Wayne Webster is set to retire from Stingray’s boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) at the end of the summer after nearly five decades in Toronto radio. Webster started his 48-year career in 1977 as an intern at Q107 (CILQ-FM) after graduating from Humber College. His internship eventually turned into a full-time job as Music Director at CHUM-FM from 1979-87. From there, he joined CKFM as music director and Assistant Program Director, which evolved into Mix 99.9 where he spent a total of 21 years. He additionally programmed the music on SiriusXM Canadian rock channel, Iceberg Radio. Webster has been boom 97.3’s Music Director since 2009. Read more here.

Jack Miller is retiring from Quinte Broadcasting on Aug. 8 after a 51-year career in broadcasting. Miller, 71, has served as Sports Director for Quinte’s Belleville area stations – CJBQ, MIX 97 (CIGL-FM), and  ROCK 107 (CJTN-FM), since 1974. Among other regional sports work, Miller has served as the voice of the Belleville Bulls and Belleville Senators, hosted Global’s Ontario Hockey League Game of the Week, did colour commentary for the Ottawa Senators and has been part of World Junior Hockey broadcasts from Europe. He was previously celebrated on April 22, 2022 when the City of Belleville declared it Jack Miller Day and officially dedicated the press box at CAA Arena as the Jack Miller Broadcast and Media Centre.

Mike Letourneau has joined Torres Media as Technology Consultant to assist the company and its radio properties with IT and Engineering strategy, processes, and project management. Letourneau most recently led on-air support for Corus Entertainment’s conventional and specialty television from 2019, up until earlier this year. He previously served as Director of IT at Astral Television / Bell Media, and Enterprise Projects Director at BroadView Software. He started his broadcast career as the first dedicated IT hire for Q107 (CILQ-FM) and AM640  (CFMJ-AM) Toronto.

Leah Holiove is joining 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM) as a traffic anchor. Holiove is a veteran on-air talent, who most recently was heard on CKNW contributing to “The Wrap” segment on The Jas Johal Show. She previously anchored traffic on CKWX from 2013-16.

Fatima Raza has joined the Visuals Desk at The Canadian Press (CP), following her successful CJF-CP News Creator Fellowship. In her new role, she’ll produce and edit news videos from pitch to publication, monitor live events, and contribute to visual storytelling. Raza has previously worked with Metroland Media Group as a reporter under the Local Journalism Initiative.

Kevin Ma has been appointed Network Media Group’s new Chief Financial Officer. Ma is currently the principal of corporate finance advisory firm, Calibre Capital Partners Corp., and has over 19 years of financial management and public company experience.

Nishant Grover is the new president of Ericsson Canada. Grover replaces Jeanette Irekvist, who had held the position since 2020 and will be transitioning to a global leadership role at Ericsson’s headquarters in Sweden. With 18 years of Ericsson experience, Grover most recently served as Head of Network Product Sales within Ericsson’s AT&T Customer Unit based in Dallas-Fort Worth, where he led key strategic initiatives and drove growth in the U.S.

RADIO & PODCAST:

The CRTC has approved an application by Cabin Radio to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio station in Yellowknife, while turning Vista Radio down for a second licence in the market. Cabin Radio has operated online since March 2018, broadcasting via its website and app as though it were a commercial FM station. The outlet was previously denied an FM licence in 2023, but that was before that summer’s wildfires threatened the community of roughly 20,000 highlighting the importance of local news, prompting the commission to re-open applications after Cabin Radio appealed for an exception. In a release, the CRTC said the decision would “help Yellowknife residents have better access to local news and community-focused programming, including Indigenous voices while reflecting the realities and priorities of people in the North in our broadcasting system.” Read more here.

Shushma Datt, the founder of Metro Vancouver’s RJ1200/Sp!ce Radio (CJRJ-AM) and the first Indo-Canadian woman to be granted a broadcast licence, has announced the sale of the station pending CRTC approval. Datt worked at The Times of India and the BBC before moving to Canada in 1972. Facing significant racism from mainstream outlets because of her Indian accent, by 1984 she started her own radio station, Radio Rim Jhim, which carried South Asian content and broadcast on a sub-carrier frequency. She launched Sp!ce Radio, licensed to Burnaby, in 2005. Datt said in an announcement Thursday she and son Sudhir Datta would step away from their leadership roles with the station “to pursue new directions in their personal and professional journeys.” Read more here.

Durham Radio’s Hamilton/Burlington Country station KX 94.7 (CHKX-FM) celebrates 14 years on-air this Friday, Aug. 1. Durham Radio President Doug Kirk tell us that even more noteworthy is the fact that morning show team, Bill Toffan & Melissa Forsyth, midday host Linda Martelli, afternoon drive personality Derm Carnduff and weekend and evening host Mike Fuller, are there in the same positions they were on Aug. 1, 2011. CHKX-FM originally launched on Sept. 1, 2000, as CIWV-FM with a smooth jazz format, prior to its flip to Country.

The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC) says a new national survey it’s commissioned affirms that campus and community radio is a growing source of trusted media. Conducted by Abacus Data from June 26 to July 2, the survey of 1,500 Canadians found that nearly one-third (32%) regularly (10%) or occasionally (22%) listen to campus or community radio—a significant increase from 2017 when that number was at 19% and up from 26% in 2022. Among Canadians aged 18-29, regular (15%) and occasional (33%) listenership rises to 48%. Read more here.

The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) has announced the nine podcasts funded through the second year of its Podcasting Program. Through the ISO Story Fund, a total of $200,000 is being invested in the 2024–25 fiscal year, supporting the development and creation of podcasts by Indigenous screen-based and audio storytellers. This year’s recipients include six projects based in Ontario and three in B.C. Among them are Season 3 of Auntie Up!, hosted by Tanya Talaga, Kim Wheeler and Jolene Banning, as well as Criminals on Patrol, a podcast from Mi’kmaq lawyer, professor and author Dr. Pam Palmater diving into the seedy underbelly of law enforcement in North America. Find the full list of supported podcasts here.

Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released new data from its MTM Newcomers report finding just one in three newcomers to Canada listens to traditional AM/FM radio, significantly lower than the seven in 10 Canadian-born respondents. More than nine in 10 newcomers listen to some form of online audio, a stark contrast to three in four Canadian-born individuals. Streaming music on YouTube is the most popular online audio destination for newcomers, with nearly four in five engaging with the platform for audio content.

Triton Digital has released the latest Canada Podcast Ranker for the June 2025 reporting period (June 2-29), as measured by Triton’s Podcast Metrics measurement service. In June, the overall Top Sales Network was once again CBC/Radio-Canada with 2.2M Average Weekly Downloads, followed by Audioboom with 1.1M Average Weekly Downloads, and NPR at #3 with 758K Average Weekly Downloads. The three Top Canada Podcasts ranked overall – also overlapping with the three Top Canada-Originated English-Language Podcasts – were CBC/Radio-Canada’s Front Burner at #1, The World This Hour at #2, and World Report at #3. The three Top Canada-Originated French-Language Podcasts were again La revue de presse de Paul Arcand (Cogeco Media) at #1 and Le Radiojournal (Radio Canada) at #2. Jumping to #3 in June was Alexandre Dubé (QUB).

StanLand is a new scripted comedy audio series from The Sonar Network launching this week, featuring some big Hollywood names (Rhea Seehorn, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, John Waters, Steve Little), but built from the ground up by a small, independent team with deep roots in Toronto. The limited series takes place in a surreal fantasy world overrun with vape shops and gated golf resorts and Toronto’s comedy community is all over it. Alongside the cast are familiar Toronto voices James Hartnett, Kris Siddiqi, Mark Little, Alexa Steele, Devon Hyland, Shannon Lahaie, and Cody Crain.

LISTEN: Norma Jean Belenky, the host of Podbiz, is on the Sound Off Podcast. She and Matt Cundill explore her life before PodBiz, from teaching English in South Korea to creating music and working at Podbean, which ultimately led her to launch her own podcast focused on how creators can make money in this evolving medium. She and Matt look beyond simple download numbers, discussing niche audiences and creating genuine value for listeners, emerging trends like video podcasting and community building.

SIGN OFFS:

Matt O’Neill, 55, on July 25. O’Neill is best known for his run on JACK FM (CJAQ-FM) mornings in Calgary, alongside co-host Eric Francis. “The Matt and Eric Show” started airing in May 2003, shortly after the station’s launch, running for 12 years before its cancellation in 2015. O’Neill was vocal about his struggles with both mental health and alcoholism, and returned to the morning show two years later alongside Sarah Crosbie where he opened up on-air about his personal life after getting sober. O’Neill, who moved to Calgary in 2000, formerly spent five years at Mix 99.9 (CKFM-FM) Toronto, in addition to stints at CKNS Espanola, among other stations. He was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024.

TV & FILM:

Bell and Rogers have announced an agreement to distribute each other’s specialty channels across platforms, ending a carriage dispute stemming from changes in the content licensing rights landscape that saw Rogers scoop rights to Warner Bros. Discovery’s suite of English-language U.S. lifestyle and factual brands from Bell and Corus Entertainment last year. Under the agreement, Bell Fibe TV and Satellite TV subscribers will now have access to Rogers Sports & Media channels HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, Magnolia Network and Investigation Discovery, along with continued access to Bravo. Conversely, Rogers Xfinity customers will continue to have full access to Bell Media’s Specialty portfolio, which includes USA Network, Oxygen True Crime, and CTV specialty channels, including CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel and CTV Sci-Fi Channel. Read more here.

Bell Media’s entertainment and sports bundles featuring Crave, TSN, and RDS are now available via Prime Video Subscriptions in Canada. The bundles offer savings when services are combined compared to individual subscriptions.

George Stroumboulopoulos is undertaking a cross-country tour on behalf of collaborative industry effort, MADE | NOUS, asking Canadians “What Canadian film and television MADE you?” The MADE | NOUS campaign is shining a spotlight on the achievements of Canadian storytellers across film, TV and digital media, encouraging audiences to discover and celebrate their work. Starting in Vancouver last week and concluding in Toronto in September, Stroumboulopoulos will journey across Canada, accompanied by a film crew, making stops along the way in Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Saint John, Moncton, P.E.I., and Nunavut. Read more here.

Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery, the feature-length documentary from director Ally Pankiw (I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror, The Great), will premiere in Canada on Sept. 17 on CBC and CBC Gem and Sunday, Sept. 21, on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in the U.S., as well as Disney+ internationally (excluding Canada), following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. The doc tells the untold story of the groundbreaking music festival featuring only women artists, started by iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and her team in the late 1990s, in opposition to systematic industry barriers that limited women from playing together on a concert bill and getting back-to-back radio airplay. The film is produced with the support of original Lilith Fair founders Sarah McLachlan, Terry McBride, Dan Fraser and Marty Diamond. 

CBC documentary Under the Arbor from writer and director Hayley Morin (Joe Buffalo, Smudge the Blades) will be premiering nationwide on CBC Gem starting Aug. 15, and CBC TV the following day. A version of the film in Cree will also be available on CBC Gem. Under the Arbor is a journey through the heart of the Powwow trail, told by the dancers, singers, and families who live it. Filmed over one summer across Treaty 6 territory, the doc follows champion dancers, grassroots drummers, and proud aunties as they gather in celebration, competition, and connection. 

Coastal Carvings (13 x 30′), a new docuseries for APTN, features Métis brothers Jeremy and Jerett Humpherville, who work together at the Coastal Carvings Fine Art Gallery in Coombs, BC, renowned for its contemporary and historic Indigenous art. Each episode focuses on different personal stories and inspiring art pieces. Produced by Rogue River Films, the series premieres on APTN lumi starting Aug. 25, with its broadcast premiere on APTN on Sept. 1, with a new episode airing every week. The Blackfoot version also premieres Sept. 1 on APTN Languages. 

Oasis headlines Hollywood Suite’s August programming with the exclusive Canadian premiere of Oasis: Live at the City of Manchester Stadium (2005) on Aug. 24. Also premiering on Hollywood Suite is Skeet (2024), a drama set in St. John’s, NL, about a recently-released convict played by Sean Dalton of The Trews. It’s set to premiere on the Hollywood Suite 2010s+ Movies channel Aug. 6. The channel is also premiering The Legend in Me (2024) on Aug. 27, a documentary following Chas Conacher, the great-grandchild of Canadian sports legend Lionel Conacher, and the challenges they face while exploring both the weight of their family’s star-athlete lineage and the evolving landscape of queer identity. 

Fifth Season has inked a wave of global sales, including for the UK and Ireland, across the first and second seasons of Sight Unseen (10 x 60’ each), the crime drama produced by Blink49 Studios and Front Street Pictures for CTV  and The CW.  The new deals include 5 and Paramount+ UK & Ireland picking up the first and second season. Additionally, Play Media (Belgium), AXN Asia (Pan Regional), Nine Network (Australia), yes (Israel), Disney Bulgaria, Action Channel (Japan) and Talpa TV (Netherlands) have also acquired both seasons. Further deals for season one include Warner Bros. Discovery (New Zealand) and Disney Middle East. The series stars newcomer Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi (DMZ), alongside Jarod Joseph (The 100) and Daniel Gillies (Virgin River).

Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana and Toikido, a London-based entertainment company specializing in digital design and toys, have announced a partnership with ITV in the UK for animated series Piñata Smashlings (26×11). The highly-anticipated series based on the popular gaming IP will launch on ITVX this September. It will also premiere on NOGA in Israel early next year, in addition to a previously-announced rollout on YTV and STACKTV in Canada with new episodes launching this fall.

The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) has announced its 20th anniversary edition, Sept. 3-13 in Toronto and online Sept. 3 – Oct. 3. Under the theme “Resilience in Motion,” the milestone festival will celebrate two decades of transformative storytelling from across the Caribbean region and its global diaspora with 49 films. Festival highlights include Opening Night film: Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Nara Garber, Anguilla/USA), featuring reggae icon Bankie Banx (aka Anguillan Bob Dylan), singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet, actor Kevin Bacon, and Stephen “Cat” Coore (founding guitarist with Third World). 

ACTRA Toronto, in partnership with Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, has announced an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s (OHSA) Diving Operations Regulation, formally recognizing the unique nature of diving in the screen industry, covering film, television, advertising, live broadcast, web-based, and video game production. Effective July 1, the regulation now reflects the realities of underwater work in screen-based storytelling, often involving highly choreographed, shallow water, and time-limited sequences. Previously, film and TV productions were subject to the same rules as commercial or industrial diving operations.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

The CRTC has upheld a finding that OneSoccer is owned, operated and controlled by Canadians, refuting a claim by Rogers that the cable giant was effectively negotiating a carry agreement with Spain’s Mediapro. Rogers filed the complaint with the CRTC last summer, disputing an earlier finding by the commission that OneSoccer was operated by Canadians. Prior to that in March 2023, the commission found Rogers was giving itself undue preference by refusing to carry the sports streamer in competition with offerings from Sportsnet and Bell. The CRTC on Monday found that parent company, Timeless, was, in fact, the one pulling the strings at the time of the filing of the undue preference complaint and all the way through to its March decision, effectively resolving any outstanding issues preventing negotiations. Read more in our sister publication, CARTT.ca (paywalled).

Videotron workers (SEVL-CUPE 2815) have voted in favour of a tentative agreement, following an early bargaining mandate granted to the 2,500-member union last spring. After an intensive round of negotiations, the new five-year contract is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and run through Jan. 1, 2030. It includes annual wage increases of 4% for each of the first three years, followed by a fourth-year adjustment tied to the consumer price index (CPI) with a minimum of 2% and a maximum of 3%, and 3% in the fifth year. The union says the increases are intended to protect members’ purchasing power in the face of inflation. The current collective agreement expires on Dec. 31.

Cogeco Communications has launched  its mobile service in Canada. Cogeco Mobile is now available to new and existing Cogeco internet subscribers who bring their own device in Québec (Alma, Magog, Rimouski, Saint-Georges, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Sauveur, Sept-Îles and Trois-Rivières) and Ontario (Brockville, Chatham, Cobourg, Cornwall and Welland). A complete rollout to all Cogeco markets is planned for the fall.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) has joined the call led by over 100 humanitarian organizations, demanding an immediate end to Israel’s policy of restricting aid to Gaza, which has led to mass starvation, including of journalists. According to the International News Safety Institute (INSI), lack of food and clean water has severely impacted journalists’ ability to do their jobs. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warns that Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid are “starving Gazan journalists into silence.” JHR is also amplifying INSI’s call to allow international journalists into Gaza. Since the start of the conflict, more than 186 journalists have been killed, including 178 Palestinian, six Lebanese and two Israeli media workers – the deadliest conflict for journalists in CPJ’s 33 years of data collection.

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

LISTEN: Broadcast archives and the original tech they were recorded on is the kind of material collectors Barry Silverthorn and Hamza ‘Betamax,‘ as he’s known, are on a mission to preserve as part of their project, Mediatheque: The Museum of Broadcast Technology. Currently located in Belleville, Ontario, we welcome Barry and Hamza to Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about fostering their shared passion for nostalgia and raising awareness of the importance of preserving Canada’s broadcast heritage. 

Bell Canada and AI-driven security company Cohere have announced a strategic partnership to provide full-stack AI solutions for government and enterprise customers in Canada and within Bell. Cohere will make its secure enterprise-grade AI solutions available through Bell AI Fabric, including leveraging North, its agentic AI platform for both customers and Bell employees. In turn, Bell will become Cohere’s preferred Canadian AI infrastructure provider.

The post The Weekly Briefing appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

Jeff Chalmers has joined JAZZ.FM91 (CJRT-FM) in afternoon drive, as longtime host Brad Barker departs the station. Chalmers will be heard from 2 – 6 p.m. ET, weekdays, arriving from Stingray’s boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) where he’s been an on-air personality since 2014. His five-decade career has included stops at Q107 (CILQ-FM) and JACK-FM Toronto, Y108 (CJXY-FM) Hamilton, the Canadian Traffic Network, and 1350 CKAR Oshawa, among other stations. Barker – who still occasionally plays bass with The Pursuit of Happiness – had been with JAZZ.FM91 for the last two decades. Starting in 2001 as a weekend host, he went on to hold roles including Operations Manager and Music Director. Read more here.

Paul Cross has announced he’s leaving Humber College where he’s taught for the last 21 years in the Broadcasting – Radio program and served as program coordinator for the last three years. Cross will continue to host and produce his media critique podcast, Cross Talk: Media History, Commentary and Analysis. and consult on broadcast and podcast projects.

Lyle McGillivray is hanging up his headphones after 40 years of broadcasting on June 30. The majority of McGillivray’s career has been spent at Estevan’s Country 106.1 (CKSE-FM), where he landed in 1989 (which at the time was Super Country 1280 AM), after starting in radio part-time in Medicine Hat.

Greg Lowe has retired from CKBW/Country 100.7 in Bridgewater, NS, wrapping up a more than 45-year career with the station. Starting in the news department, Lowe went on to serve as Sports Director, before joining the station marketing team for the past 17 years. Acadia Broadcasting is establishing the “Greg Lowe Legacy Award,” which will be presented annually to the Nova Scotia marketing consultant who achieves the highest percentage of budgeted sales in a fiscal year.

Devin Bellinger has joined Durham Radio in Lindsay, ON. Bellinger arrives from Vista Radio in Yellowknife where he’s been program director for the last four years. Prior to that, he spent a decade with Quinte Broadcasting’s stations in Belleville as a producer and music director.

Evan Gibb has joined My Broadcasting Corporation’s stations in Brockville, 103.7 Giant FM (CJPT-FM) and 104.9 MyFm (CFJR-FM), as a Radio & Digital News Reporter, while Alyssa Brush takes on the same role in Kingston. Both are recent Durham College Radio & TV Broadcasting grads.

Richard Madan is now the Province of Manitoba’s U.S. trade representative in Washington, D.C. Madan announced earlier this month, he was signing off from his foreign correspondent role with CBC News, based in Washington, after more than 20 years in journalism.

Mickie Steinmann, Managing Director and Senior Vice President for Warner Bros. Discovery in Canada, has announced he’ll retire this October. Steinmann has been with the company since 1999.

RADIO & PODCAST:

Rogers Sports & Media has launched KiSS Throwbacks on its former SONiC RADiO stations in Vancouver, Abbotsford and Chilliwack. The move sees the KiSS brand reintroduced to B.C.’s Lower Mainland after a three-year absence. Rogers expanded its Edmonton Alternative Rock format SONiC to Vancouver in June 2022 with an infamous viral stunt that saw the station abruptly switch to playing Rage Against The Machine’s Killing in the Name Of on repeat ahead of the launch. KiSS Throwbacks will play hits from the ’90s and 2000s, with its anchor artists including Backstreet Boys, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, NSYNC, and the Black Eyed Peas. Rick Campanelli, who stepped away from the CHFI Toronto afternoon drive show to join Breakfast Television earlier this month, will helm mornings on KiSS Throwbacks. Read more here.

Four Senses Entertainment has launched Vibe 99.7 (CFDT-FM) in Squamish, BC in line with the branding of its Whistler CHR station, formerly known as Whistler FM (CKEE-FM). Initially slated to go live on Monday, Vibe 99.7’s launch was delayed until Thursday afternoon, complicated by wildfires coming within 20 metres of the transmission tower outside Alice Lake, where Vibe is co-located with CBC. Vibe’s core artists will include Gracie Abrams, Lady Gaga, Lola Young, Kendrick Lamar, Tate, McRae, Benson Boone, Gotye, Ed Sheeran, and Alex Warren, alongside Canadian singer-songwriters like Cameron Whitcomb, Alexander Stewart, The Wknd, and Shawn Desman, in addition to artists from the Sea to Sky region. Read more here.

The National Campus and Community Radio Association’s 43rd conference, NCRC43, held in Nanaimo, BC from June 17–20, and hosted by CHLY 101.7 FM at Vancouver Island University, was a resounding success, bringing together over 85 participants from more than 30 campus, community, and Indigenous radio stations across Canada. The NCRA also handed out the CRABOs, its Community Radio Awards, celebrating outstanding achievement by member campus and community radio stations. Toronto Metropolitan University’s CJTM (Met Radio) claimed a leading five awards, including Best in Podcasting for Mulberries, hosted by Yasaman Mansoori and Sean Warkentine. Dalhousie University campus station, CKDU, captured four awards, including Volunteer of the Year for Ryan Somers (aka R$ $mooth). The University of Calgary Student Radio Society, CJSW, also claimed four wins, sweeping four music programming categories. Find the full list of winners here. 

 

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Terry O’Reilly’s Under the Influence is celebrating 20 years on CBC Radio. The Apostrophe Podcast Company’s I Regret To Inform You has also been picked up as a summer replacement show by the public broadcaster. 

Don Cherry says he’s just signed off for the season and not permanently from Don Cherry’s Grapevine Podcast after 313 episodes and 6.5 million downloads. The former Hockey Night in Canada personality, who is now 91, launched the podcast, co-hosted by his son Tim, one week after getting fired from Sportsnet in Nov. 2019, following comments in which he referred to new immigrants as “you people” in expressing his disappointment that more Canadians weren’t wearing the poppy in remembrance of veterans.

Canadian Identity and Culture Min. Steven Guilbeault has been sent an  open letter by a group of podcast producers and audio storytellers, appealing to the federal government to recognize podcasting as a core cultural industry. Its signatories include Jen Moss and Roger Nairn, Co-Founders of Vancouver-headquartered branded content studio, JAR Audio; Steve Pratt, Founder of The Creativity Business; Scott Benzie, Executive Director of online content advocacy organization, Digital First Canada; Chris Kelly, Co-Founder of Vancouver-based boutique creative agency, Kelly&Kelly; Fatima Zaidi, Founder & CEO of podcast production agency, Quill, and podcast audience insights platform, CoHost; and Kattie Laur, Editor of Pod the North. The group is urging Guilbeault and the Department of Canadian Heritage to update Canada Media Fund (CMF) eligibility criteria to explicitly include podcasting; establish a new federal podcast fund to support independent Canadian podcast creation; and launch national consultations to co-develop a future-ready policy framework. Read more here.

LISTEN: Jen Moss and Roger Nairn, co-founders of Vancouver-based branded podcast company, JAR Audio, are on the Sound Off Podcast. Among other things, the conversation explores the challenges of making branded podcasts that are authentic and audience-focused, rather than advertorial. They also address the lack of funding for Canadian podcast content and their efforts to advocate for government support.

Winnipeg Radio Reunion

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LISTEN: The saying goes that you haven’t worked in radio, until you’ve worked in Winnipeg. Personalities like Brother Jake Edwards, Terry DiMonte, Don Percy, and many others gathered June 12-14 for the Winnipeg Radio Reunion. It saw colleagues who’ve worked in the market, both past and present, reminisce and reconnect. Broadcast Dialogue caught up with organizer Ralph “Racoon” Carney – an alum of CKRC and 1290 AM (CFRW-AM) Winnipeg, among other stations – to talk about bringing the event to life. He shares some weekend highlights, alongside Paul Graham, Courtney James, Jim Goddard, and Don Percy.

The Edmonton Radio Reunion will take place Thursday, July 3 at Brewsters Brewing Company in Unity Square at 116 Street and 104 Ave. Happening  from 4 – 8 p.m. MT, the event is open to anyone that has worked in Edmonton radio.

SIGN OFFS:

Michael Easton, unexpectedly, on June 24. Easton’s radio career started as an announcer and producer with CKDA and CFMS-FM Victoria in the mid-1960s. He went on to work at CJVI and CHEK-TV Victoria, and later CJJC Langley, CJCA-FM Edmonton, and CKPG Prince George. In 2006, Easton founded Puget Sound Radio, a media industry news and commentary site focused on Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

Sunny Sidhu, 51, on June 20, after a lengthy battle with scleroderma. A graduate of BCIT, Sidhu’s broadcasting career started at A-Channel in Edmonton in the mid-1990s as an entertainment anchor and fill-in weather host. He worked with the station for seven years, before pursuing freelance projects as a host and producer for MTV Asia, covering festivals and interviewing artists for the network’s markets in India, Pakistan, and Hong Kong, and later for the Channel V music network. While continuing to pursue hosting, acting, voiceover, documentary and other projects, Sidhu simultaneously launched a successful career in real estate. Among his recent projects were 2022 short doc, Punjabi Pioneers of Alberta, which he wrote and starred in; and Singhs in the Ring, the forthcoming feature documentary on the Singh wrestling dynasty for Crave, on which he served as a producer and executive producer. Read more here.

Bryan Onley, 87, on June 13 at the Manitoulin Health Centre, in Little Current, ON. Born in England, Onley moved to Canada with his parents at the age of 13 and settled in Hamilton. He discovered his love for radio shortly after leaving high school early to take a job as a bank teller, joining the radio station in Timmins and then CKWS Kingston, starting in the late 1950s. He was a popular DJ on both AM 960 (CKWS-AM) as well CKWS-TV where he hosted “Teenage Dance Party” throughout the 1960s, modeled after Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand.” Among other career highlights, Onley welcomed the Beatles to Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens on Sept. 7, 1964. After going back to school at Queen’s University as a mature student where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and then a Master’s Degree with Honours in Political Science, he took up teaching in the Broadcast Journalism program at Loyalist College in Belleville in the late 1970s, where he served as a professor and then Dean and Associate Vice Principal. He went on to become the Director of the School of Journalism at the University of Regina and later travelled to Abu Dhabi to develop and lead the Communication, Journalism and Media Studies programs at the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Lynn Kelly, 72, on June 5 after a long battle against early onset Alzheimer’s. Born in Montreal, Kelly spent her formative years in Europe. Interested in broadcast journalism, she overcame her natural shyness and applied to CBC Toronto in the early 1970s, starting out in a clerical role in the news department before rising to become a reporter, writer, and producer in both New Brunswick and Toronto. She ended her career with the public broadcaster as a producer on The National.

Stanley “Stan” Fox, 97, on May 20, in Victoria. Fox was hired as a film editor at CBC Vancouver in 1953, later becoming a producer and director with the station’s film department. He was also involved in the Vancouver Film Society, which he took over alongside Alan King in 1948, co-founding the Vancouver International Film Festival in 1958. His amateur filmmaking work included award-winning films “Suite Two: A Memo to Oscar” (1947) and “In the Daytime” (1949-50), both of which are preserved in the BC Archives. He returned to television in 1981 at TVOntario as the Director of Adult Programming, acquiring and developing programs. He also served as an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Film at York University from 1971-84. He went on to work as an independent media producer in Victoria. 

TV & FILM:

CBC is offering a full-day of original programming on Tuesday, July 1. CBC News will provide live coverage from locations across the country beginning at 6 a.m. ET. The primetime schedule includes Canada’s Walk of Fame 2025. The day culminates with live concert special Celebrating Our Canada, Loud and Proud from Ottawa, featuring performances by Sarah McLachlan, Cœur de pirate, Aasiva, Josh Ross, Tom Cochrane, Mitsou, Amanda Marshall, Roch Voisine and Randy Bachman, among others. 

Ekosi Productions has announced that children’s series Kokum & Dot has gone into production in Vancouver. The live-action TELUS independent kids series, which features Cree language, is filming at the BOSA Centre for Film & Animation in North Vancouver with the animation being done at Calibrate Collective on Vancouver Island. The team has begun filming 8 x 11 minute episodes which will broadcast in 2026. The series is helmed by director and producer April Johnson (Reginald the Vampire), written by Jules Koostachin (Angela’s Shadow) and stars veteran Indigenous actor and musician Renae Morriseau (North of 60). The series is inspired by the life and work of Elder Dorothy Visser with original music by Morriseau’s M’Girl, recorded by Ben Kaplan.

AMI, in partnership with Torrential Pictures, Club Red Productions and Flow Video Inc., launches Pretty Blind on Tuesday, July 8 on AMI-tv and AMI+. Led by Canadian comedy legend Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D, Letterkenny) and writer-showrunner Mark Forward (Fargo, Letterkenny), Pretty Blind captures the comedy of Jennie Bovard’s podcast Low Vision Moments and turns it into a comedy about blindness.

Blue Ant Media has launched its free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel, Declassified, on The Roku Channel in Canada. The launch marks an expansion of the brand’s ongoing partnership with Roku, joining Blue Ant free-streaming brands already on the platform in Canada, including Love Pets, Total Crime, Homeful and HauntTV. Programming highlights on Declassified include San Andreas: A Race Against Time; Who Sank the Titanic?; Roman Megastructures; and Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified.

Protocol Group’s production arm Octapixx Media officially launched its new Toronto broadcast studio and control rooms with an industry gathering on June 17. Located at 150 Ferrand Drive in midtown Toronto, the new facility has been operational since April and is already producing broadcasts, including live Canadian Premier League (CPL) matches on OneSoccer, NASCAR Canada Series for Rev TV, and Top Rank Boxing.

ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:

Toronto.com launches Thursday, a new Metroland Media Group lifestyle platform. Editorial highlights will include: T.O. Do – a curated guide to Toronto and surrounding area happenings; Food & Drink – a celebration of Toronto’s culinary scene; Travel – a local-first travel lens with day trips and weekend getaways exploring destinations in Ontario and nearby regions; Life – a wide-ranging look at how Torontonians live, from fitness and wellness to real estate, culture and art; bi-annual printed guides with the first set to publish in November; and two newsletters. Sponsors include Niagara Parks, City Cruises Toronto, Corona Canada, Liberty Entertainment Group, and Little Canada. Toronto.com will be helmed by Editor-in-Chief Yasmin Aboelsaud, the former executive editor of Curiocity and a former managing editor at Daily Hive.

The Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released Suddenly It’s Everywhere: The Rise Of Vertical Video, detailing the rapid emergence and penetration of the format with Canadian audiences. It finds two-thirds of online Canadians have already engaged with short-form vertical video content. Gen Zs (ages 18-27) are particularly avid consumers, with nearly nine in 10 watching short-form vertical videos. Engagement is also high among racialized Canadians, while anglophones are more likely to watch than francophones. Despite considerable buzz around TikTok, YouTube Shorts emerges as the most popular platform for short-form vertical video, watched by almost half of online Canadians. Instagram Reels is second most popular.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

Bell and the Canadian Telecommunications Association are expressing their disappointment at the CRTC’s decision to uphold its ruling allowing Canada’s largest national telecommunications companies (Bell, Rogers, and TELUS) to operate as resellers on the networks of their competitors, including smaller regional providers. The association says if the decision stands, it will lead to reduced investments in network infrastructure, including rural and remote communities, and ultimately less choice for Canadians. Robert Malcolmson, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer of Bell Canada, said the decision has already significantly undermined the business case for future network expansion, with Bell reducing its capital expenditures by $500 million in 2025 alone and by over $1.2 billion since the CRTC’s initial decision in November 2023. 

Rogers Communications Inc. has closed its CDN$7 billion equity investment from funds managed by Blackstone, backed by Canadian institutional investors. Blackstone has acquired a non-controlling interest in a new Canadian subsidiary of Rogers that owns a portion of its wireless backhaul transport infrastructure. The investor group led by Blackstone includes Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (La Caisse), the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) and the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO).

PODVERTORIAL: This week on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast, we’re joined by Jeffrey Maddox, President of Nokia Canada, as the company marks 40 years in Canada and the 100th anniversary of Nokia Bell Labs. Maddox reflects on the legacy of Bell Labs, from the invention of the transistor in 1947 to its foundational role in shaping modern communications and why he calls Nokia “the company that built Silicon Valley.” He also unpacks Nokia’s billion-dollar commitment to Canada, its leadership in 5G and critical infrastructure, and how Bell Labs is pushing the boundaries of what’s next, from 6G and AI to quantum-safe networks and bridging the digital divide.

Friends of Canadian Media has announced Suzie Dwyer as the winner of the 2025 Dalton Camp Award for her essay Lessons from Around the Dinner Table, a heartfelt reflection on storytelling’s essential role in fostering cross-generational civic education. The $10,000 prize recognizes the best essay on the link between media and democracy. The winner of the inaugural $2,500 scholarship, presented in tandem with RDTNF Canada to a student who demonstrates enthusiasm for politics and a solid comprehension of journalism’s role in a thriving democracy, is Jay Ashdown for Don’t Read the Comments, a news story on the endemic problem of online hate faced by marginalized Canadian journalists.

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

NLogic has announced the development of a new consumer insights survey, with the first data release scheduled for fall 2025. Promising “a modernized and dynamic view of Canadian consumer behaviour,” the survey will be executed by global research firm, Sago. The fall release will survey 35,000 respondents and include coverage of emerging categories like AI, health, and gaming with an eye to future local and more frequent surveys to reflect categories with a faster pace of change; and integration of video and audio audience data from Numeris for enhanced campaign planning.

North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and the Linux Foundation, announced the launch of Media eXchange Layer (MXL) SDK during the annual Network Technology Seminar. The new open-source project addresses the need for native live media exchange on local or hosted compute infrastructure, especially relevant for cloud-fit software systems defined by the EBU Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) Reference Architecture. The project’s initial Technical Steering Committee includes the EBU, CBC/Radio-Canada (User-Chair), BBC, Grass Valley (Implementor-Chair), Riedel, Lawo, Nvidia, and AWS.

LG Electronics (LG) has launched new brand campaign, Radio Optimism, the company says is designed to help strengthen meaningful human connections through shared musical experiences. It allows platform users to send song dedications via its “24/7 dedication station.” LG says the initiative addresses the growing challenge of forming genuine relationships in a tech-driven world, with the campaign seeking “to counteract the disconnection often felt in an era dominated by superficial interactions, such as likes and comments on social media.”

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Joe Bowen is retiring as the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bowen, 74, announced last week that the upcoming 2025-26 season – his 45th – will be his last. Bowen, who will reach the 3,800 game milestone sometime this year, first worked with Harry Neale as his colour commentator. For the last 26 years, he’s called games alongside Jim Ralph. Bowen began his career in his hometown covering the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Sudbury Wolves and serving as sports director for CKSO. He went on to call for the American Hockey League (AHL) Nova Scotia Voyageurs, making his play-by-play debut with the Leafs in 1982. He also handled play-by-play for regional Leafs TV broadcasts from 1989-95 and 1998-2014.

Richard Madan is signing off from CBC News after less than two years as the public broadcaster’s Washington, DC correspondent to pursue an opportunity outside journalism. Madan has been a political correspondent since 2000, starting with CBC as the legislative reporter for CBC Manitoba. He went on to spend six years with Citytv Toronto as a political specialist, before joining CTV News – first as parliamentary correspondent and then as the network’s Washington correspondent, starting in 2016. He rejoined CBC in late 2023 after getting caught up in layoffs at Bell Media.

Jeremy Baker is the new afternoon host at CFOX Vancouver, following last week’s departure of Tyler & Lynch as part of a round of cuts at Corus Entertainment. Baker will also be heard on the Corus Radio network: 7 – 10 p.m. on 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto, 6 – 9 p.m. on 107.3 The Edge (CFGQ-FM) Calgary; and noon – 4 p.m. Sundays on FM96 (CFPL-FM) London. Baker previously hosted afternoon drive on CFOX from 2016-21, before joining 102.7 The Peak (CKPK-FM) Vancouver in mornings, alongside Charis Hogg. He returned to the station last fall, heard in evenings and weekends, in addition to some network voicetracking.

Gene Valaitis has announced that he’s the new midday host at 610 CKTB St. Catharines, which is now owned by Whiteoaks Communications Group. Valaitis will be heard from 9 a.m. to noon ET. He was last on-air on terrestrial radio on Vancouver’s Roundhouse Radio (CIRH-FM) in mornings from 2017-18. The on-air lineup at 610 CKTB also sees Jon “Gonzo” Mark expand his role as primary host of The Drive, with CKTB News Director Bonnie Heslop contributing to the program weekly. The Drive’s other weekly host Walter Sendzik is shifting into other business, while still contributing to CKTB programming.

Ashleigh Darrach will be returning to Whiteoaks’ 97.7 HTZ-FM St. Catharines in July to host middays (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.), also serving as Music Director for both HTZ-FM and the newly-rebranded Legend 102.9 FM (CKLH-FM, formerly Bounce Radio).

Taylor Kaye will host middays on Legend 102.9. She was formerly heard on the station as a fill-in host on midday and drive, in addition to hosting a weekend show. Tom Park, a 102.9 K-Lite alum and formerly the morning show producer for Sunni & Hayes, is the station’s new weekend host and will lend his imaging voice talent to Whiteoaks’ Hamilton and Niagara stations.

Kayla joins Whiteoaks’ dream 105.7 (CHRE-FM, previously MOVE Radio) as Music Director and midday host. She formerly hosted Rogers Sports & Media national radio show, Canada’s Most Requested, and contributed to social media and digital engagement for KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto. All other current hosts and dayparts remain unchanged on Whiteoaks’ new stations.

Robyn Metcalfe joins Whiteoaks as Traffic Coordinator, arriving from the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN). Elana Kennedy is Traffic Manager, previously the Traffic Coordinator at CKLH-FM for eight years. Erin MacGillivary joins as Group Creative Director, marking a return to CKLH-FM, while Jeff Kirkwood is the company’s new Imaging Producer. He formerly spent 24 years with CHUM Radio in Toronto and another 12 with Bell Media.

Joanne Gurney is Whiteoaks’ new Senior Engineering Manager reporting to Director of Engineering & IT, Summer Dent. Gurney was formerly Chief Engineer at Bell Media’s Niagara stations for three decades. Also new to the company is Senior Staff Accountant Rebecca Wilson, while Catherine Carr was promoted earlier this year from Financial Controller to VP of Finance. Read more here.

Mike Kelly, VP, Radio & TV station operations, at Corus Entertainment, is the new board chair of Radioplayer Canada, replacing outgoing Rogers Sports & Media representative Paul Kaye as he departs the company. Al Ford, Senior Manager, National Content Operations, becomes Rogers new representative on the board.

Scott Steele has left Anthem Entertainment and joined music tech company, Boost Collective as their new Head of Fulfillment. Steele had been with Anthem as its Music Distribution Coordinator since September 2023, arriving from Play MPE where he helmed Music Industry Relations. He formerly had a career in radio promotions, working with Rogers Sports & Media, Newcap and Harvard Media in Ontario and Alberta.

Dylen Postnikoff has joined Blink49 Studios as Vice President, Marketing and Communications. Based in the company’s L.A. office, Postnikoff will report to Nelson Kuo-Lee, Chief Operating Officer. Most recently, Postnikoff served as VP of Brand Marketing and Communications at Shaftesbury, where she led cross-platform marketing initiatives for Murdoch Mysteries, Hudson & Rex, and Departure. Prior to that, she held the role of Head of TV Entertainment and Content Marketing at CBC.

RADIO & PODCAST:

Whiteoaks Communications Group has completed its acquisition of four radio stations from Bell Media, expanding its footprint across Hamilton and Niagara. As of Monday, 97.7 HTZ FM (CHTZ-FM) and 610 CKTB St. Catharines are part of the Whiteoaks group of stations, alongside newly-rebranded Hamilton stations, Legend 102.9 (CKLH-FM, which formerly carried Bell’s Bounce branding), and dream 105.7 (CHRE-FM, previously a MOVE Radio station). Legend 102.9 will deliver an Adult Hits format, featuring “an iconic mix of songs that have stood the test of time.” dream 105.7 will maintain an Adult Contemporary format, playing a mix of modern pop and upbeat favourites. Read more here.

The Saskatchewan Day of Caring for Wildfire Evacuees on June 12 brought together more than 60 radio stations and media portals, raising $680,000. The federal government has committed to matching donations, with details of the program still being finalized. The matching opportunity, in support of the Canadian Red Cross 2025 Saskatchewan Wildfires Appeal, remains in effect through June 27. Among the station groups taking part were Golden West Broadcasting, Harvard Media, and Rawlco Radio. Read more here. 

 

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KiSS 103.5 (CJMX-FM) Sudbury host Jamie Johnston went live for 24 hours, from 9 a.m. on June 12 to 9 a.m. on June 13 in support of Meals on Wheels Sudbury. Jamie’s Longest Broadcast Ever raised $6,500, equivalent to 1,300 hundred meals for the community.

99.3 County FM (CJPE-FM) Prince Edward County, ON, raised $75,521 against a goal of $74,000, during its County FM Wellings of Picton Radiothon with donations still coming in. Donations included major support from The Elderberry Fund (Sarah and David) and 400+ donors across the county. “Donations are a significant part of what keeps the station alive and well,” said Craig Mills, General Manager, 99.3 County FM. “Thanks to your support over the past 10.5 years, we have entertained, informed, and served as your essential service. 99.3 County FM exists through the collective effort of the entire community.”

LISTEN: “Tarzan Dan” Freeman has announced he’ll be taking another leave of absence from his Bounce Radio midday show to undergo a stem cell bone marrow transplant. Freeman, who went public with his cancer diagnosis last September, has been undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma. Broadcast Dialogue caught up with Dan this week as he underwent a plasma transfusion to boost his immune system ahead of the transplant. He candidly shares the ups and downs of his cancer journey, which includes willing himself to come back physically. Read more here.

Radio Connects President Caroline Gianias told the recent Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB) conference that radio is far from dead, however, convincing a new generation of advertising planners of that is commercial broadcasters’ biggest challenge right now. Gianias asserted that common misconceptions about commercial radio need to be debunked, including challenging the belief that remote work has eliminated commutes, noting that 83% of Canadians still work from the office at some point, making in-car listening a crucial advertising touchpoint. She also strongly refuted the idea that Spotify is replacing radio. Read more here.

The Pro Bono Group has produced a Pro Canada “Canada Day” PSA. With the endorsement and support of Radio Connects, Canadian radio stations are being asked to air the special one-day-only message once per hour — or as often as possible — beginning at midnight on July 1. The spot, voiced by Ruth Marshall, celebrates the success of the “Shop as if your country depends on it” campaign thus far. Learn more about the Pro Canada Project here.

Canadaland has introduced supporter-exclusive podcast, Off the Record. In the first episode, host Sam Konnert sits down with Cenk Uygur and then Jesse Brown to unpack previously killed unaired Duly Noted segments for The Big Scary Canada-US Border and What Canada’s Left Must Learn from Bernie and AOC, including what they thought went wrong, and why the episode is available now. 

CBC Radio is marking National Indigenous Peoples Day and National Indigenous History Month by featuring Indigenous writers across its CBC Books programs, including Bookends with Mattea Roach, in conversation with David A. Robertson about his book 52 Ways to Reconcile and a panel about memoirs featuring Tanya Talaga, author of The Knowing (June 22). The Next Chapter also discusses Christian Allaire’s memoir, From the Rez to the Runway. Additionally, CBC Music’s Indigenous Playlists are available to stream on CBC Listen, featuring everything from traditional beats to hip hop and electric powwow.

LISTEN: The Sound Off Podcast is marking nine years. Matt Cundill takes a moment to reflect on how far the podcast has come—and where it’s going as the shows evolves alongside the media landscape. In this episode, Cundill digs into what’s broken in radio: a system that stretches talent like Stretch Armstrong—asking for more with less—and a stubborn over-reliance on music in an era where listeners can get any song, any time. He also discusses recent radio layoffs, a nostalgic Winnipeg radio reunion, and why spoken word content is more valuable than ever.

TV & FILM:

Dini Petty, 80, is making a return to television with Trailblazing Talks. The one-hour special will launch nationally on The News Forum this summer. Created by filmmaker Kate Campbell, the special features candid conversations with Canadian Senator, former rower and three-time Olympian gold-medalist Marnie McBean, alongside actor, award-winning producer and Reelworld Screen Institute Founder & Executive Director, Tonya Williams. Petty will also share highlights of memorable moments from her original interviews with both guests, who first appeared on The Dini Petty Show.

CBC Arts Original series CBC on Design premieres July 4, with a new episode weekly. In five 15-minute episodes, the series explores how an industrial designer’s idea evolves to become a product in your home; from idea, to concept and creation. Featuring homegrown products, those featured include Montreal-based designers Matt and Shawna Heide; Edmonton-based Nehiyaw Iskwew multidisciplinary designer Rashelle Campbell; Edmonton’s Brendan Gallagher and Nick Kazakoff; furniture designer, maker and entrepreneur Geof Lilge; and Toronto-based lighting and product design studio Anony run by Christian Lo.

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has announced its 2025-26 production slate for AMI-tv and AMI+. AMI is currently in production on new scripted and docuseries, including Adapting (6 x 30), a scripted comedy that takes a raw look at disability, adolescence and the minefield of family dynamics, based on a concept by father-daughter writing duo Garner and Rachael Ransom, inspired by Rachael’s real-life experiences with cerebral palsy. Breaking Boundaries (8 x 30) is a docuseries featuring Paralympic champion Tyler Turner as he immerses himself in unfamiliar adaptive sports, learning from elite athletes. History in 60 (6 x 30) is a docuseries telling the stories of Canada’s evolving disability history, told by journalist and author John Loeppky, taking on the challenge of fitting it all into one minute. Mirror Image Media is also working on an untitled, one-hour documentary on April Hubbard, an advocate with a tethered spinal cord and chronic pain, sharing her Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) journey.

Crossroad Springs makes its series debut on Super Channel Heart & Home on Sunday, Sept. 7. The new six-part, hour-long drama stars Jonathan Stoddard (A Royal Christmas Ballet), Emily Alalato (Christmas In Maple Hills), Shaun Johnston (Heartland), Kate Drummond (Heartland/Wynona Earp), Brittany Underwood (A Royal Christmas Ballet), Jesse Hutch (A Little Women’s Christmas), Jon McLaren (“When Hope Calls”), Erin Agostino (The Jingle Bell Jubilee), and Franco Lo Presti (Bad Blood).

New Metric Media, in association with Bay Mills Studios, has announced that original comedic miniseries Hate The Player: The Ben Johnson Story will start principal photography this week at Dark Slope Studios in Toronto. Anthem Sports & Entertainment’s GameTV has commissioned the six-episode series and will be its cable home in Canada, while Paramount+ in Canada, which developed the series with New Metric, will serve as its exclusive streaming platform. Shamier Anderson (John Wick 4, Invasion) stars as Johnson and will also serve as an Executive Producer for Bay Mills Studios. Set to debut in early 2026, the series is being produced with participation from Johnson and inspired by extensive research conducted by Canadian author and journalist, Mary Ormsby.

Jovanna Burke (Supernatural) and Chelsea Hobbs (Lords of Dogtown) have partnered to launch Grand Boulevard Entertainment, a Vancouver-based prodco with a mission to amplify under-represented voices in film and television. The actors turned creators officially launched their new venture at the Banff World Media Festival. The first project under the partnership is the Creative Sisterhood Podcast, set to launch this summer, spotlighting female creatives. Read more here.

Telefilm Canada has announced its investment in 27 feature-length films in the English market with a commitment of over $14.4 million, under the Production Program’s low budget stream, including international co-productions. Last month, the funding agency announced 12 big-budget feature films for the English market.

The National Directors Division (NDD) of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has announced its selections for the latest program under the NDD’s Career Pipeline initiative – the Director Market Accelerator delegation at the inaugural Access Canada Summit, running Sept. 8-10, alongside TIFF. Selected directors all have TV or feature film projects in active development, for which they are seeking financing or a producing partnership. Learn more about each director’s project here.

The Canadian Academy has announced the fifth iteration of the Women in Post program, designed to provide higher-level industry access and professional development for women-identifying and non-binary creatives interested in working in all areas of post production. Applications close July 16. Learn more here.

ONLINE & DIGITAL MEDIA:

The Digital Publishing Awards saw Gold and Silver winners presented in 26 categories. The Globe and Mail was the top winner, receiving six Gold Awards. Hazlitt also stood out with four Silver Awards and two Honourable Mentions. IndigiNews, CBC and Radio-Canada also claimed multiple honours.

Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford have released the 2025 Digital News Report. It highlights an accelerating shift towards consumption via social media and video platforms that’s “supercharging a fragmented alternative media environment containing an array of podcasters, YouTubers, and TikTokers.” This year’s survey also highlights emerging challenges in the form of AI platforms and chatbots. With growing numbers of people avoiding the news, it also considers the potential benefits of using new generative AI technologies to personalize content.

REGULATORY, TELECOM & MEDIA:

The CRTC’s public hearing on market dynamics between small, medium and large broadcasters, television service providers and online streaming services got underway Wednesday with presentations from Ethnic Channels Group, TLN and BCE, among others. Bell urged the commission to allow more flexibility surrounding how broadcasters and programmers are allowed to negotiate the packaging and payment of content. Read more coverage from our sister publication, CARTT.ca (paywalled).

Rogers Communications has received CRTC approval to acquire Bell’s interest in Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. (NBA TV Canada). Rogers previously received approvals from the NHL, NBA, CFL, Major League Soccer (MLS), and the American Hockey League (AHL) to become 75% owners of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), in addition to clearance from the Competition Bureau. The C$4.7 billion deal is expected to close in July.

RTDNA Canada has announced the finalists for its National Awards of Excellence in digital and broadcast journalism. Honouring the best journalists, programs, platforms, stations, and news-gathering organizations across audio, digital, and video, National Award winners will be announced Nov. 1. Among those already earmarked for awards are CTV News and CBC News. Find the full list of finalists here.

Global News is this year’s recipient of the CJF Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism (Large Media) at the annual Canadian Journalism Foundation Awards. Global News was recognized for The New Reality: The Business of Indigenous Kids in Care, an investigation into the treatment of Indigenous youth in the child-welfare system. In the Small Media category, Toronto-based online magazine The Local captured its first CJF Jackman Award for Divided City, its neighbourhood-level analysis of life expectancy in Toronto. Read more here.

Global News and former MP Han Dong have settled their lawsuit. The former Don Valley North MP stepped away from the Liberal caucus in March 2023, after Global, citing confidential sources, published alleged details about his interactions with the Chinese consulate in Toronto. In a statement, Global said it “recognizes the findings of the Final Report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, including that the classified information reviewed by Justice Marie Josee Hogue corroborates that Mr. Dong did not suggest that the PRC extend the detention of Michael Kovrig and Micheal Spavor.”

CBC/Radio-Canada has released a progress report on its National Indigenous Strategy, Strengthening Relations, Walking Together. Since the launch of the strategy in February 2024, the public broadcaster says it has partnered with organizers at more than 50 Indigenous-led events; created new opportunities for Indigenous artists and creators through programs like the Reverie Music Residency and Early Stage Scripted Development; invited more Indigenous people to work with CBC through the new Indigenous Talent Community; and launched Indigenous programming, including North of North and Sur les traces d’Anachnid.

BROADCAST TECH & ENGINEERING:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has opened submissions for the 2026 Scientific and Technical Awards, honouring individuals and companies whose discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant and lasting ways to motion pictures. Eligible submissions include devices, methods, formulas, discoveries and inventions of outstanding value to moviemaking. The deadline is July 24. The awards presentation will be held April 28.

Dome Productions was awarded the contract to provide Host Broadcast and Media services at the G7 Summit, June 15-17, in Kananaskis, AB. Headquartered in Toronto, and with operations in Montréal, Oakville, Ottawa, and Calgary, Dome Productions has provided G7 Host Broadcast services since 1995, producing the very first High Definition pictures of the leaders of the G8 Muskoka and G20 Toronto in 2010. 

tonzauber and the Lawo mc²36 MkII have launched Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz into deep space. On May 31, the composition was performed at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) and transmitted live towards Voyager 1 – currently more than 24 billion kilometres from Earth. The feat was the centrepiece of the “Waltz into Space” initiative, celebrating both the 200th birthday of the “Waltz King” and the 50th anniversary of the European Space Agency (ESA). The audio production was entrusted to Vienna-based tonzauber, led by owner Georg Burdicek, who deployed a mobile production studio centered around a Lawo mc²36 MkII audio production console. 

Tuned Global is expanding its Social Radio platform with the launch of real-time tipping, letting fans support artists, DJs, and creators live. Inspired by creator economy giants like Twitch and TikTok, the plug-and-play monetization layer lets DSPs roll out direct rewards for anyone curating a livestream. Social Radio lets listeners join virtual rooms where artists or audio influencers go live, play tracks, talk to fans, and get instant feedback. Fans can cheer with emojis, respond in the chat, and starting in Q3 2025, tip their favourite hosts directly.

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