CCR People

Liberal Senator Michael Kirby has taken a temporary leave from the Senate subcommittee on communications, which is examining issues associated with media convergence and e-commerce. He is expected to re-join the committee in the fall. Jeffrey Elliott has been appointed senior VP Alliance Atlantis Communications. Elliott joins Alliance Atlantis from Netstar Interactive, where he was responsible for creating and integrating interactive operations of The Sports Network and Discovery Channel Canada. Ted Boyle has been named president and CEO at Inetcable.com of Ottawa. A veteran of the cable and satellite television industries, Boyle brings a wealth of broadcasting experience to the emerging Internet broadcaster. Boyle played a significant role in the launch of new services in the cable, direct-to-home satellite and wireless cable businesses. Previously, he was president and CEO at Bell ExpressVu and was instrumental in bringing MMDS service to South Asia. Susan Werbe has been promoted to VP, historical programming, at the History Channel. Deborah Bernstein has taken over from Phyllis Platt as executive director of CBC Television Arts and Entertainment. Jacques Bensimon, head of the French-language TFO, has left the Ontario government-owned public television network after 14 years with the organization that he helped found. He cited differences with senior management. TVO has had several high-profile resignations since former Ontario culture minister Isabel Bassett took over as CEO in January. Wayne T. Hatton has been appointed president of Medbroadcast Connect, a new subsidiary of Medbroadcast Inc. The appointment is effective June 5, 2000. Hatton will develop and lead the new business-to-business division, which will complement Medbroadcast Media, the company's publishing interests. Medbroadcast Media comprises the company's business-to-consumer interests that include medbroadcast.com, an Internet source for health information, HealthMart.ca and the company's partnership in a joint CRTC application for a national health channel. Salter Street Films has appointed Stephen Kelley to the team as VP responsible for sales and operations of the international division. He will be based in Toronto. Kelley has 15 years of experience in the television and distribution industry, most recently as head of international sales with Catalyst Distribution Inc. Prior to that he was international sales executive with the company, and from 1988 to 1992 was international sales executive with TVOntario. CCR editor Mark Bourrie won the National Magazine Award gold prize May 26 in the Social Affairs category for "The System that Killed Santa Claus," an article on a man wrongly accused of sexual assault. The article was published in the December, 1999 issue of Ottawa City, Toronto Life's franchise in Ottawa. In Memoriam Tony Scapillati, executive director of the Canadian Broadcast Rights Association (CBRA) and co-chair of the North American Broadcasters Association legal committee, died suddenly April 20 from a heart attack. He began his career as senior legal counsel with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, serving there until 1991, when he founded the CBRA. Canadian Communications Reports extends its sympathies to his family and friends. Please send your news and appointment notices to newsdesk@decima.ca.

CCR People

Broadcast | June 8, 2000

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