Chris Pearson, President of Acadia Broadcasting, has announced his transition to retirement, with Senior Vice-President Shelley Snodgrass to succeed him, effective Dec. 1. Pearson, who has spent nearly four decades with the company and held the role of president since 2016, will remain on in an advisory role to support the transition. He’ll also continue as President of the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) and continue to serve on the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) CEO Radio Council. Based in Saint John, NB, Snodgrass has been with the company since 2016, holding roles including Vice-President, Sales. Read more here.

Tracey Connolly has been named Global Director of Broadcast Sales at Nautel, as longtime Senior Director of Broadcast Sales Wendell Lonergan retires after more than 47 years with the company. Based in Metro Halifax, Connolly’s sales background includes more than 17 years with Sysco in Atlantic Canada. Lonergan first joined Nautel in 1978 in research. Successive roles included Project Leader, Medium Wave Transmission, before being named Sales Manager, Middle East and North Africa in 2005. He’d been in his current role since 2012. Read more here.

Mike Crawley is headed to Washington, D.C. to cover the U.S. capital for CBC News. Crawley has been with the public broadcaster since 2005, initially as a reporter in Saint John, before joining the Toronto bureau where he’s been a Provincial Affairs reporter for the last 16 years.

 

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Damian Rickards (aka Mr. D), who recently announced his departure from JUMP! 106.9 (CKQB-FM) Ottawa, has joined 91.5 The Beat (CKBT-FM) Kitchener in middays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. weekdays. Rickards has previously done two separate stints hosting evenings on 91.5 The Beat.

Danger (aka Darren Grieve) is joining Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver on weekends. Grieve has been working with the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN) for the last decade, heard on Rogers Sports & Media’s NewsRadio 1130 (CKWX-AM), and was the host of ResurreXtion Radio on the former SONiC RADiO (CKKS-FM). He rejoins Corus Radio, where he was a host on CFOX for nearly a decade.

Brenden Escott is the new host of Edmonton Oilers hockey on CHED 880. Escott will be heard during the Face-Off Show, each intermission, and on Oilers Overtime, in addition to hosting Inside Sports weeknights from 6 – 8 p.m. He’s been with CHED since 2018, initially producing Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer.

Leah Camenzind is now Executive Director of the TELUS Fund, overseeing finance, operations and program design. With TELUS since 2017, she previously led the TELUS originals film program and co-founded the TELUS independent film program, stewarding the investment of over $15 million into the production of more than 100 social-purpose films and series. She succeeds Elizabeth Friesen, who has retired from the position after 12 years.

Jinny Howe has been named Head of UCAN (U.S.-Canada) Scripted Series at Netflix. She’ll succeed Peter Friedlander – one of the company’s longest-serving creative executives – who will be leaving the streamer after almost 14 years. Howe joined Netflix in 2018, holding the title of VP, Original Series, Drama, helping develop series like Bridgerton, Inventing Anna, The Night Agent and The Diplomat.

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Announced at a ceremony on the opening evening of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Winnipeg-headquartered prodco Frantic Films was named the recipient of the inaugural TV Producer Indiescreen Award.

Headed by CEO and Executive Producer Jamie Brown, Frantic Films has been producing award-winning series for over 25 years, including Still Standing, which is now in its 11th season; Baroness Von Sketch Show; Winnipeg Comedy Festival; and cult classic sci-fi comedy Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, among many others. Frantic Films was awarded a $20,000 cash prize, accepted by company president Stephanie Fast.

Paula Devonshire was named the recipient of the 2025 Feature Film Producer Indiescreen Award. Devonshire’s projects have screened at festivals including Venice, Sundance, and TIFF, including Survival of the Dead (2009), Wet Bum (2014), and Atom Egoyan’s Remember (2015), starring Christopher Plummer. Recently, she has served as an executive producer on Steal Away (2025), Nika & Madison (2025), and Blood Lines (2025), all of which are set to premiere this year at TIFF. Her latest project, Blood Lines (2025), explores Métis identity, culture, and language. Devonshire was awarded a $20,000 cash prize.

Leena Minifie is the recipient of the 2025 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Indiescreen Award. The CMPA says the Vancouver-based producer was recognized for her dedication to craft and thoughtful approach, demonstrating a versatility of work to come. Minifie’s project, The Good Canadian (2025), a meticulously researched and artfully crafted documentary, traces the legacy of the Indian Act and systemic dispossession of Indigenous people, set to premiere on APTN later this month. Minifie was awarded a $10,000 cash prize.

The award winners were selected by three national juries. To be eligible, nominees must have acted as a producer on a Canadian feature film or series that premiered in the 2025 calendar year.

“With national pride reaching record levels across the country, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on Canada’s outstanding producing talent,” said Reynolds Mastin, CMPA President and CEO. “This year’s Indiescreen Awards winners embody the creativity, grit and skill that define what it means to be an independent media producer in Canada today. Congratulations to Paula, Leena, and Frantic Films for their exceptional ability to connect and inspire.”

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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.

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