor showcases from Sam Schauland of LAWO and ATEME will provide direct looks at next-generation tools, while sessions on October 1 include Guillaume Aubuchon of Avid returning with AI in Broadcast: Strategy, Risk, and Real-World Impact, Charles Rousseau of CBC presenting Toward Dynamic Media Facility (DMF), and Leigh Whitcomb of Meinberg with PTP Made Easy: Uncovering the Mysteries of SMPTE 2110 and Genlock. Radio-focused talks continue with Grant Biebrick of PTS and Kirk Harnack of Telos Alliance exploring Beyond The Box: A Software-First Approach for Today’s Radio Air Chain. Film professionals won’t want to miss Ivona Ries-Arri and Brigette Bennett of Panavision, who will discuss Technology in the Film Industry, while Paul Stechly of Applied Electronics closes with a deep dive into Design and Implementation of SMPTE 2110.

The Exhibit Hall – Always Free

There’s very little that’s free these days, but our Exhibit Hall is free. Come grab a coffee (maybe even a cookie), meet suppliers and vendors, and see the latest technology shaping our industry.

Tuesday, Sept 30: 1–6 PM (5pm Happy Hour)

Wednesday, Oct 1: 9 AM–12 PM

No other sessions are scheduled during these hours, so you can give your full attention to the exhibit hall floor.

Vendor Showcases & Exhibitors

Vendor Showcases from LAWO & ATEME

At WABE 2025, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with a diverse array of industry-leading exhibitors in our free exhibit hall.

These include:

Blackmagic Design,  G.S. Broadcast Technical Services Ltd., RCS Sound Software, SMPTE, KLZ Innovations Ltd., Pippin Technical Service Ltd., VidCom Communications Ltd., Kokusai Denki, SFM, DataVisual Marketing Inc., Adder Technology, AVL Media Group, Streamwell, Telestream, Diversified, RED Digital Cinema, IJES Camera Support Systems Inc., LAWO, Ateme, Imagine Communications, Studio Network Solutions, Ross Video, Interfax Systems Inc., SHAPE, Rohde & Schwarz, Nautel, LEMO Canada Inc., Matrix Video Communications Corp (MVCC), Sony Electronics Inc., Riedel Communications Inc., Technalogix Ltd., GerrAudio Distribution, Text Groove, Gates Air, RVALM, Burli News Software, Radio.Cloud, Applied Electronics, LG Electronics Canada Inc., Sennheiser Canada, Novanet Communications Limited, Avateq Corp, WideOrbit, Grass Valley Canada, Deltech Communications Group Inc., Daktronics, VW Mason, AVIXA, Ericsson Professional Services

Registration Options

• Exhibit Hall Pass – FREE 
• Media Mixer Ticket – $15 (Reunion/Birthday/Awards) 
• Day Pass – $90 access to sessions & panels for one day 
• Full Conference Pass – $175 (includes all sessions, Media Mixer, and networking opportunities) 

Register here today and make your plan to attend.

Bring a friend, a student, or a colleague. Forward this article to someone in your network. 

Don’t let October 2 be the day you realize you should have come. Sign up now and attend WABE Media & Entertainment Technology Conference in Calgary.

The post WABE: Bridging the Past and Building the Future with its 75th Celebration appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

This will be a milestone event as we celebrate WABE’s 75th anniversary alongside a SAIT Broadcast Systems Technology (BXST) reunion.

We aim to surpass 400 attendees next year as we continue to expand our reach and connect professionals in media and entertainment technology.

Please help us spread the word and mark your calendars for what promises to be an unforgettable event. Together, we can continue to learn, connect, and grow the media and entertainment technology industry in Canada which is already fueled by passionate professionals working in it every day.

The post WABE Convention 2025 appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

CBC News has undertaken a rebrand of its flagship evening radio newscast as it moves to make the broadcast simultaneously available as an on-demand podcast. Your World Tonight debuts in place of the long-running The World at Six and The World This Weekend. Anchored by Susan Bonner, Monday to Thursday, and Tom Harrington on Fridays, Your World Tonight will air on CBC Radio weekdays at 6 p.m. in all regions (6:30 p.m. in NL). Stephanie Skenderis will helm the weekend version, heard at 6 p.m. ET/7 p.m. AT, and then 6 p.m. local time across the rest of the country. It will be available daily as a podcast as of 6 p.m. ET. Read more here.

CBC has launched seven new podcasts from CBC News, the first in a series of weekly, localized regional shows spotlighting community stories. Organized into two formats, This is… promises to highlight the “people behind the essential, sometimes random, and occasionally infuriating stories shaping your community every week.” This is Vancouver Island will be hosted by CBC Victoria reporter Kathryn Marlow; This is Calgary by CBC Calgary’s Anis Heydari; This is Edmonton by Clare Bonnyman, a digital associate producer with CBC Edmonton’s Radio Active; and This is Ottawa by Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan. Good Question…, a podcast devoted to answering listener questions about their community, will air across three provinces: Good Question Saskatchewan, anchored by Saskatoon Morning host Leisha Grebinski; Good Question Montreal, hosted by local CBC journalist Ainslie MacLellan; and Good Question P.E.I., helmed by reporter/producer Nicola MacLeod. Read more here.

YouTube Music and Spotify are the top music streaming choices for Canadians in a vast sea of audio options, according to new Media Technology Monitor (MTM) data. Almost four in five anglophones and three out of four French speakers are streaming audio content every month. Usage is driven by a combination of sources led by music streaming services (57% of anglophones vs. 49% francophones), podcasts (40% and 26% respectively) and AM/FM radio streaming (25% anglo vs. 26% franco). When it comes to kids, MTM Jr.’s Audio Odyssey found while streaming services are also the preferred option, a higher percentage are listening to AM/FM radio. MTM found seven in 10 (69%) of anglophone kids are using music streaming services, followed by 63% listening to AM/FM radio, and one in seven consuming podcasts. Among French-speaking youth, three out of four are streaming music, followed by AM/FM radio (59%) and podcasts (7%). Read more here.

SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) online radio station Power 103 will mark a legendary event in the school’s history on Feb. 6, by rebranding as KISS 103, marking the date in 1974 when the then-unknown rock band gigged on campus. As the story goes, progressive rock artist Michael Quatro (brother to Suzi) was set to play a SAIT Student Association (SAITSA) event when Columbia Records pulled Quatro, offering KISS as a replacement band. Founded just a year earlier and little known outside New York, SAITSA was instructed not to advertise the show as KISS was attempting to “perfect” their stage presence. Treated more like a rehearsal, a little more than 160 people attended the event. Run by students from SAIT’s Radio, Television & Broadcast News program, KISS 103 will feature KISS tunes all day on Feb. 6, interviews, and other content, culminating in a one-hour KISS concert from 6 – 7 p.m. MT, playing live versions of the band’s hits. Read more here.

SiriusXM Canada will offer full coverage of the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (ch. 91), starting Feb. 1. SiriusXM NHL Network Radio will broadcast live from NHL All-Star Thursday with Steve Kouleas, Gord Stellick and Scott Laughlin. Following the Tim Horton’s NHL All-Star Player Draft, the team will provide coverage of the NHL Alumni Man of the Year award, honouring the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs, along with the Canadian Tire Professional Women’s Hockey League 3-on-3 Showcase, featuring elite players from the PWHL. SiriusXM will wrap up coverage from the 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair with a special edition of The Sunday Brunch with Stellick and Dave McCarthy, ahead of the Rogers NHL All-Star Game, starting at 3 p.m. 

Jake Gold, original manager of The Tragically Hip and one of Canada’s most successful artist managers, will be inducted into Canadian Music Week’s Music Industry Hall of Fame, during the 2024 Canadian Live Music Industry Awards, in partnership with the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA), on June 4. Gold started his career in management in 1981, first with The Purple Hearts, then negotiating and securing a deal with RCA for local new wave act New Regime. He started The Management Trust in 1986 with then-partner Allan Gregg. Later that year, the pair took on a young rock band from Kingston called The Tragically Hip. During their partnership, Gold and Gregg guided The Hip from club level to national icons, selling more records in Canada than any other artist except The Beatles. Along the way, The Management Trust managed the careers of The Watchmen and Big Wreck. In 2003, Gold rose to national fame himself when he was asked to judge Canadian Idol. In 2020, following the passing of The Hip frontman Gord Downie, Gold reunited with the band to direct their legacy, spearheading numerous projects, including an upcoming Amazon documentary series. 

LISTEN: Carly Kincaid may use the term “Radio Junkie” to describe herself, but she’s also a voiceover pro you hear on corporate narrations and when you’re put on hold. Her radio career kicked off in the late ‘90s and since then she has rarely veered away from a microphone. In this episode, you’ll hear about Kincaid’s passion for radio and voiceover work, how she built her own recording studio from scratch, and what AI means for radio and voiceover talent.

The Pro Bono Group has released the next spot in its series of PSAs supporting the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, titled “Urgency.” Offered free to radio stations across the country, Pro Bono Group says response to the campaign thus far has been tremendous, resulting in thousands of visits to the Alliance website and increased media attention. “We’ve always known that radio works – but we never get tired hearing about it,” the Pro Bono Group’s Mike Occomore told Broadcast Dialogue. 

The post Radio & Podcast News – CBC rebrands flagship evening newscast ‘The World at Six’ appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.