CCR People

David Drybrough has been appointed as interim chair of the board of directors of CanWest Global Communications Corp. He replaces Frank McKenna, who resigned the position to take up the post of Canada’s ambassador to the United States. Drybrough was appointed to the board in March 2003 (CCR, March 13/03), and has served on the company’s audit committee. He retains his position of chair of that committee. McKenna was on CanWest’s board for six years. The company is currently looking for two independent directors for its board to fill McKenna’s position and that of Jalynn Bennett, who decided not to stand for re-election at the company’s recent annual meeting. Jim Nelles has been named as VP and general manager of Toronto 1, the former Craig Media-owned over-the-air TV station in Toronto that has been acquired by Quebecor Media’s TVA Group Inc. Nelles joined the TV channel as general sales manager in the summer of 2004 after receiving an offer from previous VP and general manager Barbara Williams. He has worked with Rogers Media Television, where he held a number of senior executive roles, including VP of sales and marketing. Michel Carter, president and CEO of Cogeco Inc.’s broadcasting subsidiary, is retiring. A media release issued by Cogeco states that Carter plans to spend more time with his family. Carter will retain his position on a part-time basis until a successor can be found. He joined Cogeco in 1986 as VP of finance, and in 1995, he became VP and general manager or Cogeco Radio Television Inc (CRTI). He was named as president and CEO of CRTI in 2002. Andrew Williamson of the B.C. Producer’s Branch of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) will be leaving the association to become director of development at Vancouver B.C.’s Keatley Films. He has been the director of industrial and external relations for the B.C. branch of the CFTPA for four years. Last year, Williamson was seconded by the B.C. Ministry of Labour to assist Justice David Tysoe with his labour inquiry into the film industry. He will remain with the CFTPA until June. Montreal-based independent producer Mary Armstrong and Jean-Louis Robichaud, an educator in Nova Scotia have been elected as co-chairs of the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund (CIFVF). Also elected to the executive are: Geeta Sondhi of Toronto (vice chair), Tony Merzetti of Fredericton NB (treasurer), Carla Bruce of Montreal (secretary), Sylvia Jonescu Lisitza from Vancouver and Nicole Hubert from Montreal. New members to the board are: Huguette Dandeneau, Lisa Meeches, Ira Levy, Lori Kuffner and Maria Shin. They join current board members Kevin Dunn, Joye Hardma, Glynis Whiting, Adam Froman and Jean-Pierre Gauthier. Leaving the board are Phyllis Lang, Richard Elson, Renae Morriseau and Micheline Boyle. Wendy MacKeigan has been appointed as chair of the board of Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT-T). She was the chair and president of Astral Media’s Harold Greenberg Fund for 10 years (CCR, Feb. 25/05). The organization’s 2005 board of directors also includes Kit Redmond, VP of RTR Media (vice chair), Anne Schneerer, account manager of the TV and Motion Picture Group at the National Bank (treasurer), Lisa Clarkson, director of production financing at CBC TV Arts and Entertainment (secretary), Azura Films Inc. producer Jennifer Harkness, Toronto 1’s New Voices Fund and Independent Production executive director Karen King, Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting senior VP of lifestyle programming Kirstine Layfield, CHUM Television VP of production Marcia Martin, Big Soul Productions president Laura Milliken, Barna-Alper Productions Inc. CFO and COO Margaret O’Brien, Platt Productions president Phyllis Platt, DiversiPro Inc. managing partner Cynthia Reyes, Theatrical Advertising senior VP Dianne Schwalm, Tattersall Sound and Picture president Jane Tattersall, and Vision TV in-house production director Sadia Zaman. Stepping down from the board are Tara Ellis, who is in charge of original drama production at Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting and Emily Morgan, VP of programming at Showcase Action, Showcase Diva and the Independent Film Channel. Morgan and Ellis were co-chairs of WIFT-T’s 2003-04 board. Also leaving is secretary Allison Vale, principal of Redbird Communications. Keri Levinsky has been hired by Achilles Media in the position of marketing director responsible for the Banff World Television Festival, nextMEDIA, and the World Congress of History Producers. Previously, she worked as an account supervisor at ACLC Advertising. Charles Clément joins the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) as its new manager of programming. Previously, he worked in affiliate relations for CanWest Global Communications Inc.’s specialty TV channels. Kevin Desjardins has joined the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) as manager of communications. He joins the CAB from the Canadian Conference of Arts (CCA), where he was communications and public relations manager since July 2002. He moves into the position vacated by Julien Lavoie, who left to join the Media Awareness Network (CCR, Jan. 28/05). Toronto Blue Jays’ broadcaster Tom Cheek is taking time off from his job at Rogers Broadcasting’s FAN 590 radio station as he recovers from surgery after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Warren Sawkiw is joining play-by-play announcer Jerry Howarth and pre- and post-game host Mike Wilner as a colour analyst when Cheek is unavailable. Consultant Fraser Smith of GPC Public Affairs has been hired by Vancouver-based Thunder Bay Films Inc. as a lobbyist. He will be lobbying Canadian Heritage and the National Film Board for a film production grant. Sean Conway with the Toronto office of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP has registered as a lobbyist for Vancouver-based Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. He will be lobbying the Ontario Ministry of Labour and the Ontario Labour Relations Board on employment standards, particularly hours of work in the entertainment industry. Singer/songwriter Paul Anka, athlete George Chuvalo, concert promoter Michael Cohl, producer Pierre Cossette, dancer Rex Harrington, music producer Daniel Lanois, singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette, actor Kiefer Sutherland, and actor Fay Wray will be inducted this year into Canada’s Walk of Fame. The inductees will unveil their stars at a public ceremony on June 5 in Toronto.

CCR People

Broadcast | March 29, 2005

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